Tamang to fast unto death in jail....Deb defends Tamang’s arrest

SNS, 22 August 2013: Raising the pitch to counteract the state government’s ‘belligerence’, senior GJMM leader Mr Binay Tamang, who was arrested last night from East Sikkim in connection with several old cases, said while he was being produced before the Kalimpong sub-divisional court today that he would start a fast unto death while in jail. 

Police arrested four more persons from Sikkim on charges of waving black flags when the north Bengal development minister Mr Gautam Deb was in Darjeeling to meet the Lepcha people on fasting in Kalimpong demanding execution of the state government-proposed Lepcha Development Council early this year. in connection with the Sipchu incident case in the Dooars, resulting in the deaths of three persons in February 2011 and some other cases of arson and causing damage to government property. 

The GJMM chief, Mr Bimal Gurung, has asked all the arrested party activists to start fasting in jail custody. He further said that the indefinite shutdown beginning from Saturday apart, the party will organise peaceful and democratic rallies tomorrow.

Police are justified in arresting GJMM leaders and activists on specific charges of violence and arson, said the north Bengal development minister Mr Gautam Deb in Siliguri today when asked to comment on the GJMM assistant secretary and GTA Sabha member Mr Binay Tamang being arrested last night in connection with some old cases. 

“Activists and leaders of a party setting government offices and properties ablaze, violating the ruling of the High Court cannot be allowed to get away with their crimes. Condoning such crime amounts to inflicting infringement on the norms of the rule of law. No administration committed to responsible governance can sit on such things,” Mr Deb said. “The state government cannot remain a mute spectator either. It is our constitutionally mandated duty to establish a rule of law. 
The law will take its own course", Mr Deb added. Taking a dig at the Opposition, Mr Deb said some parties are directly or indirectly throwing weights behind the GJMM-sponsored statehood movement. “Secret talks have been going on between the GJMM leaders and those of the CPI-M. The CPI-M has been demanding unconditional release of the arrested GJMM leaders as part of a clandestine understanding. 
The Congress and BJP are singing the same tune too to the glee of the separatists", he added. Mr Deb said all the government offices and the educational institutions which have remained closed in the Hills due to the agitation would reopen soon. He also said the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) buses are now operating in the Hills. 
"More buses would run in the coming days. We would purchase new buses and will recruit expert drivers on contractual basis exclusively for the Hills", he said. The minister said 30 more special outlets would be set up in the Hills to strengthen the Public Distribution System (PDS) in the Hills.