GJMM condemns rape of Gorkha girls, launch protest rallies

SNS, Darjeeling/Kurseong, 24 April : Condemning the two separate rape incidents on Gorkha girls in Manipur and Kalimpong, Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha took out protest rallies in all the three Hill sub-divisions and served memorandums to the district administration, demanding stern action be taken against the culprits.

According to the memorandum submitted, in one of such heinous crimes that took place at Manipur on 17 April a 65- year- old S Ngaopuni, the accused, allegedly had taken the 13- year -old Gorkha girl in his car on the pretext of arranging for her to cast vote and raped her as confirmed by the medical report.

It was followed by another such incident at Teesta at Kalimpong where a three-year -old was raped by a 35- year -old accused Sunil Rai who was arrested and sent for 14 days' police remand, the memorandum stated, urging Kalimpong court to go for a fast track court for swift trial.

"We urge the central government try and stop this kind of incidents as it is not only affecting the Gorkhas but also the people of other communities. The government should give a strong message against these types of incident so that it is not repeated," the GJMM vice president, R P Waiba said.

Rape incidents prompt Hill parties to go active:

Two separate incidents of rape that occurred on 17 April at Teesta in Kalimpong and in Manipur state in the northeast, both involving minor Gorkha girls, have given political parties a chance to up their activities in the Hills.

Almost all political parties and some apolitical organizations in the Hills have been condemning the rape incidents.

In Senapati district in Manipur, 65-year-old S. Ngaopuni allegedly raped a 13-year-old Gorkh girl, and in Kalimpong, 35-year-old Sunil Rai has been arrested for allegedly raping a three-year-old girl at Teesta valley.

The Hill parties and the organisations are trying to make themselves heard, and demanding high level inquiries into the post-rape incident in Manipur, where police opened fire on a peaceful rally organized by the Gorkha residents there in protest against the rape, killing one person.

Yesterday, Trinamul Congress candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat and football star Bhaichung Bhutia visited the three-year-old girl in Kalimpong.

Mr Bhutia strongly condemned the incident and has demanded punishment for the guilty.

Senior CPI-M leader and Darjeeling Lok Sabha election candidate, Saman Pathak, also condemned both the incidents recently.

The leaders have demanded security for all Gorkhas living in the country and a CBI probe into the police firing in Manipur.

The Darjeeling Dooars United Development Foundation also condemned the incident and demanded a judicial inquiry into the Manipur firing.

The foundation, under which Independent candidate Mahendra P Lama fought the Darjeeling Lok Sabha election, has also sent letters to different human rights organizations based in Delhi and Manipur.

The condemnation continued today, with the largest party in the Hills, the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) organizing rallies across the Hills.

The GJMM Kurseong sub division president, Tilak Gurung, and its general secretary Rohit Sangbo said they have sent deputations to different officials and rights bodies, and the chief minister of West Bengal, seeking proper medical facilities for the victims and “adequate” security for the Gorkha community. They also demanded capital punishment for the culprits.