Kolkata: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on Thursday
announced a fresh indefinite strike in government offices in
Darjeeling from next week, in an apparent bid to put pressure
on the Centre on its demand that the next round of tripartite
talks on Gorkhaland be held at political level within 45 days.
"There will be an indefinite strike from December 28 in
central and state government as well as offices of the
Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council to press our demand for
Gorkhaland," GJM general secretary Roshan Giri told PTI today
from Darjeeling.
An indefinite strike in government offices from December
17 called by the Janmukti Karmachari Sangstan had earlier been "suspended" to facilitate the fourth tripartite talks in
Darjeeling on the Gorkhaland issue on December 21.
Banks, post offices and LIC would remain outside the
purview of the fresh strike call.
The indefinite hunger strike which was relaxed two days
ahead of the tripartite talks following an appeal by Union
Home minister P Chidamabaram, would also resume from December 26, Giri said.
"It will be a relay hunger-strike which will continue
indefinitely."
Tripartite talks on Gorkhaland in Darjeeling on December
21 had failed to reach an agreement with the Centre saying
political consensus needed to be created and the GJM demanding political-level dialogue within 45 days.
‘Resolution through talks’
As the GJM today announced a fresh
indefinite strike in government offices from December 28 in
Darjeeling, Union Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee expressed hope that Gorkhaland issue would be solved through dialogue.
"In a democracy, there is no way of finding a solution
except though dialogue," Mukherjee told reporters this
evening, when asked to comment on the Gorkhaland issue.
Stating that a round of tripartite talks had been held
this week in Darjeeling, he said, "They have agreed to meet
again."
PTI
First Published: Thursday, December 24, 2009, 22:57