All hopes of sidelined chief of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha Bimal Gurung to return over ground and join the mainstream politics suffered a big jolt after the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed his petition seeking protection against arrest by the Mamata Banerjee Government which had allegedly booked him on a number of “false charges.” Gurung also demanded an independent probe into the cases slapped against him.
Hearing a plea from the former Gorkhaland Territorial Authority chairman who was currently at large with the State police hot in his trail the Apex Court said the case did not merit a relief.
Rejecting the petition the Bench of Justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan ruled, “it cannot be said to be a case of individual persecution by the State.” The Court had in November last year directed the State police not to take any coercive step against Gurung who had reportedly been sneaking in and out of Darjeeling; sometimes even to Sikkim.
Gurung claimed that he was an ideal victim of political persecution where the State Government had framed false cases. The dethroned GJM chief who had in 2011 struck an a peace accord with the new Mamata Banerjee Government whereby the new GTA was formed with Gurung as its head. However subsequently he raised his voice against the Chief Minister for refusing to transfer power and fund to the autonomous GTA as per the agreement and revived the demand for a separate Gorkhaland State.
Subsequently a 4-month Darjeeling bandh was called leading to clashes between the police and the armed GTA supporters leading to half-a-dozen deaths including those of men in uniform.
Even as continuous bandh told upon the economic health of the Hill people triggering a large-scale discontent Benay Tamang a rebel GJM leader raised his voice against Gurung getting the party central committee to suspend him for six months. The Chief Minister quickly lapped up the opportunity backing Tamang and forming a new GTA by dissolving the old body.
With the Government having slapped 53 FIRs — including under the UAPA — against Gurung who was already facing trial in another 24 cases as well he was forced to go into hiding with police hot in his trail.
His attempts at extracting some moral support from Sikkim leadership also failed to produce desired results. Meanwhile, he moved the Apex Court agaisnt what he called “political victimization” by the Government. Though he got some initial relief with the Court on November 20 restraining the Bengal Police from taking any coercive steps against him it vacated the order on Friday. In a parallel development the Bengal Chief Minister on Friday held a long meeting with her Sikkim counterpart Pawan Kumar Chamling at Siliguri. She later told the media that the meeting was fruitful adding both the States had agreed to shoulder responsibilities for peace and progress of the region.