Govt hardens stance on GJM

KOLKATA: The state government has hardened its stance on GJM. The war between the government and the GJM was more than apparent in the inquiry report submitted by Jalpaiguri district magistrate Vandana Yadav.

The mandatory magisterial report on the incident leading to the police firing at Sibchu reads: "Seeing video footage and assessment of the ground situation after visiting the area, my assessment is that the incident was a premeditated attempt only to instigate violence".

According to the report submitted by Yadav, "the civil and police administrations have shown tremendous restraint since the beginning of the agitation on January 17 (the day when Section 144 was first clamped)", and "the firing was done in self-defence". It rules out compensation from the district administration "as the cause of injury and death was criminal law violation".

Clearly, the government is in no mood to compromise with GJM and is keeping all its facts in order to counter allegations by Trinamool Congress that the police firing was deliberate and the government was trying to jeopardize talks and instigate violence in the Hills to defer the assembly elections.

A senior official at Writers' Buildings said, "We have the video clippings to prove that GJM is out to create trouble because it is losing ground in the run-up to the tripartite talks. We will expose the clippings if needed."

The DM's report said, "The entire incident (on February 8), was videographed by police." It said, "A number of people in the mob took khukris and a woman home guard Karuna Tigga was attacked and badly injured. The police, at this point, started firing to avoid further injuries to its personnel from the khukris and stones being used by the agitators. Seven rounds were fired in self-defence. Two persons were killed in the firing."

The report has graphic descriptions on how tension was built up from February 7 leading to the firing the next day. "On 7 January, about 500 supporters of GJM started pitching tents in the reserved forest area... the agitators were informed that Section 144 CrPC has been promulgated in the area ... but the agitators did not pay any heed to the warning and started pelting stones at the police. Once vehicle was damaged and a police person was badly injured," reads an excerpt.

The government is paying the price of dallying and playing safe in the GJM agitation.
Gurung and his gang were on the back foot after they had murdered Tamang and people expected strong action against them.
The thug Gurung should have been arrested with all his henchmen when the reentered Darjeeling in cavalcade of 40 cars, in a show of strength.
The people would have appreciated the action of the government and his clout would have reduced.
By watching silently, the government has allowed him to regain his clout.
The state government should use this opportunity to arrest Gurung & Co and slap this and the Tamang murder cases on them.
If necessary, Mamata too should be arrested.
We are fed up of her tantrums of crying wolf.
She plays with the Maoist at night and blames them during the day.
Now she wants to play to the GJM gallery to win from Darjeeling