Bharati sets Sunday deadline for fast onto death stir, DF prepares Sunday address

10:21 PM

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madan tamang

Darjeeling June 11: If the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders are a worried lot at present in the hills, the opposition (read anti-GJM outfits), specifically AIGL, are not far behind. Apprehensive of CBI taking its time to arrest top rung GJM leaders despite warrant being issued, Bharati Tamang, the AIGL president has decided to sit on a fast onto death stir from Sunday.

Political forum–'Democratic Front' in Darjeeling

Twenty-three GJM leaders of high profile has been charge sheeted by the CBI on the Madan Tamang murder case. A Calcutta city court has already issued warrant of arrest for the 23 leaders including Bimal Gurung, the GJM chief. However, with GJM filing anticipatory bail at the Calcutta High court and hearing for the same pending because of cease work for three days, the party which rules the GTA is a worried lot.

The CBI whatsoever has not arrested anyone so far and things have no gone well with the AIGL. “The fast onto death is a last resort for me. The CBI is only dillydallying arrest,” Tamang told journalists on Thursday. Bharati Tamang is also the widow of slain leader Madan Tamang.
Tamang had been murdered on May 21, 2010 under broad daylight at Clubside in Darjeeling while overseeing preparation for a public address that he was to make on the very day.

Bharati’s fast onto death is expected to be followed by a public meeting on Sunday to be organized by the Democratic Front (DF). The DF is a conglomeration of four anti-GJM hill parties formed with an aim to return democracy in the hills. The conglomerate also vouches to work for seeking justice in the Madan Tamang murder case.  The DF comprises of the AIGL, Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxist, Gorkha National Liberation Front and the Sikkim Darjeeling Merger Forum.

“Permission has been applied for the meet on Sunday. We have also put up posters to sensitize the mass in the hills,” said Shankar hang Subba, the spokesperson for DF.

CPIM withdrawal 

Ironically, days after the formation of the conglomerate the CPIM has withdrawn itself from the DF. The CPIM top leadership in the district feels that the DF should also take up other issues. “The Madan Tamang murder is a sub-judice matter and we find no point is seeking justice through a forum seems redundant. So we withdrew,” said Saman Pathak, a CPIM district secretariat member.

The DF countered saying that the CPIM’s decision to step back has many reasons. “The CPIM was heading the Government when Madan Tamang was murdered. The role of the then West Bengal Government on this issue is murky. Why were there no adequate security arrangements despite anticipation of trouble? How did Nickol Tamang, supposed to be the mastermind of the murder, disappear from the custody of the CID?” said Pratap Khati, the ABGL secretary.

Source: The Himalayan Mirror

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Widow of late Madan Tamang to fast unto death, Morcha in deep trouble

8:22 PM

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gjm

Bharati Tamang, widow of late Madan Tamang, is going for fast unto death at Chowrasta in Darjeeling  from 14th June 2015. The decision was taken in order to protest against CBI for non execution of warrant of arrest issued by Ld. District and session court Kolkata against Bimal Gurung and 22 chargesheeted accused in connection with broad daylight murder of late Madan Tamang at club side, Darjeeling on 21.5.2010.

Bharati Tamang, Widow of late Madan Tamang to fast unto death

The declaration was made by AIGL general secretary Pratap Khati in the social media.

"No stay order has been issued as yet against the warrant of arrest. So why is the CBI delaying?" said Khati

The AIGL leader also demanded seizure of passports of the 23 GJM leaders.

The AIGL has written to the CBI director to apprise them about the delay and gave the agency 24-hour time failing which the fast will begin.

The CBI which was probing the Madan Tamang murder case, has recently filed its final chargesheet and named the entire GJM leadership including its president Bimal Gurung, his wife, party's Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri and Roshan Giri. Further Session Court Kolkata has issued arrest warrants against all the key leaders in connection with the murder of All India Gorkha League (AIGL) leader Tamang.

On the other hand Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) on Wednesday decided not to go for any immediate agitation in Darjeeling and wait till June 23.

GJM leadership in deep trouble over the CBI charge sheet had already taken up the issue with the top BJP leaders in Delhi as well as Union home minister. But neither the Centre nor the top BJP leaders in Delhi have offered any sort of help to the GJM leadership hence they are upset with the BJP.

