23/08/2017
Hill panel mixed reaction on talks plan
The Mamata Banerjee government's plan to hold talks with the stakeholders in the hills has evoked a mixed reaction among representatives of the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC), a forum of political and apolitical organisations.
Binay Tamang, who was made the chief coordinator of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today, said: "We have only heard about the all-party meeting. We will wait for the official letter and then assert our opinion. The Gorkhaland movement is there. But it is the responsibility of everyone to maintain peace in Darjeeling, Terai and the Dooars."
GMCC coordinator Kalyan Dewan, who is also a vice-president of the Morcha, said: "The state will have to acknowledge the party which is at the forefront of this movement. To invite parties that have not contributed in any manner to this movement is meaningless. We are yet to receive a formal invite from the state. The invitation must either come to the Morcha or the GMCC or both. After that we will take a decision."
Harka Bahadur Chhetri, the chief of the Jana Andolan Party, said the representation should be collective under the banner of the GMCC.
"I feel the GMCC should immediately call a meeting to discuss the importance of the chief minister's invitation so that a joint strategy on what should be discussed with the state can be worked out," Chhetri said. "No individual party should voice its own opinion at the meeting. The GMCC should be heard as one body."
Prakash Gurung, the Yuva Morcha president, however, said that while the invitation for talks was "a good gesture", those attending it should not dilute the statehood demand.
"It is a good gesture. But those attending the talks should not dilute the statehood issue in an attempt to be close to the Bengal government. If the issue is diluted, the Yuva Morcha will openly oppose such steps," said Prakash Gurung.
The GNLF said the decision to write to the chief minister was in line with the stand adopted by the Morcha leaders and the Union home ministry.
"Morcha leaders Kalyan Dewan and Roshan Giri had been talking about a dialogue and even the Union home minister had directed the GMCC to hold talks with the Bengal government. We just adopted the same line and decided to write to the chief minister," said Niraj Zimba, the GNLF spokesperson.
"We are waiting for a formal letter but we want all the hill political parties, including the Morcha, which is a major stakeholder in the hills, to attend the meeting," he added.
Via The Telegraph