Modi tells Gurung to end dharna & march

Modi meets a Morcha delegation in New Delhi on Thursday. 

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, Dec. 17: Bimal Gurung today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had requested him to withdraw the ongoing dharna in Delhi to demand Gorkhaland and padayatra he had been taking out in the hills for over two months.

The appeal came at a meeting between a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha delegation led by Gurung and Modi in Delhi today.

A three-day dharna began at Jantar Mantar in Delhi today to demand Gorkhaland.

"The meeting was among the best so far. The Prime Minister requested me to lift even the three-day Gorkhaland dharna in Delhi and the padayatra. He has said he is sympathetic towards the Gorkhas and we must work together. He also said the Gorkhas must use him for the good of the community," Gurung told The Telegraph over the phone from Delhi.

The Morcha chief gave an indication that he might heed Modi's request to withdraw the dharna and the march.

"When an appeal is being made by the Prime Minister of India, we have to take it seriously. He is, after all, a man who is running the country. We will hold a meeting among ourselves in Delhi tomorrow and decide on our future course of action," said Gurung.

The Morcha also requested Modi to form a committee to examine the demand of Gorkhaland. "He said the government was looking into the demand. We feel positive after talking to the Prime Minister today," said Gurung.

Roshan Giri, general secretary of the Morcha who was also part of the delegation, said: "In fact, the Prime Minister also told us not to be bothered about the politics of Bengal and asked us to work together."

The Morcha delegation requested Modi to grant tribal status to 10 hill communities, extend a Rs 200 crore annual assistance to the GTA for the next two years and set up a Central University and Sainik School in the hills.