GNLF to up ante with month-long activities

EOI, DARJEELING, 19 Jun 2015: The Gorkha National Liberation Front on Friday announced its decision to embark on a month-long political activity from June 28 to demand the implementation of the Sixth Schedule in the hills. The three sub-divisional committees of the party held a meeting in Darjeeling in the afternoon to finalise the decision. “We will create public awareness on the need and benefits of including the Darjeeling hills under the Sixth Schedule ambit,” said Mahendra Chhetri, a central committee member of the GNLF.

As part of its strategy to create awareness, the GNLF will organise public meetings across the hills beginning June 28. “We will hold public meetings all over the hills and create awareness among the people and seek their support,” Chhetri said. The GNLF had remained dormant after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha took over power in the hills in 2008. The party received a further setback early this year with the demise of Subash Ghisingh. Ghisingh’s son Mann at present has been made the party president and he has become politically active. The GNLF is also a constituent of the newly formed Democratic Front, a conglomeration instituted to work towards restoration of democracy in the hills. The GNLF wants the now defunct Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council to be revived. “The DGHC has not been scrapped as is being trumpeted by the GJM. We urge the central government to revive the DGHC, which has constitutional guarantee, till such time the Sixth Schedule is implemented,” maintained Chhetri.

Subash Ghisingh had raked-up the Sixth Schedule demand and also signed an MOS with the Centre in December 2006. However, the GJM, with the help of the BJP, its political ally, managed to get the Bill scrapped.