Ukhrul Gorkha Association stage sit-in protests to show solidarity with GJM

Ukhrul, June 30 (EMN): Ukhrul Gorkha Welfare Association, Manipur (UGWAM), members of Gorkha community residing at Ukhrul district organised sit-in protest against the killing of three demonstrators and to show solidarity to the demand of Gorkhaland spearheaded by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in Darjeeling on June 29 at Ukhrul Township, Manipur.
UGWAM president Kumar Thapa said Gorkha people living in Ukhrul district share the same sentiments with Gorkhas in Darjeeling and that they are holding a protest to show their moral and spiritual support to the Gorkhas living in Darjeeling. Elaborating the demands for Gorkhaland in Darjeeling, Thapa asserted the demands for separate state was started in 1907. He said, the demand was based on the need of the people to protect and preserve the identity, culture, language, tradition and history of the Gorkhas. He further asked the community to condemn the brutal killing three innocent demonstrators and injuring to many protestors in Darjeeling by the West Bengal security forces.
UGWAM Secretary Bhanu Boutal told reporters that the current protests raging the whole of Darjeeling district were spurred by the recent moved by the West Bengal government to make Bengali language compulsory for all students across the state. The moved of West Bengal government came despite the fact that Nepali language was recognised as a language in the 8th Schedule of Indian Constitution on 20 August, 1992, however this was a deliberate attempt to impose Bengali language on Nepali speaking Gorkha community in the state, he said.