Dilip Ghosh, delegates asked to leave Darjeeling Hills

Kolkata: State BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Wednesday gave himself the credit of restoring peace in Darjeeling. He however faced strong protests by expelled Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader Binay Tamang’s followers and Jan Andolan Party for his comments and visit to the Hills. 

Reaching Siliguri on Wednesday morning, Mr Ghosh claimed, “If we had visited Darjeeling during the unrest, tension would have mounted. I have a responsibility to discharge to meet the people of the Hills because they want me and since I took the initiative to make two sides agree to usher in peace.

He said, “It was me who went to New Delhi and spoke to Union Home minister Rajnath Singh. Only fter that peace returned to the Darjeeling Hills. I am the first leader from the plains who dared to visit the Darjeeling Hills.” 

Asked about the posters and slogan shouting of “Go Back Dilip Ghosh” at Kalimpong the Kharagpur MLA added, “The posters and slogan shouting of those, who could not end the unrest and those who do not enjoy the people’s faith, have no value. There is no importance of those who play the role of brokers.”

He elaborated, “Our stand is clear. But Mr Tamang should make his stand clear first. He has no acceptance among the public. If Mr Tamang thinks he has a role to play just because he has been crowned with a post by the Mamata Banerjee government, he will be wrong. Betraying the people he has backstabbed the people of the Hills who are actually with us. He has sold himself to Ms Banerjee after getting an administrative post.”

Mr Tamang however asked Mr Ghosh to leave the Hills immediately and to not to create any unrest. Another expelled GJM leader Anit Thapa alleged, “What were they doing over three months when the Hills were burning? After the return of peace they now want to create trouble.”