Governor accepts Gurung's resignation; all party meeting decides on continuance of bandh...cops attacked

MP |  29 Jun 2017 |  Darjeeling: Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on Thursday accepted Bimal Gurung's resignation from the post of Chief Executive, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. Meanwhile, an all party meeting of pro-Gorkhaland forces in Kalimpong on Thursday resolved that the ongoing indefinite bandh in the Hills will continue.

The five-year long tenure of the GTA — an autonomous administrative body — expires on June 30. "We welcome the acceptance of Bimal Gurung's resignation by the Honorable Governor. This will make it easier for us to walk the path of agitation for Gorkhaland," stated GJM leader Binay Tamang.

Sources state that the state government is mulling the idea of running the GTA through an administrator as the condition in the Hills is not conducive for elections. An administrator could run the GTA for the next six months following which elections could be held if situations are conducive. Darjeeling is at present in the grip of an agitation for Gorkhaland.

An all party meeting in Kalimpong on Thursday decided that the ongoing indefinite bandh in the Darjeeling Hills will continue. 

A 30-member Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GLMCC) was constituted in Thursday's meeting. The committee has two representatives from the 13 political and apolitical parties present in the meeting along with two representatives from Terai and two from Dooars. 

"Henceforth, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) will not lead the ongoing agitation but it will be led by the GLMCC," stated Binay Tamang, assistant secretary, GJM. The committee will be headed by GJM vice-president Kalyan Dewan in the post of convenor. He will be assisted by GJM Central Committee member and the Chairman of the Darjeeling Municipality D K Pradhan. The committee will be meeting again on July 6 to chalk out future programmes for the Gorkhaland agitation. 

The continuation of the indefinite bandh is being read as a pressure tactics on the Central government to invite the Hill parties for talks. Meanwhile, the district administration had arranged for 10 buses to ferry local residents from Darjeeling to Siliguri. 

"We provided 10 buses on Thursday to ensure that the students and others could go down to the plains," stated Joyoshi Das Gupta, District Magistrate, Darjeeling. 

The buses started from Darjeeling Chowk Bazar but were stopped by GJM activists at the Darjeeling Railway Station. 

"We were threatened and asked to get off. We support Gorkhaland wholeheartedly but education is important too. Now, we will not get admission in the colleges in the plains," stated a student requesting anonymity. 

Meanwhile, at around 8 pm a police team had gone to Teesta Valley to conduct raids when a mob surrounded them, attacked the cops and vandalised the police vehicle. Three cops were grievously injured and had to be referred to North Bengal Medical College, Siliguri.

(Source & Courtesy: http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/kolkata-249919 )