During Wednesday's meeting at Patlebas in Darjeeling, many GJM leaders expressed their resentment about the role played by the BJP leadership in Delhi.

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Bharati Tamang threatens fast-unto-death demanding arrest of GJM leaders

6:41 PM

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madan tamang

Bharati Tamang, the widow of slain All India Gorkha League (AIGL) leader Madan Tamang on Tuesday threatened to go on to fast till death, to demand immediate arrest of the 23 Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders against whom a city court in Kolkata has issued a warrant of arrest.

Bharati Tamang

AIGL general secretary Pratap Khati argued that there was an undue delay in execution of the arrest. “No stay order has been issued as yet against the warrant of arrest. So why is the CBI delaying in
making the arrest of the 23 accused,” he asked.

After the court issued the warrant of arrest, the AIGL leadership had expressed its gratitude the CBI for filing the charge sheet against the top rung GJM leaders in the Madan Tamang murder case.
On June 6, the city and session’s court in Kolkata directed the CBI to execute the arrest of the GJM leaders within June 26. This after the central agency had filed its final supplementary charge sheet in the court on May 29.

However, on Tuesday the slain AIGL leader’s widow expressing surprise in the delay in the arrest by the CBI said: “The court has directed the execution of the warrant of arrest. We do not why the CBI is delaying in making the arrest. Since there are no other options with us, we have decided to fast on to death”.

Nine GJM leaders have already filed for anticipatory bail in the high court on Monday. The bail plea has been made by Bimal Gurung, Roshan Giri, Binay Tamang, Colonel Ramesh Allay, P.T.Ola, Pradeep Pradhan, Asha Gurung, Urmila Rumba and Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri.

The AIGL has also written to the CBI director and joint director to apprise them about the delay. “We have written to the Central agency director demanding the accused to be arrested as soon as possible. We will give the CBI 24 hours’ time after they receive our letter that we posted today. After this we will go on a fast till death,” Khati said.

The AGIL leader also demanded the seizure of passports of the 23 GJM leaders. “Today we have also written to the passport office in Kolkata asking them to seize the passports of all the accused GJM leaders. There is always the possibility that they (accused) may try to escape the arrest,” Khati said. Initially, the CID had been asked to probe the Madan Tamang murder case. The state agency had arrested primed accused Nicole Tamang, a GJM central committee leader on August 16, 2010. However, he managed to escape mysteriously from Pintail Village near Siliguri on August 22, 2010, while being interrogated by the sleuths. He remains untraceable.

Source:EOI

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In solidarity with Late Madan Tamang after arrest warrant of top GJM leaders

9:47 AM

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Politics

People in the hills were anxiously waiting for the result of the hearing on the Madan Tamang Murder case on 6th June Saturday. As the news of the arrest warrant being issued against GJM ( Gorkha Janmukti Morcha) top leaders including Bimal Gurung trickled in, the crowd started to gather outside AIGL (All India Gorkha League) office in Ladenla Road in Darjeeling.

Supporters and Well Wishers Paying Solidarity To Late
 AIGL Former Chief  Madan Tamang in Memorial 

Members of the newly formed 'Democratic Front' joined AIGL leaders in the office, where Ms. Bharati Tamang - wife of Late. Madan Tamang and the current AIGL President, was also present, and offered their solidarity.

In a symbolic gesture, supporters and well wishers  gathered at AIGL office then moved to upper club-side to the Madan Tamang memorial and lighted candles.

Speaking briefly to the Press, Ms. Bharati Tamang said, "the court order issued today is a testament to the fact that truth always prevails... we are happy and thankful to the court."

Via: TheDC

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GJM BJP relation likely to suffer in Darjeeling after CBI Chargesheet

7:56 PM

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madan tamang

Relations between BJP and Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) in Darjeeling is likely to suffer as the CBI has named top party leaders like president Bimal Gurung and 21 others in its chargesheet in Madan Tamang murder case.

GJM chief with Narendra Modi and S.S. Ahluwalia before election during Modi's Siliguri visit.

