Darjeeling: Binay Tamang, president, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and chairman, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, on the occasion of martyr's day, stated that talks were on with the state government to provide job to one member from each of the martyrs' families.
Incidentally, the Hill parties have been commemorating martyr's day on July 27 every year, in memory of more than 1,226 people who laid down their lives during the violent Gorkhaland agitation of the 1980s led by Subash Ghising and the GNLF and a new agitation led by Bimal Gurung and the GJM since coming into power in 2008.
The day in particular is in honour of the 18 who died during a police firing on July 27, 1986, when GNLF supporters had gathered to burn Article 7 of the 1950 Indo-Nepal peace and friendship treaty, in Kalimpong.
"We have already apprised the government, political parties and the rest of India regarding our struggle for identity, our demands and our difficulties. We do not need any further supreme sacrifices for this," stated Tamang, addressing the gathering on Friday.
He stated that the masses have already done enough and have made sacrifices for the quest for identity. "Hardly any family members of the leaders have made sacrifices or taken part in the movements. The leaders have just handed out instructions and orders. They have hardly stood with the masses. Owing to the directionless agitations, we have lost so many precious lives," retorted Tamang.
The GJM president stated that henceforth it would be an intellectual movement, keeping national politics in view. He demanded that it is time for the Modi Government to truly evaluate the sacrifices made by the Gorkhas for the country.