Govt restores Gurung security

Gurung at a Teachers’ Day event in Darjeeling on Friday. (Suman Tamang)

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, Sept. 5: GTA Sabha chief executive Bimal Gurung’s security cover was today restored by the state government, a day after he had said that his “ultimate goal” was the creation of Gorkhaland.

Gurung’s security, which included a pilot car and seven police persons, were removed in March when the model code of conduct was enforced ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. However, the security cover had not been restored to Gurung, who enjoys the status equivalent to a cabinet minister of Bengal, even after the model code of conduct was lifted.

Akhilesh Chaturvedi, superintendent of police, Darjeeling, confirmed that the security cover had been restored to Gurung. “Security has been given and this is a routine process,” he said.

Even though the Darjeeling police chief termed the restoration of police cover “routine”, Morcha leaders had earlier complained that the decision to withhold Gurung’s security was the fallout of the strain in relation between Mamata Banerjee and Gurung.

In fact, even Gurung, while addressing a public meeting at Chowrasta on June 25, had said: “The governor has given the chief executive (of the GTA) the status of a cabinet minister but they have not yet given back the security cover. This only shows their style of functioning.”

While Gurung did not comment on today’s development, Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, said: “He is entitled to security and it has been restored.”

While almost all Trinamul Congress leaders in Darjeeling have a personal security officer, no other GTA Sabha member has such a privilege.

However, what looked like a conciliatory gesture from the government seems to have little impact on Gurung.

Addressing a Teachers’ Day event in Darjeeling today, Gurung lambasted Mamata Banerjee without mentioning her name. “What has she done though she visited the hills 28 times? Even if a small wall collapses in the hills, it is you and me, who have to restore it. Buildings which are constructed during the British era are being inaugurated in the hills. There is interference in projects which are under our (GTA’s) jurisdiction. Members of the hill community are being used for their gains.”