ABAVP threatens hunger strike

SNS, Siliguri, 15 July 2013: The Terai unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad (ABAVP) has threatened to launch a hunger-strike in front of the office of the North Bengal Development Department (NBDD) if the Belgachi Higher Secondary School and the Belgachi Primary School in the Naxalbari block are transferred under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). 

“The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) has been creating pressure on the administration so that both the schools are transferred under the GTA.” said the ABAVP Terai unit general secretary, Mr Rajesh Toppo According to information received, the process has been already started in this regard. 

We would resist the move since 90 per cent tribal students and 5 per cent Hindi speaking students study in the school,” he added. 

“We have served a memorandum addressing the chief minister through the Siliguri sub-divisional officer (SDO) today. We have requested the chief minister to intervene in this matter," said Mr Toppo. 

Mr Toppo said the organisation has given a 15-day deadline to the administration. 

“If we do not get any positive response within 15 days, then from the next day we may sit on a hunger-strike in front of the NBDD office and launch a bigger movement,” Mr Toppo added. 

The ABAVP and the Naxalbari CITU unit staged an agitation at the SDO office.