TMC supporters attacked, alleges GJM hand

Deep Gazmer, EOI, Darjeeling, 15 March 2014: With the election heat boiling, reports of Trinamool Congress supporters being attacked have come to light today at a party meeting in Singla near Darjeeling. TMC leader and North Bengal Development Minister Gautab Deb has alleged the attack was carried out by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters.

The incident happened today when TMC supporters were travelling to Singla to attend a party meeting. GJM supporters allegedly pelted stones on the convoy carrying TMC supporters and in the melee five were injured and some of the vehicles were damaged. Interestingly the incident took place near Patleybas, where GJM chief Bimal Gurung resides.

Deb after attending the meeting alleged, "The GJM party is behind the attack on our supporter's vehicles near Singla, today. Five of our supporters have sustained injures in the attack, while some of our vehicles have also been damaged by stones thrown by GJM supporters.”

"GJM definitely has a hand on the attack of our supporters given that Gurung lives nearby and there is a party office at Patleybas," the TMC minister added.

Asserting that GJM was resorting to terror tactic to win the up-coming LS election, Deb said he would file an FIR and also write to the Election Commission of India (ECI) about the incident.

Meanwhile, GJM chief Bimal Gurung has completely denied the allegations saying it was conspiracy by the ruling party using the state machinery against GJM to win the election. "This is nothing but a TMC conspiracy to put the blame on us for anything that happens here in the Hills. TMC basically wants to ensure that GJM is trapped in legal hurdles to divert our focus from the up-coming election. Whatever happened today was staged by TMC themselves," the GJM president countered.

He also condemned the state government’s directives to remove his bodyguards and pilot. "Being the chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, I hold a post equal to that of a Cabinet ranked officer, but it has come to my knowledge the state government wants to remove my pilot and bodyguards because of an ECI rule. I will definitely abide by the rule provided it exists, but I wonder how other ministers are moving around with pilot and bodyguards," pointed out the GJM leader.

On Friday, police arrested Bimal Darjee, a founding member and GJM’s central committee leader from Tindharia in Kurseong. Police cited the arrest was part of the over 600 pending cases. A Darjeeling court also rejected the anticipatory bail plea of the GJM president moved on March 5, in connection with the Madan Tamang murder case.