The GLP members: Fitness regime for baton-wielding volunteers

Darjeeling, Sept. 3: The Gorkhaland Personnel yesterday hauled up a young couple for holding hands in the Mall, fuelling resentment and triggering protest in the hills — the first against the uniformed brigade of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

The policing of the GLP had come under scanner much earlier, but the inspector general of police of north Bengal had said the administration could do little till the people spoke up.

According to sources, GLP members who were stationed at the Mall — the famous promenade that identifies Darjeeling — called up the couple in their mid twenties while they were walking across the square and told them they could not walk holding hands.

“The couple did not take it kindly and immediately retorted. They said they had been married for the past eight years. The lady had vermilion on the forehead (indicating she was married),” said a witness.

When the couple challenged the GLP role, a huge crowd of local people gathered and joined the protest.

“Do we have to take your permission even to procreate?” the couple had reportedly shot back at the four GLP members.

“All the while, the GLP remained quiet and the crowd made it clear to them that they had no right to infringe on personal freedom. It was good to see them slink away,” said the witness.

When the GLP was first formed last year, the Morcha had claimed that the baton-wielding group would be entrusted with maintaining traffic and the crowds during the party’s public meetings.

However, since the Morcha strike from July 14, the GLP dressed in green and yellow tracksuits have taken over the responsibilities of the police, seizing “illicit liquor” being smuggled in from Sikkim. The administration had tagged such seizures illegal.

Apart from patrolling the streets, the GLP do not allow people to smoke in the Mall, a favourite haunt of tourists. They also enforced a ban on the sale of gutka.

“Stopping illegal inflow of liquor and banning gutka was acceptable, but not hauling up couples merely for holding hands. Moreover, old people come to Chowrastha (Mall) to bask in the sun, smoking cigarettes and sipping tea. The GLP role as moral guardians must stop,” said a resident of the area who refused to be named.

Local people said young couples have virtually stopped walking around the Mall because of the GLP presence. “They are gradually turning into another Bajrang Dal, Sri Ram Sena or a Shiv Sena for the colourful, fun-loving youth here,” said the resident.

Around 30 activists of the Sri Ram Sena had in January assaulted women in a Mangalore bar for defying what they called “Indian norms and values”.

Col (retd) Ramesh Allay, chief of the GLP, admitted that he had heard of yesterday’s incident from various sources. Asked if the GLP had been instructed to start moral policing, Allay said: “I will investigate the matter and find out the details.”

The police have not yet acted against the GLP.

K.L. Tamta, the inspector general of police (north Bengal), had earlier said his force would not confront anybody at the moment. “If the people are willing to take the diktat of the Morcha what can we do? If they (GLP) come to Siliguri and do something which residents there do not want, we will not tolerate it,” said Tamta.

However, the police had filed non-bailable cases against Morcha leaders after the GLP dragged out a constable — during one of its raids — from a car on August 17, allegedly for carrying marijuana. The administration said the GLP did not have the authority to carry out raids or search vehicles or persons without police presence.

The local people had not filed any complaint against the GLP till date.