J & K Martyr's body arrives in Hill hometown

SNS, DARJEELING,. 22 SEPTEMBER 21 : The body of Bidhan Ghising, a 35-year-old army man who attained martyrdom in Srinagar, was taken to his hometown at Pussimbing in Darjeeling today.

The body arrived front Delhi at the Bagdogra Airport in the evening.

Subedar Ghising of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (JAK), was a resident of Pussimbing tea garden under the Sukhia Pokhari Block in Darjeeling, and he was martyred in a clash with terrorists in Srinagar.

Though a group of people from his hometown, who had gone to the Bagdogra Airport to receive Ghising's body, put up a protest there and alleged that the martyr had not been given proper honours and that no one from the Army was there at the airport, sources said the body had been sent from Srinagar and then Delhi with full military honours.

Sources added that the situation at the airport arose out of some miscommunication, and that the Army, however, arranged for the body to be taken to Pussimbing.

Ajoy Edwards, a former GNLF leader and social worker, who had reached the airport to receive the body further alleged that no elected representative or leaders were present to pay respect to a martyr at the airport.

"They could not take out time even to do that," Mr Edwards said in a note he issued later in the evening.

Meanwhile, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said that the Indian Army was the most disciplined in the world and that they followed a strict code of conduct and their sense of duty was beyond reproach.

"I am not sure what happened at the airport, but I refuse to believe that Indian Army representatives were not present at the airport. May be no one was there from the WB Govt, that I can accept, but to accuse Indian Army of not being present is simply unbelievable," he said.

Extending his condolences to the family and friends of the martyr, he further said: "I pay my deepest respects to the brave son from our hills for his selfless service and his ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation."

Mr Bista added that he was not able to be with Ghising's family right now because of a death in the MP's own family. "I spoke to Bagdogra Airport Director, who informed me that representatives from Rajputana Rifles were very much present, and they received the body along with the family members, and the family left for the hills, accompanied by the Army personnel. Subedar Bidhan Ghising ji deserves the highest respect from our nation, and I am confident the Indian Army will give him full Rashtriya Samman. It is preposterous to claim that Indian Army would disrespect our Martyr or send off one of their own without proper ceremony," Mr Bista said. "I request everyone not to politicise a Martyr, it would be the greatest disservice to the braveheart and everything he stood for," he added.