Dilip parrots Gurung call for central probe

Ghosh at New Jalpaiguri station on Wednesday. Picture by Passang Yolmo

TT, Jalpaiguri: State BJP president Dilip Ghosh continued to express support to Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung by demanding a probe into the death of sub-inspector Amitabha Malik and seizure of the huge cache arms by a central agency.

On Tuesday, Gurung had, in an audio clip, demanded that CBI or the NIA probe the cases, instead of the state CID.

Ghosh, who arrived here on Wednesday to attend programmes organised by his party, said: "We want a central agency to probe the cause of death of Amitabha Malik. Nobody can rely on the CID and we believe if the CID continues investigation, things would be more complicated. There are several anomalies in the comments made by police officers after the incident."

The state BJP president, who had to face protests and was even humiliated in Darjeeling by a section of local people who are suspected to be members of Binay Tamang's camp during his visit to the hills earlier this month, iterated that the probe was necessary to find out whether the claim made by the police about the arms is "authentic".

"The investigation by a central agency is also required to know the origin of the firearms and ammunition seized by the police (from the camps of Bimal Gurung and his associates near the Little Rangeet river). Whether those belong to the Morcha (Gurung lobby) or brought from somewhere else, need to be known. We would not accept if Bimal Gurung is only blamed," said Ghosh.

During the entire phase of the agitation for the statehood in the hills, the BJP state president has time and again stood by Gurung. On Wednesday, he accused the state police for the death of Barun Bhujel, a Morcha councillor of Kalimpong municipality.

Bhujel has died due to police's torture, alleged Ghosh.

"He was arrested four months back by the police. How can he die while he is in custody? We want an inquiry into the death," he said.

On Wednesday morning, Ghosh arrived at New Jalpaiguri station by train. From there, he headed for Jalpaiguri. BJP supporters welcomed him at Assam More on the outskirts of the town. Later, he held a party workers' meet in Mainaguri and a public meeting in Dhupguri.

On Thursday, he will hold another workers' meet in Jalpaiguri, party sources said.

Such remarks by Ghosh however, have perturbed a section of BJP leaders in north Bengal.

"We fail to understand whether his strategy to stand in support of Bimal Gurung will work or will backfire, given the strong anti-Gorkhaland sentiment of people, particularly in the north Bengal districts," said a BJP leader based in Jalpaiguri.

"Gurung's recent plans to launch an armed struggle as has been claimed by the police, have further affected his image. In such a situation, we are sceptical whether his (Ghosh's) consistent remarks will eventually help us ahead of the rural polls that would be held across Bengal next year," added the leader.

Ghosh also trained guns at the state over the rise in dengue cases.

"The state miserably failed to control dengue outbreaks in different districts. Over six months have passed since dengue cases have been reported in the state. Instead, it is trying to conceal the real data and mounting pressure on government hospitals and private nursing homes to conceal the data on dengue cases," he said.