Sharp differences among Hill parties on shutdown

Darjeeling: Sharp differences have emerged among various Hills parties and the GJM on whether to continue the shutdown in Darjeeling which entered its 77th day on Wednesday over the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday held talks with political parties of the Darjeeling hills at the state secretariat in Kolkata and requested them to withdraw the indefinite shutdown.

But the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which is spearheading the shutdown, had said a decision would be taken at the party’s central committee meeting after discussion in the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee. 

On Tuesday night, GJM supremo Bimal Gurung had said in an audio message that there is no question of withdrawing the shutdown until and unless talks begin on the issue of a separate state. “There is no question of calling off the shutdown until and unless the state government begins dialogue on the one point agenda of Gorkhaland. 

So many people have died. We have some duties and responsibilities towards the people of Darjeeling,” Gurung said.

“If the state did not agree to discuss the issue of Gorkhaland, then the hill parties should have walked out. We will inform about our stand after discussing the matter in our central committee,” he said. A senior member of GMCC said on Wednesday on condition of anonymity that members of GMCC are divided on whether to withdraw the shutdown as many Hill parties feel that the two-and-half-month-long shutdown has not borne any fruit.