GANGTOK, June 21 � The Gorkha Rashtriya Congress (GRC) party organised a seminar here on importance of Sikkim-Darjeeling unification in the context of the present political scenario.
The seminar was held yesterday under the chairmanship of DK Bomjone, GRC president. Addressing the gathering, Bomjone urged the need for all political parties and associations to mobilise opinion on the unification issue.
He informed that the West Bengal Government has already issued a White Paper in 1986 in which they have mentioned that Darjeeling is part of Sikkim. He further mentioned that the Central Government does not have any document proving that Darjeeling is part of West Bengal.
Bomjone stressed that since historically Darjeeling is owned by Sikkim, when the latter was a kingdom, only Sikkim Government has the right to confer the status of Gorkhaland to the Darjeeling Hills. Bomjone added that after the unification, Sikkim will get 169 tea gardens, North Bengal University and even the North Bengal Medical College but Sikkim Government has to take the initiative.
The people of Darjeeling Hills want to separate from Bengal and are struggling for it since the past 103 years but lack of able leaders has eluded them this opportunity, Bomjone commented.
