Gurung ready to talk Darj; he’s a fugitive, says government

TNN, Jan 12, 2018, KOLKATA: Beleaguered Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader Bimal Gurung, pushed to a corner and wings clipped, on Thursday expressed his willingness for a dialogue with the Mamata Banerjee government to defuse the Darjeeling crisis, claiming he wasn't a separatist and his fight was for Gorkha identity.

Although this is the first time that Gurung offered to talk without any riders, the state refused to give credence to his statement, saying he was a fugitive on the run and should first respect the law of the land.

Gurung's latest offer is in marked contrast to his earlier steadfast insistence that the Centre initiate tripartite Gorkhaland talks. On Thursday — a few days ahead of the January 15 hearing of his anticipatory bail plea in the Supreme Court — he did not mention Gorkhaland even once.

The Gurung faction has considerably weakened as his party rival Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa have tightened their grasp over the party and the Gorkhaland Territorial Adm-inistration (GTA). Tamang couldn't be reached for comment.

According to a PTI report from Delhi, in his first direct interaction with reporters in an undisclosed location, Gurung also rejected Banerjee's accusation that he was a separatist, saying his party's dem-ands were within the purview of the Indian Constitution, and he believed in national integrity. Asked whether he was willing to hold a dialogue with Banerjee, he answered in the affirmative. "I'm ready for a dialogue. Dialogue is the way ahead," he said. "Our agitation is for Gorkha identity."

State tourism minister Goutam Deb refused to give any credence to Gurung's statement. "To us, he is a person who is on the run from the law. He is booked under several penal offences, even under the UAPA. He has refused to pay heed to court-issued summons. First, he should respect the law of the land," Deb said.

The apex court, on November 20, 2017, had issued a "no coercive action" order on the police, effectively insulating Gurung from arrest. Later, Gurung had given verbal assurance in court that he will not appear in public.

According to the agency report, Gurung said he had nothing against the people of Bengal, but the language and culture of Gorkhas were distinct from them and whatever they were demanding was within the ambit of the Constitution. He also accused the state government of acting in a "one-sided" manner following the start of an agitation in Darjeeling in June 8 last year. He claimed the state police had implicated him and his party's workers in false criminal cases and sought an independent inquiry into the matter. Gurung also appealed for peace and asked his supporters to stay away from any illegal activities.

Police said they were keeping a close watch on the situation. A 15-member team comprising of CID and Darjeeling police is camping in New Delhi, where police suspect Gurung has shifted. Three senior officers were asked to move to New Delhi even last Thursday. The team has been tasked to keep a close watch on the renegade leaders and whom they are meeting in Delhi. Earlier, in September, police had arrested three senior GJM leaders — all Gurung loyalists — from Gurugram. These leaders, along with GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, had been tasked by Gurung to liaise with Darjeeling MP and Union minister S S Ahluwalia and Union home minister Rajnath Singh.