ACTIVIST ARREST ISSUE,GJM mulls meeting Narayanan

Darjeeling

1 Nov 2013

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership is reportedly planning to meet Governor MK Narayanan who is currently on an 18-day visit to the Darjeeling hills. The leaders intend to seek his intervention in getting arrested party leaders and activists released.

Sources from within the GJM said the arrest and judicial custody of the leaders is a matter of grave concern and needs to be addressed at the earliest.

“Now that relations between the GJM and state government have warmed up again, party supporters are getting frustrated seeing no sign of the release of their leaders and ‘sabhasads’ and this could take a bad turn for the future of the party,” said one of the GJM sources.

More the 2,000 GJM activists including senior leaders and 12 sabhasads have been arrested since July 29, when a fresh round of agitation for statehood was launched by the Morcha.

GJM assistant secretary Jyoti Kumar Rai revealed about plans of some party representatives to meet the governor during his stay in Darjeeling.

“We will definitely try and meet the governor as per his convenience. However, as we are all busy with party activities including taking stock of the contentious issue of the release of our leaders and supporters, we hope to sit down soon after ‘Tihar’ (Diwali) and request for some time with the governor,” he said.

GJM assistant secretary Binay Tamang, who is also a GTA executive member, has launched an indefinite hunger strike since Wednesday at the Jalpaiguri correctional home demanding bail as he alleges false charges have been framed against him.

Tamang’s health condition has deteriorated and he is presently hospitalised.

Tamang was elected on September 27 to head the GTA as the chief executive’s post was lying vacant since Bimal Gurung’s resignation on July 30. But as Tamang’s bail plea got rejected, the GJM was hard-pressed to appoint GTA deputy chief executive Col (Retd) Ramesh Allay to the post on a temporary basis.

Narayanan today inaugurated a community hall in Mim Tea estate under Sukhaypokhari block is in Darjeeling since October 27 and is expected to remain till November 14.

The governor’ visit to Darjeeling coincides with Diwali and President Pranab Mukherjee’s proposed visit here on November 10. District administration sources said Narayanan will receive the President when the latter arrives to attend a programme at a reputed English school in Darjeeling.