Morcha ends fast after talks - Discussion cordial, says hill party

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, 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.