Morcha protests manhandling of GTA officials, artists in Delhi

SNS, Darjeeling: The Youth Front of the Binoy Tamang faction of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha today pasted posters against leaders of the Gorkha Sanyukta Sangarsha Samity (GSSS), an apolitical Gorkha organisation, alleging that they manhandled some Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) officials and artists in Delhi yesterday.

The Youth Front maintained that these artists and officials were misbehaved with after a function held to lay the foundation stone of a Gorkha Welfare Centre at Saket. An FIR has also been filed in Darjeeling against GSSS leaders like Anjani Sharma and Darpan Tamang for allegedly using abusive language and beating up artists who were minors.

"Yesterday, after the programme ended at Saket in New Delhi, around 15-20 people from the apolitical body, GSSS, staged a demonstration and manhandled some artists who performed in the program. We condemn all this. It they have problems, they can be sorted out through discussions. Moreover, the Gorkha Welfare Centre is being built for the people of the Hills, especially students who go therefor entrance exams, and health patients who go there for medical treatment," the Front general secretary, Arun Chettri, said.

"If they really think about the people here, then they should have held demonstrations against Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia and Tribal Minister Jual Oram, as the Budget Session of parliament ended yesterday and not a word on the Gorkhas was uttered there. There is democracy and peace in the hills right now, and it should not be disturbed by such incidents," he said.

On the other hand, members of the Tamang camp's Nari Morcha had also gone to gherao the house of Anjali Sharma in the Dhirdham area here today, but they returned after they found that the house was locked and there were no family members.

"The incident that took place in Delhi yesterday will have a bad affect in Darjeeling where there is peace. If anything happens here, Anjali Sharma and Binita Lepcha will be responsible for it. We had come here not to fight with anyone, but only to leave this message and make them understand this."' said Nari Morcha leader Radha Subba.

Posters, meanwhile, came up at Chowk Baazar with slogans like  " Will Gorkhaland be got by manhandling GTA INCA officials and artists?' and 'demonstrations should be held in front of SS Ahluwalia's house.'