GNLF to mark Accord Day, Citizenship Day

SNS, Kurseong, 18 August 2014: The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) has said it will observe the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) ‘Accord Day’ and Citizenship Day, across Darjeeling Hills on 22 and on 23 August respectively.

Talking to reporters here, party spokesperson Daya Dewan said the DGHC, an autonomous constitutional body for Darjeeling Hills, had been formed in Darjeeling following the 1986 Gorkhaland agitation and through a tripartite agreement between the Centre, state and the GNLF.

“To respect the Accord Day, the party has decided to organize public meetings in the hills where it will emphasize on the restoration of the DGHC in the Hills,” Mr Dewan said.

The very next day, the GNLF will observe the ‘Citizenship Day’ across Darjeeling “as after the signing of the tripartite accord, it was agreed upon by the Central government on 23 August 1988 through a gazette notification that all Gorkhas living in the country before 1950 would be accorded Indian citizenship.”

Observers said this could possibly be the first time that the GNLF, which ruled Darjeeling for almost two decades in the past, is celebrating ‘Citizenship Day.’

Meanwhile, Mr Dewan said their party supremo Subhas Ghisingh has returned to Darjeeling after medical treatment in the plains and that he is presently doing well.