SILIGURI, April 1: Jana Chetana, a Siliguri-based pressure group, would file a case at the Calcutta High Court seeking identification of the non-Indian Nepalis before the forthcoming Parliamentary election. “The election for the crucial Darjeeling constituency would become a futile exercise if the identification issue remains unredressed,” the Jana Chetana leaders said.
According to Dr Debaprasad Kar, president of the apolitical organisation, the election process for the Darjeeling constituency is “a mockery” of the Indian Constitution. “A foreign national cannot exercise franchise in any election in accordance with Article 326 of the Constitution. Yet, it is common knowledge that a large chunk of the voters in the Darjeeling hills are non-Indian Nepalis. The anomaly has assumed serious proportions in view of the prolonged Gorkhaland agitation and must be corrected to hold a meaningful election in the district,” he said.
Dr Kar further said that the groundwork in connection with the filing of the case was complete. “We would initiate the legal proceedings soon,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Bangla O Bangla Bhasa Bachao Samity and Amraa Bangali, today threatened to resist the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha campaign in the plains if the hill-based political party raised the Gorkhaland issue during poll campaign. The BOBBBS president, Dr Mukunda Majumder, said his organisation would allow the GJMM to campaign in the plains provided it erased all pro-Gorkhaland graffiti in the hills and removed GL number plates from the vehicles. The Aamraa Bangali Darjeeling district president, Mr Khusi Ranjan Mondal, said that his party would not brook any pro-Gorkhaland posturing likely to be indulged in by the GJMM in course of electioneering in the plains.
According to Dr Debaprasad Kar, president of the apolitical organisation, the election process for the Darjeeling constituency is “a mockery” of the Indian Constitution. “A foreign national cannot exercise franchise in any election in accordance with Article 326 of the Constitution. Yet, it is common knowledge that a large chunk of the voters in the Darjeeling hills are non-Indian Nepalis. The anomaly has assumed serious proportions in view of the prolonged Gorkhaland agitation and must be corrected to hold a meaningful election in the district,” he said.
Dr Kar further said that the groundwork in connection with the filing of the case was complete. “We would initiate the legal proceedings soon,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Bangla O Bangla Bhasa Bachao Samity and Amraa Bangali, today threatened to resist the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha campaign in the plains if the hill-based political party raised the Gorkhaland issue during poll campaign. The BOBBBS president, Dr Mukunda Majumder, said his organisation would allow the GJMM to campaign in the plains provided it erased all pro-Gorkhaland graffiti in the hills and removed GL number plates from the vehicles. The Aamraa Bangali Darjeeling district president, Mr Khusi Ranjan Mondal, said that his party would not brook any pro-Gorkhaland posturing likely to be indulged in by the GJMM in course of electioneering in the plains.
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