Rivals attack Dilip Ghosh on Darjeeling visit plans

Kolkata: State BJP president Dilip Ghosh’s three-day visit to Darjeeling in wake of the end of the unrest in the Hills has triggered a controversy much before his start as the Trinamul Congress, CPI(M) and expelled Gorkha Janmkuti Morcha (GJM) leader Binay Tamang slammed his programme. 

On Wednesday Mr Ghosh accompanied by BJP MP of Darjeeling S.S. Ahluwalia would travel to Kalimpong before visiting Darjeeling to send out a message that the BJP has sympathy towards the people of the Hills. He is expected to hold a meeting with the Gorkha Janmkuti Morcha leadership also. After the three-day tour, the Kharagpur MLA would visit Gangtok. On Tuesday Trinamul Congress MLA and tourism minister Goutam Deb however issued warning to him. He said, “As a representative of a political party Mr Ghosh is free to visit the Hills. But he should not foment trouble.” 

CPI(M) MLA and Siliguri Mayor Asok Bhattacharya alleged, “The ruling parties at the Centre and the state are doing politics over the hills. During the unrest, neither Mr Ahluwalia nor Mr Ghosh visited the Hills.”

Strongly reacting to the state BJP president's visit Mr Tamang sought him and Mr Dilip Ghosh to make their stand clear about the Gorkhaland issue before visiting Darjeeling. 

Mr Tamang who has been appointed as the chairman of the Board of Administrators for Darjeeling said, “Nobody should attempt to destroy the peace in the hills. We helped the BJP to win Lok Sabha elections from Darjeeling two times in the past. But we will not allow any attempt by them to disturb the Darjeeling Hills.”