Rivals challenge Gurung on Maoist slur -‘Prove camp claim or withdraw remarks’

RAJEEV RAVIDAS

Chhatrey Subba at his residence in Kalimpong on Tuesday. (CF Lepcha) Kalimpong, Feb. 7: The Opposition parties have challenged Bimal Gurung to provide concrete evidence on the existence of underground training camps in the hills or withdraw statements to that effect as “baseless” allegations could vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in the region. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president had said here yesterday that his political opponents were conducting underground training camps and were hobnobbing with Maoists in Kalimpong. He hinted that the camps were run by the Gorkhaland Task Force, an anti-Morcha forum comprising the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisang, ABGL, CPRM, GNLF (C) and the Gorkha Rashtriya Nirman Morcha. Munish Tamang, the GTF secretary, said in a press release that the “unfounded” statement of the Morcha only proved that its politics was based on lies and deceptions. “The Gorkhas have seen through the doublespeak of the Morcha that still talks about the GTA (Gorkhaland Territorial Administration) as well as Gorkhaland in the same breath. The statement also shows that the party is now bereft of ideas and meaningful issues and is thus trying to divert public attention from its visible failures on all fronts.” “The GTF challenges Shri Bimal Gurung to come out with concrete evidence to back his claims about the GTF receiving illegal underground training or else withdraw his statement and desist from making statements that vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in the hills,” he said. The GTF said Gurung’s claim about the training camps is “all the more laughable” as everybody knows “which party or organisation is capable of sparking violence” in the hills. According to Tamang, the GTF is an alliance of well-known political and social organisations as well as prominent individuals who are committed to the creation of Gorkhaland. “All organisations that are part of the Task Force have a long, unblemished track record of dedicated service to the Gorkha society. No partner in the GTF is on any record for involvement in random violence,” he said. The GTF pooh-poohed Gurung’s plea that he was free to lead the movement for a separate state as it was not he but Morcha secretary Roshan Giri who had signed the GTA agreement. “The Morcha secretary signed the agreement on behalf of the party and with the full consent of the president. If indeed, as the statement of the party president suggests, the secretary signed against the wishes of the party and the president, then the GJM should expel Roshan Giri from the party, make an unequivocal statement for Gorkhaland and join the GTF to unitedly fight for the creation of a separate state for India’s Gorkhas,” reads the GTF statement. Former GNLF leader Chhatrey Subba, who was at the receiving end of Gurung’s verbal attack yesterday, also attacked the Morcha chief. Subba accused Gurung of settling for the GTA by hoodwinking the people. “So many people have died; didn’t they all die for Gorkhaland? Why can’t he (Gurung) accept Gorkhaland when he enjoys so much support,” he said. Subba said he was willing to lead the agitation for Gorkhaland if the people wanted him to. “If I get the support, I will definitely lead the Gorkhaland agitation. If I don’t get the support, I can’t do anything,” he said, adding that he was open to the idea of heading the movement under the banner of the Gorkhaland Liberation Organisation (GLO) or any other forum acceptable to the people. The GLO was formed by Subba after he fell out with GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh.(Telegraph)