PTI, New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday warned pro and anti-Gorkhaland agitators that blockade of National Highway, the economic lifeline for Sikkim, would bring serious consequences including "de-recognition" of political parties and arrest of their leaders.
"Any further obstruction or blockade of NH 31A by pro or anti-Gorkhaland agitators will bring serious consequences, including the detention of their leaders," a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices Deepak Verma and B S Chauhan said.
"If anybody causes obstruction on the national highway, the party indulging in it would be de-recognised and their leaders will be arrested," the Bench said while reminding the political parties involved in pro and anti-Gorkhaland agitations about its July 3, 2008 order to keep the highway free from their agitation.
It noted that the highway not only connects Sikkim to the rest of the country but also passes through several districts and hilly places like Siliguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Cooch Bihar in West Bengal to ensure supply of essential goods to the hilly region.
Sikkim government had last month moved the apex court against frequent blockade of the highway seeking a direction for West Bengal to ensure smooth traffic and freight movement which has bore the brunt of pro and anti-Gorkhaland protests.
TT, Darjeeling, Jan. 25: The All Transport Joint Action Committee has announced a 24-hour transport strike on January 28 in the area that it wants as Gorkhaland. The area includes Siliguri and the Terai and the Dooars.
According to a notice issued by the committee today, the strike is being called to protest the harassment faced by the drivers from police in the plains.
GNLF show against attack
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TT, Siliguri, Jan. 25: Nearly 1,000 supporters of the GNLF today took out a procession in Panighata to protest the attack on three of its leaders allegedly by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha members two days ago.
The protesters also laid siege to the Panighata police outpost, 40km from here, for more than 30 minutes and withdrew after officials assured them that appropriate measures would be taken against the culprits.
The Morcha too gheraoed Darjeeling and Mirik police stations for half an hour from noon today. “Every time someone’s house or property is damaged, we are blamed. The police should be careful that our innocent members and sympathisers are not harassed,” said I.M. Pakhrin, a Morcha central committee member.
On Saturday, A.B. Thapa, accompanied by Yamlal Lama and N.B Pradhan were returning after attending a funeral of a teacher in Okayati Tea Estate on the outskirts of Mirik, when a gang, alleged to be Morcha supporters, attacked them. All the three were injured with Thapa, who is in his seventies, being wounded on the eyes. He is under treatment at a private nursing home here.
The GNLF’s Terai committee convener Rajen Mukhia had assisted the three to a nearby health centre and also filed a complaint with police, naming four Morcha leaders and some others. The Morcha has denied the charges.
Today while gheraoing the Panighata outpost, GNLF leaders shouted anti-Morcha slogans and accused the party of organising attacks on their leaders.
“We will not tolerate any more attacks on our leaders and supporters and want the police and administration to take immediate action and put the guilty Morcha supporters behind bars,” Mukhia said. “It is surprising that despite the atrocities unleashed, no step has been taken against any Morcha supporter or leader.”
The procession travelled through Panighata and ended at the police outpost. Close by, some Morcha supporters were on relay hunger strike. Schoolgirls seated on a makeshift dais and on fast watched as GNLF supporters shouted slogans. A wall of policemen separated the two groups. A delegation of GNLF members was allowed to enter the outpost to submit a memorandum.
“We were there for about 30-40 minutes and withdrew after the officer-in-charge assured us that they would conduct raids to nab the culprits,” Mukhia said. He added that his party would wait for a week or so, and if there were no results, they would resume their movement.
D.P Singh, the superintendent of police of Darjeeling, said raids were on, but no one has been arrested.
Telangana Flags On R- Day
PTI, Hyderabad Jan 25 The all-party Telangana Joint Action Committee(JAC) today asked supporters of the demand for a separate state to hoist Telangana flags on the Republic Day tomorrow at places where relay hunger strikes are being observed. "We have asked Telangana supporters to hoist Telangana flags at JAC camps as a symbolic expression of our demand,"JAC ConvenerC Kodandaram said. He also asked Telangana leaders to undertake rallies and mass relay hunger strikes on January 27 and 28 as part of the ongoing agitation for separate Telangana. Meanwhile, the JAC set up an office here to effectively conduct its activities.
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