Gurung to leave for Delhi to discuss 'mouza' with home minister

Deep Gazmer, TNN, Jun 25, 2012, DARJEELING: Unhappy with the recommendations of Justice Shyamal Sen on inclusion of new areas in the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung has decided to go to Delhi and Kolkata on Monday. Gurung wants to know the opinion of ministers at the Centre and chief minister Mamata Banerjee before announcing an agitation programme.

Finding itself in a spot Unhappy with the Finding itself in a tight corner with over the recommendations made by retired Justice Shyamal Sen for inclusion of new areas in the GTA, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung, now has himself decided to go to Delhi and Kolkata to feel the pulse before announcing the party's agitation program.

On the sidelines of the party's meeting with its frontal organizations and units from the Terai and Dooars regions over the land issue, Gurung announced that he will lead a five-member delegation to Delhi on Monday to meet Union home minister P Chidambaram and Congress presidential nominee, Pranab Mukherjee, in line to become the next President.

"I will go to Delhi myself and meet the Union home minister and the present finance minister. I will discuss the issue of the Sen-committee report and see for myself the opinions and views of these leaders," said Gurung.

The five-member delegation includes Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma, Darjeeling Municipality chairman Amar Singh Rai and central committee leaders Ram Bhujel and Pemba Tsering Ola.

The GJM chief without mentioning the day also said he will meet the Bengal CM on his way back. "I will meet the CM on my way back from Delhi to discuss one-on-one the issue of the fact verification committee that has been formed. I will also talk to Mamata Banerjee about the Shyamal Sen report that is completely biased," said Gurung.

With the Shyamal Sen committee report going against the demand of the party and the state government deciding to hold the finding itself, in a tight spot with the state government ready to hold the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (election to the GTA in July, the GJM president has decided to tackle the situation by leading from the front.)

This is the first time after signing of the GTA agreement in July last year that Gurung has decided to lead a delegation. It has always been the GJM general secretary or the MLAs that would lead delegation to Delhi on important matters.

The GJM had earlier said that the party's future programme vis-a-vis the Shyamal Sen report will be announced on June 24. But, the GJM president said on Sunday that all programmes will be announced after his return from Delhi and Kolkata.

"I will first meet the central ministers and the Bengal CM, to get to know their views personally. Our central committee, frontal organizations and units of Terai and Dooars will then hold a meeting following which I will announce the programmes," said Gurung.

Commenting on the issue of the state government issuing a notification for holding the GTA election, the GJM leader said, "It is the government's job to issue notification, but to participate or not is our decision. I promise the people of Terai and Dooars that I will not betray them".