Gorkhaland: GJM on indefinite stir, top leader arrested
24 Aug 2013 5:07 AM IST
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on Thursday called for an indefinite ‘ghar bahira janata’ (people in the streets) agitation in West Bengal’s Darjeeling Hills, and said its leaders would also go on a hunger strike.
This comes as a response to the arrest of the party’s assistant general secretary Benoy Tamang on Thursday, along with six party workers.
The GJM said the protest will continue until its leaders are released. GJM supremo Bimal Gurung, who earlier in the day announced a two-day shutdown beginning Saturday, later declared an indefinite ‘ghar bahira janata’.
Following the Calcutta high court declaring the shutdown, including the peoples’ curfew, as illegal, the GJM has changed its mode of protest, calling for people to protest in the streets. The arrested GJM leaders led by Tamang will also go on an indefinite hunger strike.
Meanwhile, Narayanan who earlier had expressed his willigness to talk to the GJM leadership, said the Gorkha outfit should first come to him if it wanted his intervention.
‘If they want my intervention, let them come and ask,’ Narayanan told mediapersons in Kolkata.
This comes as a response to the arrest of the party’s assistant general secretary Benoy Tamang on Thursday, along with six party workers.
The GJM said the protest will continue until its leaders are released. GJM supremo Bimal Gurung, who earlier in the day announced a two-day shutdown beginning Saturday, later declared an indefinite ‘ghar bahira janata’.
Following the Calcutta high court declaring the shutdown, including the peoples’ curfew, as illegal, the GJM has changed its mode of protest, calling for people to protest in the streets. The arrested GJM leaders led by Tamang will also go on an indefinite hunger strike.
Meanwhile, Narayanan who earlier had expressed his willigness to talk to the GJM leadership, said the Gorkha outfit should first come to him if it wanted his intervention.
‘If they want my intervention, let them come and ask,’ Narayanan told mediapersons in Kolkata.
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