Former Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha leader Binoy Tamang has protested against political programmes at the Darjeeling Gymkhana Club (DGC), one of the most prominent heritage landmark in Darjeeling town.

In a letter he sent to the club authorities, he was targeting his one-time ally-turned foe Anit Thapa who is planning to announce the formation of his new party in the Club on 9 September. In his letter to the DGC President today, Mr Tamang said, “The Darjeeling Gymkhana Club is a century-old reputed Club in India and has unique status with profound and glorified dignity.

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Unfortunately, since early 2008 till early 2017, the Club had witnessed varied political activities on its premises and property, deliberately used by political parties and outfits.” Mr Tamang has further maintained that after the political movement of 2017, the people in the Hills had urged the state government to bar all political events at the Chowrastha Mall, Gorkha Rangamanch Bhawan and Darjeeling Gymkhana Club.

He said that this was agreed upon in May 2018 and since then no such political events were held in these places, despite a few electoral events organised by outsiders who were not aware of the social and administrative stand. “I am not against anyone who is actively involved in politics, as I also have a  political background.

However, the decision to hold a political programme at the Darjeeling Gymkhana Club Skating Hall is an insult to the public stand that had been taken earlier,” said Mr Tamang.

“A press statement was issued yesterday that a political programme will be held on the 9th of this month. If it is true then, being a member of the Darjeeling Gymkhana Club, I strongly and vehemently oppose the permission given by the Club authorities,” he said, adding that he has requested them to look into his stand so that Gymkhana Club can be “saved.”

Mr Tamang also appealed to Mr Thapa and his entire team to arrange their programme elsewhere if they loved Darjeeling. As part of Mr Thapa’s “new equation” in Hill politics, he is all set to float a new party, as he has already resigned from a faction of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha that he led until recently.