Mukesh Sharma
Kalimpong,11th Jan

The Gorkha Rastriya Congress who have filed its president Nima Lama as a candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Darjeeling Lok sabha constituency today focused on the party main agenda Sikkim Darjeeling merger for which it will be contesting the polls for the first time since its formation in 2004. The party leader who came to kalimpong today organised a press conference and said now the hill people must understand that besides the merger there is no other option which is best for the hills people to form a separate state. He said that the Darjeeling people have been demanding separation from Bengal, since a long time in the name of a separate state of Gorkhaland. He further added thousands of people have sacrificed their lives during the GNLF led bloody Gorkhaland agitation in 1986 but instead of a separate state, an autonomous body was formed in Darjeeling hills, hinting towards the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, (DGHC).  “Later, after two decades, once again, we came forward supporting the GJM led Gorkhaland agitation. However, we didn’t achieve Gorkhaland but an autonomous body again and this time only the name has changed to Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, (GTA).”
Lama further claimed that the Central leadership in Delhi does not even want to hear the demand of a separate state of Gorkhaland; hence, it can be presumed it is difficult to achieve Gorkhaland.
“Thus, now the question of separation state totally remains with us and the time is ripe for the masses to come forward in support of a Sikkim-Darjeeling merger and finally make our dream a reality by showing that the public mandate is for merger,” he added.

Addressing the press conference Amar Lucksom general secretary said that  “It is time now for all intellectuals and politicians from Sikkim and Darjeeling to come forward and address this issue,” he said. This, he stated would only be possible if the Sikkim government takes strong action towards this end.

He added that many central leader have agreed on the merger issue as they now are demanding the support of mass in this issue for which we are contesting the polls.