The Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee, which is spearheading the statehood movement in the Darjeeling hills, today decided to suspend its agitation till October 20.
The GJAC, a conglomerate of hill-based parties with the common agenda of creation of a separate state, said after a meeting that it was suspending its movement till October 20 in deference to the appeal by Union Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to end the indefinite agitation before tripartite talks could be held on the statehood issue.
GJM chief Bimal Gurung, who was appointed the new chairman of the GJAC in the meeting held at Singmari here, wrote on social networking website Facebook, that the GJAC had decided to put on hold its agitation on the condition that the talks should be held by October 20.
"The Home Minister has clearly stated that no new states can be created immediately. We reiterate that the solution to Gorkhaland is not immediate and that it requires a stepwise dialogue to solve the century-old demand of the Gorkhas," Gurung said.
The new GJAC chairman said, "We decry the hostile and confrontationist attitude of the state government and would henceforth expect its cooperation to take the tripartite talks forward."
Gurung announced that the GJAC would organise a sit-in in the three sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong from September 13 onwards in "traditional attire".
Meanwhile, North Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb said that the government would not hesitate to take stern action if normal life in the hills remained paralysed.
"The state government will not allow a 'Talibani' administration in the Darjeeling hills to settle and will take stern steps against anti-democratic arrangement by the agitators," Deb said told reporters in Kolkata apprising them on the law and order situation in the hills.
"We won't allow the state to be divided and the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to the Prime Minister in this regard," Deb said.
The minister also warned stern action against government employees if they remain absent from offices and asked the district administration to keep the public distribution system running in the hills.
"Strong police arrangement has already been ordered to keep the PDS operative in the hills," he said.
Deb said that on September 16, they would organise a "Peace March" at Kurseong. He would also visit Lakhpanchari village soon to attend a programme for free distribution of food among villagers.
The minister noted that children had started returning to their schools which were closed ever since the indefinite statehood stir started in Darjeeling and said, "Steps are being taken by the administration to restore confidence among the school children."
.jpg "Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee (GJAC)") |
| Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee (GJAC) meeting |
The GJAC, a conglomerate of hill-based parties with the common agenda of creation of a separate state, said after a meeting that it was suspending its movement till October 20 in deference to the appeal by Union Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to end the indefinite agitation before tripartite talks could be held on the statehood issue.
GJM chief Bimal Gurung, who was appointed the new chairman of the GJAC in the meeting held at Singmari here, wrote on social networking website Facebook, that the GJAC had decided to put on hold its agitation on the condition that the talks should be held by October 20.
"The Home Minister has clearly stated that no new states can be created immediately. We reiterate that the solution to Gorkhaland is not immediate and that it requires a stepwise dialogue to solve the century-old demand of the Gorkhas," Gurung said.
The new GJAC chairman said, "We decry the hostile and confrontationist attitude of the state government and would henceforth expect its cooperation to take the tripartite talks forward."
Gurung announced that the GJAC would organise a sit-in in the three sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong from September 13 onwards in "traditional attire".
Meanwhile, North Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb said that the government would not hesitate to take stern action if normal life in the hills remained paralysed.
"The state government will not allow a 'Talibani' administration in the Darjeeling hills to settle and will take stern steps against anti-democratic arrangement by the agitators," Deb said told reporters in Kolkata apprising them on the law and order situation in the hills.
"We won't allow the state to be divided and the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to the Prime Minister in this regard," Deb said.
The minister also warned stern action against government employees if they remain absent from offices and asked the district administration to keep the public distribution system running in the hills.
"Strong police arrangement has already been ordered to keep the PDS operative in the hills," he said.
Deb said that on September 16, they would organise a "Peace March" at Kurseong. He would also visit Lakhpanchari village soon to attend a programme for free distribution of food among villagers.
The minister noted that children had started returning to their schools which were closed ever since the indefinite statehood stir started in Darjeeling and said, "Steps are being taken by the administration to restore confidence among the school children."
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