Siliguri, June 18: Darjeeling’s Zila Sainik Board today frowned on some former soldiers for raising pro-Gorkhaland slogans at a war memorial but couched its anguish in an appeal for the monument’s “sanctity to be maintained”.

The appeal was issued by board secretary Captain (retd) A.K. Saxena through a letter that referred to the June 8 demonstration by members of the Bharatiya Gorkha Bhutpurva Sainik Morcha before a team of visiting MPs. The forum is affiliated to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

“It is a matter of concern that some ex-servicemen, in proper attire and medals, raised slogans with flags and banners,” said Saxena.

“...their action that day has been to the detriment of the uniformed services and the sanctity of the war memorial....”

The memorial, at Batasia Loop, 5km from the hill town, was built in memory of the Gorkha martyrs.

Sainik Morcha president Colonel (retd) Ramesh Allay said: “We wanted to deliver a letter to the parliamentarians. The authorities had told us the best place to meet them would be the memorial.”