GJM takes out rally with activist's dead body in Darjeeling, black flags, slogans raised

Darjeeling: In protest against the killing of two persons during heavy clashes between security personnel and protesters, thousands of protesters assembled at the central Chowkbazar carrying dead body of a GJM activist and raised slogans demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland.

The GJM activist was killed during the clash with the police yesterday. 

The protesters were seen carrying black flags and the Tricolour as they assembled at the Chowkbazar and raised slogans demanding that the police and security personnel be immediately removed from Darjeeling.

"We think the police and security personnel should be immediately removed from Darjeeling to create conducive environment for talks. 

The government should allow us to carry out peaceful and democratic agitation," Darjeeling MLA Amar Rai of the GJM told reporters here.

Security personnel in large numbers were deployed in the hill district of West Bengal after widespread clashes between Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) activists and the police were witnessed yesterday.

The GJM has claimed that two of their supporters were shot dead by police in Singmari. The police rejected the allegations of firing by its personnel, and said one person was killed during the clashes.

Earlier today, the GJM leadership ruled out talks with West Bengal Chief MInister Mamata Banerjee and denied the allegations made by her. 

"The allegations are baseless, Mamata Banerjee is trying to mislead people. It is not a political fight but a fight for our own identity. We will not stop until and unless Gorkhaland is achieved. The struggle will intensify in the hills," Gurung said in an audio-visual statement.

Banerjee had yesterday said that the GJM-led agitation in Darjeeling hills is a "deep-rooted conspiracy" supported by the insurgent groups of the Northeast and some foreign countries. 

The rally is happening amid increased police security in the region. After Saturday's violent clashes, police have been on high alert with pickets and barricades in front of the government and GTA offices. Several entry-exit points of the hills have also been barricaded. Police has also been conducting route marches with Army in several parts of the hills, according to Indian Express.

Police pickets and barricades were placed in front of the government and GTA offices, and various entry-exit points of the hills. Several woman police personnel have also been deployed.

Gearing up for a prolonged confrontation with West Bengal government over the Gorkhaland statehood issue, the party's leadership is planning to revive Gorkhaland Personnel (GLP) - its "peacekeeping" wing.

"The situation is getting worse with each passing day. We feel that a head-on collision is just a matter of time. So we need to prepare ourselves to counter the state government democratically," GJM central committee member and former in-charge of GLP Colonel (retd) Ramesh Alley told PTI.

"We (GJM) will revive and recruit more youths in GLP our own peacekeeping force. We are not into any kind of violence nor is GLP into this. But we have to prepare ourselves," he said.

GJM, Alley said, wants to raise a 8000-strong force in Darjeeling hills which will be well prepared to tackle "any kind of situation".
The idea of setting by GLP by recruiting youths from the hills was first mooted by Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) supremo Bimal Gurung during the Gorkhaland agitation of 2008.

Gurung had then held a meeting with former army personnel and officers from the hills and requested them to take charge of selection, recruitment and training of the youths. The outfit was first named Gorkhaland Police, but after opposition from various quarters it was renamed Gorkhaland Personnel (GLP).

The criteria for a place in this force was education upto standard eight and of course physical fitness and agility. After initial selection, nearly 3000 youths were trained for joining GLP.

The force in 2009 enforced bandhs called by GJM, ensured that locals wear traditional Nepali attire at least thrice a week, seize and destroy liquor and provide protection to Gurung and top GJM leaders.

On the boil for the past 10 days over a separate state demand, Darjeeling had yesterday witnessed widespread clashes between GJM activists and the police in which one person was killed and 35 security personnel were injured, including an India Reserve Battalion (IRB) officer.

(With Agency inputs)