Darjeeling, May 23: Minister Gautam
Deb called on a driver whose house and car were set ablaze allegedly by
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters, a day after a hill Trinamul leader
criticised plains-based party satraps for not visiting the region.
On May 20, the house and car of Dhanbahadur Tamang were torched.
A day later, Milan Dukpa, a nominated GTA Sabha member from Trinamul, criticised the party’s style of functioning, raising questions on whether there was a
rift in the party.
“Our supporters
are being threatened and attacked. One of our sympathisers’ house was
burnt down in Badamtam last night but Rajen Mukhia (the convener of
Trinamul, hills) and Binny Sharma (spokesman for the party hill unit)
are in Siliguri issuing press statements. I strongly protest their style
of functioning,” Dukpa said.
Today Deb, along
with Mukhia and other hill Trinamul leaders such as N.B. Khawash
visited Badamtam, 16km from here, where Tamang lives.
Asked about
Dukpa’s comment, Deb said: “Ours is a democratic party where people can
hold different views. However, I called up Dukpa and told him that any
misgivings should be discussed within the party. These are not things
that one should speak about in the media.”
Deb defended Rajen Mukhia
“What is the
problem if he stays in Panighatta (near Siliguri). He went to Mungpoo
immediately (after a clash between Trinaumul and Morcha cadres) on
Monday. I, too, returned to Siliguri from Calcutta only yesterday and I
have immediately come up to Darjeeling,” the north Bengal development
minister said.
Trinamul has decided to hold the district committee meeting at Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan Hall hall at 11am tomorrow.
Deb today
lambasted the Morcha. “What will the Morcha get by burning a vehicle,
which was the only source of income for this tribal family?” he asked.(TT)