Hill leaders to start 'fast unto death' from July 15

The Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GLMCC) in a meeting on Tuesday decided to continue with the ongoing bandh in the Hills. GLMCC leaders will also launch a fast unto death from July 15.

"Two leaders of the 14 constituent parties of the GLMCC will sit in a fast-unto-death from July 15," stated Binay Tamang, assistant secretary, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).

July 13 is the birth anniversary of Nepali poet Bhanubhakta Acharya and it will be commemorated as "Gorkhaland Unity Day." Tamang added: "We have appealed to all the recipients of the Bhanubhakta Award of the Bengal government to return their awards."

The GLMCC has also issued an ultimatum to the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the 15 odd Development and Cultural Boards to resign from the posts by 6 pm on July 14, failing which they will be dubbed anti-Gorkhaland.

On July 14, District Magistrate Offices, SDO and BDO offices will be gheraoed in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. A rally carrying empty bags will take to the streets in Siliguri on July 14 as a symbolic mark of protest against the alleged blockade of essential commodities from the plains to Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sikkim.

GLMCC has demanded a CBI probe into the alleged police firings which left seven Gorkhaland supporters dead. The next date of meeting of the GLMCC has been fixed on July 18.

Meanwhile in Darjeeling, the GJM took out a "Khukuri" (traditional Gorkha sword) rally in Darjeeling. Brandishing khukuris, GJM youth took the pledge to fight till the last breadth and drop of blood to free Gorkhaland from the clutches of Bengal.

The Sports and Youth Affairs office of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) located at Zakir Hussain Road in Darjeeling was torched on Tuesday morning.

36-year-old Ashok Tamang who was injured in the scuffle between the GJM and security forces on July 8, passed away in a hospital in Tadong, Sikkim. His body was brought to his residence located at Lowis Jubilee Complex in Darjeeling.