Kolkata, Dec 30 (IANS) Two days after announcing his decision to quit Trinamool Congress, veteran leader from Darjeeling Binoy Tamang on Friday lambasted the leadership of West Bengal’s ruling party for “betraying” the people of the hills.
“I joined Trinamool Congress after the assurance from the leadership that the state government will take appropriate action to grant land deeds to the people of the hills. I have time and again appealed to the Trinamool Congress leadership to take measures to protect democracy in the hills. All I received were promises which were never fulfilled,” Tamang told media persons on Friday.
Expressing frustration over the development, he said that in the hills, most of the land is vested and hence, the process of granting land deeds here would not have been complicated. “But despite my repeated requests, the process is yet to start. I have written letters to party leadership to take steps in controlling rampant corruption in government functioning in the hills. But all my appeals were ignored. But one day or the other the ruling party leadership will have to counter these issues,” he said.
Asked about his future political plans, Tamang said that politics these days are like football. “I have been receiving calls from several places since the time of my announcement to quit Trinamool Congress. I have to decide which club to join. But I will only join that force which will fight for the self-respect of the Gorkha clan,” he said.
On Wednesday, just hours after Anit Thapa-led Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM)-Trinamool alliance took control of the Darjeeling Municipality following a no-confidence motion against the previous board controlled by Ajay Edwards’s Hamro Party, Tamang announced his decision to sever all ties with the Trinamool.
He said that the manner in which the Trinamool and the BGPM took control over the Darjeeling Municipality by alluring six erstwhile Hamro Party councillors was against all democratic norms and an insult to the people of the hills.
–IANS
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