The agitation and the indefinite strike to press for a separate state of Gorkhaland will continue in deference to the wishes of the people of the region, the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) said today.
The GMCC, a body of all the hill parties including the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which is spearheading the stir in the Darjeeling hills, made clear its stand after holding an over five-hour-long meeting here as the indefinite bandh entered its 48th day today.
The meeting discussed the way forward for the separate statehood movement and also a "blueprint" for initiating a nationwide awareness campaign.
"We will continue with the agitation for separate state. We honour the sentiments of the people who wish to continue the strike," GMCC president Kalyan Dewan told reporters.
Dewan, who is also the vice president of the GJM, said that they will reach out to parliamentarians for support.
"The Centre must realise that something untoward is likely to happen and people's lives and career of the youth are at stake here. So, the central government must initiate a dialogue, otherwise this movement will take a serious turn," Dewan said.
Meanwhile, the situation in Darjeeling remained tense but incident-free today even as the GJM organised rallies in various parts of the hills demanding 'Gorkhaland.'
"The condition of many of the youths on hunger strike is getting critical. Many principals of schools have written to us on how the education system has been impacted, especially with a ban on Internet in place. We, therefore, also appeal to the Centre to initiate a dialogue on the issue," the GMCC president said.
On GJM supremo Bimal Gurung's remarks yesterday that only his party could withdraw the indefinite shutdown in the hills, the national working president of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, Munish Tamang said, "The GMCC is going by people's sentiment."
"It is the people's will to go on a strike or continue it. It is not imposed by any political leadership or leader. We have unanimously arrived at a decision after long deliberations," he added.
Gurung had last night declared that his party wants the indefinite shutdown to continue in the hills.
On the prospect of withdrawal of the strike, Dewan said, "The deployment of paramilitary force should be withdrawn and a dialogue on Gorkhaland must be opened. Under these two conditions, the indefinite strike may be withdrawn."
Asked if the GMCC will approach the Home Ministry, he said, "We will send a memorandum to the home minister regarding today's meeting and the resolution passed, as well as correspond with him through various MPs."
"A delegation from our side would also meet our area MP, S S Ahluwalia, tomorrow or the day after," he added.
In its joint resolution, the committee also said that a one-day hunger strike would also be held at Jantar Mantar on August 4 by the GMCC.
"On August 15, we will hoist the national flag but not observe any celebrations.We will instead form a human chain to highlight the excesses being meted out to people who are demanding Gorkhaland," he said.
Dewan said a delegation would meet various parliamentarians, prominent political leaders and other personalities to press for their demand.
"It was also decided that an advisory body consisting of intellectuals and other eminent people sensitive to our demands would also be constituted," he said, while thanking the parliamentarians who have raised the issue in the House or showed concern about it.
Supplies of food and essentials were drying up due to the strike. Internet services were snapped in the hills on June 18.
The GJM on Sunday gave a 10-day deadline to the Centre to intervene in the Gorkhaland statehood stir or else it would intensify the movement in days to come.
Except medicine shops, all business establishments, schools and colleges remained closed in the hills. Police and security forces patrolled the streets in the hills and kept a vigil on the entry and exit routes.
After the end of the meet, Dewan addressed a small gathering of migrants from the Darjeeling region, who have settled in Delhi and other parts of NCR.
Incidentally, towards the end of his speech, the crowd got upset about leaders from other parties (member of the GMCC) allegedly choosing "not to address" them by silently slipping away while Dewan was addressing.
"We asked him (Dewan), why other leaders did not address us. We wanted to ask questions. So, people got upset," Arun Dutraj said, who hails from Darjeeling but moved to Delhi 17 years ago.
The GMCC president was heckled and hounded by the crowd, forced him to beat a hasty retreat thereafter.
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