Religious drive to oust Ghisingh

Darjeeling, Jan. 21: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha will launch a clean-up drive on the Mahakal Mandir premises tomorrow, a symbolic move to rid the temple and its surrounding of “political pollutants”.

The reference here is to GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh, who had made the goddess in the temple a witness to his promise to get Gorkhaland for the people of the hills in the eighties.

Confirming the move, Puran Thami, the general secretary of the Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha (the youth wing), said: “For a long time, this place has been polluted by political leaders, who have made only false promises. The youths of the town committee have now decided to clean the temple of political pollutants.”

The youths will assemble at Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan ground in town before 8am tomorrow and proceed towards the temple.

“The purpose of the drive is to cleanse the hills of all the wrongs done by Ghisingh who forced people to adopt religious practices like offering tongba, an alcoholic drink, to the gods,” said Dinesh Gurung, the president of the Morcha town committee.