Darjeeling: An inauguration plaque bearing the name of former
Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu and former Darjeeling Gorkha Hill
Council Subash Ghisingh that had been removed from Gorkha Bhavan at Salt
Lake in Calcutta by the earlier political dispensation of the hills was
restored on Wednesday.
The gesture, though small, is symbolic of the new hill leaders trying to improve political practices in the hills.
The plaque was installed when Basu had inaugurated Gorkha BhaVan in Calcutta on February 9, 1996, in presence of Ghisingh.
Many believe the plaque was removed because Ghisingh's name
was inscribed. In fact, similar inauguration plaques had been removed
from different places in the hills after Bimal Gurung overthrew Ghisingh
in 2008.
Binay Tamang, the new president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha,
who was in Calcutta on Friday, said: "Let other political parties or
even the GNLF continue to lambast us but we will continue to do things
which we think is right."
Sources said the plaque which was at the Bhawan's lobby was removed and a cupboard had been installed in its place.
Gorkha Bhavan is one of the hill body's important assets outside the
region and provides accommodations to general public and officials
visiting the state capital.
Earlier, too, the GTA had decided to rename Rohini Road as Subash Ghisingh Marg after the GNLF leader.
This is, however, not to say that the Morcha and GNLF are moving close to each other.
On Friday, the Morcha launched a vitriolic attack on the GNLF.
Sandip Chhetri, the spokesman for the Morcha's Darjeeling
subdivisional committee, said: "The GNLF's dream to come to power in the
hills again will only remain a dream. The hill people were with the
Morcha and will continue to be with us."
Chhetri's rebuttal comes a day after GNLF leader Y. Lama had
said that people were supporting the GNLF in droves. "They talk about
10-15,000 attendance in one of their public meetings but that is the
entire support they have in the hills. On the other hand their leaders
like Daya Dewan from Kurseong have been joining our party with their
entire supporters," said Chhetri.
"We are not making much noise about the joining as we are not empty vessels."
The attack and counter attack between Morcha and GNLF is a
clear indication that these two parties are in prominence in the hills.
In many ways, it is also an indication that after last year's agitation,
GNLF has made some inroads after the party was almost decimated from
2008 onwards.
The Telegraph