Decision on Morcha demands by Feb 16

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha withdrew its indefinite hunger strike in the three subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong today after the Bengal government said it would decide on the demands of the newly formed party by February 16.

The Morcha had gone on fast demanding the removal of Subash Ghisingh as caretaker of the DGHC and a visit from the parliamentary standing committee on home affairs that is scrutinising the Sixth Schedule bill. The four-month-old party of Bimal Gurung is against the special status and wants Gorkhaland instead.

A seven-member delegation of the Morcha sat for discussions with chief secretary Amit Kiran Deb and home secretary Prasad Ranjan Ray at Writers’ Buildings this afternoon. They told the senior bureaucrats that Ghisingh was not acceptable at the helm of affairs, as he no longer enjoyed the people’s mandate. He should be removed and an IAS officer be appointed as administrator, they said.

The Morcha had upped the ante with the indefinite hunger strike, which began on February 7. Over 70 people had started the fast and some of them fell ill, but refused to be hospitalised. Since yesterday, all state and central government offices have been shut following the Morcha call for closure, an agitation programme the party leadership said it would continue with.

Roshan Giri, the Morcha general secretary, who led the delegation to Calcutta, said after the 30-minute meeting that it was up to the party president and the central committee to decide on the next course of action, if Ghisingh is removed.

“Under Ghisingh, there has been no educational or social development. Unemployment has increased and gardens have shut down. We want a separate state. Currently, our main demand is Ghisingh’s removal. He is there because of the state government. However, the chief secretary has requested us to withdraw the fast,” Giri said.

After the meeting, Deb and Ray had entered chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s room for five minutes before talking to reporters. “The demands will be discussed threadbare, but we will take a decision by the 16th,” said Deb.

Back in Darjeeling, Gurung said the party was happy with the government’s response. “We do not want to be arrogant but the government should not take us lightly. We have decided to suspend the indefinite hunger strike. If things do not work out by February 16, we will be back on fast. However, the state and central offices will remain closed till our demands are met,” said Gurung.