Senior leaders of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), including party president Bimal Gurung and general secretary Roshan Giri, on Friday resigned from the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) , a regional autonomous body. Their resignation letters were sent to the West Bengal Home Secretary.
The resignation comes in the wake a decision taken by all political parties in Darjeeling on June 20 that the GJM representatives will resign from the GTA.
Mr. Gurung, who was staying away from media for seven days since his house was raided, resurfaced on Friday. At a press conference he announced that all 43 elected members of GTA would resign. He added that he would continue to stay at Patleybas and dared the police to come and arrest him. " We won't allow any elections to the GTA in the Hills," Mr. Gurung declared.
An agreement, signed by the GJM, the State government and the Centre in 2011, led to the formation of the GTA, which was administered by the GJM, with Bimal Gurung as its Chief Executive. The council has 43 elected representatives, while two are nominated.
Boarding School students return to plains
Hundreds of students of the boarding schools in Darjeeling descended to Siliguri on Friday. In the ongoing indefinite shutdown demanding ''Gorkhaland'', the GJM provided a 12-hour breather to them to travel.
The schools have arranged private buses and other means of transport to send back the students to the plains. But local people were not allowed to use the facility.
Over 5,000 students from about 50 schools study in Darjeeling and Kalimpomg district.
Summer vacations of over a dozen schools in the Darjeeling hills began on Friday and the school authorities have expressed concern over the students reaching their home safely.
As the indefinite strike in the hills entered the ninth day with protests, there was a protest in Siliguri also. A section of drivers plying to Sikkim put up posters and said that no vehicle would go to the neighbouring State.
