Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, Jan. 20: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has announced its Republic Day programme this time, even saying it will wait for the government celebration to get over before it starts its show at the Mall, a nicety that was not shown in 2009.
On January 26 last year, the Morcha organised a march past without informing the district administration, forcing the information and cultural department to scale down the government celebration.
“We will hold the Republic Day parade which will be organised by the Gorkhaland Personnel (GLP),” said Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri. The GLP is made up of volunteers initially raised — according to party claims — for crowd management during public programmes.
The Morcha has approached the administration to find out the timings of the parade that will be conducted by Bengal police. This is also something that they had not done in 2009.
Last year, the administration, which had reports that the GLP would hold a show at the Mall or Chowrastha, had wound up their show by 11am. However, this time, they will be in the Mall or the famous promenade that is identified with Darjeeling, till noon. The GLP has agreed to put up their act after that.
The district administration’s programme will start with the hoisting of the National Flag by Darjeeling district magistrate Surendra Gupta at 9.30am. According to the programme finalised, there will be a flag march by the Darjeeling police followed by a band display and a song and dance programme. The army’s Dogra Regiment, posted at Lebong, will also participate, administrative sources said. The celebration, which is being organised by the state’s information and cultural affairs department, will also include a speech by the district magistrate, district information and cultural affairs officer Pasang Bal said.
The moment the Bengal police move out of the scene and before the crowd heads home, the GLP is expected to take control of the Mall.
The GLP programme is similar to that of the district administration’s. “Once the district administration ends its show by noon we will start our celebration that would include a flag march and party president Bimal Gurung is likely to take a guard of honour,” said Col (retd) J.N. Dixit, the chief of GLP in the Darjeeling subdivision.
The GLP members are expected to jump through a ring of fire, break tube lights and walk through scattered glass shards and demonstrate their prowess in the martial arts.
Given the venue and the back-to-back events, the hill residents cannot help but compare the show. “It would definitely be interesting to compare the show between West Bengal and Gorkhaland forces,” joked a hill resident.
“This year’s demonstration will be more than last year’s display,” said Col (retd) Dixit. The Morcha has announced that there will be no rallies or the two-hour blockade across the hills on Republic Day. But the agitation will start tomorrow and will extend till February 7.
Kishenji flees but laptop recovered
SNS, MIDNAPORE, 20 JAN: A 36-hour long gunbattle between Maoists and the CRPF jawans that was raging since yesterday failed to uncover Maoist leader Kishenji and many of his associates, who were believed to be holed up in a camp near Dumurkota and Hatiasal forest. However, Kishenji's laptop and a hearing aid have been recovered.
Also, five single-barrel guns, two landmines and two flashguns and some explosives, 31 round bullets of 12 bore riffle, ten round bullet of 31 bore riffle, a country made pipegun and Maoist literature have been recovered.
Describing the recoveries of arms one of the major achievements of the police, SP, West Midnapore, Mr Manoj Verma said at a Press conference this evening that three people including two women were arrested from the spot.
Sitaram Mahato, Kanika Adak and Sephali Bera told the police during interrogation that they were brought over by the Maoists from nearby villages. However, they were being interrogated to ascertain whether they had been brought to take part in Maoist operation after undergoing training, said Mr Verma.
On the basis of the statement given by Kishenji's six associates ~ Dhanopati Mahato, Gopal Mahato, Sunil Mahato, Haripada Mahato, Joker Mahato alias Mallick and Samay Hembram ~ who were arrested three days ago, that Kishenji along with his forty cadres have been staying in a camp near Dumurkota and Hatiasal forest for past one week and working on a plan to strike the police.
Accordingly police surrounded the camp in the forest and launched a pre-dawn attack which led to a gunbattle. Due to poor visibility in the dense forest police could not proceed further and seizing the opportunity Kishenji and his other associates managed to flee.
This is for the second time in the past three months Kishenji escaped arrest . The first one being in October last year two days after the abduction of the Sankrail OC Mr Atindranath Dutta.
Mr Verma said that they are still hopeful of arresting Kishenji shortly for which they are preparing a plan of action So far a total of suspected 400 Maoist cadres have been arrested and cache of arms were seized.
He further said, that some joint operations have already been conducted with the Jharkhand and Orissa police and success been achieved.
Meanwhile, a body with bullet injuries of a CPI-M worker, Gujrat Khan was recovered by the police from Dhankamra in Gopiballavpur area today.
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