Gurung sets 6-Dec Siliguri meeting date- Morcha expects 1.5 lakh supporters at Gandhi Maidan

SNS, DARJEELING. 3 DEC 20 : Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha leader Bimal Gurung is all set to make his first public appearance in the region on 6 December after three-and-a-half-years in hiding.

After his decision to support the Trinamul Congress in next year's Assembly eleedons, Mr Gurung is scheduled to address a public meeting at Gandhi Maidan at Gandhi Nagar, near Check Post, in Siliguri that day.

Making this announcement today the Morcha camp claimed there will be a gathering of around1,50,000 people at the Maidan that day.

"Party president Bimal Gurung will be arriving at and addressing a huge gathering at Gandhi Maidan in Siliguri on 6 December. We had earlier planned to hold the meeting at Baghajatin Park in Siliguri. However, we changed the venue considering its capacity to hold such a huge crowd. Besides, we will be having around 4000 vehicles in the town that day so it wouId be difficult to arrange for parking space, ete. Therefore, we found Gandhi Maidan a better option," said the Vicepresident of the central coinmittee of the Morcha. (Gurung faction), Vishal Chettri.

According to Mr Chettri, around 1,50,000 people are expected to turn up for the meeting. "We are setting a fixed timing of 9-10 in the morning. I would urge all our supporters to be present at the venue sober, maintaining full decorum. We have learnt that some are planning to use foul means to ruin our purpose, but we are determined on making this a success," he told reporters in Siliguri today.

"On 6 December, everyone should reach the venue between 9-10 am. We urge people not to rush. Everything has been provided for. We do not want to harass the police and the administration as well. So, we have also made arrangements for parking. We have arranged for separate venues for parking to that end. For supporters arriving from the Dooars, we have the PC Mittal MemoriaI Bus Terminus, and Gandhi Maidan would be for supporters from Darjeeling, Mirik and the Terai. Also, behind the Indira Gandhi ground, we have arranged for parking spaces for those hailing from Kalimpong. In determining these, we have received a good deal of assistance from tourism minister Gautam Deb and other ministers as well, " Mr Chettri added.

Hill posters warn Gurung, Giri

Meanwhile, posters came up in different parts of the Hills today, cautioning leaders like Mr Gurung and Roshan Giri, and asking them to "return the sahids" (martyrs) before they made a return.

Such posters were seen at Chowk Bazaar here and Bijanbari today, with no political party however taking responsibility for them.The posters were signed "Saheed Sena."

When contacted, the Morcha (Gurung camp) leader, Tilak Chand Roka, blamed the Binoy Tamang faction of the Morcha for the posters and said, "We have been working for the sahids, but what has the Morcha-2 (Tamang camp) done for them? These are all baseless politics being done by them."

"Beware Bimal and Roshan. We will take revenge for the sahids," one poster read. Another poster read, "Beware BimaI and Roshan, who have played with the lives of sahids." "Return our sahids," read another poster.

Commenting on the return of Mr Gurung, Mr Roka said. "After staying in Siliguri for four to five days, he will come to Darjeeling and stay for a few days, and as needed, he will go to different places. The headquarters will, however, remain Darjeeling."

Mr Roka also claimed that different cases against Mr Gurung and other Morcha leaders have already been withdrawn, while the process to withdraw more and get bail was on. According to him, there are around 1,100 persons from the Hills, alongwith Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, including Mr Gurung, who have different cases against them.