Tamang was the All-India Gorkha League (AIGL) president and was murdered in broad daylight in Darjeeling town in May 2010. The CID was probing the case and had also filed charge sheet. But Tamang's wife Bharati moved Calcutta High Court seeking a CBI investigation and the court had granted her prayer and asked the CBI to take up the case.

The CBI, which was probing the murder case, had submitted its last and final charge sheet in a city court here on last Friday. In the charge sheet, the CBI named top GJM leaders like its president Bimal Gurung, his wife Asha, party MLA from Kalimpong assembly seat Harkabahadur Chhetry, party's general secretary Roshan Giri, Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) chief Pradip Pradhan and other leaders of GJM.

GJM is a political ally of BJP since 2009 when the Gorkhas had supported BJP in 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Last year too, BJP's SS Alhuwalia won Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat with support from the GJM. But the charge sheet filed by the CBI naming almost all top leaders of the party has certainly unnerved the GJP top leadership and they have already contacted BJP leadership in Delhi.

GJM MLA Harkabahadur Chhetry was in Kolkata on Monday and when contacted, he refused to say anything on the issue. But senior GJM leaders told ET over phone from Darjeeling that they will hold a meeting in the Hills on June 7 to explain their position. GJM leaders also informed that they were consulting legal experts both in Kolkata and Delhi and will fight the case legally and politically. Fearing arrests by the CBI, GJM leaders are also planning to move courts for obtaining anticipatory bail.

A senior GJM leader told ET that they had already talked to the Darjeeling MP Alhuwalia who asked them not to go for any violent movement in Darjeeling hills immediately. "Mamata Banerjee government is very happy with the CBI charge sheet as the Central probe agency has named our top leaders in Tamang murder case. The CM doesn't want GJM to flourish as she has opposed our demand for a separate Gorkha state. But we expect help and support from top BJP leaders in Delhi. Our leaders are also plann .

West Bengal BJP president Rahul Sinha ruled out possibility of any deterioration in their relationship with GJM over the CBI charge sheet. "Naming someone in a charge sheet does not mean that the persons is guilty.We maintain a cordial relationship with the GJM and it will continue," Sinha claimed.

Source: economictimes

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Democratic Front in Darjeeling formed, support CBI probe in Madan Tamang case

9:37 AM

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Politics

In early 2000, the All India Gorkha League(AIGL), the Communist Party Revolutionary Marxist(CPRM) and a few other parties in the hills of  Darjeeling had come together to form under the leadership of Madan Tamang the People’s Democratic Front(PDF) against the highhandedness of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF).

The PDF did not last long, but the wheels have turned full circle and again, with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha(GJM) cornered in the wake of the CBI filing its final charge-sheet against top GJM leaders in the Madan Tamang murder case, five opposition parties in the hills have been quick to react and form a Democratic Front(DF) with the sole aim of restoration of democracy in the hills.

The constituents of DF are Madan Tamang’s own party All India Gorkha League (AIGL), Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxist (CPRM), Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), CPM and the Sikkim Darjeeling Ekikaran Manch (SDEM).

AIGL general secretary Pratap Khati who was appointed convener of the newly formed outfit on Tuesday after a meeting said: “After Madan Tamang’s murder and looking at the current political situation of the hills, we felt the need to retrospect on ways to move ahead. Keeping this in mind, our priority unanimously is restoration of democracy. Therefore we formed the Front, today”.
Elaborating on the issue in hand, CPRM president R.B.Rai said time was right to form such an organization that would work towards bringing back democracy in the Hills. “The AIGL leader was murdered five years ago. But things are hotting up now with the CBI charge -sheet against GJM leaders. Democracy does not imply only to the AIGL but has implications for others too,” he explained.

Democratic Front poster in Darjeeling

On the question of forming a platform only for restoring democracy and not other political agenda, the CPRM leader said, “There are various demands of different political entities of the Hills. However, what is the use of other things, when something as basic as democracy is
missing”. Rai appealed to people to extend support to the newly formed Front. “At present politics in the hills is not free and fair and there is an underlying fear among people about their security. People should come out and support our endeavour,” he said.

The Front has not yet chalked out its strategies but said they would first start by meeting Bengal Governor Kesharinath Tripathi, who is presently in Darjeeling, putting up posters in the Hill town propagating their demand and even writing to both the state government and the Centre. “We will meet the Governor and apprise him about our objective of forming the Front and also about the CBI charge-sheet. There is sufficient evidence against the GJM leaders in our leader’s murder,” Khati said.

