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Hemmed in, Gurung looks for sympathy

Hemmed in, Gurung looks for sympathy

TT, Calcutta, Aug. 15: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung today said he was living in a "jungle" and had told his relatives and friends that he would return home after fulfilling the promise of Gorkhaland or die in the process, the speech being seen as an attempt to draw the sympathy of Darjeeling hill residents.
A day after responding to Union home minister Rajnath Singh's call and directing Morcha youth wing supporters to lift their indefinite hunger strike, which marked a softening of stand by the Morcha, Gurung attended an Independence Day event at the Ging Tea Estate, 20km from Darjeeling town.
"Till yesterday, I was staying in a jungle. From the jungle, I came to this playfield about an hour ago just to salute the national flag," Gurung said, adding that he had done so to prove the hill people's patriotism at a time the Bengal government was "trying to link" those fighting for statehood to Maoists and terrorists.
The Morcha chief made the jungle reference a day after police set up a camp at Malidhura and effectively took control of his stronghold, Tukvar.
The police now have camps both at the base (Malidhura) and the top (Singamari) of the Tukvar hills, hemming in Gurung, who lives in Patlebas situated in the middle, and keeping a tab on his moves.
The topography of the area is such that a person will have to pass through either Malidhura or Singamari to leave Patlebas.
"I had thought of hoisting the national flag from my office (also in Patlebas).... But the politics in Bengal is such that they have put about 400 to 500 SSB and CRPF personnel to stop me from hoisting the flag there," Gurung said.
"I have told my friends and relatives that if I die during this struggle, my body will enter my house, or else I will enter the house with Gorkhaland," he said.
Although the Morcha has shown signs of mellowing down by calling off the hunger strike and agreeing to talk to the Bengal government, Gurung tried to present a brave face by saying that so far, only "the trailer of the movie" had been released.
"Picture abhi baki hai (the film is yet to be completed)," he said.
Gurung said there was no question of calling off the indefinite hunger strike or providing any relaxation to tea gardens and urged people to fight for the cause even with just one meal a day.
"This strike could go on for another six to seven months. There is no question of providing relaxation to the tea estates or lifting the indefinite strike," Gurung said.

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