EW DELHI, India: The Indian State of Sikkim has informed the Central Government that it fears clashes between the supporters of the Gurkha National Liberation Front and Communist Party (Marxist) members, both of whom have crossed over from Darjeeling and other adjoining areas.
The State, says a report, is in touch with West Bengal, appraising it of the situation that has arisen in the Sikkim capital and elsewhere, following the possibility of an open fight between the two groups.
Meanwhile, the report adds, there has not been much change in the attitude of the Indian Government towards the GNLF Chief, Mr. Subash Bheising, following his letter to the Indian Home Minister regretting any misapprehension or doubt caused by his memorandum to the King of Nepal and copies sent to the United Nations, China, the U.S. and some other countries.
The letter which Mr. Gheising wrote to the King of Nepal said: even 36 years after Bharat’s independence the settled ethnic race of the Gurkhas of more than six million are living as degraded human beings in every part of the country of India”.
The letter also said that the Gurkhas had become the naked victims of a foreign national issue, a deportation issue and unnecessary police torture, raids and killings.
According to another report the GNLF has decided to observe an “anti-Bengal Day” on January 23 to protest at the resistance to its statehood demand expressed by the leaders of the Communist Party (M) led ruling Left front in the State. Announcing this, Mr. Gheising,
said that the party had directed all house owners, business establishments and tea estates in the Darjeeling area to hoist “Gurkhaland” flags for three days from January 23. He said no party or individual would be allowed to campaign against the demand of Gurkhaland in the coming Assembly elections.
Mr. Gheising said that those organizations which had been working for the cause of “Gurkhaland” would be accepted directly or indirectly as organs of the GNLF.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 16, 1987
