GJM to attend August 29 meet: CM Mamata

Darjeeling/ Kolkata: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) will attend the August 29 meeting called by the Bengal government to restore peace in the Hills. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said while leaving Nabanna on Thursday evening: "They (the GJM) will be attending the meeting on August 29. We have received a letter of GJM leader Binay Tamang. But not yet received anything as such from their leader Bimal Gurung."

Banerjee had said on Tuesday that the state government would hold a meeting of all political parties in the state secretariat — Nabanna — on August 29 from 4 pm to resolve the impasse. It had come after the president of Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), Man Ghising, wrote to the Chief Minister requesting to organised a high level meeting to bring back normalcy in the Hills.

Though a letter of the GJM chief Bimal Gurung to Banerjee in this regard is yet to reach the state Secretariat, it has got widely circulated. It may be mentioned that GJM chief wrote to Banerjee requesting her to initiate a "political dialogue" on Gorkhaland to help resolve the present crisis of Darjeeling.

The letter was dated August 22 but was dispatched on the evening of August 23. The demand list includes "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".

It has been further stated in the letter that "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".

The letter claimed that despite the shortage of food, vegetables and essential commodities, people are willing to continue with the bandh… Incidentally an indefinite bandh has been clamped in Darjeeling since June 15.

The letter claimed 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.

Meanwhile, the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee will be meeting in Kalimpong on Friday to chalk out their strategy regarding the State Government meeting in Kolkata on August 29.