After appeal from GJM and GNLF, Mamata Banerjee calls all-party meeting.
In a decision that is likely to break the current impasse in Darjeeling hills over Gorkhaland issue, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has called for an all-party meeting on August 29.
Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday told the media that she has called for an-all party meet on August 29, and it will be unconditional. She agreed to a meeting after receiving a letter from GNLF, who urged her to break the current logjam in the hills. Mamata Banerjee further stated the meeting is going to be held in the state secreteriat-Nabanna. She hailed the all party meeting as a constructive step and said all major parties from the hills are welcome to attend it. West Bengal CM again spoke on the necessity of working together for the sake of people from the hills.
For over two months, Darjeeling hills have seen complete shutdown over demand of formation of new state of Gorkhaland. West Bengal government has strongly rejected the demand and even the Centre while being sympathetic to the Gorkha cause has given no categorical assurance for creation of a new state. GJM youth wing withdrew their indefinite hunger strike after appeal from Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who urged all stakeholders to meet and try to resolve the issue.
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on Monday requested the Centre and the Bengal government to initiate talks at the earliest to restore peace in Darjeeling where an indefinite strike has entered its 68th day. This was the first time that the GJM, spearheading an agitation for a separate Gorkhaland, expressed its willingness to hold talks with the state government along with the Centre. "The responsibility of ensuring peace in the Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars is not only that of the people who live here, but also that of the central government and the West Bengal government. We, therefore, request both the governments to initiate talks at the earliest so that peace and normalcy can be restored," GJM joint secretary Binay Tamang said.
The complete change in the party's stand came in the wake of GJM chief Bimal Gurung being booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in connection with twin blasts that rocked Darjeeling on Saturday. The GJM, during the two-month long agitation, has repeatedly declined to sit for talks with the state government and had accused it of letting loose a 'reign of terror' in the hills. Reacting to the GJM's appeal, Darjeeling District Magistrate Joyoshi Das Gupta asked the party to withdraw the shutdown first.
"It is for them to restore normalcy as it was the GJM which has called the shutdown and has forcibly imposed it on the masses. Let them withdraw the bandh first," she said.
With agency inputs
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Mamata Banerjee")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}