Eyebrows raised over Gurung’s stress on dialogue for Gorkhaland

SNS, Kurseong, 8 October 2013: The GJMM chief, Mr Bimal Gurung’s stress on dialogue to resolve the Gorkhaland tangle has raised eyebrows and this is natural in view of the fact that he had warned of a bloody phase of the movement in case the Centre remained indifferent to the country’s oldest statehood demand. But the Centre having convened a tripartite meeting on 23 October seems to have soothed his nerves, an observer said. 

Addressing a public meeting at Kurseong motor stand to mark his party’s sixth foundation day yesterday, Mr Gurung said that now they are for talks to end the impasse. “A stir may be violent or peaceful depending on the obtaining conditions.

But the stir, whichever way it is run on, must finally end in dialogue. Politics of killing people is not in keeping with the spirit of the time,” he said. Another interesting point he raised during the meeting is that the movement would be Delhi-centric henceforth. “We would make our presence felt in Delhi. Lakhs of people would assemble in Delhi to raise pitch for Gorkhaland soon,” he said. 

Battered by the attack from the ruling Trinamul Congress out to win over the disgruntled casual GTA workers, Mr Gurung said his party still controls the GTA. “I might have resigned from the GTA but the body is under our control. We took up the cause of the casual workers after the party came into being. Salaries were hiked. We would make the casual workers permanent soon,” he said.  

He also asked the government employees not to worry about their salary being cut. “We would pay them in full, if necessary, through the GTA fund,” the GJMM president said.