Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung today demanded the
arrest of Bengal minister Indranil Sen for his "unacceptable" comments
against him and his party leaders and alleged that it was an attempt to
disturb the peace in the hills.
Sen's remark that Morcha leaders should be packed in "32 steel trunks
of 6ft length" has invited criticism from the GNLF and the Jana Andolan
Party also.
Gurung wondered why the government was not acting
on the FIR lodged by his party against Sen for telling his party
supporters to send Morcha leaders packing from the Darjeeling hills in
6ft-long steel boxes after the May 14 civic polls.
"When cases can be filed against our people for small things like
sticking posters, why is action not being taken against a minister who
makes such statements? He should be arrested immediately. They should
act on the FIR filed by us. But the intention of the Bengal government
is not good. They can even kill and claim otherwise," he said here.
Addressing an election rally in Darjeeling on Friday, Sen, who is
considered close to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, had said: "I have
brought 32 steel trunks of 6ft length and ropes. Now it is your job,
brothers and sisters. The elections are slated for May 14 and cast your
votes for the TMC and the GNLF and pack Bimal Gurung, Roshan Giri and
all their candidates and send them to another district. At that time,
you will hear them singing Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (never say goodbye) from inside the trunks."
The Morcha president alleged that statements like that was an attempt
to disturb the peace in the hills. "A conspiracy is being hatched to
spoil the peaceful atmosphere in the hills. We must give a very strong
response. I appeal to the people to give a befitting response to those
people who come to our homes, kick us and even threaten to kill us on
May 14," he said.
The four hill municipalities, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik, will go to polls on May 14.
The Morcha, Gurung said, will be lodging complaints with both the
state and central governments against Sen. "We will write to the home
minister and the prime minister on this issue. We are collecting footage
and will submit it to the central government. We will also write to the
chief minister...A lot of things are said in politics, but to say that
they will kill and put the body in a box and dispose it off is not
acceptable... If such things can be said against the GTA chief, imagine
what fate awaits the ordinary people of the hills. This is something
that needs to be understood," he said.
Sen's comments have also been condemned by other political parties, including Trinamul's ally GNLF.
It has also angered many ordinary people in the hills. Posters
condemning his statement have been pasted across the hills even by
organisations without any political leanings.
"What he spoke was wrong. We condemn it. For a responsible minister
to come from Calcutta and speak in the manner he did betrays the mindset
of his party. The entire hills are angry," said Harka Bahadur Chhetri,
the president of the JAP.(TT)
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