Support pours in for Binay Tamang at GJM panel meet

Darjeeling: A Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Binay faction) emergent central committee meeting in Darjeeling resolved to lend support to Binay Tamang's decision to continue with the fast unto death till the management agrees to 20 percent bonus for the workers of the Darjeeling Tea Industry.

Amidst fast deteriorating health conditions, Tamang continued with his fast, which crossed the 100 hour mark on Thursday.

L M Lama, central committee member stated: "In Thursday's emergent meeting we endorsed GJM president Binoy Tamang's decision to continue with the fast unto death. Our demand is 20 percent bonus to be paid in a single mode and not in installments. We will meet again at 11 am on Friday. We have lined up a number of agitation programmes. If the Kolkata talks fail on Friday we will announce the agitation programmes. The management will be to blame for any untoward incident cropping up from the recent situation," Lama said. Many organisations have come forward in support of the fast unto death. Rallies were taken out all over the Hills in demand of 20 percent bonus for the workers.

A team comprising representatives of seven operating trade unions of the Hills departed for Kolkata on Thursday to attend the tripartite talks scheduled to be held at 11 am at the Conference Hall of the Labour Department.

A series of meetings in Darjeeling and a tripartite meeting in Kolkata has failed to resolve the tea garden bonus impasse. While the trade unions have demanded 20 percent bonus the management is not willing to climb up from 15 percent. Finally Binay Tamang started a fast unto death on October 6 in support of the demand.