Darjeeling unrest: Sharp shooters hired to kill him, alleges Binay Tamang

Pramod Giri, HT, 3 September 2017, Siliguri: Binay Tamang, the expelled chief coordinator of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), has claimed that his life has come under threat since conspiracies are being hatched to hire sharpshooters to kill him.

“Two sharp shooters from Nepal has been hired to kill me,” Tamang said in Darjeeling on Sunday.

Though he did not name anybody the hint was clearly against GJM president, Bimal Gurung, who has gone underground after being slapped UA(P)A charges by the state government. Gurung is believed to be hiding in Sikkim now.

During a press conference, Tamang also threatened to expose senior GJM leaders and the financial corruption they indulged in.

Tamang is already under tremendous pressure after he held a public meeting on August 31 and announced a 12-day suspension of the bandh. GJM subsequently expelled him and Kurseong’s Morcha heavyweight Amit Thapa from the party.

The state government has already arranged special security for Tamang.

“In the meeting of the GJM central committee, where the decision to expel me was taken, only six of 93 committee members were present. Since it was not a majority decision the expulsion is totally illegal,” argued Tamang.

Meanwhile, West Bengal government sources said in the crucial meeting on Darjeeling crisis in Siliguri on September 12, 2017, both Tamang and his close associate, Anit Thapa will be invited. “After all Tamang was present in the meeting at the state secretariat on August 29,” said a member of the state cabinet on condition of anonymity.

Tamang also refuted allegations by Gurung and his associates that he succumbed to the lure of money and power and entered into an understanding with the state government. 

“These are all false allegations. On the contrary, I have full information on who misappropriated crores of rupees and I will expose them soon,” Tamang claimed.

On Sunday police arrested Rohit Thapa, a GJM central committee leader from the Dooars who attended the August 29 meeting with the state government along with Tamang. Thapa had reportedly told Bimal Gurung over phone how Tamang and Anit Thapa were conspiring against Gurung and were planning to float a new party.