West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today held talks with political parties of Darjeeling hills and requested them to withdraw the indefinite shutdown, which entered the 76th day.
After the meeting, GJM convenor Binay Tamang said any decision on the shutdown would be decided at a meeting of the GJM central committee to be convened in Darjeeling along with Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee, which is spearheading the agitation in the hills.
Besides Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, major political parties in the hills like Gorkha National Liberation Front and Jan Andolan Party participated in the dialogue.
Addressing newsmen at the secretariat, Banerjee said the talks were "cordial and positive".
"We requested for withdrawal of the bandh as tea gardens, schools, tourism, transport - everything is closed.
"Dialogue has started and it will continue. It will end the deadlock in Darjeeling," she said, adding the next meeting will be held at Uttarkanya secretariat in north Bengal on September 12.
"They (the hill parties) raised the Gorkhaland issue but we did not agree. They can raise their voice, it is their prerogative. It is a democratic set-up.
"They said that the agitation is because of their demand for Gorkhaland. We (government) have clarified our position. Government has its own jurisdiction, some constitutional obligation and bindings and we will continue our work through these."
Asked whether the hill parties sought tripartite talks, she replied in the affirmative. "But we said it is not in our hands."
Elaborating on the meeting, the chief minister said, "Everybody raised their voice and it is good that instead of bulldozing or imposing anything on anybody as there is freedom and right. It is democracy. So discussion was very fruitful, very positive and constructive."
"But everybody has agreed that we should start working towards normalcy and the restoration of peace," Banerjee said.
To another question on distribution of rations in the hills, she said "That is why we are asking for withdrawal of the bandh."
Tamang said that the hill parties welcome the state government's call for the meeting to restore normalcy and to resolve the political deadlock. "We take this as an initial step to a journey for the fulfilment of our dreams and also show our commitment to peace, democratic values and the constitution ... But we must say that peace and normalcy must be restored because dialogue has been started.
"We wish to stress that the present imbroglio centres around the century-old constitutional demand of the hill people for Gorkhaland. All parties share the same sentiment and aspiration and stand united on the issue."
He also demanded a CBI or judicial inquiry into the deaths due to police action during the ongoing agitation and compensation to the family of the victims and also for the injured.
"We also demand withdrawal of all cases old and new filed against agitators and release of those taken into judicial custody during the agitation. Besides, there should not be any political victimisation against employees and tea workers. We have submitted a memorandum to the chief minister stating our demands."
Later, Jana Andolan Party president Harka Bahadur Chhetri said that during the meeting the government was asked to repel the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council - a semi-autonomous body.
"Some of the articles of the DGHC is still operative. Article 242 M for which two-tier panchayat is still functional though the state government is aiming to hold a three-tier panchayat election there.
"We want the state to repel the DGHC as well as the GTA which the people from the hills have dismissed," he added.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
