Gorkha Janamukti Morcha youth wing protests against Bimal Gurung for supporting Mamata Banerjee
Oct 25, 2020
Darjeeling (West Bengal) [India], October 25 : Post the exit of Bimal Gurung's faction of Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), supporters of Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa faction of the party protested against him in a rally organised by Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha at Chokbazar in Darjeeling on Sunday.
During the rally protesters shouted slogans like "Go back Bimal Gurung."
Alok Kanta Mani Thulung, president of the Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha who organised the protest rally said that it was done to give a "message" to Gurung that people will not accept him for his stand.
"The situation that has developed regarding the alliance proposal (Gurung'), we (the youth wing) organised a rally today to call for peace. It was basically to maintain peace. The alliance hasn't been made yet but people have started to get angry. In Kalimpong there were posters and people shouted 'Ab khoon ka khel hoga'. All this should not happen," he said.
Mani said the rally was taken out to spread the message that Gurung cannot do this.
"You (Gurung) should not create this kind of disharmony. This was to give Bimal Gurung a message that if he continues then it won't be good and the people won't accept him," he added.
Gurung had told reporters in Kolkata on Wednesday that he would help Chief Minister Banerjee win the assembly polls scheduled for next year in West Bengal.
"The Centre didn't meet the commitment they made but Mamata Banerjee fulfilled all her promises. So, I would like to separate myself from the NDA. I would like to break our relations with BJP. In 2021 Bengal election we'll forge an alliance with TMC and give a reply to BJP," he said.
Gurung said his faction of GJM's demand for Gorkhaland still remains, and the party will take this cause forward.
"It is our aim, our vision. In the 2024 election, we will support the party which will take up this cause," he added.
It is important to note that he had been in hiding since 2017, after being charged by the state government under the anti-terror law for incidents in areas in which he held sway.
When asked if the state government gave him assurance regarding cases against him, he said, "I'm neither a criminal nor an anti-national. I'm a political leader. I want a political settlement. I was in Delhi earlier and in Jharkhand for the past two months."
Gurung had previously been supporting the BJP and had helped it win Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat in the past three general elections.