Mani Kamal Chhetri, the GNLF Darjeeling branch secretary said his party decided to join hand to strongly support the CBI initiatives.

The Front had also invited the Trinamool Congress, BJP and the Congress but their representatives did not attend Tuesday’s meeting.

Darjeeling district Trinamool president  Rajen Mukhia, when asked to confirm the invitation said his party would not join the Front but only extend moral support. “We will not join but extend moral support. As for the CBI charge sheet against the GJM leaders, we feel that if
proved guilty they should be arrested,” he said.

Later in the day GJM assistant secretary Binay Tamang issued a statement to counter the Democratic Front. “If the Front had been formed for a separate Gorkhaland state then we would have welcomed it. It is only a gimmick of the various inactive political parties for its survival in the Hills,” reads Tamang’s statement.

On the democracy claim, the GJM assistant reminded the Front that their member parties had failed to take a stand during the 22 years of GNLF misrule and anarchy when, unlike in the present situation, the voices of dissent had been curtailed.


Source: EOI

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GJM senior leaders to Delhi and Kolkata for legal consultation

10:09 AM

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National

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) party is in damage control mode and has sent its senior leaders to Delhi and Kolkata for legal consultation after the CBI on Friday named 23 party president Bimal Gurung and 22 other leaders, in their charge sheet in the Madan Tamang murder case.

Senior  GJM leader at the Bagdogra - file photo

On Sunday, the GJM announced a public meeting on June 7 in Darjeeling, to pacify party supporters and talk about the implications of the charge-sheet filed by the Central agency. “We will hold a massive public meeting on June 7 where our 20 frontal organizations and units from the Terai and Dooars will participate,” said Binay Tamang, the GJM assistant secretary

Meanwhile, murdered All India Gorkha League (AIGL) leader Madan Tamang’s widow Bharati Tamang has mounted pressure, demanding custodial interrogation of the accused. On Saturday, expressing happiness with the CBI filing its final charge sheet naming top rung Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders and hoped that justice would finally prevail, after a long wait.

Darjeeling MLA Trilok Kumar Dewan and municipality chairman Amar Singh Rai and Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma and civic chief Samirdeep Blon have been sent to Delhi. Similarly, P.T.Ola and Tilak Chandra Roka have been sent to Kolkata to seek legal opinion.

Sources within the party said, “The party is keeping all options including legal ones in the aftermath of the CBI charge sheet. In fact, the leadership is already in touch with the BJP in Delhi and seeking their advice”. The BJP is the GJM’s political ally. The GJM helped the saffron party to win the 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections from the Darjeeling parliamentary constituency.
The All India Gorkha League (AIGL) leader was hacked to death in broad daylight on May 21, 2010 in the heart of the town in Darjeeling while overseeing preparation for a public meeting on that fateful day..

Asked about the agenda for the public meeting, Tamang said, “We will disclose the issue on the day of the public meeting. However, looking at the present situation, we appeal to the people to maintain peace”.
The GJM assistant secretary, who has also been named by the CBI in its charge-sheet refused to elaborate on the development. “All those named in the charge-sheet are innocent. Let the law take its own course. We believe in the judiciary but want an impartial investigation,” Tamang said.
Besides, Gurung and Tamang, the CBI has named GJM general secretary Roshan Giri and 20 others including Gurung’s wife Asha Gurung, who is the party’s Nari Morcha, chief. The list also includes seven GJM women workers and leaders. The CBI has also named Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabha chairman Bhupendra Pradhan, GTA deputy chief executive Col  Ramesh Allay(Retd) and Devendra Sharma a senior party leader.

"Me, wife Asha, party MLA Harkabahadur Chettri and all others in the Morcha are innocent and we are victims of a conspiracy," GJM president Bimal Gurung told a hastily-called press conference on Saturday.

The GJM leader, who refrained from elaborating on the conspiracy, said: "We have faith in the judicial system and let the truth come out about the murder."
One of the prime accused Nicole Tamang, a central committee leader, who was arrested on August 16, 2010 managed to escape from Pintail Village near Siliguri on August 22 while being questioned by CID, a state agency.

