Darjeeling unrest: Mob chases West Bengal BJP chief, beats up party workers

An angry Ghosh claimed that 'goons were deployed' to disturb the meeting

A day after the Jana Andolan Party activists protested against his visit in Kalimpong, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh was on Thursday heckled, his party workers were roughed up and his meeting had to be aborted midway in hill town Darjeeling.

An angry Ghosh claimed that "goons were deployed" to disturb the meeting, and blamed the Binoy Tamang faction of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha for "roughing up" BJP activists. He also hinted that the instigation for the "attacks" could have come from "Kolkata" in an indication to the Mamata Banerjee government.

There were two incidents of protest against the BJP leader, who was first shown black flags and 'go back' posters by another hill-based outfit Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) on his way to Darjeeling.

Later, there were protests and demonstrations at the Bijoya Sammilani which he attanded in Darjeeling, forcing the organisers to cancel the function.

Television grab showed Ghosh being abused and heckled, BJP activists being beaten up amid shouts of "go back" on the road outside the function venue.

"Our meeting was attacked by goons who were drunk. Our people were beaten up. So we had to stop our meeting. On the road outside without any provocation, they chased our men and beat them up. Some of them (BJP activists) were bloodied. These are hired goons sent to create trouble. These are the same goons who have fomented unrest in the hills for three months," said Ghosh....Read more