Jan Mukti Chalak Mahasangh pays homage to GJM martyrs

GJM'S SIKKIM BRANCH SCHEDULED TO BE OPENED SUNDAY
GANGTOK, 11 Feb: Members of the Jan Mukti Chalak Mahasangh [JMCM] sat on a day-long dharna in front of the District Administration Centre [East] here today to pay homage to the sacrifice of two Gorkha Janmukti Morcha [GJM] supporters who lost their lives in the recent [West Bengal] police firing at Sibchu on the Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri district border in West Bengal. JMCM members also forwarded a memorandum to the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister through the District Collector [East] today.

The memorandum contends that despite substantial contributions of the Gorkha community to the country, they were still being subjugated and sidelined, and now, after the police firing, their very existence being threatened.
The memorandum adds that the police firing was unproved and targeted on a peaceful procession. The JMCM has called on the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to provide justice to the Gorkha community and to ensure that such injustice is not repeated in the future.
Speaking to NOW! at the dharna, the JMCM president, Milan Pradhan, condemned the police firing in West Bengal and accused the State administration there of breaking all norms of democracy and human rights.
He informed that the JMCM was formed two years back and has more than 200 members here. These members, he said, were from all communities and bound by a common support for the Gorkhaland demand.
The organization, he added, was committed to further strengthening the existing bong between Sikkim and the Darjeeling hills and has been working towards ensuring that people in both places were accorded their due dignity and pride.
He also urged the people of Sikkim to step forward and participate in the movement for statehood underway in Darjeeling.
He informed that the Sikkim branch of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is scheduled to be opened on this Sunday.

[SAGAR CHHETRI]