Apolitical organisations in Darjeeling appropriated Martyrs’ Day on Sunday, taking the initiative to name two parking complexes after two martyrs in an attempt to break the stranglehold of hill political parties observing the day.

After 13 people were killed in Kalimpong on July 27, 1986, during the Gorkhaland agitation, the day is marked as Martyrs’ Day every year.

Apart from the 13, another Gorkhaland supporter, Chunnu Limbu, who was injured that day, had died a few weeks later.

Since 1987, political parties have been marking the Martyrs’ Day with the predominant political party of the day organising the biggest event to mark the day.

“We believe that Martyrs’ Day should not be under the stranglehold of any political party but it should be an event of the community and this is why we have taken this initiative to mark the event,” said Pasang Lama, member of the organising committee.

The event saw the participation of apolitical organisations like the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, the Hill Transport Coordination Committee, the Bharatiya Gorkha Jan Awaz, the Hill Employees Association, the Statehood Demand Coordination Committee, among others.

“More than 40 organisations are associated with us but we want to clarify we will not get involved in political activities but only work for the community’s uplift,” said Lama.

The group named the parking complex near the Darjeeling Government College after Krishna Subba and the one near Darjeeling railway station as Dewraj Sharma after obtaining permission from the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

Jiwan Bhandari, a member of the organising committee, said the incident in which these two martys died took place on September 7, 1981.

“The administration had granted permission to the SFI (the CPM students’ wing) to hold a public meeting at Chowk Bazar till 3.30pm while their rivals Pranta Parishad were to hold the meeting after the deadline,” said Bhandari.

The SFI stretched their meeting beyond deadline which led to a heated exchange.

“In the heat of the moment, some SFI leaders made an insensitive comment against the community which escalated the situation,” said Bhandari.

In the ensuing clash Krishan Subba got injured by a police bullet while Dewraj Sharma died near Motor Stand by another police bullet, said Bhandari.

“These two martyrs had almost been forgotten in the hills,” said organiser Pasang.

Political parties such as the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, the Gorkha National Liberation Front, as well as the Trinamool Congress organised separate Martyrs’ Day events across the hills.

Neeraj Zimba, Darjeeling BJP MLA who is also a GNLF leader, donated ₹1 lakh to the widow of Nima Theeng, a Gorkhaland martyr of 1986 agitation, to build a house. Zimba also promised more financial help towards the construction of the house.