Bimal Gurung the most "visionless leader in the hill - Harka Bahadur Chhetri

10:33 AM

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Trilok Dewan

Gurung visionless: Harka

Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, Oct. 2: Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri who had resigned from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha recently termed party chief Bimal Gurung the most "visionless leader in the hill ever".

Responding to the 12.34 minute video, Chettri said: "These people are giving me free publicity."

The MLA also said: "He (Gurung) is the most visionless leader in the hill ever. He has no road map for Gorkhaland ... The BJP is not sincere with Gorkhaland."

On March 28, 2011, the day of filing nomination, the video shows Chhetri saying: "This (resignation) could also happen the day after we win the election if the necessity arises and Bimal Gurung directs."

Today, Chhetri said: "I had said it in the context of the demand of Gorkhaland and that context has been distorted."

 Harka Bahadur Chhetri 

Gurung had directed the three hills MLAs to resign from the Assembly. While Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma did so, Trilok Dewan resigned both from the Morcha and the Assembly and Chhetri refused to toe the party line.

Chhetri said: "If they (Morcha) say that I have changed track... how about their leader Bimal Gurung? He had said he would shoot himself if he did not achieve Gorkhaland by March 10, 2010. ... he has been most inconsistent. At one time he offers bouquet to the chief minister and heaps praises on her, the next moment, you find him saying Mamata has no mamata (compassion)."

Source Telegraph

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GJM releases video clip against Harka Bahadur Chettri

9:44 AM

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Video

Morcha video to nail Harka
Writes Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, Oct. 1: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has brought out a video clip to show how Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri purportedly changed his stance and went against his own words.

The 12.34 minute video mainly consists of various bytes of Chhetri, Bimal Gurung and Darjeeling MLA Trilok Dewan.

The clip starts with the Morcha president announcing the names of the party's three candidates, Chhetri, Dewan and Rohit Sharma, for the 2011 Assembly elections.

With Dewan and Sharma by his side, Chhetri is shown saying: "A very big responsibility has been given to us and we will try and we will try not to let him (Gurung) down. We will prove that his (Gurung's) decision was right..... We will take our argument to a high that has reached under Bimal Gurung and we will try and make Bengal government bow."

On the day of nomination, March 28, 2011, Chhetri is seen talking about the possibility of resigning as the MLA even before going to the Assembly. "This (resignation) could also happen the day after we win the election if the necessity arises and Bimal Gurung directs," Chhetri says.

Harka Bahadur Chhetri 

Chhetri had gone against the Morcha's directive to resign from the Assembly and quit the party instead, alleging that Gurung was acting in a dictatorial manner.

On the counting day, May 13, 2011, Chhetri is shown saying: "The moment I had got the ticket I had said the Morcha's candidate, whoever it may be, will win and not Harka Bahadur Chhetri. Our priority is Gorkhaland and we will not overlook development either."

Sources in the Morcha said the video would be shown across the hills to expose Chhetri's changing stand since 2011. The video was shown at the party's public meeting in Kalimpong yesterday.

Chhetri, who is in Calcutta, couldn't be contacted.

A truncated video of four minutes is also doing the rounds in the social media.


Source Telegraph

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Bimal Gurung on padayatra from Kalimpong to Darjeeling

12:46 PM

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Trilok Dewan

Rally to show Morcha might
Writes Vivek Chhetri

Bimal Gurung has decided to undertake a padayatra from Kalimpong to Darjeeling in an effort to mobilise the supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and send across a message that the party's unity hasn't been affected by rebellion by two of its leaders.

Sources in the Morcha said the decision had more or less been finalised at a meeting held at the Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan in Darjeeling yesterday. The Morcha president is planning the march, whose date is yet to be announced, close on the heels of the defiance by two party MLAs.

Yesterday's meeting was attended by elected GTA Sabha members, hill municipal councillors and representatives of different frontal wings of the Morcha.

The meeting had been called by Gurung to get feedback from the leaders following the resignation of Kalimpong MLA, Harka Bahadur Chhetri and Darjeeling MLA Trilok Dewan from the Morcha.

Festoons of the Morcha at Damber Chowk in Kalimpong on Friday, ahead of the
 September 30 public meeting. Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha

The duo had questioned the Morcha leadership's style of functioning and said Gurung was acting in a dictatorial manner. Chhetri refused to resign as the MLA and instead quit the Morcha. Dewan resigned both from the party and the Bengal Assembly. Only Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma acted according to Gurung's directive and tendered his resignation from the Assembly.

