Darjeeling: Bandh Still On, ‘Fruitful Discussion’, Says Mamata

Both groups hailed the all party meet as the ‘beginning of dialogue’, but the strike continues in Darjeeling.

With the indefinite shutdown in Darjeeling hills entering its 76th day, all eyes were on a crucial all-party meeting organised by the West Bengal government on Tuesday at the state secretariat. The meeting, that was attended by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and the Jan Andolan Party (JAP), is the “beginning of a dialogue”, said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after the meeting.

We are for the restoration of normalcy and peace. The dialogue will continue. It’s a positive thing that dialogue has begun after the deadlock. We are all together for the restoration of peace and normalcy. We have requested to call off the strike. Let them take their time and make a decision.

Mamata Banerjee on calling off the strike in Darjeeling which has entered the 76th day

The date for the next all-party meet has been fixed for 12 September in Uttarkanya, North Bengal.

The hill parties raised the issue of Gorkhaland said Mamata. “ I have said it's not possible. We have some Constitutional obligation”, she said. Speaking after the meeting, GJM leader Binay Tamang, who led the party’s delegation at the meeting, said that talks were ‘cordial’ and that a decision regarding the Bandh will only come once he consults the party’s central committee members.

We demand an NIA probe into the blasts that happened recently. We also demanded a CBI and judicial probe into the killing of eight of our workers and withdrawal of all cases against all agitators

Binay Tamang, GJM, after the meeting.

The Chief Minister had taken the initiative to call a meeting between the government and hill parties after the GNLF wrote to her requesting for opening a dialogue to resolve the crisis caused by the shutdown in support of the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland. She said on Monday that the government wants to restore peace in the strife-hit region. The meeting also comes amid reports of cracks in the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee.

In an audio message on Sunday night, GJM chief Bimal Gurung warned the leaders that if they discussed with the state government, any other issue other than ‘Gorkhaland’, then they would not be allowed to return to the hills. Gurung has alleged that there is a conspiracy by some hill leaders to frame him.

The indefinite shutdown in the hills entered its 76th day on Tuesday. The unrest had begun on 8 June over the GJM's allegation that the state was trying to impose Bengali language in the hills.

The GJM took out rallies in various parts of the hills demanding the restoration of the Internet services, which remain banned in the hills since 18 June, and an immediate withdrawal of police forces from Darjeeling.

Members of some political party, dressed in traditional Nepali attire, also took out rallies and raised slogans in support of Gorkhaland.

GJM activists and NGOs were seen distributing food among locals as supply remains severely-hit due to the prolonged shutdown.

(With inputs from PTI)

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