The rift between top Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders has got clearer on Thursday as GJM assistant secretary Binay Tamang announced that the indefinite bandh would be relaxed for 12 days, beginning on Friday at 6 am, and within minutes GJM president Bimal Gurung said the bandh would continue.
"We talked to the West Bengal government and the next round of talks are scheduled on September 12. On August 29, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said after the meeting that our demand for Gorkhaland was constitutional and we could demand it without resorting to violence. Respecting that we have decided that bandh would be lifted till September 12," Tamang said at a press conference on Thursday. He said that for the last 80 days all schools, colleges and offices had been shut.
"There is a lot of crisis and shortage of food supplies. Our movement will continue but to put pressure on the government. If the meeting on September 12 fails, we will there and then conduct a meeting and decide on the future course of action. New roadmap will be formed," he added.
Within a few minutes of the press conference, Gurung, from an undisclosed location released an audio tape that bandh would not be lifted. "Our main demand had been a separate Gorkhaland and Mamata had clearly said on August 29 after the meeting that speaking for a separate Gorkhaland was beyond her jurisdiction. So what is the point lifting the bandh? It will remain," he said.
It was found out that people at the hills were more likely to go with the decision of Gurung.
Party general secretary Roshan Giri, too, came in Gurung's support. "People's aspiration is Gorkhaland. Bandh will continue. What Tamang said is wrong. They had no business calling a central committee meeting. Their decision is illegitimate. This bandh will continue," Giri said.
Tamang's announcement of lifting the bandh was the decision of the central committee of GJM in which of 93 members 30 were present, making it clear that there was trouble brewing on and from September 1.
Earlier too, after the meeting of the hill leaders with the state government, Gurung had said that when the CM had expressed her helplessness about Gorkhaland, hill leaders should have walked out of the meeting.
POLITICS ON HILLS
- On August 29, Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had said demand for Gorkhaland was constitutional
- Tamang said for the last 80 days all schools, colleges and offices had been closed.
