By Matters India reporter
Darjeeling: In a recorded audio message sent to journalists on September 26, Bimal Gurung, chief of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, called for lifting the strikes for a separate state from 6 am the following day.
“I thank all the gods who have blessed me with the ability to speak the truth always… the path of truth will lead us to our goal. I therefore request everyone to kindly lift the strike and allow for a conducive atmosphere to be formed before the talks begin,” Gurung’s brief clip said.
His move came hours after federal Home Minister Rajnath Singh had appealed to the people of Darjeeling to lift the three month long strike. He had said, “Eleven precious lives have been lost so far, several have been injured and the entire people of Darjeeling hills have suffered a lot since the strike. I have been pained immensely by what has happened in Darjeeling hills.”
Appealing particularly to Gurung, Rajnath had said, “I also appeal to the GJM and its leader Shri Bimal Gurung to withdraw the ongoing bandh and to help create a conducive atmosphere for allowing normalcy to return to the area, particularly in view of the festive season.”
The Home Minster had further appealed, “I have asked the Home Secretary to convene an official level meeting in the Home Ministry within a fortnight to discuss all related issues.”
“In a democracy, dialogue is the only way out to resolve any problem. Solutions can be found through restraint, mutual dialogue and within the legal ambit.”
The Bengal government is likely to accept the federal government’s appeal for a tripartite meeting on the hills but won’t allow Gurung to be a part of it, officials have said.
Sources said a decision on tripartite talks would most likely take place at the meeting between the state government and representatives of the hill parties on October 16.
The Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) has a provision for tripartite talks among those running it, the state and the federal governments. “Right now, Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa are running the GTA, so they can attend the tripartite meeting, not Gurung,” said a senior official in Nabanna, the state secretariat.
The sources said the state government would not allow the Centre to decide on who would be part of the tripartite talks if they were held.
“Since the trouble broke out in June, the state government hasn’t allowed the Centre to dictate on the issue. If the state agrees to a tripartite at the meeting on October 16, the third party has to be the section in the Morcha that is running the GTA these days,” the Nabanna official said.
According to political analysts, despite Gurung calling off the strike from 6 am September 27, the state government is not ready to soften its stand on either the Morcha chief or any of its associates. “He is wanted in connection with several cases. So we won’t allow him to be a part of any meeting. A decision on the tripartite talks will be taken at the meeting between the hill parties and the state government on October 16 at Nabanna,” the official added.
Darjeeling has witnessed indefinite shut down since June 15, 2017, in support of the single agenda demand for the separate state of Gorkhaland.