Bimal Gurung writes to CM Mamata Banerjee for peace

Kolkata: Softening his stand in wake of two UAPA cases against him and his party leaders, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung has sought an unconditional dialogue with chief minister Mamata Banerjee to restore normalcy in Darjeeling. He wrote a letter and reportedly also mailed it to her.

The letter came to light on Thursday. The chief minister however said at Nabanna, the state secretariat, that she had not received any such letter from the GJM president. 

The day Mr Gurung sent the letter was the same day that Ms Banerjee called for a peace meeting at 4 pm on August 29 at Nabanna with all the political parties to tackle the violence and restore peace in the Hills.

Addressing the chief minister in his letter on August 22, Mr Gurung asserted that the people of the Hills still wanted to continue with the indefinite shutdown, which had crossed 67 days already. 

The GJM chief also underlined the tripartite Gorkhaland Territorial Administration agreement, which was signed in Ms Banerjee’s presence. 

“Hence, today no other alternative or modified bodies will do justice to our plight and apathy of being lumped with any other arrangement other than the creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland,” Mr Gurung reasoned.

He elaborated, “Under the above situation, we request your honour to initiate a political dialogue on the long pending demand of Gorkhas, which is Gorkhaland, to help to resolve the present crisis of Darjeeling.” 

The GJM chief also demanded a CBI probe or a judicial inquiry into the GJM workers’ killings, allegedly by the police and compensations for the victim’s family. The list of other demands included restoration of food and essential commodities’ supplies, withdrawal of all cases against the GJM workers during their ongoing movement and allowing Internet services and functioning of the cable TV and local TV channels.