A source said: "During the meeting yesterday, it was more or less finalised that a padayatra would be organised soon after the public meeting in Kalimpong, which is scheduled for September 30. The public meeting is being organised by the Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha."

It is, however, unclear whether the padayatra would start immediately after the public meeting or a day after.

Sources in the Morcha said the march was to mobilise public opinion. "The march is to send a clear message that the Morcha still enjoys support in the hills," said the source.

In January 2011, thousands of Morcha supporters had started a march from Darjeeling to the Dooars. The marchers were, however, stopped at Sibchu on February 8 when they tried to enter Jalpaiguri district. Police opened fire at the venue and three Morcha supporters, Vicky Lama, Neeta Khawash and Bimala Rai were killed.

The march had been organised to demand the inclusion of the Dooars in the Gorkhaland that the Morcha wanted.

This time, the procession will be confined to a distance of about 55km between Kalimpong and Darjeeling. The march is likely to be completed within two days, unless Gurung takes a detour through Teesta Valley to reach Darjeeling from Kalimpong. The detour would double the distance.

Yesterday, Gurung had said after the meeting that "there is nothing to worry over" Harka Bahadur Chhetri and Trilok Dewan leaving the Morcha and asked what these two leaders had been doing for the past four-and-a-half years.

"What were they doing for the past four-and-a-half years? Why did they not discuss issues with me in the past four-and-a-half years? They were also invitee members of the GTA. What were they doing all this while? asked the Morcha president. "There is nothing to worry over these developments. Everything will be fine tomorrow."

Chhetri had yesterday said: "It seems they (Morcha leaders) are giving me more importance when I am out of the party than when I was in the party."

Source Telegraph

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Bimal Gurung speaks on Harka Bahadur Chhetri and Trilok Dewan leaving GJM

11:53 AM

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Trilok Kumar Dewan

No worry over Morcha duo, says Gurung
Writes Vivek Chhetri

Bimal Gurung today said "there is nothing to worry over" Harka Bahadur Chhetri and Trilok Dewan leaving the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and asked what these two leaders had been doing for the past four-and-a-half years.

"What were they doing for the past four-and-a-half years? Why did they not discuss issues with me in the past four-and-a-half years? They were also invitee members of the GTA. What were they doing all this while?" asked the Morcha president. "There is nothing to worry over these developments. Everything will be fine tomorrow."

Gurung, who returned from Nepal this afternoon, held a meeting with the Morcha's GTA Sabha members, councillors of hill municipalities and leaders of various frontal organisation in the party to discuss recent development.

Gurung arrives to attend the meeting of Morcha leaders in Darjeeling
on Thursday. Picture by Suman Tamang.

The Morcha had directed its three MLAs, Harka Bahadur Chhetri (Kalimpong), Trilok Kumar Dewan (Darjeeling) and Rohit Sharma (Kurseong) to resign from the Assembly to protest the government's alleged interference in the functioning of the GTA.

While Sharma resigned from the Assembly, Chhetri refused to do so and instead quit the Morcha saying the leadership was acting in a dictatorial manner. Dewan resigned from both the Assembly and the party, and levelled the same charges at the Morcha leadership as Chhetri.

Today, Gurung said: "They accuse me of taking unilateral decisions. But I have discussed various matters with my colleagues in the party. Where have I acted like a dictator?"

Training his guns at Chhetri, the Morcha chief said the demand for a separate Kalimpong district was the party's agenda. "However, people have to decide whether a district or a separate state of Gorkhaland is better," he said.

Gurung said the Morcha would organise a meeting in Kalimpong on September 30, followed by the party's foundation day celebration across the hills on October 7.

Sources privy to the deliberations at today's meeting, which lasted for nearly five hours, said almost all top leaders were asked to speak their mind.

"While some leaders said the party must ensure that there was no violence in the hills, some complained that there indeed was too much interference by the state government in the affairs with regard to the region. While one leader said Chhetri and Dewan's resignation from the Morcha would affect the party, others said the organisation could easily tide over the present crisis," said a source.

Video clipping of what the MLAs had said when Assembly election tickets were distributed was also shown during the course of the meeting, said the source.

Reacting to Gurung's comment on Chhetri's role in the party in the past four-and-a-half years, the Kalimpong MLA said: "We used to advise him (Gurung) but our advice was unwelcome. Our suggestions were never sought. The party's Study Forum was never consulted and we were only kept as human shields. We were never invited to GTA Sabha meetings."

