Delegation to meet central leaders of all parties

SNS, Darjeeling, 31 July, 2013: A high level six-member GJMM delegation would leave for Delhi on Friday to take the Gorkhaland issue to the portals of the national capital after the Centre gave a positive nod for carving out Telangana. 

The party says it would be decided whether the GTA would continue or not after the meeting with the national leaders is over. It is not, however, fixed now whom the party delegation would call on. But according to the party insiders, they would meet important leaders across the political divide. 

“We will meet the Congress as well as the BJP leaders to press them on the issue of Gorkhaland,” a senior GJMM leader said. 

The party general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri, said after the central committee meeting that they have not yet sought any appointment. “Things will be fixed only after the delegation reaches New Delhi,” he added. 

The delegation will comprise three Hill MLAs ~ Mr Harka Bahadur Chhetri, Mr Trilok Dewan and Mr Rohit Sharma ~ aside from Darjeeling municipality chairman Mr Amar Singh Rai, and central committee member DK Pradhan. 

The party’s central committee met here for over six hours with the president Mr Bimal Gurung at the chair today at the party headquarters at Singhamari in Darjeeling. 

Mr Giri said that all the GTA sabha members and the MLAs are ready to quit. “We are waiting for the nod from the party chief,” he added. Reacting to Miss Mamata Banerjee having blamed the Centre for precipitating tension in the Hills, he said this is wrong. 

“The Centre is not backing our movement. We are demanding Gorkhaland within the framework of the Indian Constitution. There is Article 3 that deals with such things. However, our movement will remain democratic and peaceful,” Mr Giri said. 

“The formation of Gorkhaland does not signify division of Bengal as Darjeeling and Terai-Dooars was never part of Bengal,” he averred. Meanwhile, it is decided that the tea and the Cinchona plantations spread across the Hills would be kept outside the purview of the bandh beginning tomorrow.