Kolkata: Darjeeling MP and Minister of State SS Ahluwalia on Thursday demanded that the West Bengal government should immediately issue a notification mentioning that Bangla is not compulsory in schools across the hill districts.
The statement came after meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
While addressing the media for the first time on the issue in New Delhi, he said, “Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is responsible for the current situation in the Hills. She should immediately issue an official notification clarifying that Bangla language is not compulsory across all the schools in the Hills.”
Speaking to News18, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) General Secretary Roshan Giri - who accompanied Ahluwalia to meet Singh – said, “We briefed our home minister about the atrocities of ruling party in the Hills. We informed him the way Mamata Banerjee government is trying to suppress the voice and identity of people in the Hills.”
“Home Minister assured us that he will consult the matter with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he added.
“Bangla and Nepali languages are both listed in the 8th schedule and therefore it is unfair to impose only Bangla language in the Hills. Today whatever is happening in the hills – Mamata is responsible for this,” Ahluwalia said.
While condemning the police raid at the (GJM) office in Darjeeling in the morning, he said, “The police raided a political office (GJM) without informing the concerned leaders. They broke open the door and harassed supporters of GJM. This is not acceptable in a democratic structure. This shows that the state Chief Minister is finding it difficult to digest the immense popularity of GJM in the Hills during the recently held municipal elections.
“Her party was involved in terror in other districts during the municipal elections but she could not do anything in the hills and therefore she is now trying to disturb the peace of people living in the Hills,” he said.
“We requested him for an immediate intervention of central government in the formation of a separate Gorkhaland. The central government should come out with a concrete solution for the formation of Gorkhaland. We are not backing off now and we want a separate state,” Giri said, while rubbishing reports of any tripartite meeting in June 19.
“There is no such meeting on June 19. This is just a rumour,” he said.
Earlier, hours after police raided Gurung’s office and seized arms, cash and electronic gadget, Yuva Morcha leaders in Kalimpong set a government resort on fire besides attacking Darjeeling SP’s (Akhiesh Chaturvedi) vehicle and the para-military forces with petrol bombs.
On June 13, movement for a separate Gorkhaland gained momentum after six other hill parties including TMC’s ally GNLF extend their support and unanimously passed a resolution demanding a separate state.
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