Morcha accuses IG of intimidating voters – At EC door with charges against Tamta

Darjeeling, April 20: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has complained to the Election Commission against the inspector-general of police of north Bengal for allegedly intimidating and threatening its supporters in the plains.

Roshan Giri, general secretary of the Morcha, said: “The officer has been misusing his official position for sometime. We have faxed a complaint to the EC against K.L. Tamta for intimidating our supporters in the plains.”

The complaint comes 12 days after Darjeeling police started a suo motu case (on April 8 ) against Morcha chief Bimal Gurung for telling the minority Tibetan community that his outfit would keep an eye on their votes. Tibetans are considered traditional Congress voters although the community has publicly vouched support for the BJP this time. The Morcha, whose writ runs in the hills, is backing Jaswant Singh who has been fielded by the BJP for the Darjeeling constituency.

Gurung had been booked under Section 171(f) of the IPC for trying to unduly influence the electorate.

In today’s complaint, the Morcha alleged that Tamta was using people connected with the murder of C.K. Pradhan, a former GNLF leader, to frighten its supporters. “The people Tamta is using are extortionists against whom various cases have been lodged in some police stations,” said Giri.

Accusing Tamta of working for the CPM, Giri said: “He is behaving like a CPM cadre. Whenever Jibesh Sarkar (CPM candidate) moves around for his campaigns the officer posts at least 100 police personnel in a bid to create a fear psychosis among our supporters in the plains.”

Tamta while denying the allegations said: “Ask them whether anyone has lodged a complaint that they are being threatened. Who are the people that I am allegedly using? Are they on my pay roll?”

The Morcha said if needed it would furnish proof in support of its charges. Even during the tripartite meeting in New Delhi on December 29, 2008, the Morcha had complained against Tamta. “From the time I took charge (of north Bengal), they are having nightmares and speaking against me,” said Tamta.

Surendra Gupta, the district magistrate of Darjeeling, today said it had come to the administration’s notice that certain political parties were telling voters that their supporters could detect where an individual had cast his vote. “I want to assure people that their votes will be kept under secrecy,” Gupta said.

The counting for Darjeeling constituency will take place in Siliguri and the hill town. With 45,000 voters yet to get EPICs, the administration has decided to continue with a drive to issue cards till April 23. “Even if everybody does not get EPIC, the voters can show the 13 other documents (permitted by the EC) to cast their votes,” said Gupta.

source: The Telegraph