3rd death anniversary of Madan Tamang - Anti-GJMM parties slam CM

SILIGURI, 21 MAY: Anti- GJMM political parties and organisations today slammed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for using Madan Tamang murder case as a political lever to keep the GJMM from baring its fangs on the state government.

They vented their  frustration during the memorial meeting that was held today at Chawk Bazar in Darjeeling to observe the third death anniversary of the slain AIGL president, Madan Tamang. Most of the leaders who spoke on the occasion demanded punishment for those involved in the daylight assassination of the “solitary voice for democracy” in the Hills.

The AIGL leaders said all the political parties, excluding the GJMM, had been invited at the memorial. However, nobody from Trinamul Congress, Congress and GNLF attended. Leaders from CPI-M, CPRM and some other small parties like Gorkha Rashtriya Congress and Gorkha Task Force were present.

The AIGL vice-president, Laxman Pradhan said his party would soon approach the National Human Rights Commission, seeking justice. “Besides, the case would be taken up at the Supreme Court on 4 July,” he said, adding that his party would meet before they depart for Delhi to attend the hearing to give final shape to the strategy to fight the case out at the apex court.

The memorial meeting began with wreaths being placed at the slain leader’s plinth near Planters’ Club ~ the spot where Madan Tamang was murdered in 2010.

Addressing the gathering, the CPRM working president, Mr L M Lama, said the chief minister  has thrown all scruples to the winds in her determined bid to shield the culprits.

“She keeps maneuvering the murder to grind her own axe. She has humiliated the widow of the leader several times. The murder is being used as a dice in the political chessboard of the state. Hills are not smiling. They are rather groaning in muffled pain,” said another CPRM leader, Mr Gobin Chhetri.

The former Rajya Sabha member from Darjeeling and a senior CPI-M leader from the Hills, Mr Saman Pathak and another Hill veteran from the former ruling party, Mr K B Watter, were present.

“There is no democracy left in the Hills. The murder of Madan Tamang signaled the murder of democracy here,” he said.

statesman news service