Prashant Tamang, the popular singer and winner of Indian Idol 3, has passed away at the age of 43 in Delhi due to a cardiac arrest. While fans mourn his sudden demise, many have also recalled a defining episode from his life that altered the political landscape of the Darjeeling hills and the broader North East region.
A Throwback to a Controversial Remark
In 2007, a Delhi-based radio jockey at Red FM aired racist comment regarding Tamang’s victory on Indian Idol. The insensitive remark targeted the Gorkha community which resulted in widespread outrage.
A journalist’s throwback post show a seemingly trivial joke spiraled into a major crisis, shaking the hills that had remained relatively stable for nearly two decades under the leadership of Subhas Ghisingh.
Unrest Erupts Across the Hills
The broadcast fueled violent protests and unrest across the Darjeeling hills and neighbouring Siliguri. Fueled by ethnic pride and long-standing grievances, thousands took to the streets. In Siliguri, a procession of around 2,000 people marching to submit a protest memorandum clashed with locals and police. The situation quickly escalated into arson, stone-pelting, and vandalism, with vehicles and shops set ablaze and more than 30 people injured.
With normal life disrupted across Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, curfews were imposed. The Indian Army and Border Security Force (BSF) were brought in to conduct flag marches and restore order.
The Centre responded swiftly. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting issued a show-cause notice and imposed a one-week ban on Red FM. A Darjeeling court issued an arrest warrant against the RJ, though the Supreme Court later stayed it. Amid the chaos, Tamang himself appealed for peace.
Political Shakeup in the Hills
The unrest exposed deep cracks in the existing leadership. Subhas Ghisingh’s muted response alienated many. Capitalising on his massive SMS voting campaign for Tamang, Bimal Gurung broke away and launched the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on October 7, 2007 rekindling the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state.
What began as a single insensitive remark fueled into riots, security force intervention and a seismic political shift ending Ghisingh’s dominance and ushering in a new era of hill politics under the GJM.
