Hills mourn Tamang

Ten GJM members resign after killing

Thousands of people joined the silent procession today to pay respect to the slain Gorkha League leader Madan Tamang as his body was taken through the main roads of Darjeeling before going to his ancestral village Meghma near Sandakphu. The Gorkha League leader was brutally murdered by a group of men allegedly belonging to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on Friday last. Madan Tamang, who of late was openly critical of the GJM leaders, was killed just before he was about to address a public rally. His associates lodged an FIR against some GJM workers for the murder and the top leaders for conspiring the assassination. But apart from detaining some 50 people, police have not taken any step.

While the administration remains passive, the people have taken a pro-active role to protest against the gruesome killing. On Saturday, at least five to six thousand people joined a candlelight march against the killing. Ever since the rise of Gorkhaland agitation in the area, Darjeeling has witnessed innumerable protest marches, candle light procession.

But all those were organised under one or the other political banner. Saturday’s candle light march was the first of its kind where no political banner was seen.

It seems the civil society of Darjeeling sent a clear signal to the GJM that they are not going to tolerate their diktats any longer. Last year, the GJM had enforced their own rules and code of conduct in the Hills.

The pressure is mounting on the GJM as 10 members of the central committee have resigned and severed their links with the party.

While Anmol Prasad had resigned yesterday, nine others resigned today. Some senior members like Amar Lama (cousin of Madan Tamang) are expected to resign shortly. According to people of Darjeeling, GJM activists have withdrawn from the streets and a good number of them have fled to neighbouring Sikkim fearing arrest.

This article had erroneously referred to Amar Lama as Kamal Lama. The error has been corrected.