The Darjeeling hills heaved a sigh of relief on Sunday after rival hill parties, the Bimal Gurung-led Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, and Anit Thapa’s Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), withdrew their respective May 14 events, easing fears of political confrontation and disruption to tourism in the peak season.
The Morcha had earlier announced that it would organise a rally from Chowrasta to Lal Khoti and gherao the GTA headquarters at Lal Kothi to protest alleged corruption in the hill body currently headed by Thapa.
Thapa, on his part, stated that the party would organise a “peace rally” in Darjeeling on the same day to protest against alleged attempts to “disrupt peace” in Darjeeling.
Thapa’s party, an ally of the Trinamool Congress in the hills, drew a blank in the Assembly polls this time. The Morcha-backed Noman Rai won the Darjeeling seat on a BJP ticket.
Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the Morcha, on Sunday said their party’s event has been postponed.
“We have decided to postpone the gherao. Instead, a nine-member delegation of the party will meet the GTA’s chief secretary and will raise the corruption issue with him,” said Giri.
Thapa, who had threatened a counter-peace rally if the Morcha went ahead with its event, also reacted immediately.
“I heard that the gherao has been withdrawn and we too will not organise the rally. This is not a time for gherao. The hills are on the path of peace and development and I also request Bimal Gurung jiu to take that path,” said Thapa.
Thapa, the GTA chief, said that the Morcha could raise any issue. “If you (Gurung) have suspicions over anything (corruption), write to the government. Write to the government, right from 2011,” said Thapa, a former lieutenant of Gurung.
Gurung headed the GTA from 2011 to 2017.
Later in the day, Thapa wrote to the newly elected BJP chief minister of Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, congratulating him on assuming office.
Thapa stressed on peace in the Darjeeling hills.
“The GTA remains committed to maintaining peace, harmony, stability and constructive cooperation in the region. Under my leadership, the Darjeeling Hills have witnessed a sustained period of peace and stability, with no political strikes or unrest since 2017,” wrote Thapa.
The decision of the two hill parties to cancel their events has come as a major relief to the general public and tourism stakeholders.
“Tourist footfall is slowly picking up after a lull due to SIR and the election. Even a day of unrest can disrupt the tourism industry for extended periods. Announcements by both parties are a welcome relief for tourism stakeholders across the region,” said a hotelier.