Kolkata: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha
(GJM), contesting the elections for the first time, will raise
the Gorkhaland issue in the West Bengal Assembly if its
representatives are elected.
"We want to go to the Assembly to raise our voice for
a separate Gorkhaland and if we are not allowed to place that
demand then we will certainly walk out and send our
resignation," GJM spokesperson Harka Bahadur Chetri
said over phone.
When reminded that the government and the two major
political parties, CPI(M) and opposition Trinamool Congress,
were against a separate Gorkhaland and unlikely to allow
the GJM to raise the issue, Chetri was undaunted.
"If we win the elections then it is certain that the
people of the hills are with us and if the government wants to
throttle the voice of the people then we have no reason to
stay there," he said.
"We are not against democracy and we have full faith
in the Constitution and the voice of the majority of the
people should be respected but the government of West Bengal
is ignoring the popular demand," Chetri added.
Chetri who is also contesting from Kalimpong Assembly
constituency said, "After a lot of consideration we have
decided to contest in the elections because if we don`t
contest and the election is won by the GNLF (Gorkha National
Liberation Front) or ABGL (Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League) then
their voice will be considered to be the voice of the hills."
"This will not be justice to the people of the hills"
Chetri added.
PTI
