State president of BJP in West Bengal, Dilip Ghosh again faced protests in the Darjeeling-hills. On Tuesday, the people of the hill showed him black flags as well as a long demonstration was held surrounding his car. On the way up the hill (Darjeeling), he had to hear the slogan of ‘Go back’ in several places.
The BJP state president after leaving Kolkata arrived at Bagdogra airport this morning to join the party’s transformation programme in Darjeeling. He was accompanied by Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh. With regards to the black flags and the Go Back slogans, Ghosh blamed TMC for the incidents.
Even after landing at Bagdogra airport, Ghosh did not realize that he would have to face embarrassment again on the way up the hill(towards Darjeeling). His claims about the BJP’s political capital in the hills of Darjeeling will possibly be proved wrong, given that a crucial political player, Bimal Gurung, has switched his support to the TMC-camp. Ghosh said, “Everything will change from the plains to the hills. The hills (Darjeeling) and hills’ people need development. But the state government did not pay attention to that.”
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Dilip Ghosh also verbally attacked his erstwhile-ally Bimal Gurung and his remarks that the people of the hills are no longer accepting him (Dilip Ghosh) for what he has done with the people of the hills. Ghosh said, “Everyone in the hills wants BJP. We are going to give the message that we are with them.”
Within hours of making this statement, however, the BJP state president realized how angry the hill people were with his party. As soon as Dilip Ghosh’s convoy climbed the hills of Darjeeling, the locals first blocked the road near Karshiang railway station and showed him a black flag. Then he had to face the black flags at Ghum & Darjeeling railway stations also.
Few years back in 2016, Dilip Ghosh had to face protests in the hills of Darjeeling. In that year, after huge protests & associated movements in the context of the Gorkhaland issue, the hills & the populace had just begun to settle down with tensions calming down. Ghosh had come to Darjeeling at that time. On a particular day, the people of Shailshahar had not only protested against him, but had also almost attacked him. At that time, however, he blamed Binoy Tamang for the incident.
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Today, after the protests and the slogans, Dilip Ghosh has pointed the finger of blame towards Bimal Gurung, apart from TMC, without naming him. Ghosh is reluctant to give importance to today’s events of protests against him. He stated that in order to make their existence known, some people are carrying out such incidents.
Dilip Ghosh added that, despite the black flags and protests on the way, the rally at the Darjeeling Motor Stand did not fail to win the hearts of the hill people. He assured that BJP would come to power and solve all the problems of the hill-people. Raju Bista, BJP MP from Darjeeling, said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had done nothing for the hill, further adding that those who want to see Ms. Banerjee in the Chief Minister’s chair for the third time will not be satisfied.
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Meanwhile, on his way to Raiganj after completing his Darjeeling programme, Dilip Ghosh spent some time at the BJP’s party office in Islampur.
“Those who once considered Darjeeling as their zamindari have now collapsed,” Ghosh told reporters after the black flags were displayed in Darjeeling. Referring to the recent spate of defections, he added that TMC-people are joining BJP, hence others are shouting. He added that after two or four months, they (the protesters) will not be found.
