HUNGER STRIKE

GCDP's hunger strike enters second day

 

COOCH BEHAR, June 6: The indefinite hunger strike of the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) entered its second day on Friday. The GCDP started the hunger strike at Shahid Baag in Cooch Behar from Thursday. They adopted the hunger strike plan to highlight their demand for unconditional release of the fifty-six undertrial prisoners including Mr Bangshi Badan Barman.

 

GCDP president Mr Ashutosh Barma said, "We will not lift the hunger strike till receiving of any specific assurance from the government over our demand."

 

When contacted, the district magistrate Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha said he sent an officer yesterday to talk with the agitators and to request them to withdraw the hunger strike, but that yielded no result. "I have my limitations to meet their demand", he said. He however said that arrangements were made to extend medical help to the hunger strikers. A medical team examined them yesterday and it is kept ready for them to extend medical aid if asked for, the DM said.

 

On the otherhand, Mr Barma said an officer visited them and asked them to lift the hunger strike. He said nothing about our demand. "We are in no mood to go away empty handed", he said. The DM should talk with higher authorities over the demand, Mr Barma urged.

 

The GCDP president Mr Barma also said that they sent memorandums several times stating their demands to the President, the Prime Minister and the chairman of National Human Rights Commission. "This time we will not leave from the hunger strike programme till achieving a positive result", he said. "The government has no right to keep our innocent leaders and supporters confined for years with fabricated cases," he exploded.

 

Earlier, demanding release of the 56 men and withdrawal of all cases against them the GCDP had organised a 12-hour token hunger strike at Shahid Baag in Cooch Behar on 25 March. []

 

PHOTO : GCDP leaders and supporters on the second day of their indefinite hunger strike. At Shahid Baag in Cooch Behar on Friday. – DEBASHIS BHAUMIK.