Cooch Behar killings ‘turning point’, says Gurung
Chief of one of two GJM factions claims that BJP is set to face wrath of voters in next 4 phases of polls
Darjeeling, April 11: Asserting that Saturday’s firing by the CISF in Cooch Behar, which claimed four lives, will be a “turning point” in Bengal polls, Bimal Gurung, the chief of one of the two GJM factions, claimed that the BJP is set to face the wrath of voters in the next four phases of elections, especially in the northern part of the state.
Mr Gurung, in an interview with PTI, reaffirmed that “statehood is a dream nurtured by every Gorkha” living in the hills, while also noting that the TMC’s pitch for a “permanent political solution” and the overall development of Darjeeling and its adjoining areas sounds “very encouraging”.
Lashing out at the BJP for “deceiving the Gorkha jaati for 12 years with fake promises”, Gurung, who deserted the NDA and joined hands with the TMC in October last year, said he will teach the saffron camp a “lesson for life”, with Mamata Banerjee by his side.
The BJP had won the Darjeeling seat thrice since 2009 — with Jaswant Singh, SS Ahluwalia and incumbent Raju Bista respresenting the seat respectively over the past 12 years. Condemning the Cooch Behar incident, Gurung said, “Killing of innocent people — be it by the state police or the
During the 2017 Gorkhaland agitation, many people were killed... The TMC subsequently faced the music election when it lost all 8 LS seats in north Bengal. This time, the BJP is set to meet the same fate
— Bimal Gurung, GJM, Chief
central forces — is not acceptable. What happened on the polling day is nothing short of genocide; the BJP would feel the heat in North Bengal. The party would be wiped out from the region.”
Four persons were killed and as many injured when the CISF opened fire in Sitalkuchi area of Cooch Behar, triggering a political storm, with the central forces claiming that shots were fired in selfdefence. The TMC, however, termed it a “coldblooded” murder to intimidate voters.
“During the 2017 Gorkhaland agitation, many people were killed... The TMC subsequently faced the music in the 2019 general election when it lost all eight Lok Sabha seats in north Bengal. This time, the BJP is set to meet the same fate,” he asserted.