Mukesh Sharma

Kalimpong 4 Nov

Darjeeling MP Mr. SS Ahluwalia visited Kalimpong Block II, Algarah, in Darjeeling hills, where he met and briefed the central government’s message to the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha, (GJMM), and Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, (GTA), chief, Mr. Bimal Gurung, this afternoon, regarding his ongoing Padyatra for Gorkhaland and other present issues.

It was learnt that Mr. Ahluwalia and Mr. Gurung today held a meeting in the premises of Algarah Play Ground in Kalimpong sub division.

Later, addressing a street-corner meeting at Algarah Play Ground in Kalimpong sub division, Mr. Gurung said that he has been invited by the central government for talks to discuss his ongoing ‘Gorkhaland Jagran Padyatra’ (Gorkhaland wakefulness padyatra). Mr. Gurung also cleared that he is presently not going to lift his ongoing padyatra but for the proposed talks, he may suspend the ongoing padyatra for a day or two, after the date of the proposed talks is fixed.

On the other hand, addressing the same meeting, like always without mentioning the word ‘Gorkhaland’ Mr. Ahluwalia said that his central leaderships are really serious over the dream of the Gorkha community.

Even, in their party’s manifesto in 2009 and 2014, their leadership mentioned that they will sympathetically examine the demand. Besides the manifesto, in his speech, he also said that considering the ongoing padyatra by Mr. Gurung and the other present problems of Darjeeling hills, the central government has called Mr. Gurung for talks as through talks only all kind of problems can be sorted out.

He also said that the way, in which, division has been created by the state government in Darjeeling hills through the formation of the different development boards should be immediately stopped. Not only this, to avoid different problems faced by the GTA as well as considering its development works, the central government has set a mind to take initiatives itself from their side.

Notably, yesterday only a team of the GJMM party led by the party general secretary, Mr.Roshan Giri and Darjeelng MP, Mr. SS Ahluwalia met the union home minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh in Delhi, where they have demanded and raised mainly two issues, one is the immediate formation of  a Gorkhaland examination committee and another is a home ministry level tripartite talks with the state CM Mamta Banerjee and GTA  Chief, Mr. Bimal Gurung. Notably, to bring awareness among the hills people regarding Gorkhaland as well as the alleged policy of the state government against the GTA and the Gorkha community, since 2 October from Kalimpong town Mr. Gurung is in padyatra. He vowed to continue his padyatra for 400 days by covering 9000kms.