TOP Leader says Hills may wait til 16 October

SNS, SILIGURI,16 SEPTEMBER: A senior leader of a prominent Hill based political party, an arch rival of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM), today gave three reasons for the indefinite shut down to go on, despite peoples sufferings and efforts to have it lifted.

According to the leader, it is yet to be seen if GJMM chief Bimal Gurung plans to give people some respite from the shutdown during Durga Puja (Dashain Festival in the Hills),but, according to him, a large section of the people want to wait until the third bipartite meeting which is scheduled to be convened by chief minister Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna on 16 October. The decision to hold such talks was taken during the second round of meeting between the state government and some Hill leaders at Uttarkanya in Siliguri on 12 September.

The leader said pro-Gorkhaland people want to wait and watch and continue with the shut down until 16 October, Another argument that he put forth for the strike to continue was that hardcore Gorkhaland activists are still supporting the GJMM chief's decision to continue with the shutdown. And thirdly,"people, who want to open their business establishments, are still fearing fresh attacks on them due to lack of adequate security"

How long will the police be able to protect them. Some people, who opened the shops, finally downed shutters after a few hours, he said.

The leader further said that the Jan Andolan Party (JAP) president, Harka Bahadur Chhetri, who was speaking on the statehood demand, requested Miss Banerjee during the meeting at Uttarkanya to repeal the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC)Act and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Act, as people have 'rejected' the latter by burning copies of the GTA Act.

The JAP president had, himself, said earlier: "... All stakeholders, that is what we Feel, should be present ....participate in the discussions and whatever conclusion comes out of this, everyone will bear equal responsibility. For that reason onlywe have requested all parties to come."