Morcha calls Peoples forum anti-Gorkhaland

Kalimpong Feb 19: Responding to the call on filing PIL by a citizen from Darjeeling against the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) decision calling a series of bandhs in the hills coming March, the party has said that the people against the bandh should actually come out to take the lathis of the government for the demand of Gorkhaland.

An anti-Gorkha Janmukti Morcha outfit has said it will file a PIL against the latest round of strikes and bandhs declared by Bimal Gurung that would “only serve to harass the common public”.If the general secretary of the People’s Forum, Pravin Gurung, does go to court, it will be the first time in the hills that any person or outfit took legal recourse against any shutdown called on the sensitive issue of Gorkhaland. The Peoples’ Forum said the strikes would not only inconvenience students appearing for various board examinations but also hamper tourism which is the backbone of the hill economy.

“The forum is anti-gorkhaland which is quite clear from their move. A PIL will be filed against the party which is demanding gorkhaland. Our party president has already received a letter from UPA chairperson regarding the issue which is a positive sign. A delegation of our party will soon visit the capital in the first week of Marcha to meet the union home minister along with other important minister,” Binay Tamang, the Morcha Assistant Secretary told journalist here.

The 48-hour bandhs — on March 14-15 and March 21-22 — and a government office strike from March 9-27 could directly affect the HS examinations scheduled to be held between March 13 and 26, though the Morcha has said it will keep the examination calendar in mind. Madhyamik begins on February 25, while the ICSE and ISC exams are scheduled to start on February 27. The examination papers are usually sent by boards in advance and kept either in the treasury office or in bank vaults.