Another Gorkhaland Territorial Administration member held

Deep Gazmer, TNN, DARJEELING, 14 September 2013: Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) member Urmila Rumba, who was elected from the Darjeeling Sadar II constituency, was arrested from Chowrastha on Saturday while participating in a programme organized by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). She was released in the evening.

Rumba's arrest takes the total GTA "sabhasads" arrested to 11 so far. This apart, more than 1,500 GJM activists have been arrested since July 29 when the statehood movement gathered momentum following the announcement of a separate Telengana state.

On Saturday, Rumba was participating in a political "cultural" programme organized by the Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee to protest against the state government's "atrocities" and also to impress upon the government that the Hills people were not a part of Bengal.

The deadlock over the separate statehood is far from over with uncertainty looming over the September 27 GTA meeting to elect the new executive. The first meeting, held in September 4, turned a damp squib with GTA sabhasads preferring to stay away from it. Only two members were present at the meeting.

In fact, GJM president Bimal Gurung had set the condition to release all arrested people for the GTA members to attend future meetings. The chief executive post fell vacant after Gurung submitted his resignation on July 30.

The Hills ruling party is also contemplating a "jail bharo" agitation with the spree of arrests of its activists.

Police on Saturday released Nabin Subba, the food and supply in-charge of Ghoom-Sukhia circle. Subba was detained on Friday allegedly for diverting PDS foodgrains. TNN "Subba was detained for questioning as there were some complaints against him. We have let him go since we did not have anything against him," said a senior police official.

Meanwhile, school and college heads are yet to send an appeal to the President and the Prime Minister as directed by the GJAC in demand of a separate state.

"We have to sit and consult with other heads of schools located in the Hills regions about the content of the letter and this will take some time," said a principal of an English-medium residential school. GJM has also asked schools to make children hear a five-minute lecture on Gorkhaland demand during the morning assembly.