Will not allow shadow of unrest to enter the Hills: Anit Thapa
Darjeeling: "We will not allow the shadow of unrest to enter the Hills. We have worked hard to reinstate peace in the Hills, hence we will not allow any disturbance. We have been working with the State Government to ensure peace, development in the Hills. At such an important juncture, the Hills should not be poked time and again. All should take note of this including the Government," stated Anit Thapa, General Secretary, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Binoy,) addressing a rally in Kurseong on Tuesday.
In a show of strength, the GJM (Binoy) held a rally in Kurseong two days after the Bimal Gurung faction had held a rally in the same venue. "They (read Bimal faction) claim that they are politically displaced but we say that they are runaways. They were not chased away by anyone; they deserted the people midway of the agitation and ran away," retorted Thapa.
The GJM general secretary further stated that while the Bimal faction dubbed Thapa and Tamang as betrayers, it is they who are betrayers.
"Gurung betrayed Subash Ghising. We are still under the same GJM flag since the party was floated in 2007. It is Gurung and his men who betrayed the Hill people. They fueled the violent agitation and ran away midway. Their politics always revolves around dead bodies," said Thapa.
Reacting to Giri's demand of an audit in the GTA, Thapa stated: "When the Government talked of a GTA audit in 2017, in order to avoid it, Gurung fueled an agitation and even torched all the important departments so that the accounts and other records were all destroyed."
He stated that at present the GTA is being run with transparency. "Everything is online. The system of e-tenders are in place. Anyone can check the records," Thapa remarked.
"Your unrest has jeopardized the lives of Hill people specially the education of children and youth for 13 long years; the tourism industry has suffered; the tea industry suffered similar fate.
Who will give the accounts for all this?" questioned Thapa.
He stated that times are changing and so is politics in the Hills. "Henceforth it will be 'Our Hills, better Hills' with peace, development, employment and business opportunities, improved healthcare services and education.
"We will reinstate the lost glory of Darjeeling," vowed Thapa.
