Forum of hill parties to protest `gag'

TT, Siliguri: Representatives of 15 parties, most of them from the hills, on Sunday threatened a demonstration in Calcutta soon demanding "restoration of democracy".

The parties, united under a forum called All Party Unity for Protection of Democratic Rights, include the CPM, GNLF, Congress, CPRM, ABGL, the CPIML(Liberation) and others.

"We are not allowed to organise any political event in the hills. Whenever we want to meet officials to obtain permission, we are denied an appointment. The manner in which most parties are being stopped from taking up activities is infringement of democratic 

rights," said Kishore Pradhan, convenor of the forum. The forum does not have the Binay Tamang led Morcha, Trinamul and BJP as constituents Pradhan said a letter would be sent to the Bengal chief secretary on the situation.

"If the administration continues to deny us permission, we will launch a sit-in in Calcutta to draw the state's attention," Pradhan, a CPRM leader, said Abhijit Majumdar, a central committee member of CPIML (Liberation), said they are preparing a charter of demands highlighting the basic needs of hill residents.