GCDP vigilant of Gorkhaland stir,hunger strike on 25 March, 72-hr bandh from 31 March

 

COOCH BEHAR, March 12: Following the ongoing developments in the Darjeeling hills the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) may hold talks with the proponents of the Gorkhaland over the boundary of the proposed Greater Cooch Behar state. As the agitators in the Darjeeling hills are demanding a separate Gorkhaland state including some areas in the plains, the proponents of Greater Cooch Behar state are feeling for bilateral talks because they already demarcated a portion of the area in the plains into their proposed state.

 

When asked about it, the president of GCDP Mr Ashutosh Barma said they are keeping a constant watch on the developments in the Darjeeling hills. Though no alarming situation arose yet a dialogue may take place in near future over the boundaries of the two proposed states, he said.

 

The GCDP president said, in support of their demand for withdrawal of all cases brought against fifty-six activists including Mr Bangshi Badan Barman and their unconditional release they will observe a 12-hour hunger strike in front of the office of the district magistrate in Cooch Behar on 25 March. The programme will start at 6 a.m. About one thousand party supporters are expected to participate in the hunger strike. They will seek necessary permission within a day or two from the authorities for observing the programme, Mr Barma said.

 

On the otherhand, the Greater Kamta United Forum (GKUF) will sponsor a 72-hour bandh in six districts north Bengal and eleven districts of Assam on and from 31 March to press for their demand to recognise their mother tongue and proper implementation of the merger agreement by which the erstwhile Cooch Behar State was included in the Union of India. Mr Barma, who is also the general secretary of the GKUF, declared that they would organise greater movements in near future to get their demands fulfilled. []