Rebel's barb at Gurung.... Anit Binay echoes Gorkhaland

Anit Thapa addresses a public meeting at Tindharia on Sunday. Picture by Passang Yolmo

BIRESWAR BANERJEE, TT, Tindharia, Sept. 10: "Expelled" Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader Anit Thapa today trained gun at Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri, saying none could lead the Gorkhaland movement by "staying in jungle or Delhi".

While Morcha president Gurung had said he was "staying in jungles," the general secretary Giri has been camping in New Delhi purportedly for talks with the Union government.

"By staying in jungle or Delhi, one cannot lead or carry out the ongoing movement for the statehood. One needs to stand beside people and continue the struggle in a democratic manner to achieve the demand. Some people, who are staying away, have no idea of the ground reality and the inconveniences faced by people," Thapa told a crowd of around 1,000 Morcha supporters here.

Both Thapa and his leader Binay Tamang had been "sacked" from the Morcha after the latter had declared the withdrawal of the general strike.

Today's meeting was the first by any leader of the rebel camp since then.

Tindharia is around 35km from Siliguri.

"I have never betrayed the Morcha as I struggled hard and retained the party's support base in Kurseong when Trinamul was making inroads there. I have never alienated myself from the agitation for Gorkhaland but just opposed certain moves made during the current movement," said Thapa.

The Morcha dissident added that he would sit on a hunger strike if no decision was taken on tripartite talks involving the Centre at a meeting convened by the state government in Siliguri on Tuesday.

"Binay Tamang has got an invitation from the state government for the talks (on September 12). I want to make it clear that if no decision is taken for a tripartite meeting on that day, I will sit on a hunger strike like him (Tamang)," said Thapa.

Yesterday, Tamang had announced a "fast-unto-death" in Darjeeling on the Gorkhaland issue after the September 12 meeting.

Another leader of the Tamang camp who spoke at the Tindharia rally today was all praise for the chief minister. "When we entered the meeting room (on August 29), we were determined to talk only on Gorkhaland. We had also expected a strong opposition from the chief minister, who is against the division of the state. But we were surprised when she greeted us and said cordially that she 'respects the demand for Gorkhaland.' 

I salute her and believe she is perhaps the only chief minister who has shown respect for our demand. This is our success," said Tshering Dahal from Sukna, who had attended the first rounds of talks on August 29.