GJM leaders said that the hunger strike, which was being carried out by 13 party youth wing activists in Darjeeling town, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik, was called off at 4.30 pm on Monday.
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung on Monday called off the hunger strike being carried out by pro-Gorkhaland activists, a day after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh appealed to protesters to end the indefinite shutdown in Darjeeling. He maintained, however, that the strike would not be concluded till the demand for separate statehood is met.
In a statement issued on the eve of India’s 70th Independence Day celebrations, Gurung said: ‘’The honourable Home Minister has issued an appeal to the GJM and other stakeholders. Keeping in mind the appeal of the Home Minister and honouring it, I was conveyed that the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) held a meeting in Delhi today, where they urged me to call off the ongoing hunger strike by the yuva morcha in Darjeeling, Kurseong, Mirik and Kalimpong… Given that tomorrow is also the 70th Independence Day, I am also of the view that the Home Minister’s appeal should be respected, and the hunger strike by the yuva morcha should be withdrawn as a first step to achieving Gorkhaland.”
The Union home minister hailed the move, tweeting: “I wholeheartedly appreciate the decision taken by GJM president Shri Bimal Gurung & the GMCC to call off their indefinite hunger strike.” The ruling Trinamool Congress welcomed the move but said the GJM must ensure “proper atmosphere” for talks, PTI reported.
When asked if the state government would call the GJM for talks, senior TMC leader and state minister Gautam Deb said: “We had called them for talks earlier, but they did not attend. So we feel that peace and proper atmosphere should prevail for initiation of talks… But I can’t comment further on this matter as this will be decided at the highest level of the state government.”
GJM leaders said that the hunger strike, which was being carried out by 13 party youth wing activists in Darjeeling town, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik, was called off at 4.30 pm on Monday. Rajnath Singh had met leaders of GJM and the GMCC in a two-hour meeting in Delhi on Sunday. Appealing to the state government to initiate a dialogue with the Gorkha leaders, Singh had said he was “concerned about the developments in Darjeeling, and the loss of valuable lives and suffering of people over the past 60 days”.
He also asked the state government to restore civil supplies, Internet services and local cable and news channels, which had been suspended by the state administration starting mid-June.
The Darjeeling district administration, on the other hand, on Monday extended the ban on Internet services for another 10 days, according to PTI. Internet services in the Hills have been banned since June 18.
Meanwhile, GJM assistant secretary Binay Tamang told PTI the party has decided that there will be no picketing by its activists at various checkpoints from 6 am to 6 pm on August 15, though the indefinite shutdown in the Hills will continue.
