GSP demands GTA scrapping, Sabhasads’ resignation

REZA PRADHAN

DARJEELING,: The recently formed political outfit, the Gorkhaland Sangram Party (GSP), on Monday threatened to gherao Lalkothi in the coming days, demanding the scrapping of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and the resignation of the Sabhasads.

Addressing a press conference in Kalimpong today, GSP central committee member Pradip Lohagun said, “At present, the State government is trying to revive the GTA, which is against the aspirations of the people. This is a conspiracy of the State government and some political outfits here, and we have decided to start a strong agitation against it. What the people wanted and hoped for from the State government has not happened, so we had no other alternative but to take these steps.”

According to Lohagun, the decisions were taken at a central committee meeting held by the party on Sunday.

“We want to declare today that we will be organising a gherao of Lalkothi, for which the dates, along with the outline of our programme, will be announced within a week,” said Lohagun, adding that as long as the GTA remains, it will pose a barrier to the demand for Gorkhaland.

Maintaining that their programmes would be held in phases, he requested the Sabhasads to also resign from their posts for the sake of future generations. He also asked people supporting Gorkhaland to choose between statehood and the GTA and come forward in support of their programmes.

Lohagun also spoke about the BJP’s alleged failure to deliver despite the party having received their support in the past elections and emerging victorious. He said that before the Legislative Assembly polls, the BJP MP had announced that the GTA would be scrapped by May this year. However, after several months had passed, the State government had instead released funds to the body and tried to strengthen it.

“We also have to understand that whatever funds have come into the GTA will not be for the development of the people but will only benefit those who are in power and those who are in a nexus with them,” he alleged.