The demand for Gorkhaland resurfaced after the Indian Union Government formed a new Telangana state separating it from the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Despite GJM´s claim that they have been protesting peacefully, the West Bengal government has been detaining Gorkhaland supporters on the charge of obstructing national highways, picketing government offices, and displaying black flags. [break]
According to sources, Bengal police have registered 382 cases against the arrested protestors.Chairman of Janamukti Karmachari Sangathan Khadga Bikram Subba was arrested in Kalimpong on Tuesday following West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee´s warning to take action against civil servants remaining absent from office.
Subba was detained while he was going to participate in a GJM rally and has been charged with preventing civil servants from attending office and showing black flags to the state minister.
According to Binaya Tamang, secretary of the publicity department of GJM, almost half a dozen members of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) have been detained so far.
GTA Sabha members --Kalyan Dewan, Prabha Chhetri, Anit Thapa, Nima Tamang, Mahendra Pradhan and Yogenra Rai -- are among other arrested Gorkhaland activists. “We demand their immediate and unconditional release,” said Tamang.
Police have also arrested several members of Gorkhaland Personal (GLP), formed by GJM, on the charge of wearing fatigues and making the government buildings their cantonment.
Meanwhile, Shubhamaya Chaterjee, one of the members of Darjeeling Municipality who was arrested on the charge of showing a placard saying “we want Gorkhaland´ to Chief Minister Banerjee,” has been sent to 14 days in judicial custody.
“Despite the arrests, our struggle for new statehood will continue,” GMG chief had said the other day. “We will further intensity our movement if our activists are not released immediately,” he had said.
Related story
Three more killed in Gorkhaland movement
