AIGL camp rues BJP failure to call Sept Hill talks

SNS, DARJEELING, 30 SEPTEMBER 21 : The All India Gorkha League (Bharati Tamang camp) today came down heavily on Darjeeling's BJP MLA Neeraj Zimba and BJP MP Raju Bista for not sending invitations to a proposed tripartite meeting to discuss a 'permanent political solution' (PPS) to the Hill political issue.

As the AIGL camp ended its protest of carrying the effigy of Mr Bista to his house at Hermitage here, it has decided to launch another programme, that of a 'padyatra' (march).

The AIGL had started the weekly protest programme against the Darjeeling MP last month, raising questions on why the proposed tripartite meeting had not been held yet. It may be mentioned here that Mr Bista had earlier said that such a meeting would be held in September and that invites for the same would be sent out.

"We have been conducting this programme every Sunday, but as they had been mentioning that there was time till September, we waited till the end of this month. They had said that the meeting be called to discuss the PPS by September, so we waited till today," said SP Sharma, the general secretary, AIGL (Bharati camp).

"Our demand is Gorkhaland and our future course of action is not PPS or a tripartite meeting, but that a bill for Gorkhaland must be introduced in a parliament session. We will start a Gorkhaland satyagraha," said Mr Sharma.

Adding to that, AIGL Vice president Vikram Adi Rai said, "We want a Bill on Gorkhaland be introduced in the parliament in the Winter session. To pressure the government, we will hold padyatras at different places in the proposed areas of Gorkhaland."

MLA, Mr Zimba, could not be contacted for comments.