GURUNG NOT IN GJM DELEGATION FOR TALKS WITH STATE & CENTRE

THT, DARJEELING: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung will not be part of the GJM delegation that will hold talks with the state on November 20 followed by tripartite talks with the Centre and State on November 21 in Kolkata.

For the bipartite talks the GJM delegation will comprise of GJM general secretary Roshan Giri; Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma and central committee member RP Bhujel. The tripartite talks will be attended by Giri and Sharma informed the GJM general secretary.

Sources said the bipartite meeting would see the GJM demanding for 29 amendments in the GTA Act. A GTA executive Sabha in an emergent meeting on November 7 had proposed the amendments, which include seat reservation for schedule tribe and schedule caste in the GTA both for elections and jobs.

The meeting had also proposed the delimitation of the present 8 blocks under the GTA into 18 blocks. The scheduled castes comprise 33.72% of the population in the Darjeeling hills while the scheduled tribes form 9.32% of the population. “These amendments are important for the smooth and effective functioning of the GTA,” remarked Giri. 

The GJM will also stress on the review of cases clamped on GJM activists during the Gorkhaland agitation from 2007 to 2011, as agreed upon in the GTA memorandum of agreement. 

Along with stressing on the review of cases the GJM will be demanding that the Centre extend the facility of development of northeastern region to Darjeeling; all Gorkha communities except the scheduled castes to be declared as scheduled tribe; transfer of reserve forest to the GTA and a central university in Darjeeling in the tripartite meeting on November 21. Both the bipartite and tripartite meetings will be at a secretarial level.