Statehood vow on Saheed Diwas
Statesman News Service
KALIMPONG, July 27. — The GNLF (C), a front formed in memory of late dissident leader Chandra Kumar Pradhan, today said that the GNLF should now demand a separate state instead of opting for special status under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
In the Saheed Diwas function (Matyrs’ Day), observed to commemorate the memory of those sixteen people who had lost their lives in a clash with police on July 27, 1986 while agitating for a separate Gorkhaland, the chief convener, Col (retd) DK Pradhan, said that all the parties in the hills including the GNLF should unite in their fight for a Gorkhaland.
Col Pradhan said: “ The GNLF has always politicised the Martyrs’ Day although it is a day of general significance. It should not forget that the movement was lead by our Mr CK Pradhan”.
The senior members of the GNLF(C) also claimed that while the movement aims at establishing a separate state, the present chairman, Mr Subash Ghishingh, has decided to opt only for a temporary body of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) as per the accord of 1988.
“ While we have been supporting the cause of Sixth Schedule, the important factor is that all those belonging to the Gorkha community should be accorded tribal status or it will be yet another historical blunder by Mr Ghisingh,” Col Pradhan said.
While the GNLF claims that almost 1200 cadres, including those belonging to the Dooars, have lost their lives, the CPI- M claims that they have been the worst victims of the agitation.
“ Almost 528 of our people were killed”, a senior CPI -M leader alleged. The Saheed Diwas Observers Committee (SDOC) today had called for a remembrance session at the Saheed Park.
Besides cultural programme a blood donation camp was also organised.
July 31st, 2005 at 6:17 am
Mr. Subash Ghishing is the only leader born in the GORKHA community who can justly and legetimately claim to be the real voice of the Indian gorkha community.Under his able leadership we are assured of a great and a bright future.He has shown with his examplery life that leadership is not everyones cup of tea.His dedication to serve his people and in response his people blind support for his party,principles and person is in itself a proof of his undisputable command and indelible mark in hill politics.On the aspicious occasion of MARTYRS DAY,I pray for the long and fruitful life of a leader,a visionary,a philoshoper,my hero,a messiah and an architect of Gorkha homeland movement,whom we fondly and proudly call,”THE FATHER OF GORKHAS”LONG LIVE SUBASH GHISHING,LONG LIVE GORKHALAND.