SNS, DARJEELING, 7 DECEMBER 2020: Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (Binoy Tamang camp) leader Anit Thapa today countered claims made by the other faction of the Morcha led by Bimal Gurung about the number of people present in Mr Gurung's first public meeting in over three years in Siliguri yesterday. Mr Thapa also claimed that his faction of the party will show the actual strength in their public meeting at Sukna near Siliguri scheduled for 13 December.
Mr Thapa, who is also the chairman of the Board of Administrators of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) was speaking in a programme at Sukhia Pokhari in Darjeeling, where he laid the foundation stone for a 4km stretch of road, connecting Upper Tiffin Dara with Lower Tiffin Dara.
Addressing the gathering, he said, "They (Gurung camp) are claiming that there were about 1.5 lakh people in their public meeting in Siliguri yesterday, but everyone could see there were only about 15,000 people there. On the 13th in our public meeting at Sukna, how much people there will be in our meeting will be open for everyone to see. People will show that day how much we have worked for them in these three years."
"On that day, I will also disclose all the 'hisab kitab' (accounts) from 2007 to 2021. They are alleging corruption, but what about the central and state funds that came for development in his period? They did not do anything worthwhile for the Hills during their tenure, but only damaged what was already there," said Mr Thapa , he was reacting to Mr Gurung's allegation yesterday that he, along with Mr Tamang, had misused Rs 1700 crore given to the GTA by the state government.
"We failed to select the right person to lead us in 2007. If Binoy Tamang was the leader back then, there would have been the much-needed changes in the Hills by now" Mr Thapa said.
He further said that the Gurung camp was trying to play with the emotions of the people by playing the "displaced card."
"They are saying they were displaced, but those spearheading an agitation are not displaced; they either go to jail or become martyrs. We have gone to jail in the past, but they left the people here and ran away," he said.
"He (Gurung) always boasts of the massive election victory in 2019, but at that time people were in a dilemma and they had voted for the demand of Gorkhaland and not him. People had voted against the atrocities of the state government," he said.
According to the spokesperson of the Tamang faction of the Morcha, Keshav Raj Pokhrel, the Sukna meeting on 13 December will not be a "counter meeting," but that it is being held to mount pressure on the government with demands like parjapatta (land rights) and formation of the SSC. "We are a party with new thoughts and vision and for the people," he said. Mr Pokhrel was speaking on the sidelines of their Youth Front's 14th Foundation Day at Jamuney in Darjeeling where a cultural programme was held, along, along with felicitation of prominent people.
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