Harka praises Mamata, slams Bimal

PRASHANT ACHARYA, EOI, Siliguri, 20 Dec 2015: Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri alleged Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) for not being serious about Gorkhaland and never asked their MLA's to raise the demand of separate state before state government instead told to cooperate Mamata Banerjee's government.

After returning from Kolkata today morning Harkabahadur briefed media persons at Siliguri Journalist Club and thanked Mamta Banerjee for announcing separate district for Kalimpong.

He praised Mamata for development and slammed GJM for alleged rampant corruption in hills.

Harkabahadur said, "When I was in GJM we (three MLAs) were never asked by our party chief to raise Gorkhaland demand in the state assembly. They were never serious about it. I had to follow instruction due to compulsion being a party member."

When I resigned from GJM the two MLAs Trilok Dewan and Rohit Sharma could have raise the demand but they were also never asked to do so, said Harkabahadur.

When asked about Bimal Gurung's seriousness on Gorkhaland in comparison to Subash Ghishing he replied, "The central and the state government used to give importance to Ghishing because he was serious with his movements, he never withdrew the strike one he announce but GJM's every strike, rallies, hunger strike are withdrawn without fulfilling the demands."

Harka also said that BJP has never mentioned about Gorkhaland or told anywhere and BJP national Secretary Rahul Sinah had directly denied supporting Gorkhaland issue in the heart of the Darjeeling during his speech.

When asked about joining TMC he said he will soon announce a new political party in Kalimpong and informed that he was never asked by Mamata Banerjee to join her party neither kept any condition before granting Kalimpong district.

He said, "Kalimpong Zillar janno jadi chief minister kono sarth rakhten tobe ami bikri howarjanno razichilam, kintu tini kono condition rakhinin", (For making a separate district for Kalimpong if chief minister would have kept any condition I was ready to be sold.)

Harkabahadur informed that though the political decision for making Kalimpong has ended it may take 6 months to 1 year time for administrative set-up. He has demanded 10 sub-divisions for Kalimpong including a railway station at Bagrakot.