Darjeeling: The Binay Tamang lobby of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on Monday released a statement describing the chain of events when the Gorkhaland agitation was at its peak in the hills a year ago.

On August 6 last year, police had raided Bimal Gurung's Patlebas office in Darjeeling prompting him to go into hiding. Gurung is underground till date.

The statement titled "We fought a leaderless battle. 6th August is the day when Gorkhaland was defeated in 2017", was issued by Satish Pokhrel, vice-president of the Morcha. It reads: "This exact day, the aspiration of thousands washed off, when the so called brave leader of Gorkhas, Bimal Gurung, ran for his life making mockery out of the sacrifices given by the martyrs. He chose his personal well being over the cause of Gorkhas and absconded when Darjeeling Police raided Gurung's strong hold in the midst of the agitation last year.

"In July there were more people on streets than police in hills and that the forces were on the back foot 'as they didn't want to aggravate the boiling situation after death of nearly12 people then'."

"That was the time when Bimal Gurung should have come out in the public and showed his appearance as the agitation was seen to be going nowhere and the fact of 'no leader on the ground' too could not be ignored. In this given situation, the role of Binay Tamang has to be appreciated. Even Maan Ghisingh was seen leading GNLF rallies and Binay Tamang made an attempt to meet the sitting in for a hunger strike in Chowrasta."

"There was a desperate attempt by GJM leadership begging Bimal Gurung to come to out and address the public but all went for vain as Bimal Gurung was reluctant to come out and he claimed to say that there would 'be law and order' situation."

Pokhrel said that Darjeeling police had even given Gurung a chance to attend the 13th June, all party meeting in Gymkhana club "which he denied saying that police could not be trusted."

On the 53rd day of the 104-day strike (last year), police had conducted its first raid in Patlebas, the leader said.

Pokhrel than describes the situation of Patlebas saying that it was guarded by 1,000 boys in black masks with patang (a long sharp weapon) checking on visitors who came to visit Gurung, after every kilometre.

"The people feared that these armed masked men would attack the police....but on contrary, these masked men were seeing fleeing for their lives while the police slowly approached down....The news of the police raid quickly reached Bimal Gurung who had his camp in Singla. Instead of tackling with the police and facing them, Gurung crossed the border and entered Sikkim for his safety," said Pokhrel.

"This was day when police got the pulse of the coward leader and from that day the police never took a 'U' turn on him."

"Is Bimal Gurung the real leader of billion Gorkhas? If you still nod your heads in agreement, then why would such a leader leave the agitation directionless and abscond? Should we consider the fugitive, our leader?," Pokhrel asked the hill people through the statement.