Gorkhaland protests: Activists clash with police near Bhutan border during 'global rally' for separate state

Darjeeling: A bunch of pro-Gorkhaland activists on Sunday clashed with the police near the Bhutan border in West Bengal’s Alipurduar district. According to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leadership, the clash occurred after the activists were stopped from rallying in Jaigaon on the day of the ‘global rally for Gorkhaland’ organised by the Gorkha communities at various parts of the world in solidarity with the Gorkhaland movement. [caption id=“attachment_3712165” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of protesters demanding the creation of separate state of Gorkhaland. PTI[/caption] “Our activists were stopped from rallying in Jaigaon on the day of ‘Global rally for Gorkhaland’. We will not be oppressed by the administration any more. The Gorkhas all over the world are with us,” GJM Assistant General Secretary Binay Tamang told IANS. “Global rally for Gorkhaland is being observed throughout the day in solidarity with the Gorkhaland movement. Rallies were taken out in England, various parts of Europe, Australia, Thailand and in all the major cities in India,” he claimed. Accusing the central government of acting like a “silent spectator”, the GJM leadership on Saturday decided on a 10-day deadline and threatened to intensify the agitation even in the plains if there was no intervention. “We have decided to give the Centre a 10-day deadline to take some concrete steps. If they continue to be a silent spectator even after August 8, we will further intensify our agitation and spread it in the Terai and Dooars region more rigorously,” Tamang said. Sunday’s clash comes a day after pro-Gorkhaland activists had engaged with the police at Sukna in the foothills of Darjeeling, that left six police personnel and several activists injured. Condemning the police role during the clash in Sukna, Tamang said one of their activists is still in critical condition after he was hit on the head by a tear gas shell. “He is still very critical. Four other activists were also severely injured and are still hospitalised,” he added.