Eye on Mamata for feelers to lift hill shutdown - CM to reach Siliguri for Tuesday talks

AVIJIT SINHA, Siliguri, Sept. 10: The withdrawal of the indefinite strike in the hills will largely hinge on fresh announcements by Mamata Banerjee at her meeting with Darjeeling parties on Tuesday, said political analysts.

The chief minister is scheduled to arrive at Bagdogra airport tomorrow afternoon, along with senior state government officials. The following day, she will sit for talks with representatives of the hill parties at Uttarkanya, the north Bengal branch secretariat, to find a way out to end the current impasse in the hills.

The meeting is a sequel to the talks the chief minister held with the hill parties at Nabanna on August 29. Although Binay Tamang of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha had announced the withdrawal of the indefinite strike following the talks, Bimal Gurung said the shutdown would continue unless the government initiated talks on Gorkhaland.

Gurung also "expelled" Tamang from the Morcha and the strike continued to be enforced in the hills. In all likelihood, the state government will invite only the Tamang faction of the Morcha, along with other parties, to the September 12 meeting.

Observers said Mamata would have to make fresh moves that could be flaunted as achievements by the hill parties before announcing the withdrawal of the shutdown.

A hoarding welcoming Mamata Banerjee at Burdwan Road in Siliguri on Sunday.
Picture by Passang Yolmo

"On September 12, all eyes would be on the chief minister, with huge hopes that she would be able to resolve the crisis. Mamata will have to deliver something new so that hill parties respond to her call for the restoration of normality. With the Gurung lobby of the Morcha questioning Binay Tamang's credentials as a Gorkhaland supporter, the latter will for sure look for some assurances from Mamata. Such promises will enable him to set the stage for the lifting of the shutdown. People of the hills have been suffering for close to three months and they will welcome the withdrawal of the strike if it is accompanied by the chief minister's promises," said an observer.

Binay Tamang had yesterday announced a "fast-unto-death" to press for the Gorkhaland demand but he would decide on the date after the meeting on September 12.

"The strike's withdrawal is key for Mamata to pass a message to the Centre that the state is doing its best to keep law and order in the hills," said the observer.

Sectors like tea, tourism and education have been severely hit by the prolonged strike and are pinning their hopes on the upcoming meeting.

"Stakeholders of all key sectors in the hills are keeping an eye on the meeting with the sole hope that situation will become normal ahead of the festive season," said a hotelier in Darjeeling.

Since August 29, residents of places like Panighata, Mirik, Garidhura and Lohagarh in the hills have defied the strike and day-to-day activities are somewhat normal now.

"But life has been paralysed as a whole in the hills and there has been no improvement. We want a break from the new normality of violence and uncertainty ahead of the festival season," a Kurseong resident said.

Asked about the scheduled meeting, Trinamul leader and minister Gautam Deb said: "People of the hills can realise that the state government is attaching utmost importance to their problems and wants immediate restoration of normality. That is why the chief minister herself is attending the talks. We believe her presence and repeated requests to withdraw the strike will send a positive message to the people."