Darjeeling protests reach Delhi’s Jantar Mantar

The GJM has been at the forefront of agitation for a separate state of Gorkhaland. The Darjeeling unrest intensified after police raided its premises on June 15.

Over a hundred people gathered at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, demanding a separate statehood of Gorkhaland and condemning the recent unrest in Darjeeling.

Gorkhaland supporters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday. (Ravi Choudhary/HT PHOTO)

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has claimed that three of its supporters were killed and several persons injured when protestors had recently clashed with police in Darjeeling.

The GJM has been at the forefront of agitation for a separate state of Gorkhaland. The Darjeeling unrest intensified after police raided its premises on June 15.

Waving national flags and holding posters with slogans ‘We want Gorkhaland’ written across them, protestors said that they were angry with the policies of the West Bengal government.

The recent decision of the Mamta Banerjee government to declare Bengali as a mandatory subject for all students till Class 10 in the state has fulled the unrest.

“Bengali cannot be made mandatory in schools. This is unjust and unacceptable. We are against such decisions made by the West Bengal government. We have come here to condemn the recent open firing in Darjeeling where innocents were killed,” said 40-year-old Sagan Moktan, one of the protestors.

Apart from locals, supporters and volunteers associated with different political groups and NGOs participated in the event, protestors claimed.

The protest began around 11am and went on till 4pm. Protestors said that a similar protest might be organised next week, if the West Bengal government does not take conclusive steps to stop the unrest unfolding in Darjeeling.