Two Morcha camps share one platform: Attend parties' meeting to discuss AIGL leaders' fast-unto death

SNS, DARJEELING. 5 AUGUST:  The two factions of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha shared one platform when leaders of the two camps attended an "all-party' meeting here today. While the two factions have sworn not to reunite or share a common platform, the meeting today followed the fast unto-death being staged by SP Sharma, a leader of the All India Gorkha League (Bharati Tamang faction), which entered the fifth day today. The parties discussed the hunger strike and expressed concerns about the deteriorating health of Mr Sharma. Mr Sharma is on the fast since 1 August, demanding that Darjeeling MP Raju Bista come clear on what he had so far done for the political and other issues pertaining to the Hills at the Centre.

Speaking after the meeting today, AIGL leader Vikram Adi Rai said, "In the meeting today we fixed some programmes to pressurise the Darjeeling MP further, which we will not however announce now. We have been united by a common cause and parties have decided to support it."

Though the meeting was held at the AIGL camp president's house Bharati Tamang, she herself was absent there, along with both the two Morcha faction's chiefs. However, both Bimal Gurung and Anit Thapa personally visited Mr Sharma, yesterday and today, respectively.

Today's meeting also had representatives from the Gorkha Sayunkta Sangarsha Samity (GSSS) and other apolitical and social organisations. "The hunger strike is being staged for demands that will benefit the people and we are a party which supports anything that is good for the people,  if it is practical and viable. Pressure on the MP should be mounted but looking at the health of the AIGL leader, we also requested him to think about continuing the hunger strike," said Keshav Raj Pokhrel, the spokesperson for the GJM-2. Mr Pokhrel also criticised Mr Bista for not speaking on the hunger strike. "This was the reason for us asking for a bhumiputra (son of the soil) as an MP. We cannot even pressure him as he is not here. He might have some political compulsions, but even on humanitarian grounds, he should have spoken. We know that he will not be able to bring the issues into conclusion, but we appeal to him to say something so that a Gorkha does not have to die," he said.

On the other hand, GJM2 Youth President Prakash Gurung said, "BJP has done nothing, which is what we have been saying. They just want to end regional parties and take over and not work for the issues which they have promised in their manifesto as well."

Mr Sharma has laid down four conditions to the MP for lifting his fast-unto-death. He has demanded Bista show something concrete of what he has done, or give it in writing as to why he has not been able to do anything, and any help that he needs.

The other demands is that if Mr Bista at all wanted to work on those issues, then he should be able to take up the same in the next parliament session. Yet another demand put forth by Mr Sharma is Mr Bista's resignation if he failed to do all that.