Crackers were burst and a moderate crowd accompanied Chhetri to his house when he arrived in Kalimpong amid tight security today.

Source Telegraph

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"Just because of two Mir Jafars, Kanchenjungha will not melt to become the Bay of Bengal."

11:39 AM

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Trilok Dewan

Morcha slams rebels
Writes Vivek Chhetri

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today indirectly equated the rebellion of Harka Bahadur Chhetri and Trilok Dewan with the action of Mir Jafar and claimed the two had signed a bond promising to resign as MLAs whenever the party directed them to do so.

Responding for the first time to the charges raised by Chhetri and Dewan, Binay Tamang, the assistant secretary of the Morcha, said in a press release today: "Just because of one or two Mir Jafars, Kanchenjungha will not melt to become the Bay of Bengal."

Mir Jafar had turned against his own people and helped the British win the Battle of Plassey in 1757. The Morcha had directed its all three MLAs, Harka Bahadur Chhetri (Kalimpong), Trilok Kumar Dewan (Darjeeling) and Rohit Sharma (Kurseong) to resign from the Assembly to protest the state government's alleged interference in the functioning of the GTA.

While Sharma toed the party line and resigned from the Assembly, Chhetri refused to do so and instead, quit the Morcha saying the leadership was acting in a dictatorial manner. Dewan resigned from both the Assembly and the party, and levelled same charges against the Morcha leadership as Chhetri.

From left Trilok Dewan and Harka Bahadur Chhetri who resigned from GJM

Both Chhetri and Dewan had said they hadn't been consulted before the leadership had decided on their resignation from the Assembly.

Tamang in the written statement said: "On March 14, 2011, a few moments before the names of the MLAs were announced at Darjeeling Gymkhana Club, Bimal Gurung had said that those getting the party tickets for the elections would have to resign from the Assembly on the direction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, irrespective of the time or the prevailing situation, for the cause of Gorkhaland and the general good of the people of the hills. Gurung had also stated that if the need arose, the legislators would have to sit on a hunger strike in front of the West Bengal Assembly."

The Morcha assistant secretary, however, said only Rohit Sharma had kept the promise like a true Gorkha. "Only Dr Rohit Sharma has shown integrity and kept his promise like a true Gorkha and has worked in the interest of Gorkhaland and the people of the hills. Before tendering his resignation, he also raised the issue of Gorkhaland and his deeds will be written in golden letters," said Tamang.

Indirectly accusing Chhetri and Dewan of looking after their self-interest, Tamang said: "Dr Rohit Sharma did not look for personal interest."

Chhetri admitted that he had signed the bond. However, he said: "Signing a bond does not mean that I have to accept all the wrongs as right. It would be better for the Morcha to not talk about commitments as Bimal Gurung himself had said he would get Gorkhaland by March 10, 2010 or else, he would shoot himself."

The Kalimpong MLA said he hoped that the party would learn from the past.

"The party should have a group of 7-10 people who discuss and take decisions. At the moment, whatever Bimal Gurung dreams the night before is announced as the party decision the next day. The central committee, which has over 90 members, has become a place where all those people who do not fit in other panels are admitted. There are no criteria for one to become a central committee member in the party," said Chhetri.

Source Telegraph

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Separate district status for Kurseong, Darjeeling and Mirik - Rohit Sharma

11:17 AM

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Trilok Dewan

Morcha pats Rohit with rousing welcome
Writes Bireswar Banerjee

Over 1,000 supporters and several leaders of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha assembled at Bagdogra airport today to welcome Rohit Sharma, a party central committee member, as he returned from Calcutta after resigning as the Kurseong MLA.

The crowd led by GTA member and Morcha leader Asha Gurung waited outside the airport from 12.30pm.

Around 2.30pm, as Sharma walked out, he was surrounded by enthusiastic supporters who garlanded him and offered khada (silk scarf) as a mark of respect.

The airport premises reverberated with "Bimal Gurung zindabad," "Rohit Sharma zindabad" and "We want Gorkhaland," slogans as people greeted Sharma.

The supporters chanted " Jai Kali Mahakali, ayo ayo Gorkhali," the battle cry of the Gorkha Regiment.

Rousing Welcome for Dr. Rohit Sharma as he returned from Calcutta after resigning as the Kurseong MLA

The two other elected legislators of the hill party, Harka Bahadur Chhetri of Kalimpong and Trilok Dewan of Darjeeling, resigned from the Morcha recently. While Dewan has resigned as the MLA as well, Harka has not.

