Kumani on Morcha power map - Gurung to chalk out Assembly election strategy at new camp

The tent for Gurung under construction at Lower Kumani on Monday. Picture by Suman Tamang

(From the Telegraph)Kumani, Feb. 28: Hemmed in by tea gardens and forests, this nondescript village has virtually turned into the headquarters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, whose supporters are hurrying to set up a new camp for the party chief.

The fate of eight Assembly seats in north Bengal — three in the hills and five in the Dooars — is set to be decided at Kumani, where Morcha president Bimal Gurung will be staying for some more days.

Gurung has been camping at Kumani since January 19 when he was prevented from leading a rally to the Dooars.

Ever since, the village has been a hub of activities. Thirty trucks, five pick-up vans, an ambulance, a tractor and an excavator, apart from a dozen vehicles of the central committee members of the Morcha, are parked at Kumani at the moment.

“We also have one big soundless generator and 25 small ones, besides a seven-member medical team,” said Binay Tamang, the assistant secretary of the Morcha. “We have also managed to get 25 water pumps.”

Vegetables and other edible items are pouring in from Morcha supporters from across the village. Gurung has already set up two godowns in the camp to store foodgrain.

“We need around two tins of mustard oil and about six quintals of rice everyday. A community kitchen has been set up for the Gorkhaland Personnel and there are separate kitchens for some tents also,” said Tamang.

The camp reminds one of a battle zone. Gurung’s tent is ringed by the GLP and every visitor has to record his presence at the entrance to the camp, which has a check-post. Not all vehicles are allowed to reach near Gurung’s shelter.

Nevertheless, the camp is not all cosy. “There is nothing except hardships here. But we are getting used to the place. In fact, when I go home (to Kalimpong), I yearn to return here as I have now started feeling that this is my home,” Harka Bahadur Chhetri, a senior Morcha leader, said in jest.

Day temperatures are rising and at times, the tents turn into a virtual oven.

“With so many people using makeshift toilets, hygiene is a major problem. We have to go to the nearby river to have a bath,” said a supporter.

The camp, which is situated on the forestland, will be shifted to Lower Kumani, about 1km away. “As we have been told that the camp is in the forest, we have decided to shift to a private land where we will face no problems,” said Gurung.

The Morcha members have started shifting all paraphernalia to a private land, where the new camp will be ready by tomorrow.

With the Bengal polls round the corner, the Morcha will work out its strategy from Kumani. In fact, Gurung has vowed to respond to Sibchu police firing through ballots.

“Everything is fine up in the hills. But we will have to concentrate on the plains. We must reply to the killing of three of our supporters (at Sibchu) with votes and we will be a decisive factor in a lot of places,” he said.

During the by-election to Kalchini Assembly seat in 2009, the Morcha had managed to ensure the victory of the candidate it supported.

Hospital shift foiled

Police and Jalpaiguri district officials on Monday made an unsuccessful attempt to hospitalise two of the five Morcha supporters who have been on an indefinite hunger strike at Salugara since February 24, reports our Siliguri correspondent.

The authorities reached Salugara with Rajganj block medical officer of health, who checked all the five on fast. As the condition of 41-year-old Chandra Singh Mall, an ex-serviceman, and Julie Chhetri,19, was critical, the officials wanted to take them to hospital. But Morcha supporters assembled at the spot prevented the duo’s hospitalisation.