GJM President Bimal Gurung on Saturday said his party would raise a slogan "Bengal — Darjeeling Chorho" during the upcoming "Tiranga Yatra" celebrating the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement.
"..when we participate in the Tiranga Yatra, we will not only be celebrating our glorious freedom struggle, but we will also be protesting against Bengal's colonial rule. Therefore, along with the slogans of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', we will also be chanting 'Bengal – Darjeeling Chorho'," he said as his Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's (GJM) indefinite strike in the hills for the demand of a separate state entered 52nd day on Saturday.
"Just as how the British had enslaved us Indians and exploited and tortured us, the West Bengal government has also kept the people in Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars in a slave-like condition. Despite 70 years since independence, the people living in our region have not been accorded any freedom, we are still living under a colonial rule," he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the party condemned the arrest of Narbu G Lama, a former GTA member from Takdah Teesta Valley, from Siliguri last night.
"His arrest was totally politically motivated and was done to suppress the democratic agitation for Gorkhaland. The arrest of only GJM leaders in this agitation only shows how the Government is targeting GJM leaders," said GJM Assistant Secretary Jyoti Kumar Rai.