Morcha protest spreads fast

Supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in Bagdogra have backed the party’s demand for permission to hold a public meeting in Naxalbari. Eleven of them began an indefinite hunger strike at Bagdogra’s Panighata More today to protest against the administration’s refusal to grant permission.

Yesterday, another batch of 11 supporters had done the same in Naxalbari in the Terai. Two members of the Kamtapur Students’ Organisation, the student wing of the Atul Roy-led Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP), joined them today.

The KPP Atul Roy faction is supporting the Morcha’s demand for a new state comprising the Darjeeling hills, Siliguri, the Terai and the Dooars.

“Our members are determined to continue the hunger strikes until the administration gives us permission to hold the meeting. They are ready to die for the demand,” said Indra Kumar Pradhan, the convener of the Terai committee of the Morcha.

“We have decided to wait and watch till tomorrow. If the administration still denies us permission, we will launch another hunger strike at Darjeeling More near Siliguri,” Pradhan added.

The Morcha had earlier used fasts-unto-death to get Subash Ghisingh removed as the caretaker administrator of the DGHC and to procure permission to hold a public meeting in Siliguri.

Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri criticised the government for being biased. “As a political party leading a democratic movement, why should we have to sit in hunger strikes and build pressure on the administration and state government every time we plan a public meeting. It exposes the government’s biased view of different political parties.”

Giri referred to the Morcha’s peaceful meeting in Siliguri on May 7 to shoot down fears of a law and order situation if the party’s Naxalbari plan goes through. “More than 1 lakh people had assembled at the ground, but there had been no violence,” he said.

The senior leader added that if any of the Morcha members who are on hunger strike die, the state would be responsible.

Administrative officials, however, reiterated that they had not received any instructions from higher levels about granting permission to the Morcha.