Bharati fast on as bail hearing is delayed
– Doctor checks on abgl chief on hunger strike
Writes Vivek Chhetri
ABGL chief Bharati Tamang, with her eyes covered, lies at the protest site in Darjeeling’s Chowrasta on Monday. Near her head is the photograph of her husband Madan Tamang, who was murdered by alleged Morcha activists in May 2010. Picture by Suman Tamang
Darjeeling, June 15: The indefinite fast by ABGL president Bharati Tamang to demand the arrest of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders in connection with her husband’s assassination entered its second day today.
There was a hint from the Democratic Front camp since early this morning that there would be a re-look at the decision to go on the hunger strike depending on the outcome of a hearing in Calcutta High Court where Bimal Gurung and other Morcha leaders and activists had filed petitions seeking anticipatory bail.
However, the high court didn’t take up the anticipatory bail applications today and the matter is likely to come up for hearing tomorrow.
Bharati, 69, had started the indefinite hunger strike at Chowrasta here yesterday. The CBI had named Gurung and 22 others from the Morcha in a chargesheet filed in a court in Calcutta on May 29. Madan Tamang was hacked to death in Darjeeling on May 21, 2010.
The front, which comprises ABGL, CPRM, GNLF and Sikkim-Darjeeling Ekikaran Manch, has been demanding that the CBI immediately arrest the Morcha leaders since there is no stay on the execution of arrest warrants issued by the court against the 23 accused. Sources in the Morcha said the bail petitions were listed in court 26 of Justice Ashim Kumar Roy and Justice Malay Marut Banerjee for hearing today.
While the case of Bimal Gurung versus CBI was listed as case number 15, the bail petitions of Asha Gurung and others, Binay Tamang and others and Roshan Giri versus CBI were listed as case numbers 16, 17 and 18, respectively.
“Our anticipatory bail applications did not come up for hearing today. It is likely to come up for hearing tomorrow,” said a Morcha leader.
Following the developments in Calcutta today, Bharati Tamang decided to continue with the indefinite hunger strike.
“We have decided to continue with the indefinite hunger strike. Let us see what happens tomorrow. We will review the emerging situation,” said Govind Chhetri, the spokesman for the CPRM, late in the evening.
Front leaders are closely monitoring developments in Calcutta. They are of the opinion that they will not have to continue with the indefinite strike if the court doesn’t grant anticipatory bail to the accused. However, if bail is granted, the front leaders are expected to review the situation and act accordingly.
Lobsang Bhutia, a doctor from the Darjeeling district hospital, checked Bharati’s health condition today.
“She is a hypertension patient and she has also stopped taking medicines. That is why her pressure is fluctuating. It is on the higher side. I also asked if she had any specific complaint and so far, she does not.”
Around 30 supporters were beside Bharati at the venue of the hunger strike today as a handful of security persons watched the situation.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to reach Darjeeling on June 17.
“She will be holding an administrative meeting with district officials at the Darjeeling Tourist Lodge at 4pm on June 17. We haven’t received any specific schedule about her June 18 stay. She will, however, be leaving Darjeeling only on June 19,” said an administrative source.
Bharati Tamang refuses to call of hunger strike
DARJEELING, 15 Jun 2015: Slain All India Gorkha League (AIGL) leader Madan Tamang’s widow Bharati has refused to call off her indefinite hunger strike that she started on Sunday, demanding immediate arrest of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) even as the hearing for the anticipatory bail in the High Court, on Monday was deferred till Tuesday.
On Sunday, the police had tried in vain to persuade Bharati to not sit for the hunger strike citing possible inconvenience to visiting tourists. A commotion had started between AIGL supporters and the police forcing deployment of state police and para-military forces at Chowrastha where Bharati is staging her indefinite hunger strike.
The CBI has named 23 GJM leaders and activists including party chief Bimal Gurung in their final charge sheet. The city and session’s court in Kolkata has issued a warrant of arrest against the twenty-three GJM leaders.
The accused have applied for anticipatory bail in the Kolkata High Court and a hearing was scheduled for today. However, the hearing has been differed and will take place on Tuesday.
The doctor who checked Bharati on Monday said her blood pressure was high but did not have other complications. “She has stopped her medication because of which Bharati’s pressure has gone high. I have advised her to continue her medication,” said Lopsang Bhutia.
Members of the Democratic Front (DF), a conglomeration of four political outfits which include the AIGL remained with Bharati throughout the day to extend support. “Why is the CBI not arresting the accused even though there is not stay against the warrant? We want immediate action by the central agency and uphold the democracy,” said Pratap Khati, the DF convener and AIGL general secretary.
The Front comprises the AIGL, Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxist (CPRM), Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and the Sikkim Darjeeling Ekikaran Manch (SDEM).
Madan Tamang was murdered in broad daylight on May 21, 2010 at the Upper Clubside area while overseeing preparation for a public meeting on that fateful day.
In the afternoon Mahendra P Lama, president of the Darjeeling Dooars United Development Foundation (DDUDF), an apolitical entity paid a visit and offered a word of advice to Tamang’s widow. However, Lama refused to say what. “I do not want to make any comment. We all are here in our individual capacity on humanitarian ground. We are together because it (murder) was a crime against humanity,” he said, adding that the foundation was not part of the DF.
Lama had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election as an Independent from the Darjeeling constituency against the BJP supported by GJM and the Trinamool Congress. (EOIC)
Bharti Tamang on fast; stops taking medicines
Darjeeling, | 16 June, 2015: Bharati Tamang, the widow of former president of the All India Gorkha League (AIGL), Madan Tamang, continued her hunger strike for the second day on Monday.
Tamang has been staging the fast at the Hawa Ghar in Chowrastha here, demanding immediate arrest of 23 Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) leaders whose names have appeared in the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Tamang murder case.
Tamang was murdered on 21 May 2010 during an AIGL rally at Clubside in Darjeeling in broad daylight. She had gone on the fast despite refusal of permission by the Darjeeling Municipality and the District Administration asserting that the situation in Darjeeling was not advisable for staging the protest.
Tamang, 69, refused to take medicines for high blood pressure on Monday when a doctor checked her and asked her to start taking the medicines. According to the doctor, her blood pressure has gone up as she has abruptly stopped taking the medicines.
Members of the newly formed Democratic Front are with her ever since she launched the fast on Sunday afternoon. The president of the Darjeeling Dooars United Development Foundation (DDUDP) Mahendra P Lama on Monday visited Ms Tamang and garlanded her with the traditional ‘khada’ (scarf) and extended his support in her struggle for justice.
Meanwhile, the CRPF and police personnel were seen patrolling the Chowrastha area on Monday. The strike, however, did not disturb tourists visiting Chowrastha. Meanwhile, the assistant secretary of the GJMM, Darjeeling sub-division committee, Minu Tamang, said in a press release that an important meeting organised by the GJMM committee on Monday decided that no matter what the outcome of the present situation, the party needs to have patience and discipline. “The party also needs to stay away from any kind of provocation from the Opposition parties. Patience is the call of the hour,” she said. SNS
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