Former militants and linkmen of the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) on Thursday lifted the indefinite “dharna” that they had launched 24 hours before near the district magistrate’s office in Cooch Behar on Wednesday.

The dharna was staged to demand jobs for the former KLO members. Ahead of the launch of the dharna, they took out a march under the banner of Surrendered KLO & Linkmen Welfare Committee and reached the bank of the Sagardighi where the district magistrate’s office is located.

“The chief minister had announced that we would be recruited as special home guards. The verification process of around 150 of us has been carried out by police and the administration. Yet, we have not been recruited. That is why we launched the indefinite sit-in,” said Bihari Kazi, the secretary of the committee.

He said the recruitment process had started in 2021 and even then, they had not got
the jobs.

“We have no idea why the process is being delayed. Many of us are earning a livelihood by doing odd jobs and finding it difficult to run families. We hope the administration will understand our situation and take the necessary steps,” Kazi added.

Sources said so far, around 300 former militants and linkmen of the outfit have been recruited as special home guards from Cooch Behar district.

Tushar Kanti Roy, a member of the committee, said along with the ex-militants and linkmen, the state had also decided to provide jobs to a member of all such families which lost their near and dear ones during the KLO movement.

“Because of the delay, a section of us are worried because our age might cross the stipulated limit. This is another reason for the dharna’s launch,” said Roy.

On Thursday, the agitation was withdrawn after officials spoke to the demonstrators and promised to consider their demands.