Bimal draws fire at martyr meet

A Morcha leader pays homage to the slain party supporters at Sipchu on Thursday

TT, Jalpaiguri: Leaders of the Binay Tamang faction of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on Thursday observed "Balidaan Diwas" or "martyrs day" at Sipchu under Nagrakata block of Jalpaiguri in a low-key manner.

The day was observed to commemorate the deaths of three party supporters who had died in police firing on February 8, 2011, when the party had launched an agitation over the demand of statehood.

Since 2012, Bimal Gurung used to observe the day in an elaborate manner. He used to pay homage to the slain party supporters and would deliver a speech.

"For past five years, it had been an annual event where Bimal Gurung used to address party supporters of the hills and Dooars. But this is the first time that he did not turned up at the venue and instead, some leaders from the Binay Tamang lobby held the function," said a Morcha leader based in Dooars.

Lokmaan Lama, a central committee member of the party and Sanchabir Subba, a member of the Board of Administrators of the GTA, were present at the function held at Sipchu. Some Morcha leaders of nearby areas were there at the meeting.

Unlike earlier years when the meeting used to be held at a ground close to a park built in memory of the martyrs, the function was kept limited to the park this time.

A senior leader of Tamang lobby, when asked about the change in the programme, accused Gurung for "doing politics". "He (Gurung) had made hollow promises to our supporters in Dooars."