10 July 2017 National

In the wake of the ongoing protests being staged by the Gorkha Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha for a separate 'Gorkhaland' from West Bengal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy asserted that the demand is 'well-deserved'.

"It is a well-deserved demand. I completely agree with it. When we considered establishing Jharkhand, Uttaranchal and so on, the Gorkhas should also be given a chance. There was nothing so diverse about the above states; it was done to enhance development," Swamy told ANI.

Launching a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Swamy said the government must consider the demand put forth, adding that Gorkhas will still remain in India, not 'fly away to Pakistan'.

"Mamata is taking pro-fanatic decisions. She should agree to the demand, or allow the President to take up the matter, under Article 3 of the Indian Constitution," he said.

Meanwhile, the Gorkha Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti on Sunday held a protest march at Jantar Mantar demanding a separate 'Gorkhaland' from West Bengal.

"We are not going to deviate this. We don't want to talk about anything other than Gorkhaland. If the government invites us for anything else, then they better not do so. We are not going to settle for anything else," Rajiv Sharma, member of Gorkha Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti told ANI.

"We are doing this protest to make it clear that we Gorkhas also belong to India and we are also an integral part of it. There is no political party included in this," another protestor said.

Earlier on Friday, a Gorkhaland supporter was found dead in Sonada, on the outskirts of Darjeeling.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has alleged that he was killed by the police force present there.

GNLF spokesperson, Neeraj Zimba alleged that Tashi Bhutia, a Gorkhaland supporter was shot by police and there are reports that he died on the spot.

"He had received bullet injuries on his forehead somewhere near his ear," said Zimba.

"No, that is what the police claims. There will be counter allegations, but there were twelve to thirteen police convoys and they stopped one unarmed person and shot him," he added.

He said that it was not a disturbed area and section 144 was not imposed anywhere near the area, and anybody could make free movements there.

Earlier on June 17, three GJM protestors were killed in clashes that broke between out in Darjeeling, the sixth day of the party's indefinite shutdown demanding a separate Gorkhaland. (ANI)