Union defence secretary Vijay Singh (left) and home secretary Madhukar Gupta in Gangtok on Tuesday. (Sekhar Khawas)

Darjeeling, June 24: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s decision to include schoolchildren in relay hunger strikes and agitation programmes starting Thursday has produced a mixed reaction with a section of academicians fearing that it might set a precedent for other political parties.

“We will request the schools to take turns to send seven children each for a relay hunger strike starting from day after tomorrow. Massive student rallies will also be held simultaneously with the fast. We are involving the students as Gorkhaland is also for them,” said Morcha president Bimal Gurung while announcing the next phase of the party’s agitation at Chowrastha here today.

The relay hunger strikes and rallies are to be organised till the relaxation for the indefinite bandh ends on July 5.

Schools, which are conducting their internal examinations, however, have been spared.

Despite Gurung’s waiver for these schools, some academicians are of the opinion that it is wrong to involve students in politics no matter how big the issue is.

“They should be left out of such activities. I only fear that this may set a precedent for other parties in the hills. It is true that the issue has become very sentimental, but we could have done without the school children being asked to take part in relay hunger strikes and continuous rallies,” said an academician on condition of anonymity.

This is not the first time that students have been asked to take out a rally in support of Gorkhaland. “Involving school students in rallies now and then is acceptable, but asking them to go for hunger strikes is a bit too much,” said another academician.

Many ICSE schools have closed for summer vacations, but most of the institutions affiliated to the Madhyamik board are still open.

Gurung will also hold a meeting with teachers, heads of institutions and people related to the education sector at Gymkhana Hall on July 27 to discuss their role in the Gorkhaland movement.

Basant Rai, the headmaster of Ramakrishna Siksha Parisad, was for the Morcha’s decision. “It is time to go all out now. I will encourage not only my students but also children of other schools to take part in the hunger strike,” said Rai.

Some teachers believe that the decision to allow students to participate in the hunger strike lay with the parents. “If the parents have problems we cannot force anyone,” said a teacher.