Darjeeling unrest: Ousted GJM leader Binay Tamang asks Bimal Gurung to lead agitation from front

Darjeeling: Accusing the Gorkha Janamukti Mocha leadership of corruption and conspiring against him, ousted leader Binay Tamang on Sunday challenged GJM chief Bimal Gurung to “come out of hiding” and lead the Gorkhaland movement from the front. [caption id=“attachment_1116431” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of GJM supporters demanding a separate Gorkhaland. AFP.[/caption] “If Gurung-ji and party General Secretary Roshan Giri are true Gorkha leaders, I challenge them to come to Ground Zero in Darjeeling and lead the ongoing movement from the front. A true leader never stays in the back and puts the life of his followers in danger,” Tamang told media persons. Questioning his removal from the GJM, the former party Assistant General Secretary said he had neither received any show-cause notice nor any official letter about his ouster and thus considered himself to be very much a part of GJM. “According to law, a registered political party like the GJM has to send a show-cause letter and a termination letter if they want to remove anyone. I have received none so far,” Tamang said. “Also, only six party leaders were present at the meeting where my removal was decided. That’s not proper. I am still GJM chief coordinator and will talk to the central committee at the right moment to explain my position,” he said. Accusing the GJM of hiring “two shooters from Nepal” to assassinate him, the leader from the north Bengal hills said his and his family’s lives were under threat. He accused the GJM leadership of spreading false propaganda. “They are saying President’s Rule will be imposed in Darjeeling after 90 days of indefinite shutdown and within six months the demand for separate Gorkhaland will materialise. However, this is propaganda. It is not written anywhere that President’s Rule can be imposed after 90 days of shutdown in a region,” he said. The indefinite shutdown in the Darjeeling hills continued for the 81st day on Sunday. Tamang had led a five-member GJM delegation at the all-party meeting held on 29 August. After his return to Darjeeling, he announced that the indefinite shutdown will be called off for 12 days until the next meeting on 12 September. However, this was opposed by the GJM leadership, which termed Binay Tamang a traitor and removed him from the party.