Kolkata: Hours before the first round of peace talks with the Mamata Banerjee government on Darjeeling unrest on Tuesday, an audio clip, purportedly attributed to GJM chief Bimal Gurung, surfaced in the Hills, triggering the suspicion of a crack within the party.
In the audio message, which was reportedly circulated in the Hills, a male voice claiming himself as Mr Gurung was heard accusing a section of his leaders of keeping him in the dark and joining hands with the state government.
The five-member GJM delegation led by Binay Tamang was also asked to stage walk-out from the all-party meeting at Nabanna if anything other than the demand for Gorkhaland came up for discussion, according to sources. Mr Gurung, who has been booked in two cases on the UAPA charges recently, has gone into hiding.
Following his arrival at Kolkata Mr Tamang however claimed that he was yet to hear the controversial audio message. He asserted that everything was decided with Mr Gurung’s consent.
According to Mr Tamang, there is no faction within the party. “I do not think there is any division between me and him. I later came to know about the audio clip from the media. But the fact is whatever we are doing is happening on the instruction of the party’s central committee which is being apprised by us of any development also,” he said. He elaborated, “I have been made the chief coordinator with Mr Gurung’s approval. I do not know whom Mr Gurung indicated at. But some of the sentences used in the clip has caused insult to us. Still the party president has the prerogative to make any comment.”
Mr Tamang added, “We have neither any division nor any faction. Such things are often played in the social media. Now our leadership is scattered because of the cases on them. We do not have attachment with Mr Gurung in person. He stays at a place now. We remain in touch and we discuss the daily situation within the party in consultation with him.”
