Bharati Tamang (second from right) and other ABGL leaders at the meeting in Kurseong on Friday. Picture by Suman Tamang

Darjeeling, Aug. 13: The ABGL organised a meeting in Kurseong today after its efforts to hold political programmes in the hills had been scuttled twice in the past fortnight by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

The last meeting held by the ABGL was at Kaijhalay in Bijanbari block in mid-July. Since then, no meeting could be organised by the oldest party in the hills, as the Morcha or its frontal organisations called strikes to synchronise with the ABGL’s programmes.

The ABGL had planned a meeting at Sukhiapokhri on July 30, but it was postponed after the Morcha had called a general strike on the same day. Although the Morcha had not said directly that it would not allow the ABGL to hold public meetings, the message was very clear when Bimal Gurung’s party had called the strike at Sukhiapokhri “to maintain peace in the region”.

The ABGL cancelled the meeting at the last moment and instead, announced a similar programme in Kurseong on August 10.

However, the Kurseong meeting, too, had to be postponed with the Morcha-affiliated Janmukti Chalak Mahasangh, a union of transporters, deciding to call a general strike on August 10 to protest against the delay in repairing NH55 and the rise in the prices of essential food commodities.

“We are determined to hold public meeting across the hills in the days to come,” Dawa Sherpa, the working president of the ABGL, told the gathering in Kurseong.

Most of the leaders spoke against the interim set-up at the meeting, saying it was not the demand of the general public. “Interim set-up is not something that the people have longed. It is a demand made by a particular party and not by the public. So, if it is implemented, it should be kept by the party to themselves,” said Sherpa.

“We are only opposing those people who have lied to the public, have misused mid-day meals funds and have terrorised the common people,” said Sherpa.

The meeting was also attended by Bharati Tamang, the widow of slain ABGL leader Madan Tamang. “I am sad that all those involved in the murder of my husband have not yet been booked. I will continue the fight for justice no matter how long it takes,” said Bharati Tamang, who is also the president of the party.