Students take to streets, GJM to reconsider agitation call

As the five-day agitation by school students began today in Darjeeling hills, GJM president Bimal Gurung hinted at taking a different course of action for the separate statehood movement.
Despite the Calcutta High Court order that students should not be allowed to participate in political rallies, thousands of school students held protests in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, shouting pro-Gorkhaland slogans.
"All these students have voluntarily come forward for this rally as they wanted to contribute toward the fight for Gorkhaland... Students in the hills want their own State and I will give them their Gorkhaland," GJM chief Bimal Gurung told reporters here.

In a post on social networking website Facebook, the GJM president said, "The students of Darjeeling are ready to sacrifice their education for Gorkhaland" as the issue is more important for them right now.
Without divulging much details, Gurung said that there should be another way to carry forward the agitation for a separate state.
"When the time will come, then it will be made known," he said, adding the central committee of the party would review the situation at a meeting tomorrow.
Meanwhile, a car was torched by unknown miscreants near Three Mile area when it was coming from Pedong in Kalimpong subdivision to Siliguri, police said.

The occupants were asked to alight before the vehicle was set ablaze, they added.