Morcha ‘blocks’ CPRM members

VIVEK CHHETRI Youth members of the CPRM in front of the Kalimpong block 1 office on Wednesday. (CF Lepcha) Darjeeling, Feb. 15: The CPRM was today allegedly prevented from submitting a memorandum to a block development officer by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters, sparking charges that the predominant party in the Darjeeling hills was once again stifling Opposition voices. “Members of our youth wing had gone to the Rongli-Rungleet block development office at Takdah after seeking an appointment with the BDO. Our supporters, however, could not enter the office as a large number of Morcha supporters had gathered in front of the building,” said Govind Chhetri, the spokesperson for the CPRM. However, the Democratic Revolutionary Youth Front (DRYF) — the youth wing of the CPRM — submitted memorandums to all other seven BDOs in the hills. Sources said the DRYF workers returned from the Takdah office without any resistance as they had been outnumbered. Shekar Chhetri, the president of the DRYF, said: “The Morcha which claims that it believes in democracy has shown its true colours at Takdah. We will immediately write to the Bengal chief minister and the governor highlighting the terror unleashed by the Morcha in the hills.” Today’s incident comes close on the heels of the Morcha’s allegation that the CPRM was hobnobbing with Maoists. The Morcha has come under attack from other parties as well. “Memorandums are always submitted by political parties for the benefit of the common people. If the Morcha believes in democracy, it should have allowed the CPRM to submit the deputation to the BDO. The Morcha is unnecessarily creating tension in the hills and this has to be stopped immediately,” said Laxman Pradhan, the vice-president of the ABGL. In the past, the Morcha had been accused of obstructing ABGL meetings also. The DRYF memorandum had nine demands, including the creation of Gorkhaland and increase in the number of working days under the national rural employment guarantee scheme from 100 to 200. Asked if the Morcha supporters had stopped the CPRM delegation, Rongli-Rungleet BDO Esther Lepcha said: “Since no one entered my office to submit a deputation, I cannot comment.” Takdah is 35km from Darjeeling town. The Morcha alleged that the Opposition was deliberately trying to defame the party. “The Morcha is a democratic organisation and we do not indulge in such practices. The CPRM’s claim that it was stopped from entering the Rongli-Rungleet block office was strange as it did not face any such problem in seven other blocks. They are probably creating a story to defame us,” said Jyoti Kumar Rai, a central committee member of the Morcha.