Former KLO members launch hunger strike demanding jobs

Cooch Behar: Former members of the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) and its linkmen on Sunday began an indefinite hunger strike unto death at the Sagar Dighi area under Cooch Behar Municipality, demanding employment and other assurances promised during their return to the mainstream.

The protesters said they had severed ties with the militant outfit based on government assurances, including rehabilitation through jobs. However, despite undergoing annual verification processes, they claim no employment has been provided so far.

The decision to launch the hunger strike was announced at a press conference a few days ago, and the protest commenced as scheduled. According to the agitators, they have submitted several memorandums to the District Magistrate and other authorities over the years, but their demands remain unresolved.

Bihari Karji, secretary of the KLO and KLO Linkmen Welfare Society, alleged that for the past five years, they have been repeatedly summoned to police stations for verification, during which bank details and other information were collected.

“Our appeals have yielded no results. When we attempted to meet the Chief Minister during her visit, we were detained at a police station instead,” Karji said, adding that the hunger strike would continue until a satisfactory response is received.