Govt to compensate kin of those killed during Darjeeling shutdown: Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee at the all-party meeting at Nabanna in Kolkata on Monday. Express

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that her government would compensate the families of those killed during the over three-month-long agitation in Darjeeling. Mamata said this after an all-party meeting held at state secretariat Nabanna, which was attended by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League, Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and Trinamool Congress. Members of Jan Andolan Party (JAP) skipped the meeting. This was the third all-party meeting held to discuss issues concerning Darjeeling hills.

“Today’s meeting was constructive and positive. Most of the political parties attended it. GJM leader Binay Tamang and others and its three MLAs were present. From GNLF Madan Tamang and from Gorkha League Bharati Tamang were here. Trinamool Congress leaders from the Hills also attended the meeting. We have decided that all of us will work together to restore peace and normalcy in the hills. Everybody has come together for that purpose,” Mamata said.

“We have also decided to give compensation to the family of the deceased and those who were injured during the agitation in Darjeeling. There will be no break in service for workers who could not attend office during the three-month-long indefinite shutdown. There are some demands of the GTA which we will also fulfil. No hill parties want violence and agitation in Darjeeling. They want development, peace and normalcy. We have held discussions on these areas and also decided to find a permanent solution so that violence is not repeated in the hills.”

Chairman of Board of Administrators (BoA) in Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Binay Tamang told reporters that the state government agreed to fulfill most of their demands, which were raised in the meeting.

“Bonus will be paid to closed tea garden workers. There will be no break in service for workers in the Darjeeling hills for their inability to attend office during the agitation. The state government also decided to give compensation to the victims of Darjeeling violence. The meeting was positive,” he said. The fourth all-party meeting will be held on November 21 in Darjeeling district.