West Bengal, Sikkim face off over GJM raid, arrests

Deep Gazmer and Chewan K Dahal | TNN |  Sep 3, 2017, DARJEELING: Bengal Police's foray into Sikkim in search of absconding Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung has escalated tension between the two neighbours, giving a new dimension to the continuing impasse in Darjeeling, which observed the 81st day of indefinite strike on Saturday.

A murder FIR by Sikkim Police against Kalimpong SP on Friday prompted a major crackdown this side of the border on Saturday, leading to the arrest of Kurseong Municipality chairman Krishna Limbu and 14 GJM central committee members. The Bengal cops also stopped a Sikkim-bound vehicle at Panitanki near Siliguri and found piles of anti-Bengal posters inside. Vehicle owner Prabhat Chhetri and driver Dipesh Limbu were arrested.

While all those arrested on Saturday were brought to Siliguri for court production, the Bengal CID failed to get custody of the six GJM men arrested in Sikkim on Friday. The Sikkim Police refused to let the Bengal cops take them back without a transit remand. The CID is planning to move court seeking arrest warrant against the six.

The state government is also miffed with Sikkim for detaining some of its police personnel on Friday night, before allowing them to return on Saturday morning. The Bengal Police claimed it had kept Sikkim Police in the loop about Friday's anti-GJM operation in the state.

Sikkim's "non-cooperation" has left the Bengal administration livid. "The Sikkim government helped Bimal Gurung and some of his associates escape during the raid in Namchi on Friday. What the Sikkim Police did later (detaining Bengal cops and lodging an FIR against the Kalimpong SP) is thoroughly unconstitutional," fumed state tourism minister Gautam Deb. 

The minister even hinted at Sikkim having a "hidden agenda" on Gorkhaland. On his part, Bimal Gurung on Saturday expelled "traitor" Binay Tamang aand Anita Thapa from the party. Yet, he didn't rule out the GJM joining the September 12 talks. 

"GJM will participate in the September 12 talks with the state government but will only discuss Gorkhaland. Binay Tamang will not represent us, as he has been expelled for anti-party activities. We will set our own team. If he (Tamang) wishes to attend the meeting in his individual capacity, I have no problem," Gurung said in a bid to take away the minimum support Tamang enjoys among people in the Hills.

Tamang, however, indicated that he isn't going to take this lying down. "It is surprising that they (GJM) have decided to attend the meeting with the state government when allegations have been labelled against me for conspiring with the Bengal government. This shows that they are walking the path that I paved and that my decision to talk with the state government and my stand on suspending the ongoing strike was right," the expelled leader said.

Police fear the verbal duel between the two leaders might fuel violence in the Hills, and this time within the GJM ranks. Security has been beefed up at Tamang's residence, four kilometres away from Darjeeling town.

However, the duel between leaders could in no way dampen the public support for Gorkhaland with people coming out on the streets on Saturday. 

Second rung leaders of GJM and CPRM asked people to socially boycott Binay Tamang and questioned the reluctance of other party leaders from joining the movement on the streets. 

"He (Tamang) has betrayed our community by siding with the state government who is opposed to Gorkhaland. We should socially boycott Tamang because one rotten fruit will spoil the rest. We also want to know why leaders of other political parties are not coming out in the streets to participate in the movement even though they pledge their support for creation of a separate state," said CPRM leader Asoke Gazmer.