Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader Bimal Gurung entered Darjeeling and even addressed a small rally but not before his convoy was briefly stopped by an angry mob in Ghum, nearly 10 kilometres from Darjeeling. Mr Gurung was accompanied by party general secretary Roshan Giri and an army of supporters who travelled in a convoy of nearly 50 vehicles from his hometown Kalimpong to Darjeeling.
Emotions were running high in the Hills as angry over their leader Madan Tamang’s brutal killing allegedly by GJM supporters, the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League workers and even general public protested Mr Gurung’s arrival in Darjeeling.
The administration has promulgated indefinite prohibitory orders under Section 144. When Mr Gurung’s convoy reached Ghum, a large number of protesters, including women mobbed them and tried to prevent their onward journey. They even banged their vehicles to register their protest. Inspector general of police (North Bengal) K.L. Tamta said that the police, however, allowed the convoy to go ahead.
Mr Giri denied the report that their convoy was blocked.
He alleged that the state government was trying to implicate the GJM leaders in Tamang’s murder. “It is a conspiracy to divide the Gorkha people and sabotage the separate homeland demand,” he added.
Putting up a brave face, Mr Gurung announced that the GJM would organise a massive rally in Darjeeling on Sunday to prove that he had not lost public support. “Five lakh people will attend the rally,” he thundered.
However, state home secretary Samar Ghosh said, “Permission to the GJM’s rally will be given only after considering the situation over there.”
Meanwhile, the Left Front will organise a road rally, protesting the killing of Tamang at Siliguri on May 28.