Gurung summoned by child rights body

Kolkata: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung has been summoned by the West Bengal State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBSCPCR) for fielding and parading the children in the party’s protest rallies during the unrest underway in Darjeeling over the demand of Gorkhaland.

WBSCPCR chairperson Ananya Chakraborti informed on Monday that the panel had already sent a show-cause notice to Mr Gurung, seeking his explanation last week after finding the violations of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, Right To Education Act and a 2011 order of the Calcutta high court, which bar the participation of children in political rallies.

She added that the copy of the show-cause notice had been sent to the district magistrate, superintendent of police and the head of the child protection committee of Darjeeling.

 “We found that the GJM did not take cognisance of our notice and again paraded the children in the rally today,” Ms Chakraborti added.

She elaborated, “So we have summoned Mr Gurung on July 11 to appear at our office to depose his version. If he does not comply this time, we will ask DM (Darjeeling) to issue an arrest warrant against him.” In the morning, children were found marching in a rally in Singamari in traditional dresses.

 They were seen carrying placards supporting the cause of a separate state of Gorkhaland.

GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, who also took part in the rally, said, “The children also want Gorkhaland because our future in West Bengal is not secure. Until we get Gorkhaland, we are not safe. That is why the children have also come forward.”

Violence in Darjeeling continued as the GJM strike entered its 19th day. A police vehicle was torched at Chhoy Mile area near a police outpost.