Delhi-bound GJM team to seek Rajnath Singh help

TOI, 7 September 2017, DARJEELING: A beleaguered Bimal Gurung is going to seek the Union home minister's intervention for holding a tripartite talk to resolve the Hills impasse. A delegation is being sent to Delhi to meet Rajnath Singh for that, the GJM chief said on Thursday.

Gurung, who is facing a rebellion within the party -with senior leaders Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa challenging his authority -said from an undisclosed location that the Centre should immediately start tripartite talks on Gorkhaland. "The central government must intervene and initiate talks on Gorkhaland now. Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has al ready made her stand clear that it was for the Centre to take a call on Gorkhaland. So, there should not be any delay in starting dialogue," he said.

The delegation to Delhi will include Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma, Kalimpong MLA Sarita Rai, GJM central committee members Swaraj Thapa and Kalyan Dewan and some Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) members, including Dawa Pakhrin, president of Gorkhaland Rajya Nirman Morcha (GRNM).

"The Union home minister has called us and during our meeting, we will raise the issue of the Centre's initiative to start tripartite talks on Gorkhaland. We too want peace and normalcy in the Hills, but the Bengal government does not want that to happen," Gurung said.

The GJM chief blamed the state government for the Hills imbroglio and alleged that the government was behind the blasts that have ta ken place so far. "The blasts in the Hills are the handiwork of the state government. Bengal is trying to frame me with the intention to keep me on the run and use traitors to com promise on the statehood de mand," Gurung said.

During the April 29 bilate ral talks, chief minister Ma mata Banerjee had told the GJM, GNLF and JAP leaders that the power to create a separate state lay with the Centre and not with any state government.

Meanwhile, the GMCC cancelled its Thursday's public meeting in Darjeeling, clai ming it did not want the law and order situation to worsen.

The Hills continues to reel under the indefinite strike, called by the GJM that ente red the 85th day on Thursday.

Schools and colleges, tea gar dens, cinchona plantations and business establishments remained closed.

Tamang will hold a public meeting in Darjeeling on Saturday.