Rajen joins TMC.....TMC makes presence felt in Kurseong

Photo Courtesy:EOIC

SNS, Kurseong, 6 October 2013: Although several people from different political parties joined the Trinamul Congress in the Hills today in Kurseong, the case of Appa Rajen alias Rajen Tamang has raised eyebrows. 
Rajen hails from Tukver, a GJMM stronghold, and anyone daring to join another party in the area is often seen as an affront to GJMM chief Bimal Gurung. 
Rajen joined the Trinamul in a public meeting in Kurseong today. 
Talking to reporters, Mr Rajen said: "Earlier I was a close hand of Mr Bimal Gurung as I belong to the same village but later after Gurung diverted from his main plank of Gorkhaland and started indulging in corruption and strong arm tactics even on the general public, I have come out and joined the TMC against Gurung’s ways." 
Besides Mr Appa Rajen, the former Darjeeling municipality councillor Mr Jigmi Sherpa, has also joined the Trinamul Congress today. 
Mr Sherpa said that he did so for the interest of the Hill people and to make Darjeeling corruption free.

The Trinamul Congress (TMC) party organised its first public meeting in Kurseong today, in which, the party claimed that more than a 1,000 people from different political parties and different walks of life have joined the TMC party for all around development of Darjeeling Hills. 

However, in the month of April, the TMC party has already organised its public meeting at the Hill sub-division of Kalimpong but in Kurseong it was its first public meeting. 

During the meeting, a large number of people joined the TMC party and received the party flag from the hands of the party’s senior leaderships, Mr Mukul Roy, Mr Gautam Deb, Mr Rajen Mukhia and others. 

The party senior leader from the Hills, Mr N B Khawas, however, claimed that more than 1,000 people have joined the TMC today. 

Addressing the public meeting held at the Kurseong Motor Stand amidst tight security, the Hills

TMC leadership chiefly slammed the GJMM leadership, accusing them of indulging in rampant corruption to the detriment of the general public of Darjeeling Hills. 

The TMC Hills convenor, Mr Rajen Mukhia, in his speech alleged that the State Government has from its part been sending huge funds for proper development of Darjeeling Hills but the leadership here is only interested in corrupt practices. 

"The Government won’t come here to implement its project of turning Darjeeling Hills into Switzerland but the concerned people here must themselves strive for development which is not so presently," he said. 

He further added that the GJMM chief Mr Bimal Gurung is not sincere with his demand for Gorkhaland and is only fooling the Hills people by making them either stay inside or come out of their homes amid bandhs. 

"If he had really been sincere then he should have kept his word of sacrificing himself if he did not achieve formation of Gorkhaland by 10 March 2010. Instead, it was just an act to hoodwink the common people," he said. 

Meanwhile, Mr N B Khawas, another prominent TMC Hills leader spoke on the extent of corruption that has seeped into the GJMM party. 

He said that even to make a drain they have shown cost worth more than one crore for which an inquiry must be made on the matter. 
On the other hand, the All India TMC General Secretary Mr Mukul Roy, said the TMC and Miss Mamata Banerjee is committed to the cause of all round development in Darjeeling Hills. "We want such development through the GTA and are ready to provide every kind of support for its success," he said. 
Mr Roy also said the works of several development projects that had been announced earlier is going on and we want to implement more projects like establishment of Medical and Engineering Colleges, ITI hub and solve the scarcity of water in Darjeeling Hills. 
He further said: "To solve the problems of the casual workers of the GTA we had already decided on more than 3,000 such workers but we are investigating the reasons on why their jobs have not been made permanent so far. Hence, we will soon meet the CM on this matter as well as on the stalled salaries of other Government employees of the Hills." 
The North Bengal Development Minister, Mr Gautam Deb, said: "In every situation we and our Government has always paid heed to the problems of the people of Darjeeling Hills and have come here many times and oft. We will take initiatives to see that vacant Government jobs in the Hills should be filled by eligible people from the Hills itself." 
The TMC Hills leaders ~ Mr Chewang Bhutia, Manoj Dewan and Mr Padam Lama ~ were also present in today’s meeting. Besides the Hills leaders, Mr Rudranath Bhattacharya, the TMC MLA from Siliguri was also present.