Date for Tripartite Talks on Gorkhaland Advanced to Aug 11
As a “goodwill gesture”, the central government has advanced the date for tripartite talks on demands of creation of Gorkhaland by a fortnight to August 11, conceding the request of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).
“This has been done as a goodwill gesture to the GJM. This is the earliest possible date for holding the tripartite talks after the current parliament session ends,” said a home ministry statement.
Earlier, the talks – in which GJM, the West Bengal government and the central government are the three parties – was proposed to be held on August 24 by the government.
On Friday, the GJM sent a fax message to the central government demanding that the tripartite meeting be called early and decided to partially relax the ongoing shutdown in Darjeeling district from Monday.
The GJM, which is fighting for a separate Gorkhaland state to be carved out in north Bengal, said it would relax the strike July 20-23. It began the shutdown July 13.
