Didi keeping safe distance from Binoy Tamang

SNS, 8 January 2018, Siliguri / Bijanbari: Is chief minister Mamata Banerjee trying to keep 'safe distance' from the chairman of the Board of Administrators for the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), Binoy Tamang? Yes, feel some observers here, as they study the present situation, the plans being made by Miss Banerjee, and lastly her decision to not hold any official review meeting on the Hills affairs with Mr. Tamang at Uttarkanya tomorrow.

While sources and officials had earlier said that the CM would be holding a meeting on the Hill affairs at Uttarkanya tomorrow, official sources now say that the CM will leave for Uttar Parokata village in Alipurduar tomorrow by helicopter from Uttarkanya, and not hold such a meeting after her return here. It may be mentioned that a temporary helipad has been built on a field near the Doordarshan Kendra in Dabgram near Uttarkanya.

A section of tour operators, who had been expecting the CM to go to the Hills to build confidence among domestic tourists there, were taken aback following the CM 's north Bengal itinerary, without Darjeeling.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's trip to north Bengal without the hills is completely unexpected. She would not go to the Hills now.The situation in Darjeeling has not yet come under complete control of the late,"said a tour operator, adding, ''Binoy Tamang is not a mass leader. People still have a faith in Bimal Gurung who is perhaps in Delhi and making plans to politically fight the state government."

An observer as well as a senior government official, meanwhile, said that the CM is trying to keep a 'safe distance from Mr Tamang.

" Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, though she brought the Hill situation under controI by dividing the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morchia (GJMM) and banking on BinoyTamang, is trying to keep a safe distance from Mr Tamang and his associates, following developments in the Supreme Court."

According to a group of political observers, hypothetically, Miss Banerjee is formulating strategies to beat her political enemy-- the BJP-"which played a pivotal role in supporting GJMM chief, Mr Gurung, politically and even legaIly in the apex court."

"The CM and the state offlcials will land in an embarrassing situation if theSupreme Court raises questions on the police role and asks why they didnot frame criminal charges against BinoyTamang,who too was involved in the recent Hill agitation and who was a close associate of Mr Gurung," the observer said.

It may be mentioned that cases have been filed against Mr Gurung under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), for allegedly being involved in violence during the recent statehood movement.

Notably, BJP leaders have been raising questions as to why the state government has not taken action against Mr. Tamang. State BJP leaders have also claimed that the state government should have registered similar cases against Mr Tamang.

"But the state government started treating Mr. Tamang as a VIP instead of action taken against him, and this was pointed out by state BJP leaders pointed on many occasions," the observer said.

Meanwhile, political parties in the Hills said they had not received any official confirmatinn on whether the CM will hold an official meeting, tomorrow.

While GJMM leader Anit Thapa said they have not received any official intimation regarding that, GNLF spokesperson Niraj Zimba said, "We have also learnt that the meeting will not be held tomorrow, but we have not got anything officially now."

"We have no information on the meeting, but there could be a possibility of such a meeting being held the next day, but nothing is confirmed," TMC (Hills) general secretary Binny Sharma said.