"We all not allow Gorkhaland movement outside GTA area from Wednesday", Gautam Deb... Arrested Nepalese claim innocent

EOI, SILIGURI, 8 Aug 2017: The state government is fully prepared to stop the intensified movement announced by Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung from Wednesday.

The situation might be tense in Terai and Dooars after the ultimatum given to central government ended today and the fresh aggressive movement to be launch from Wednesday.

Whereas, the state government, ruling party TMC along with some sections of apolitical organisations from plains are all prepared to stop the movement especially outside Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area.

Several protest rallies against Gorkhaland in plains including Siliguri and Dooars are being organised by TMC and some apolitical organisations.

A crucial meeting was called on Tuesday by the state tourism minister Gautam Deb at the office of Siliguri Police Commissioner to discuss about the movement announced by GJM.

The meeting was attended by TMC Alipurduar chief Saurav Chakraborty, Gautam Deb and Siliguri Police commissioner along with other police officers.

After the meeting Chakraborty said, “We will not allow any rally in plains, we will march in a rally in Banarhat, Chamurchi, Malbazar, Odlabari and other places against Gorkhaland, I will myself be leading the rally to stop Morcha’ rallies.”

Minister Deb said, “I have instructed the necessary instruction to the police, a massive rally has been organised in Siliguri on Wednesday by TMC. Apart from government level the protest will be made by apolitical organisations and individuals. The Gorkhaland movement will not allow outside GTA jurisdiction.”

Whereas the GJM leaders from Terai and Dooars are firm and said that they are not going to fear any government threat and pressure.

Ramesh Shrestha, president of GJM Panighatta-Sukna II unit on Sunday have threatened for aggressive movement to be launch from Naxalbari and will not leave the area as it is under their proposed map.

GJM veteran leader from Sukna Tshering Dahal said, “We are demanding Gorkhaland in a democratic way and in a peaceful manner but the state government is trying to suppress it and spoiling the peaceful atmosphere of hills and plains.”

Prashant Acharya, EOI, 8 August 2017, Siliguri police have arrested several people including a Nepal citizen for alleged involvement in Sukna violence on July 29 where police and Gorkhaland supporters clashed near Siliguri.

Pradhan Nagar police on Monday night have arrested Salbari resident Nitin Chhetri and Uday Hang Fago (Limbu) who is said to be a resident of Nepal’s Ilam district. On Tuesday morning Bishal Chhetri vice president of GJM central committee including many others has been arrested. The exact figure of the arrested people is still unknown.

The arrested people are booked under several sections of IPC including arson in Sukna. Duo were produced Siliguri Court on Tuesday afternoon and remanded for seven days.

Nepali national Fago’s sister said, “We are innocent and hail from Nepal, we had come to Siliguri for medical treatment, We even can’t speak Hindi properly so how can my brother be involved in any violence in India. We don’t even have any interest in Gorkhaland movement.”

Meanwhile when the arrested people were being produced at Siliguri court today several anti Gorkhaland slogans were shouted in presence of police outside court premises.

During this, slogans against GJM supremo Bimal Gurung and Maoism also rang through the streets. Along with this, the demonstrators also raised slogans about how Gorkhaland will never achieve statehood.