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Let’s talk only on Gorkhaland: Bimal Gurung; Mamata Banerjee says she didn’t get mail
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung wrote an e-mail to chief minister Mamata Banerjee after she announced that she would talk to all hill parties on August 29 in response to an appeal from Gorkha National Liberation Front president Mann Ghising who, she said, wanted restoration of peace.
The tussle between the Mamata Banerjee government and the parties demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland took an interesting turn on August 24 when the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) released a letter its president Bimal Gurung wrote to Banerjee seeking discussion on statehood.
Gurung’s letter, sent as an e-mail, was dated August 22, the day Banerjee announced that she would hold a meeting with all hill parties on August 29 in response to an appeal from Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) president Mann Ghising who, she said, wanted restoration of peace.
Read: The GJM leader who took on Mamata Banerjee: Who is Bimal Gurung?
Mann, son of Subash Ghising - the man who started the first and the bloodiest movement in Darjeeling in the ‘80s - did not mention the statehood issue in his letter.
Banerjee said she did not receive any letter from Gurung and claimed that she received a letter from Binay Tamang, the GJM assistant general secretary which stated that GJM would attend the meeting on August 29. GJM leaders said they did not send any letter saying they would attend the meeting.
Hours after the letters from Gurung and Ghising became public on August 24, it became apparent that GJM, the biggest party in the hills, and GNLF, the second largest party but only a shadow of the force it used to be, were walking different paths.
Narrating the recent history of the hill administration, Gurung wrote in his mail that only Gorkhaland was acceptable to the hill people. “Today no other alternative or modified bodies will do justice to our plight and apathy of being lumped with any other arrangement other than creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland…. We request your honor to initiate a political dialogue on the long pending demand of the Gorkhas which is Gorkhaland to help resolve the present crisis of Darjeeling,” wrote Gurung.
Read: Mamata Banerjee spreading lies on Darjeeling protest: GJM chief Bimal Gurung
He also demanded CBI or judicial inquiry into the deaths caused due to police action and compensation to families of the victims, restoration of supplies of food and essential commodities, withdrawal of all cases filed against agitators and release of those detained during the agitation. Gurung also demanded restoration of internet services, cable TV and local TV channels.
Roshan Giri, GJM general secretary said, “The letter was emailed to the chief minister, state chief secretary and home secretary at 7.10 pm on Wednesday, August 23.”
Read: Mamata Banerjee threatens GJM’s Bimal Gurung with a special audit
“I made the mail public. No matter what the state says about Gorkhaland, GJM will hold talks only on Gorkhaland,” Giri told HT. He did not say whether his party would attend the meeting called by the chief minister in Kolkata on August 29.
Mahindra Chettri, GNLF general secretary, said, “The GNLF is also committed to the cause of Gorkhaland but the languages used in the letters sent by GJM and GNLF could be different. Unlike Gurung, the GNLF president has only requested the chief minster to start dialogues so that normalcy can be restored.”
