DARJEELING,: Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGMP) president and Gorkhaland Territorial Administration chief executive Anit Thapa on Monday issued a stern warning to his party leaders accused of threatening people and demanding money over disputed properties.
Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony for three new shopping complexes at Chowk Bazaar, Thapa said, “I am hearing that some of our own party leaders are threatening people with disputed property and asking them for money. This type of work should be stopped or I will take them out of the party and slowly again restart the party,” said Thapa.
“This party was made to remove such things. Anyone who is facing such issues regarding their private or disputed property then they can approach me, and I will deal with it,” he added.
Stressing the importance of the new shopping complexes, Thapa highlighted their potential to resolve longstanding issues in Darjeeling such as parking shortages. “We have not been able to move forward in Darjeeling and we are in a stalemate, but this type of building can solve different issues like the parking problem also. We can have a parking lot on the lower floor of the building. This is just the start. There are a lot of municipality buildings that will be made similarly,” he said.
Thapa also spoke about the removal of an old British-era structure to make way for the new complexes. “We removed a structure that was there from the British period where these complexes will be made. No one had dared to do so and there are a lot more such things to do. There are a lot of places in Darjeeling in the town area which is under the Municipality. If the Municipality completes this project in a good manner and gives it properly to the people, then in other places also everyone will cooperate,” he said, assuring that the livelihoods of those displaced by such projects would be safeguarded.
Referring to his earlier promise about clearing Mall Road of hawkers, Thapa remarked, “Similarly, in Mall Road I had promised I would empty it and I did that with no hawkers there now. For this I did not even have to use force or anything like that and I am also making a place for them.”
