Gorkhaland: State writes to Centre for tripartite talks

CM agrees to Delhi talks on Darjeeling

OUR BUREAU - The Telegraph

Calcutta/Darjeeling, July 9: The state government is going to urge the Union home ministry “in a day or two” to call a tripartite meeting in Delhi on Darjeeling.

The decision follows the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s refusal to engage in bipartite talks with the state.

Home secretary Asok Mo-han Chakrabarti said at Wri-ters’ Buildings this evening: “We will very soon write to the Union home ministry to hold a tripartite meeting to discuss the Darjeeling issue. It will happen in a day or two. There is no reason to believe that bipartite talks cannot be held after a tripartite discussion.

“Now, it would be for the Centre to decide on the date and venue.”

He added that it was “too premature” to say now whether the chief minister would attend the tripartite meeting.
After an all-party meeting on Darjeeling on June 17, chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had sent a letter calling the Morcha for bipartite talks.

Morcha president Bimal Gurung did not come but his representatives did.

On June June 27, they told the chief minister that the outfit demanding a separate Gorkhaland carved out the Darjeeling hills, Siliguri, Dooars and Terai was no longer interested in bipartite talks and that the state should persuade the Centre to hold a three-way meeting.

The chief minister then requested Gurung to hold a few rounds of bipartite talks and arrive at a “political solution’’ before going to Delhi.

In response, the Morcha iterated its demand.

Asked to react to today’s decision, Gurung said: “It is good that the government has accepted our demand. I will attend the meeting’’.

He did not reveal whether the Morcha would continue with its bandh in government offices. “We will look into it,” he said.
Morcha insiders said the shutdown was likely to be reviewed.

Bhattacharjee had earlier ruled out any talks on Gorkhaland, though he promised more powers to the hill council.

Hill affairs minister and Siliguri MLA Asok Bhattacharya met the chief minister and later the home secretary to discuss the situation in Darjeeling and the “dangerous’’ move of the Morcha to replace WB (West Bengal) number plates with GL (Gorkhaland).

“I met the chief minister today to discuss the overall situation in Darjeeling and the number plates issue. It is dangerous and the government will have to do something,” the minister said.

He also warned of violence if “vehicles with GL number plates try to enter Siliguri”.

Gorkhaland: State writes to Centre for tripartite talks
Express News Service

Kolkata, July 9 The state government took fresh steps today to resolve the Darjeeling Hill impasse, urging the Centre for tripartite talks.

A letter was sent to the Union home ministry regarding the situation in Darjeeling, asking them “to initiate the process for tripartite talks,” said home secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti.

The move comes a day after the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha rejected the state’s offer of bipartite talks.

In Darjeeling, meanwhile, GJM strongman Bimal Gurung gave a call for a “Dharma Yuddha” to realise the dream of a separate Gorkhaland by 2010.

In a departure from its mode of agitation, the GJM is now stressing on public prayer meetings.

In fact, Gurung’s call for “Dharma Yuddha” came during the inauguration of a month-long prayer meeting on Wednesday.

Organised by the Khaas Bharatiya Hitkari Sammelan (KBHS), an association of Nepali Brahmins and Kshatriyas, the prayer meeting will continue till August 7, said GJM leaders.

The programme will see participation from residents of the hills, irrespective of community.

The GJM, which has already declared that its bandh will be restricted only to government offices till August 7, is hoping to keep the public interest alive through a common religious forum, party sources said.

“The Gorkhaland issue is more social in nature than political. The people must be involved,” said a GJM leader. Through the prayer meeting, the people will be taking a vow to get back territories between rivers Sankash and Mechi.

Similar religious programmes are being conducted in other parts of the hills including Mirik, Kurseong and Kalimpong.

Movement finds support on campus

The Gorkhaland debate swept the Jadavpur University today.

Academicians and political activists harped on the necessity of a separate identity for Gorkhas at a seminar organised by Indian Institute of Marxist Studies and All India Student’s Association.

Blaming the state government for triggering the agitation, RB Rai, general secretary, Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists said: “Though there are talks about tripartite meeting, I have no faith in the CPM government’s understanding of the need for a separate state for Gorkhas.”

Most of the speakers welcomed the possibility of a separate state and condemned the state government for purposely delaying the process.

“If every other community in the country can have their own separate identity, why not the Gorkhas?” asked CK Shreshtha, president Indian Gorkha League.

