Won't let any agency eliminate Bimal Gurung: Ahluwalia

Jalpaiguri, Feb 17 :  Union Minister and Darjeeling MP S.S. Ahluwalia said that some agencies want to "eliminate" Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung, but he will do his bit to protect the absconding leader.

"I want to tell entire Darjeeling that some agencies want to eliminate him. They want to kill him in police encounter," Ahluwalia said in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri on Friday.

"I'll not allow any agency to eliminate Gurung. I always stand by him...," he said.

GJM chief Gurung, who once termed himself as the "Chief Minister of the Bengal hills", has been on the run since August last year after the West Bengal CID charged him with Unlawful Activities (Prevention) in the case of two separate bomb blasts in the hills within 24 hours and issued a lookout notice against him.

Refuting Ahluwalia's allegations, GJM leader and current head of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Binay Tamang said the political culture in the hills had changed and stated that nobody had any life threats in the hills now.

"The political culture in the hills has changed. No one needs to be killed in the present scenario. Nobody has any life threats here," said Tamag, who distanced himself from Gurung following a discord and became close to Bengal government.