Indian Gorkhas: asha gurung

11:17 AM

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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

8:40 AM

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Roshan Giri

VIVEK CHHETRI

Darjeeling, June 10: The following are some of the charges listed in the CBI chargesheet against the leadership of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in the Madan Tamang assassination case.

A court had given permission to the CBI to arrest the leaders, who have denied the charges and have sought anticipatory bail from Calcutta High Court. The bail plea is pending in court.

Bimal Gurung (right), Asha Gurung and Roshan Giri

Bimal Gurung, 51

As president of the Morcha, he had the final say in all major actions committed by party workers. Since 2007, when the Morcha was formed, there were many attacks on the offices, meetings and residence of ABGL leader Madan Tamang.

Gurung hatched a criminal conspiracy along with other Morcha leaders and in several meetings, he threatened to finish off the Opposition in Darjeeling. In furtherance of the criminal conspiracy, he took the extreme step of organising his supporters to attack Madan and kill him as the latter had repeatedly highlighted the alleged corruption of the top leadership of the Morcha, including that of Gurung.

On the day of the incident, Gurung was in Kalimpong along with Dinesh Theeng, Devendra Sharma, Binay Tamang, Col Ramesh Allay and most of the Morcha leadership. Gurung's bodyguard, Dinesh Rai alias Kaila, who had struck the deadly blow on Madan and killed him, was in Darjeeling town. Sharma and Theeng were regularly getting updates about the progress of events during that attack in Darjeeling from Nikkal Tamang alias Nickol Tamang.

At a meeting at Chandraman Dhura organised days before Madan was killed on May 21, 2010, Bimal Gurung had openly said he would kill all Opposition leaders.

In April 2010, he was at Salbari, near Siliguri, and Nikkal Tamang was heard telling him: " Daju (Gurung), we have to get rid of Madan."

In the first week of May 2010, Bimal Gurung had a meeting with the other accused - Roshan Giri, Binay Tamang, Harka Bahadur Chhetri, Asha Gurung, Pradip Pradhan, Col Ramesh Allay, Devendra Sharma, Dinesh Theeng and some other leaders - at the Singamari party office "where they had conspired to prevent Madan from carrying out his political activities in the hills and even eliminate him if the situation so demanded".

(The dates and timings of the meetings have not been mentioned in the chargesheet.)

Binay Tamang, 49

As assistant secretary of the party, Binay Tamang was a key adviser to the Morcha. He was a key conspirator in the attack and murder of Madan.

He hatched a criminal conspiracy along with other Morcha leaders and threatened to wipe out the Opposition from Darjeeling at several meetings. He was in touch with Roshan Giri on the morning of the murder as evident from the call records of his mobile phone.

His last conversation on May 20, 2010, at 9.55pm was with Nikkal Tamang. On the morning of May 21, 2010, he had sent several text messages to Harka Bahadur Chhetri.

Binay Tamang attended the meeting organised in the first week of May at the Morcha's Singamari party office.

Harka Bahadur Chhetri, 57

As media secretary of the Morcha, he was a key adviser to the party. He was a key conspirator in the attack and murder.

He hatched a criminal conspiracy along with other Morcha leaders and in furtherance of the criminal conspiracy, he took the extreme step of organising party supporters to attack Madan and kill him.

He received several text messages from Binay Tamang on the morning of May 21, 2010.

He had continuously threatened Madan in the media and at public meetings.

He was part of the meeting in the first week of May at the Singamari party office.

Pradeep Pradhan, 57

As vice-president of the party, he was a key adviser and key conspirator in the murder.

He hatched a criminal conspiracy.

He talked to accused Alok Kant Mani Thulung and Nagendra Pradhan after the murder, keeping himself updated about the success of the attack.

He continuously threatened Madan in the media and at public meetings.

He attended the meeting at Singamari.

