Friends and ‘foes’ gather, GJMM stays aloof

SNS, Bagdogra, 30 January 2015: While even ‘enemies’ reached Bagdogra Airport to pay their last respects to the “uncrowned king of the Hills,” no important leader from the present dispensation in the Hills, the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM), was seen around here.

However, GJMM chief and chief of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Bimal Gurung today announced that all offices under the GTA will remain closed tomorrow as a mark of respect to the once strongman of Darjeeling, Subhas Ghisingh, who died in New Delhi yesterday. Mr Gurung was also once a close aide to Mr Ghisingh, the founder of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF).

“I have not seen any Morcha leader here, but this is their problem,” said the founder of the Darjeeling Dooars United Development Foundation (DDUDF) Mahendra P Lama.

However, former Rajya Sabha MP Saman Pathak came here to pay the departed leader his last respects. Mr Pathak refused to recall his past memories during the Gorkhaland agitation in the Darjeeling Hills under the leadership of the GNLF chief. The house of former Darjeeling MP, the late Ananda Pathak, (father of Saman Pathak) was set on fire and his family members were taken hostage during the Gorkhaland agitation in the mid-80s.

Former MLA from Kalimpong Santa Chhetri, who was once close to Mr Ghisingh, also reached the airport to pay her last respect to the late Ghisingh. Ms Chhetri had to leave the Hills during the GJMM rise, and she finally left the GNLF and joined the Trinamul Congress.

“My leader Mr Ghisingh was the only leader who raised the Hill issues and made the demand for a separate state of Grokhaland international. I failed to control my emotions after hearing of his sad demise. I have come here like hundreds of other people to pay him my last respect,” said Ms Chhetri.

Rajen Mukhia, who was with Subash Ghisingh when he fought the GJMM, also left the GNLF and joined the All India Gorkha League (AIGL) as he felt that his mentor decided to go slow against GJMM chief Bimal Gurung.

Mr Mukhia, who joined the Trinamul Congress, was one of the leaders at the airport paying homage to the departed Hill leader.