Students gherao Gorkha League office

Stepping up agitation against the All India Gorkha League president Madan Tamang, school students gheraoed the AIGL office in Darjeeling on Tuesday.

Stepping up agitation against the All India Gorkha League AIGL president Madan Tamang, school students gheraoed the AIGL office in Darjeeling on Tuesday.

While no untoward incident was reported, senior district administration officials said the functioning of three schools was affected. The protesting students gheraoed the office under the banner of the Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarthi Parishad GJVM.

Darjeeling Deputy Magistrate Surendra Gupta said the administration was keeping a close watch on the situation. 8220;Since there is no prohibition against public gatherings, the gherao cannot be termed illegal. Due to the absence of students from three schools, their functioning was affected, but no school was shut down.8221;

He added, 8220;None of the schools have lodged any complaints. The schools were approached by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha8217;s student wing. Unless someone lodges a complaint, there is little we can do.8221;

While Tamang has not lodged any official complaint with the police yet, the district administration has received a phone call from the AIGL office on Monday in connection with the gherao.

Since November 8, the district police have deployed over 100 police personnel at the AIGL office and Tamang8217;s residence. The police force at both locations are led by a deputy superintendent.

Tamang, meanwhile, seemed unperturbed by the agitation against him. 8220;There was no problem as such. We are ready for any eventuality. I have been used to this kind of agitation for the last two decades.8221;

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8220;My boys are ready to face the GJM. There is no question of bowing down to its diktat. Who are they to set deadlines and ask me questions? I have the freedom of expression in a democracy and their agitation is an attack on democracy,8221; the Gorkha League chief added.

The GJVM, meanwhile, has declared that it was planning an indefinite movement to prevent Tamang from participating in politics. 8220;We will not allow the AIGL office to open. Every time there is an attempt to do so, we will gherao the office. We will gherao the office on Wednesday as well,8221; GJVM leader Kismat Chettri said.

He added, 8220;Today, nearly 500 school students participated in the agitation. The students were from the Nepali Girls8217; High School, Turnbull School and Municipal Boys8217; School. All schools will take turns to participate in the agitation. We don8217;t feel the schools are being disturbed in any way. Students will resume classes soon.8221;