Several posters slamming what they called the “dying democracy” and “atrocities” in the Hills appeared on public walls and places in the Kalimpong town on Tuesday. The Kalimpong posters were all undersigned ‘Janta’ (public) were seen at three public places.
The one that was pasted at Ninth Mile near Novelty cinema hall, went a step further and said there should be a “final declaration on the last battle for a separate state of Gorkhaland”, and that the central and the state governments would be held responsible for unrest in the hills.
Posters at places like Bagdhara and Ongden Road above Mela Ground said the Centre and the state, as well as the Gorkha community as a whole, were not serious about the issue of Gorkhaland.
“Stop atrocities on the innocent people. Atrocities have crossed all barriers. No democracy in Hills. The central government is not honest towards Gorkhas and Gorkhaland,” one of the posters read.
While the writings managed to catch the attention of passers-by, nearby shopkeepers said the posters may not have been pasted after dawn.
“The posters brought back memories of last year’s failed Gorkhaland agitation that lasted for well over three months,” said a local resident.
Such posters on public walls have always been an effective mode of communication of political parties with the masses in the Hills.
Spokesperson for the Kalimpong District Committee of the Binoy Tamang faction of the Morcha, Bhuwan Khanal, said over telephone that he did not know much about the posters.
“We won’t go against the public’s aspirations. GTA is a temporary body, until a permanent solution is found. Our demand too is eventually a separate state. We won’t go for violence this time, as we have been talking to the authorities concerned at the central level,” he said.