Morcha tweaks agenda of PM rallies

TT, Calcutta, Aug. 5: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has decided to organise week-long "Tiranga Yatras" in Darjeeling, responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, but the hill party will tweak the event to incorporate its statehood agenda.

Tilak Chand Roka, a central committee member of the Morcha, announced that the participants would chant slogans such as "Bengal, quit Darjeeling" and "We want Gorkhaland".

Sources said the Morcha's move was aimed at keeping Modi, on whose government at the Centre the hill party has pinned its hopes for fruition of its statehood demand, in good humour while simultaneously continuing its tirade against the Bengal administration.

Roka told journalists today: "In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to organise Tiranga Yatras across the country to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, the Morcha has decided to take out rallies in Darjeeling, the Terai and the Dooars."

The strike in Darjeeling over the statehood demand entered the 52nd day today.

Daily rallies will be organised from August 9 to Independence Day by the Morcha, an ally of the BJP.

While slogans like " Vande Mataram" and "Bharat mata ki jai" will be raised at the rallies, Roka said the Morcha would add two more.

"The additional slogans are 'Bengal, quit Darjeeling' and 'We want Gorkhaland'. This is because the attitude of the Bengal government towards Darjeeling is similar to that of the British towards (pre-Independence) India," Roka said.