GJM to attend talks with the State Government
Darjeeling,
August
25,
2017:
West
Bengal
Chief
Minister
Mamata
Banerjee
has
stated
that
she
has
not
received
any
letter
from
Gorkha
Janmukti
Morcha
Chief
Bimal
Gurung
but
has
stated
that
the
State
Government
has
received
a
letter
from
GJM
Chief
Coordinator
Binay
Tamang.
She
stated
that
the
GJM
will
be
attending
the
all
Hill
party
talks
called
by
the
State
Government
on
August
29
at
Nabannya,
the
State
Secretary
in
Howrah.
According to a letter circulated by the GJM amongst media persons Gurung who has recently gone incommunicado had shot a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee requesting the CM to initiate a political dialogue on Gorkhaland to help resolve the present crisis of Darjeeling.
The letter dated August 22 (which General Secretary Roshan Giri claimed was dispatched on 23rd evening) presented a charter of demands including withdrawal of all cases old and new filed against agitators and release of those detained during agitation. Gurung recently has been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the Darjeeling and Kalimpong blasts.
The
letter
demanded
a
CBI
or
Judicial
inquiry
into
the
deaths
caused
due
to
police
action
and
compensation
to
the
family
of
the
victims;
Restoration
of
supplies
of
food
and
essential
commodities;
Withdrawal
of
all
cases
old
and
new
filed
against
agitators
and
release
of
those
detained
during
agitation;
Ensure
restoration
of
internet,
cable
TV
and
local
TV
channels
along
with
provide
to
all
those
families
whose
kin
have
been
killed
in
police
firing
and
also
compensation
for
those
who
have
been
injured.
"I would like to appeal to you that that the State Government must take appropriate measures to address all related issues including the present crisis on a permanent basis and ensure that normalcy returns to Darjeeling so that people of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Siliguri, Terai and Dooars can get their rightful due," stated the letter.
The letter claimed that despite the shortage of food, vegetables and essential commodities, people are willing to continue with the bandh till the Gorkhaland demand is fulfilled. Incidentally an indefinite bandh has been clamped in Darjeeling since June 15.
The letter stated that the two failed Councils in Darjeeling namely the DGHC and GTA should pave way to "learn" from previous mistakes that "experimental models" to temporarily curb people's aspiration for separation from West Bengal has not worked in the past nor present.
The GJM had organised a rally in Kurseong on Thursday. "We will be attending the meeting called by the CM. On Friday there will be a GJM meeting to chalk out the strategy that GJM will adopt in the Kolkata meet" stated DK Pradhan, Central committee member, GJM.
The Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (A conglomeration of 14 pro- Gorkhaland outfits) has a meeting in Kalimpong on Friday to chalk out their strategy regarding the State Government meeting in Kolkata on August 29.
Meanwhile there were reports of a blast in Lodhama, 37 km from Darjeeling, in the wee hours of Thursday. A police source stated that at around 1pm there was a low intensity blast on the Link Road.
The blast site is around 700m above the Lodhama police station. There was no reports of any loss of life or injury. Incidentally there have been blasts at the motor stand in Darjeeling, police station in Kalimpong and the police station at Sukhiapokhari.
OneIndia News