Gorkha Concerns Fill Up Supreme Court Roster This Week and the Next

The Supreme Court of India, will be hearing three cases related to Darjeeling and the Gorkhaland issue this week and the next.

A hearing into the ongoing Bimal Gurung case was scheduled for tomorrow, but it has been adjourned to the 11th of December, 2017.

Tomorrow on the 8th of December, 2017, the Supreme Court will be hearing a writ filed by Ms. Sabita Bhujel the wife of late Kalimpong Municipality councillor who died in police custody on the 26th of October, 2017. Accusing the West Bengal government and jail authorities of torture and criminal neglect, Ms. Sabita Bhujel has demanded an independent investigations into the custodial death of Late. Barun Bhujel.

On the 11th of November, 2017 the Honourable Chief Justice of India will be hearing a writ filed by GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri, who has sought the apex court’s intervention seeking a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into multiple bomb blasts that rocked Darjeeling region in the month of August, and also into the alleged haul of sophisticated arms such as AK 47 rifles and Baretta pistol on October 13th, 2017. The writ also requests the apex court to “order a CBI inquiry into the killings of 13 Gorkhaland supporters by security forces”, and the “suspicious circumstances under which police officer Amitabha Mullick was killed.”

While the judicial proceedings are underway, many in Darjeeling and other parts of India have stated their grave displeasure at the lack of concern on behalf of the National Human Rights Commission, which has been conspicuous by their absence.

“Despite filing multiple petitions and memorandums detailing the human rights violations in the aspired Gorkhaland region, the NHRC has remained nonchalant and hasn’t taken any steps to question the authorities, thus allowing rampant violations of human rights to continue in the Darjeeling region,” said a Delhi based human rights activist.