Darjeeling, June 3: The Gorkha
Janmukti Morcha ended its indefinite hunger strike late tonight in
Darjeeling after discussions with state and central representatives at a
tripartite GTA review meeting that the party leaders termed “cordial”.
The meeting, held by the Morcha,
Centre and state representatives at Richmond Hill, had addressed all the
issues raised by the Morcha leaders, said Morcha general secretary
Roshan Giri.
The Morcha had
wanted a written assurance on the withdrawal of cases against party
activists and on a field visit by a fact-verification committee that is
looking into Justice Shyamal Sen’s recommendations on GTA territory.
It is not clear of
any written assurance has been give to the Morcha, which was under
considerable pressure to call off the strike in the middle of the
tourist season.
At 10.50pm, Giri
said the strike was being dissolved as the Centre’s representative had
requested the Morcha to end the protest.
Giri said that
north Bengal development minister Gautam Deb had called up party chief
Bimal Gurung and requested that the strike be lifted.
After the meeting
earlier in the evening, K. Skandan, the additional home secretary
(state-Centre relations), who represented the Centre, said: “We had
detailed discussions on various issues and the state government has
expressed its intention of providing full support to the GTA. The
government of India also appeals (to the party) to lift the hunger
strike.”
Basudeb Banerjee,
the state home secretary who attended the meeting on behalf of the
Bengal government, also made a similar appeal on behalf of north Bengal
development minister Gautam Deb.
“North Bengal
development minister Shri Gautam Deb has also made an appeal for lifting
the hunger strike. It has been decided that a bipartite meeting between
the state and GJM will take place in Calcutta after the panchayat
elections on July 15, followed by a tripartite meeting of the state,
Centre and GJM representatives at August-end,” he said.
Giri said the talks were “cordial”.
Fourteen elected
GTA Sabha members and two commissioners of the Mirik municipality were
on indefinite hunger strike since May 26.
Giri said although
the issue of a field visit by the fact-verification committee was
discussed in detail today, it would be discussed further in the July
meeting.
He said that on the withdrawal of cases against Morcha activists, the state was preparing the list.
Sources said the list has already been prepared but a nod from Mamata is awaited.
“Regarding our
demand for transfer of reserve forest to GTA, a team from the ministry
of environment and forests will visit Darjeeling. On the complete
transfer of departments, a meeting between the principal secretary of
the GTA and secretaries of the departments will take place soon,” Giri
said.
The Telegraph
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