Darj shuts down for Ghisingh

HT, 1 Feb 2015, SILIGURI: Darjeeling town on Saturday observed a spontaneous bandh as a mark of respect to Subash Ghisingh, the former chairman of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) and the president of Gorkha National Liberation Front who passed away in a Delhi hospital on Thursday.

Ghisingh’s body reached Darjeeling on Friday evening. Hundreds of GNLF supporters and common people visited Ghisingh’s home at Zakir Hussain Road to have a last look at the man who first raised the demand for Gorkhaland.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president and chief executive of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Bimal Gurung, was conspicuous by his absence on Saturday. However, two GJM leaders, Ur mila Rumba and R P Waiba visited Ghisingh’s house.

As a mark of respect to Ghisingh, the GTA had announced all offices would be closed. Leaders crossing across party lines paid their respect to the Gorkha leader.

Among those who visited Ghisingh’s house were RB Rai of the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists, Amar Lama senior advocate and younger brother of Madan Tamang, the All-India Gorkha League president who was murdered allegedly by the GJM supporters, K B Wather of the CPI(M) and Pratap Khati of the AIGL. Darjeeling town wore a deserted look as all markets were closed.

Meanwhile, Mohan Ghisingh, the son of Subash Ghisingh, who on Friday was declared as the GNLF’s new president, said that party’s next programmes would be announced after the completion of his father’s rituals. Talking to reporters, Mohan said, “My father wanted us to bring him home before he was last admitted at Sir Gangaram Hospital in Delhi.” Ghisingh died in the Capital on Thursday, five days after he was admitted to the hospital.

Ghisingh’s body would be taken to his ancestral home at Manju near Mirik from Darjeeling on Sunday morning. He would be cremated on Sunday afternoon. The GNLF has requested people to keep Darjeeling town closed for one hour on Sunday when the body would be taken to Manju.