"We have been saying that the state government is interfering in the affairs of the GTA. This is unacceptable. Despite being a member of the Legislative Assembly of the state, we were never allowed to raise this issue at the Assembly. If an MLA is not allowed to speak on pertinent issues related to the hills and its people, there is no point in clinging on to the post. I have followed the party's decision and stepped down as an MLA in protest," Sharma said as the crowd cheered.

"The entire hills are with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and will continue to be with the party. Today, people from the hills proved their support to the party once again by coming here in large numbers to welcome me. I feel proud and I would like to say that the decision of these people (Chhetri and Dewan) will not affect the Morcha in any way," he added.

He also spoke about the demand for the new Kalimpong district.

"We welcome the demand and we would like to say that if the state takes a decision on it, we will also seek separate district status for Kurseong, Darjeeling and Mirik. The rise the in number of districts would augment our political strength," Sharma said.

Asha Gurung, who kept encouraging the crowd, said: "We have come here to welcome Rohit Sharma and congratulate him on his decision. In due course, it would be proved that the decision taken by two people (Chhetri and Dewan) will not have any impact on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha."

Morcha sources said Sharma was felicitated at different locations on his way to Kurseong. "He was felicitated at Sukna and Rohini. In Kurseong, a street corner was organised where he was congratulated," said R.B. Lama, a leader in Kurseong.

Airport sources said since the GTA was formed, today's Morcha gathering was one of the largest. "After several months, there has been a large assembly of Morcha supporters today. It reminded us of the gatherings between 2007 and 2011 (the statehood agitation period)," said a source.

Source Telegraph

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People’s mandate and support still with GJM - Roshan Giri

10:36 AM

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Trilok Kumar Dewan

Darjeeling 22 Sep 2015 Trying to put up a brave face in the wake of the resignations of two of its senior leaders, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today tried to downplay the development saying it would not have any negative impact on the party. GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said the people’s mandate and support was still with the party. “The party will not be affected as it is strong and has the people’s mandate. The people of the hills are fully aware of the work the GJM is doing for them,” he asserted.

Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri resigned on September 18 while Trilok Kumar Dewan, the legislator from Darjeeling, quit three days later on September 21. Giri said, “We have yet to receive their formal resignation letters. Let us see what they have to say. But I say nobody is above the party. The decision to ask the MLAs to resign if required was taken way back in 2011.”

While Dewan has also quit as MLA, Chhetri has chosen to remain a legislator to take forward the demand to convert Kalimpong into a district. The duo said the “autocratic” attitude of GJM president Bimal Gurung forced them to take the decision to leave the party as they felt “unwanted”. Gurung had asked the three MLAs to resign from the Assembly to protest the state government’s intrusion into the independent functioning of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

From left Roshan Giri, Harka Bahadur Chhetri and Rohit Sharma - a file photo

However, the MLAs were not called for the meeting held to take the decision. Rohit Sharma, the Kurseong MLA, submitted his resignation to the Speaker on September 21 along with Dewan, but he has not quit from the GJM. Today, a poster in English and Nepali appeared in Kalimpong in support of Chhetri and the demand to convert the sub-division into a district. The poster signed ‘janta ko awaz’ reads, “We want Kalimpong district. Dr. Harka Bahadur Chettri do not be afraid. The people of Kalimpong are with you.” Chhetri has been championing the issue of upgrading Kalimpong sub-division into a district and reportedly took up the matter with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on September 15.

However, Giri refused to give credit to Chhetri saying it was the GJM that had first raised the demand with the state government. “His claim is completely false. During an all-party meeting in Kolkata in 2012 that Chhetri and I attended, we had proposed to the CM to convert Kalimpong into a district. Also, according to the tripartite GTA agreement, the West Bengal government will initiate actions to reorganise and reconstitute the territorial jurisdictions of the three hill sub-divisions including the blocks,” the GJM general secretary pointed out. In 2013, the GTA Sabha passed a resolution to increase the existing eight blocks of the hills to 18. “We are already working on increasing block numbers and sub-divisions and after a report is prepared, we will submit it to the state government,” Giri said.

Political observers are of the opinion that both Chhetri and the GJM stand to gain if Kalimpong is made into a district. “It is a win-win situation for Chhetri and the GJM. Chhetri has not resigned as a legislator, so if the district really comes up, he will definitely gain popularity as Kalimpong residents support the issue. The GJM too will reap benefits and make all effort to show the demand was fulfilled due to the party’s relentless efforts,” an observer said.

Source:EOI

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