Col Ramesh Allay, 69

He is the chief of the Gorkhaland Personnel, an unarmed force independent of Bengal police, and one of the main advisers to the Morcha and key conspirator in the attack and murder.

Madan's ABGL had decided to convene a public meeting on May 21, 2010, at Chowk Bazar but Morcha supporters occupied the area from May 20 on the instructions of Allay. The ABGL was compelled to organise the programme at another venue (Upper Clubside) in Darjeeling.

He hatched a criminal conspiracy.

He had continuously threatened Madan in the media and at public meetings.

He had attended the Singamari meeting.

Roshan Giri, 48

As Morcha general secretary, he was responsible for the activities of the party. He was a key adviser to the Morcha and a key conspirator in the murder of Madan.

He hatched a criminal conspiracy.

A newspaper report establishes his involvement and indicates the plan to kill Madan. His mobile number was under interception on that day.

Call data records reveal that on May 21, 2010, he was in constant touch with Nikkal Tamang through the mobile number issued in his wife's name. He was in constant touch with Binay Tamang, Devendra Sharma, Pemba Tshering Ola, Mamta Rai and other chargesheeted persons such as Alok Kant Mani Thulung, Puran Thami, Keshab Raj Pokrel, Naresh Rai, Kismat Chhetri and Pravin Subba.

(Some of these names figure in the CID chargesheet that was filed before the CBI chargesheet. The CBI has co-opted the CID chargesheet.)

He continuously threatened Madan in the media and at public meetings.

He attended the May meeting at Singamari.

Asha Gurung, 49

She headed the Nari Morcha and was a key adviser and conspirator in the attack and murder.

She led the Nari Morcha that organised a meeting on May 19, 2010, at Sumeru Manch in Darjeeling to disrupt the ABGL meeting.

She was near the site where Madan Tamang was murdered, monitoring everything and giving directions to Morcha cadres. She also talked to Mamta Rai, Roshan Giri, Puran Thami and Babita Ganguly after the incident. The names of these persons figure either in the CBI chargesheet or the one filed by the CID.

She was seen sitting in a vehicle just below Keventer's, which is close to the murder site. Some of the assailants fled in that vehicle.

She continuously threatened Madan in the media and at public meetings.

She attended the meeting at the Singamari party office.

Devendra Sharma, 53

He was a key adviser of Gurung and had hatched the criminal conspiracy.

He was at Kalimpong along with Gurung and other senior Morcha leaders. He was in regular touch over telephone with Nikkal Tamang, Alok Kant Mani Thulung, Sushma Rai and Roshan Giri, all of whom were in Darjeeling. Their names figure in the chargesheet.

He continuously threatened Madan in the media and at public meetings.

He attended the meeting at Singamari.

The names of the following two figure in the chargesheet filed by the CID on August 30, 2010, which the CBI has accepted and taken cognisance of.

Nikkal Tamang, 48

In the chargesheet, it has been alleged that he was found talking to several senior leaders of the Morcha on the morning of the killing. No fresh charge has been filed against Nikkal Tamang as he had already been chargesheeted by the CID. He has been named as one of the prime accused in the murder. Nikkal Tamang had been arrested on August 16, 2010, but he escaped from CID custody at Pintail near Siliguri on August 22, 2010.

Dinesh Subba alias Dinesh Rai alias Kaila, 32

In the CID chargesheet, Kaila has been charged with the murder of Madan Tamang. He is absconding since the killing of the ABGL leader.

Although he has not been officially chargesheeted by the CBI since his name figures prominently in the CID chargesheet, the CBI chargesheet mentions: "Investigation further established that seeing armed supporters of the GJM (Morcha), the members of the ABGL fled from the spot. Later, Madan was attacked by this murderous unlawful assembly. One person in the group, identified to be Dinesh Rai alias Dinesh Subba alias Kaila, armed with a patang (a long, sharp sword) attacked Madan Tamang in furtherance of the criminal conspiracy."

Source: Telegraph

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