Gorkhaland agitation leader Bimal Gurung on Friday told the Supreme Court that the Mamata Bannerjee government in West Bengal was pursuing double standards.
Mr. Gurung said he had been reduced to a fugitive by the same State government that once endowed him with Cabinet status and police protection after the tri-partite accord in 2011 for a separate Gorkhaland.
Arguing before a Bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and Ashok Bhushan, senior advocate P.S. Patwalia, for Mr. Gurung, submitted that the 70-odd FIRs registered against him were part of the political persecution unleashed against him by a government led by a Chief Minister who is opposed “tooth-and-nail against me [Gurung] and Gorkhaland.”
'GJM broken by government'
Mr. Patwalia, in his submissions, said the party Mr. Gurung founded — Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) — has been “broken” by the State government. He alleged that “21 of his people were killed by the State government”, and demanded a CBI investigation.
He said the Gorkhaland Territorial Authority was set up post the 2011 accord, involving the Centre, West Bengal government and the GJM, and it was given the go-ahead to administer Darjeeling and the surrounding areas.
Mr. Patwalia argued that as per clause 29 of this accord, all cases prior to 2011 had to be closed. “Now they say I am a fugitive. It is very sad,” he submitted.
Mr. Gurung has moved the Supreme Court under the extraordinary Article 32 of the Constitution for protection against arrest. He is believed to be on the run from West Bengal police.
“Badge of honour”
The State government accused Mr. Gurung of wearing his FIRs as a “badge of honour.” Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted that Mr. Gurung had over 20 criminal cases under trial alone.
Submitting that the man was absconding and was not even available for questioning for the past three months, Mr. Singhvi said an adverse order from this court would demoralise the police force and make the State machinery feel impotent.
Mr. Singhvi said the Gorkha agitations in Darjeeling has cost two policemen their lives and over 120 were injured. Government, police and private properties were either vandalised or subjected to arson.
“It is jungle raj, complete anarchy,” Mr. Singhvi submitted. The court allowed Mr. Gurung to file an affidavit and posted the matter on Tuesday (November 28).
Meanwhile, the court obliged the West Bengal’s request to caution Mr. Gurung against giving any speeches and rock the boat till November 28.
