GTA remember martyrs, felicitates families.....Sahid Diwas observed in Mirik....... Kurseong has a peaceful martyr’s day

EOI, Darjeeling, 27 Jul 2013: Amid the renewed demand to resume agitations for separate statehood, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration today observed Sahid Diwas to honour those who laid down their lives in the 1986 and 2007 movements.

Family members of the martyrs were invited at the programmes held at various venues in the three sub-divisions of the Hills. Three major programmes were organised by the GTA in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong. It will be observing Sahid Diwas each year on this day after its Sabha took a resolution on the matter a week ago.

Family members of the martyrs were felicitated with ‘khadas’ and mementos by GTA officials in Darjeeling in an elaborate programme held at the Gorkha Ranga Manch Bhawan.

Speaking on the occasion, GTA member Binay Tamang, the in-charge of the information and cultural affairs department, said, “We felt the martyrs of the 1986 agitation were not given due honour as the occasion was restricted to a political event. However, under the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), we want to ensure the martyrs are accorded the respect they deserve. Hence, we took a decision Sahid Diwas should be observed officially.”

Before the GJM came to power in 2007, the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) used to observe Sahid Diwas although the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), the dispensation then, did not organise any official event.

Tamang pointed out even though several years have passed, the correct figures of the dead have not been ascertained.  “We have found not 1,200 but many more died in the 1986 agitation.
We have managed to collect the names of eight more and they have been included in today’s programme,” said Tamang.

The 1986 agitation took off after 13 people were killed in police firing in Kalimpong on July 27 of that year. During the 28 months of bloody agitation, 1,200 people were officially declared dead. After the formation of the DGHC in 1988, July 27 began to be observed as Sahid Diwas. In the second round of agitation led by the GJM party, five people died in the four years of statehood movement. The GTA has also declared Sahid Diwas a holiday across all council offices.

The GJM has also said it would look into the welfare of the
families of the martyrs. “We will not restrict our activity to a day’s
programme but conduct a survey to find out the conditions of
the families of the ‘Sahids’ to see how they are faring financially. We will try to provide all possible support to them,” said Tamang, who is also the GJM assistant secretary.

GTA deputy chief executive Col (Retd) Ramesh Allay, in his
speech, asked the people to remember the sacrifice of the martyrs. “All of us tend to forget the contribution of the martyrs. It is very important to remember their sacrifice and be inspired to do well in life.”

The district administration had deployed 12 platoons of the RAF and two of the IRB for Sahid Diwas in the Hills in order to thwart any untoward incident as both the GJM and GNLF had organised their programmes on the day.

MIRIK, 27 Jul 2013: The media and cultural department of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration celebrated Sahid Diwas at ‘Saheed Vedi’ in Krishnanagar, Mirik. 

The programme was attended by GTA sabhasad Phubi Rai as the chief guest with GTA member Arun Ghising presiding. The programme was attended by several Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders from the region. 

Martyrs from the Mirik region who had sacrificed their lives for the statehood cause during the 1987 agitation spearheaded by the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) were remembered and honoured during the programme. 

The names of Ajit Bharati, Hemchandra Pradhan, Dilip Chettri, Ram Pradhan, Ravi Gajmer, Rudraprasad Dewan and Govind Ghising were remembered while their families were presented with mementos. 

Rai assured a job under the GTA to a family member of Hemchandra Pradhan. He said the sacrifice of the martyrs would not be justified unless a state is carved, adding the GJM would continue to fight for statehood. 

“The GJM will justify the sacrifice of the martyrs by making the dream of Gorkhaland into reality,” said Rai. 

Meanwhile, Arun Ghising stressed on the necessity of coming together for the statehood cause. A number of cultural dances were performed during the programme by GTA cultural department members. Poets such as Arpan Rai, Bharat Dewan and VP Bhattarai recited poems in honour of the departed souls.

EOI, Kurseong: Apart from a few stray incidents, the occasion of Sahid Diwas passed off peacefully in Kurseong. Tension had gripped town ahead of the occasion due to a clash between GJM and the GNLF activists. 

Following this, all eyes were on Kurseong with people anticipating another clash today. But no major confrontation occurred during the course of the day. It has been reported that when GNLF supporters were heading towards Longview tea estate from Mahanadi in the morning, they were allegedly attacked by GJM activists following which supporters of either side sustained minor injuries. Sources said the police have arrested three GNLF and a GJM supporter over the Mahanadi incident. 

Meanwhile, the GJM observed Sahid Diwas under the banner of the GTA at Eagle’s Crag where a large number of supporters, GTA members and family members of martyrs of the 1986 agitation had gathered. Also present were Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma and Kurseong Municipality chairman Samirdeep Blone who paid their homage by lighting lamps and offering garlands at the martyrs’ memorial (Sahid Bedi).

During the course of the day, the GJM also organised an all faith prayer meet at the Community Hall to remember the martyrs.

At the same time, and after a gap of five years since the advent of the GJM, the GNLF observed Sahid Diwas at Longview tea estate. It is learnt thousands of GNLF supporters from many parts of the hills gathered at the tea estate to pay tribute to the martyrs under the leadership of GNLF Kurseong Branch convener Nima Lama.

A large number of police and paramilitary forces were deployed throughout town, especially at Longview Tea Estate region, to prevent any untoward incident.