DARJEELING: The Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF), a new political organisation centred on the demand for Gorkhaland, was launched in Darjeeling on Monday.
Ajoy Edwards, the party's convener, had recently dissolved the Hamro Party on Saturday to form the Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front. Senior leaders of other political parties encouraged the launch of this new party.
The IGJF also unveiled its flag, which has a slanted white khukuri, a white star, and blue and green colours. As per the new party, the slanted white khukuri represents the Gorkhas' pride and existence, while the white star represents their ultimate objective of Gorkhaland.
Edwards stressed the value of harmony within the Gorkha community while speaking at the Gymkhana Club event. He said, “There was a need for all of us to get united because everything here is in a mess. The main issue for the Gorkha community is Gorkhaland and we should not be afraid of uttering this word.”
He emphasised that Gorkhaland is everyone's land and shouldn't be used to harm or exclude anyone.
Before announcing their agenda at a public meeting, Edwards requested the audience to wait 40 to 45 days. They will inform them of their next steps, he said.
“We have already chalked out a seven-point agenda. While talking about Gorkhaland, people have forgotten the other issues of the community like the ownership of land of the people and justice for the workers in the tea gardens and cinchona plantations which will be our main issues,” said Edwards.
Edwards promised his lifelong dedication to the cause, but he did not provide an accurate time frame for Gorkhaland.
Additionally, he called on the people to take charge of their communities, stressing the significance of constructing roads and bridges without waiting for assistance from Delhi or Kolkata. To raise awareness of the party's objectives and tactics, Edwards stated that the group would travel to different areas of the hills over the course of the next forty to forty-five days.
Concerned about the gradual loss of their language, culture, and land, senior leaders Mahendra Chettri, Prakash Gurung, Bhupendra (Pradip) Pradhan, and others joined the IGJF today.
They claimed that because they felt national parties had not been sufficiently attending to the concerns of the Gorkha community in the area, they felt obliged to establish this new political party.
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