Kolkata, May 30 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday said the state government will hold discussions with the pro-Gorkhaland Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) June 6 on the Darjeeling issue to chart out a roadmap for future course of action.
Briefing mediapersons after a meeting with GJM supremo Bimal Gurung, Banerjee said:. ‘It has been decided that discussions on the Darjeeling issue will start between GJM and state government officers on June 6. And after that meeting, they will decide from the discussion as to when the political process can be started.’
This was the first official meeting between Banerjee and Gurung after she took over the reins of the state following her Trinamool Congress’s landslide victory in the assembly elections.
‘The state chief secretary will himself talk to the central government, so that in the next meeting the officials of the central government are also present and we can derive a solution,’ said Banerjee.
The demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland covering parts of northern Bengal gained momentum during the 1980s under the leadership of Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) supremo Subash Ghising. But the reins of the movement were later taken over by the Gurung-led GJM which forced Ghising out of the hills.
Banerjee also announced that a CID probe will be ordered into the killing of three GJM activists in police firing in February this year.
‘They have raised some issues of atrocities there like the death of three GJM activists on Feb 8 in police firing. They have told me they want a CBI inquiry. I have requested them that we are reconstituting the state CID, so please keep faith on CID,’ she said
‘CID will investigate the case and take steps according to the outcome. And the families of the three victims will be provided necessary help by the state government,’ Banerjee said.
Gurung seemed happy with the outcome of the meeting, but said it was an ‘official courtesy meeting’.
‘We are happy with the plans of the madam (Banerjee) for the hills. She has given the permission of CID probe into the firing. We are hopeful that justice will be delivered. Now Bengal is free from 34 years of misrule,’ said Gurung. Asked about the Gorkhaland issue, he said: ‘We will talk about the Gorkhaland issue later.’
Annoyed by the question, Banerjee said: ‘Don’t insist on anything which may lead to a deterioration in the situation. Please be positive. Darjeeling is our brother and sister. They are our brothers. Darjeeling is very much within Bengal.’
