Bengal BJP chief cancels meet, BJP workers thrashed
SILIGURI: BJP workers in Darjeeling were roughed up by the Benoy Tamang faction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on Thursday.
The incident happened between 3.15pm and 4pm in the heart of Darjeeling town, minutes after Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh was forced to cancel a public meeting.
BJP president Amit Shah later called Ghosh and inquired about the attack.
It was an embarrassing moment for BJP as footage of the attack was aired by TV channels. BJP workers accompanying him and state BJP leader Joyprakash Mazumdar were punched and kicked in front of the media.
A couple of men were beaten up with sticks and umbrellas as well.
The agitators were heard shouting “Long live Benoy Tamang” and “BJP go back”. Ghosh and Mazumdar watched helplessly as their men took blows. A bearded man sporting saffron scarf was thrown against glass containers in a sweetmeat shop.
Interestingly, the attackers did not touch Ghosh and Majumdar.
“Trinamool and Tamang’s men carried out the assault. First they created a ruckus inside the community hall, forcing us to cancel the meeting. After we left the hall , they attacked us on the street. The police were conspicuous by their absence. One can see that peace hasn’t returned to the hills,” said Ghosh after lodging a complaint at the Darjeeling Sadar police station.
“The entire episode was scripted in Kolkata,” alleged Ghosh, pointing a finger at the Mamata Banerjee government which is backing Benoy Tamang in a bid to corner GJM chief Bimal Gurung.
Gurung called off the 104-daylong bandh after Union minister Rajnath Singh appealed to him on September 26 and asked the Union home secretary to convene a meeting.
Having supported the BJP in two consecutive Lok Sabha polls, the GJM has been depending on the NDA Government on the statehood issue ever since the movement began in June this year. The BJP, however, has so far remained silent on the demand for creation of Gorkhaland.