Will continue Hill Statehood stir: CPRM

SNS, DARJEELING, 15 DECEMBER : The Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxist (CPRM) today said that the failure of the recent 104-day strike and the Gorkhaland agitation in the Hills has not deterred the party from continuing with the demand.

Addressing an indoor meeting to mark the party's 22nd foundation day at the Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan Hall here, CPRM president RB Rai said the agitation was a lesson for them and that it would come in handy to many such programmes in the future.

Many are of the belief that the 104-day-strike failed to yield anything, but I want to say that we learnt something from it and we should move forward with it. The things we have learnt will not be repeated as we have already been trained for it. This is our fight and we should continue our struggle and we should not give up halfway as those who will look back will haven name in history," Mr Rai said. He further said that they are doing what they have to, to take the demand forward in the national level, and that they have been coordinating with like minded parties- in different states.

Other senior CPRM leaders said that the people now know that their political outfit was the only one that was sincere about the demand for Gorkhaland."

"People have finally accepted the CPRM as a party which is sincere in the demand for statehood, but questions are being raised as to why we did not take the agitation forward after Bimal Gurung went to the jungle. We want to tell them that we were only supporting characters that time. The role of the hero should not be taken by the state government by making some-one the chairman of the GTA or by the central government. The hero is decided after they get the support of the Gorkha people from all over the country." said CPRM central committee leader Arun Ghatani.

The CPRM also alleged that the state government does not want the voice of their party be heard, due to which we were not given permission to hold a meeting outdoors today."

Other political parties are allowed to hold their programmes outdoors, but we are stopped, as the state government does not want our voice to reach the people. However, we are taking this as a challenge as in these 22 years, we have always been stopped by different ruling parties. But our (history of moving ahead with the struggle has not stopped,- Mr Rai said.