Pema Tamang, wife of Nicole, had moved a habeas corpus before the Calcutta High Court saying that her husband be traced. The High Court had then directed the CBI to take up the Madan Tamang murder case and the Nicole Tamang disappearance case.
In 2011, the CBI on the direction of the Supreme Court took over the probe and in its supplementary charge sheet added the name of Dipen Malay, a GTA Sabhasad from the Pokhriabong-Chamung constituency.

Tamang also questioned the timing of the charge-sheet saying it smacked of conspiracy. “When we are nearing our goal of a separate state, this (charge sheet) happened,” he said.
Interestingly, the GJM has organized a week long “chandi puja” from May 30 to June 5, to attain strength which coincides with the CBI charge-sheet. “The puja is for ‘shakti’. It will also help cleanse our mind and destroy enemies,” Tamang said without specifying further.

“Naming senior GJM leaders in the AIGL president’s murder is a deep political conspiracy. However, we are confident that truth will ultimately prevail and the GJM leaders who have been framed will be proved innocent. We have full faith in the judiciary system,” Jyoti Kumar Rai, GJM assistant secretary issued a press statement, said after a meeting on Saturday.

“I am very happy that the CBI has filed its charge sheet. The agency is doing its duty. Now, I feel we will finally get justice,” said Bharati Tamang, widow of the murdered AIGL leader, on Saturday. “We are continuing our fight for justice even though the murder took place five years ago. My husband’s murder was the assassination of democracy, therefore justice must be given,” Bharati said.

The CID had first taken up the Madan Tamang murder case and had submitted a charge sheet figuring names of 30 GJM leaders and activists, including that of Nicole Tamang. “The murder is an open book and everyone knows who did it. All I want is that the culprits/accused be arrested and punished,” said Bharati.

All those named in the state and central agency’s charge-sheet are presently out on bail and two including Nicole are absconding while one accused Dil Kumar Rai was found dead
in his home on December 28, 2011.

Govind Chhetri of the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxist (CPRM) party welcoming the development said the matter should not be politicized. “It is like the case of better late than never. We believe in our court and hope that it will give the correct judgment
without prejudice,” he said.

Source: EOI

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AIGL Demands Immediate Arrest of All Accused in Madan Tamang Murder Case

9:19 AM

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madan tamang

The Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (AIGL) has demanded provisioning of protection for all the witnesses and immediate arrest of all the accused in the Madan Tamang Murder Case.

Pic via: Himalaya Darpan, AIGL top brass meeting in Darjeeling

Following the CBI Chargesheet, the AIGL top brass met at their Darjeeling office.

Speaking to the press, AIGL General Secretary Laxman Pradhan said, "we welcome the chargesheet filed by the CBI... and we are thankful to everyone who made this possible... justice should be done and all those involved must be made to face the consequences of their crime."

Senior AIGL Leader Pratap Khati saidm "we are very happy with the chargesheet, as through this action CBI has restored peoples faith in judicial system of our country..."

Demanding protection for the witnesses, Mr. Khati said, "all those people who are a witness to this crime need to be given protection by the administration, as all those accused are highly influential and can leverage their position to cause the witness to change their statement."

Mr. Khati further added, "CBI must have solid prima facie evidence on the basis of which they have filed the chargesheet, so all those accused need to be arrested immediately, as the can influence the witness... and given the fact that those accused have a history of having done so... they need to be arrested immediately."

Speaking on the existing good relations between GJM and BJP, and how that could influence the case, Mr. Khati said, "we were fearful that the government would not allow for the chargesheet to be filed... but they didn't interfere in the process... it is indicative of the fact that the current PM Narendra Modi is not like other PMs... for us it is a small evidence of his sincerity... he could have intervened, but he didn't... so we are beginning to believe that the current government respects the rule of the law... and that they will not intervene in this case... and will allow justice to prevail."

Bharati Tamang, AIGL Chief and wife of Late. Madan Tamang, said, "the murder of Madan Tamang was in fact the murder of democracy in the hills, if he gets justice, then the democracy in the hills will have received justice."

She stated that she has full faith in the judiciary and the judicial process.


Source:TheDC

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