It now makes sense to have BG of the GJMM faction to NOW send another team to Kolkata ………AS WELL!!!!!!!..............as part of a “La-La-Mo-Mo” team……….. For, according to reports in the press: “the WB chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s reply” to BG had also implicitly said ……………..”it would be “fruitful (HOW SO DELICIOUSLY FRUITFUL???…….. Sic*) if a meeting at the bipartite level” preceded the talks in Delhi”……(On one hand………….. it would be good to have the WB Govt’s…….so called………. “SUPPORT” on the Gorkha side for that is most necessary to sway the Centre --- no matter who comes to power at the Centre --- ………..but then again………….. the distrust runs deep…… so NOW, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE WB GOVT WOULD GO ABOUT TRYING TO ………..”derail”……. the GORKHALAND DEMAND and THE BG DELEGATION AGAIN…………..AS THEY DID THE SG DELEGATION 21 YEARS AGO,……… WHICH BG WAS A PART OF…………..for it is said that “history repeats itself” or rather “goes around in a concentric spiral”…..which could be upward or downward)…………. As, on the 13th of July 2008, A BG team left for Delhi on what party insiders described as a “confidential visit”………….. The five-member team, led by Amar Lama, a central committee member of the Morcha, reached Delhi 14th evening. The team, according to a “Telegraph” report, is expected to prepare ground work on two fronts……………. “At a time when the equations are changing at the Centre and relations are developed with a new set of people who matter most, it does make sense to send a team…………….. The team may not get enough time in this hectic situation to interact with all those it intend, but there is no harm in giving it a shot,” a party source is quoted as saying…………The report further added that: This also explains why the party is not too keen in publicizing the visit before something concrete emerges……………….. The decision to visit Delhi at this juncture is also important as Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has already written (ANYONE SURE ABOUT THIS???? OR THIS A STONEWALLING TECHNIQUE TO LET THIS AUGUST PARLIAMENTARY SESSION ALSO PASS------ Sic*) to the Centre for a tripartite meeting………… During its stay in Delhi the delegation would also prepare its groundwork for a seminar that the party would host here on July 21, the source reportedly said…………….The seminar, according to the report, is about the demand of Gorkhaland but the party is keen to get like-minded speakers from Delhi for it. “If non-Nepali speakers……… (MOST IMPORTANT and an absolute MUST) ……….. can be invited, it will be all the more better……. Moreover it will also be interesting to get Nepali-speaking people from other parts of the country for the meet. The team in Delhi will also be working on this front,” the source reportedly added…………(THIS IS WHERE THE BG faction ……. as they are all relatively new to the “connection factors”……….. should now consider the possibility of handing out the “Olive Branch” to the more well connected (and better fed……Sic*) SG faction………”BG’s currently erstwhile enemies” …………. Take the example of Jharkhand and Uttarakhand who were “totally united” and pulled “all the right strings” to get their STATEHOOD while GORKHALAND looked on “hooked” on the 6th SCHEDULE………Sic*).
(Posted by Gorkhs Daju, July 16, 2008, 12:14 PM)

Now that they have decided not to go for the tripartite talks in Delhi till there is stability in the Govt I would request GJM to call of the impending strike on 7th August immediately. Hundreds of thousands of people in Darjeeling dist depend on tourism directly or indirectly and by postponing Strikes it is harming the oncoming season in October. As it is the spates of strikes has deprived the people of their livelihood and have done irreparable damages to tourism & economy of the region. The dissent amongst the public is ever increasing due to this and is turning out to be an unpopular movement. It will definitely be a while before the Govt stabilizes and I dont see any reason why the people should suffer in the mean time. Let us get on with earning our livelihood while the GJM find democratic ways to fight for Gorkhaland. There are ten other places in India wanting Statehood and none of them have inconvenienced their own people in the way GJM have. Even in the process of Chattisgargh, Uttarkhand etc achieving Statehood they have never resorted to strikes in the way we have. i also agree with Anil - WE NEED EDUCATED, MATURE, INTELLIGENT, SAVY PEOPLE TO CARRY FORWARD THIS MOVEMENT
(Posted by concerned citizen, July 15, 2008, 5:15 PM)

Now what ? I think that the scales have finally fallen off our eyes and if it hasent I feel sorry for our people The revolt is direction less it has nither the planning nor the vision .Putting GL plates how truely revolting Then the pujas and dishing out hopes of Delhi is calling or Kolkota is saying this or that Tell me honestly this whole thing is just being held together by our egoes and the mind set that refuses to admit defeat on the hands of the "Madasies" Now look at the whole sutition from the top what ever little Autonomy we had with the council has gone ,a parlimentery bill that would have put the Goorkhays on the written constution the 6th shedule has also gone ,come to think of it when the GJMM and the GNLF were engaged in a power struggle the State made sure that the police didnt intervene we are still job less penny less and have kiss Bihari ass for extension of ration credit is this the Gorkhay dream THINK AND THEN AGAIN THINK HARD AGAIN
(Posted by anil, July 15, 2008, 2:01 PM)

State says "it will write" to the Centre for tripartite talks ---- now "WHEN" is the question ---- let us not be "DUPED" by this possibility...... "THE CHECK IS IN THE MAIL" sort of bull.... Another 20 years?? Well, if things don't materialise within 7th August 08, then the Gorkhs will come out of their prayer stage and God only knows what will happen then.... "Aabooee ni ta - aainsh kiddi ko jhol"....... and replying to Avishek bhai's question below..... wish "Ashok Bhattacharya and all those like minded people" had the "Social Grace" nor the "Political Panache" to bow out like the British did from India when their leaving was inevitable. Look at the "All India Polls in fact Worldwide polls" that The Statesman is running on their web page - www.thestatesman.net - asking "Does West Bengal Deserve Darjeeling?"................and 66 percent have voted a resounding NO!!!!!!!!
(Posted by Gorkhs Daju, July 11, 2008, 8:00 AM)

Now, it's the beginning of the new chapter on the road towards Gorkhaland with Centre Government for Tripartite Talks. All the best to the delegates of Gorkha Jana Mukti Morha heading to Delhi.
(Posted by Ex Gorkha., July 11, 2008, 1:36 AM)

I wonder why is Mr.Ashok Bhattacharya is always after violence.....he knows sooner or later there will be Gorkhaland so why is he not accepting it ??? the world know what kind of people Gorkhas if it comes down to the battle field
(Posted by avisek, July 10, 2008, 8:02 PM)

Gorkhaland: State writes to Centre for tripartite talks

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