Morcha meet plan for May 21

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Darjeeling, May 18: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has once again adopted the tactics to spoil its rivals’ programmes by deciding to hold a public meeting in Darjeeling on May 21, the day the ABGL has planned a memorial service for Madan Tamang. The decision of the predominant party in the Darjeeling hills has raised the possibility of a showdown here given the fact that the ABGL has already invited all anti-Morcha outfits to its programme. The ABGL will hold the event at Clubside, the spot where Tamang was hacked to death by alleged Morcha supporters on May 21, 2010. The party has already got permission to hold the meeting. Sources in Darjeeling Sadar police station today said the Morcha, too, has applied for permission to bring out a rally from Darjeeling Railway Station to Chowk Bazar where it plans to hold a public meeting. “In our opinion, there is no question of giving permission for the rally as it could result in law and order problems. 

It would be better if the Morcha restricts itself to a public meeting at Chowk Bazar,” said a police officer. However, the Morcha is yet to get consent to organise the public meeting. The subdivisional administration gives a party permission to use public address system but only after the local police station gives the clearance. The distance between Clubside and Chowk Bazar is about half a kilometre. Whenever ABGL or other parties had tried to assemble their supporters in the past, the Morcha would hold its own programmes at the same venues or use force to scuttle the rivals’ events. Dawa Lama, the treasurer of the Morcha, admitted that the party had sought permission to organise the rally and public meeting on May 21. Asked if it was a move to scuttle the ABGL’s event, Lama replied in the negative. “Our decision has nothing to do with the programmes of other political parties. We have decided to hold a meeting on various organisational matters,” he said. The ABGL reacted with caution to the Morcha’s plan. “Is it so? I don’t think they should be doing such a thing (organise a meeting on May 21). After all, we will be holding only a memorial service,” said Laxman Pradhan, the general secretary of the ABGL. Observers, however, believe the ABGL won’t be able to hold a grand event on Monday. “With Morcha supporters out on the streets, ABGL members would probably feel intimidated. Other than hard core supporters, the common people will be uncomfortable attending the service,” said an observer.