Morcha barb at Harka

Rajeev Ravidas, TT, Kalimpong, Jan. 31: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has alleged that Harka Bahdur Chhetri labelled Bimal Gurung's statement on Kalimpong's links with Bhutan "anti-national" because he was shaken by the mass support the party continued to enjoy and feared that his lie on the Kalimpong district could be exposed.

On Thursday, the Morcha president had suggested at a rally at the Mela Ground here that the territory of Kalimpong had not been completely incorporated in the Indian union and it continued to be a land leased from Bhutan. He also said Kalimpong couldn't become a district till the lease was cancelled and India incorporated the area. The Jan Andolan Party floated by Kalimpong MLA Chhetri said Gurung's statement was "anti-national".

In a release issued yesterday, Morcha assistant secretary Binay Tamang said the remarks by Gurung on Kalimpong being a land leased out to India by Bhutan were based on historical facts.

"JAP president Harka Bahdur Chhetri is shaken by the mass support enjoyed by our party at the Mela Ground in Kalimpong and that is why he is labelling our party president's remarks based on historical documents anti-national ... Is making use of one's fundamental right to free speech and referring to historical truth anti-national? We want to ask Dr. Harka Bahadur Chhetri," said Tamang.

The Morcha said Chhetri's remark also appeared to be driven by fears that his lie on the Kalimpong district formation could be exposed. "Our party has for a long time been in favour Kalimpong district and if Kalimpong district is formed, our party will be the most happiest... However, there are historical obstacles to (the formation of) Kalimpong district and Chhetri's claims on the district issue smells of political conspiracy. We feel the declaration of Kalimpong district is a political one," he said.

Reacting to Tamnag's statement, MLA Chhetri said Kalimpong is a sovereign Indian territory over which Bhutan has no claims and iterated that Gurung's statement was "anti-national".