Gorkha activists burn GTA agreement in front of security forces

Darjeeling/Siliguri: In a charged-up atmosphere, the Gorkha activists today burnt copies of the GTA agreement, signed in 2011, and ruled out any truck with the West Bengal Government from now onwards as the GJM intensified statehood movement for Indian Gorkhas in Darjeeling district.

As the columns of armed para-military forces and state combat police lined up on both sides of the roads, thousands of Gorkha activists with bare bodies paraded the town and assembled at Chowrasta to burn the copies of tripartite GTA agreement. As the activists burnt the copies, the GJM volunteers surrounded the flames and received smashing of tubelights on their back. GJM

Assistant Secretary Vinay Tamang declared that with the burning of the GTA agreement, saying " We perform the last rites of the semi-autonomous body and severe link with the West Bengal government once and for all. ' ' We will not take part in any GTA election in future because we now fight for our statehood. Any attempt to hold GTA polls will be frustrated and the candidates will have to fight at their own risk, " Mr Tamang said.

The para-military forces today preferred to wait and watch after the violent incidents on June 8 and June 17, in which three GJM supporters were killed. However, the security people have been watching each and every move of the activists after youth wing leader Prakash Gurung yesterday threatened self-immolation in public for statehood demand. (UNI)