Nabanna meet: Restoration of peace in Hills top priority

Kolkata: Restoration of peace will be the priority of the state government in Tuesday's meeting with different political parties from the Hills.

Political parties from the Hills are going to join the meeting at Nabanna on Tuesday that was convened by the state government after GNLF president Mann Ghising wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee requesting intervention to bring an end to the continuing impasse in Darjeeling.

While leaving Nabanna on Tuesday evening, the Chief Minister said: "We all want that peace gets restored in the Hills." It may be recalled that in connection with Ghising's letter, Banerjee had said on August 22 that "…we feel that the letter is a positive one in this direction."

The meeting at the state Secretariat has brought a ray of hope for the people of Darjeeling while the bandh still continues. Not only they are passing each and every day in extreme difficulties, they are also witnessing damage of properties, loss of lives instead of any development work.

Sources in the state Secretariat said that the Chief Minister, Youth Services and Sports minister Aroop Biswas, state Tourism minister Goutam Deb, former Chief Secretary Basudeb Banerjee, Home Secretary Atri Bhattacharya, Director General of Police Surajit Kar Purakayastha, ADG (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma and District Magistrate of Darjeeling Joyoshi Das Gupta will be present. Members of the political parties including Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), All India Gorkha League and Jana Andolan Party will be taking part in the meeting. It is learnt that a five-member team of the GJM will be led by its leader Binay Tamang and the others include Tshering Dahal, Anit Thapa and Rohit Thapa. It may be mentioned that the state government had received a letter of the GJM leader Binay Thapa a few days ago.

Letter to the state government by some of the GJM leaders has brought to light the differences between the party leaders as it was claimed by its chief Bimal Gurung on Sunday that the letters were being sent without his consent. It is learnt that Gurung had directed his party members to raise their demand of Gorkhaland in Tuesday's meeting. "Whatever the situation may be,

restoration of peace will be the first condition of the state government in the meeting and all matters will be discussed only after everyone comes to a consensus that peace will prevail in Darjeeling henceforth," said a state government official.