Darjeeling, Feb. 6: Ex-servicemen from across the hills are likely to surrender all decorations that they have received from the Indian Army to press the demand for a separate state for the Gorkhas.
Around 150 ex-servicemen representing different army units raised the proposal of surrendering the medals at a meeting in Darjeeling Gymkhana Club today. Bimal Gurung, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief, was also present in the meet organised by the former soldiers.
The Darjeeling hills are home to about 40,000 ex-servicemen and war widows.
“Our demand for a separate state has not yet been made. We will hold another meeting on February 13 and, in all likelihood, will endorse the proposal,” said Capt. (retired) S.P. Pradhan, the general secretary of the All India Ex-Serviceman Action Committee’s Bengal chapter.
On February 13, ex-servicemen from across the hills will take out a “silent rally” in Darjeeling. They will also finalise a date to visit Delhi to submit a memorandum to the Centre on the statehood issue.
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