Bengal government not making sincere efforts for peace, says Gorkha body

The Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee said neither it nor many hill parties had received an invitation for the August 29 all-party meeting.

Accusing the West Bengal government of not making “wholehearted efforts” to restore peace in the Darjeeling hills, the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) on Sunday said neither it nor many hill parties had received an invitation for the August 29 all-party meeting.

Supporters of Gorkhaland Movement chant slogans during a strike at Milanmore village in Darjeeling in July. (AFP file)

The GMCC said it had postponed its own meeting in Kalimpong on Sunday as a result.

The GMCC said it could hold a teleconference with other hill party leaders on the all-party meet only if a letter from the government was received.

“Despite recognition as a stakeholder in the Gorkhaland issue by the central government, the GMCC hasn’t received any letter from the state government about the talks. We cancelled the GMCC meeting today (Sunday) as we have not been formally invited as yet by the state government,” GMCC Convenor Kalyan Dewan told IANS.

Many hill parties like Gorkhaland Rajya Nirman Morcha (GRNM), which are part of GMCC, are awaiting the government letter for the August 29 meeting. “We can wait till August 28 noon. It will be too late to take any decision thereafter,” he said.

“The committee decided that no one will talk to the Bengal government in individual capacity but the Gorkha National Liberation Front sent a letter, asking the government to intervene. Another letter was sent by the GJM. The GMCC does not approve of these steps,” he said.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has called for the August 29 meeting in Kolkata, which representatives of hill parties are expected to attend.