Response of the Home Ministry to the delegation

Agencies and KalimNews, Kalimpong, 8 September 2017: A delegation of hill leaders met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Friday at his residence. Eight leaders from the hills, of which five were from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), met the home minister and assured him that they would attend the bipartite meeting with the State government scheduled on September 12.
The team led by Roshan Giri, general secretary of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha was accompanied by SS Ahluwalia, minister of State in the ministry of drinking water and sanitation and MP of Darjeeling and included Rohit Sharma, MLA of Kurseong, Sarita Rai MLA of Kalimpong, Swaraj Thapa, principal advisor and member of central committee of GJM and Ashok Lama of Duars. It also had Dawa Pakhrin of Gorkha Rajya Nirman Morcha, Arun Ghatani of CPRM and Biplav Rai of Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League.
Swaraj Thapa mentioned the meeting as a step for the present situation and positive assurance.
“Acknowledging that an atmosphere of peace has to be created, the GJM members urged the Union home minister to speak to Hon’ble chief minister of West Bengal and bring to stop the continuous raids on GJM leaders and workers,” a GJM press statement on the delegation said. No copy of the submitted memorandum was however provided to the media.

Home minister Singh was apprised of the sufferings facing by the hill people due to the strike as well as the killings and atrocities of the administration and the police and requested the central government to intervene for a positive solution and end the impasse. It also reminded the ministry about the recent bomb blasts in the hills and necessity of an NIA probe on it.
However, the home ministry didnot release any statement regarding the meet, but a ministry source stated that a team of GJM led by SS Ahluwalia MP sought an appointment with the home minister and had an half an hour meeting. GJM delegation submitted a memorandum and home minister Singh assured the team that he will try to convey the message to the Bengal CM.
It was also disclosed that the team insisted for an immediate tripartite meeting but didnot mention whether it was for restoration of peace or for Gorkhaland or for review of GTA act.
The delegation also requested Singh to urge West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to end the raids on GJM activists and leaders.
The GJM representatives said the onus to initiate the talks on Gorkhaland lay with the Centre as Mamata has already declared that creation of a separate state is beyond her jurisdiction.
An unofficial report also disclosed that the team also reminded the home ministry about the suspension of membership of Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa from GJM.