Kolkata: As the indefinite shutdown in Darjeeling entered its 77th day, leaders of some hill parties will be meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today to discuss the way forward. The meeting will be held at Mamata Banerjee's office in Kolkata at 4 pm.
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung, the man spearheading the demand for a separate state in the hills, however, will not be part of the discussion. His colleague Benoy Tamang will lead the party's five-member delegation.
"We hope we will be able to find a solution to the Darjeeling crisis," Mr Tamang told reporters. The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), Jan Andolan Party (JAP) and the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL) will also join the talks.
Last week, the GJM expressed its willingness to attend today's talks abandoning its earlier stand of not holding any dialogue with the state government over the issue. The GJM had though reiterated that Gorkhaland was the only solution to the problems of the Gorkha community.
In his message, he said, "There is a conspiracy by some hill leaders who are hand in glove with the state government. They are trying to frame me and are passing information to the police."
The protests, spearheaded by the GJM, had begun on June 8 over fears that the state government was trying to impose Bengali language in the hills and snowballed into demand for a separate state. The GJM took out rallies in various parts of the hills, demanded immediate withdrawal of police forces from Darjeeling and raised slogans in support of Gorkhaland.
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung, the man spearheading the demand for a separate state in the hills, however, will not be part of the discussion. His colleague Benoy Tamang will lead the party's five-member delegation.
"We hope we will be able to find a solution to the Darjeeling crisis," Mr Tamang told reporters. The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), Jan Andolan Party (JAP) and the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL) will also join the talks.
Last week, the GJM expressed its willingness to attend today's talks abandoning its earlier stand of not holding any dialogue with the state government over the issue. The GJM had though reiterated that Gorkhaland was the only solution to the problems of the Gorkha community.
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In his message, he said, "There is a conspiracy by some hill leaders who are hand in glove with the state government. They are trying to frame me and are passing information to the police."
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The protests, spearheaded by the GJM, had begun on June 8 over fears that the state government was trying to impose Bengali language in the hills and snowballed into demand for a separate state. The GJM took out rallies in various parts of the hills, demanded immediate withdrawal of police forces from Darjeeling and raised slogans in support of Gorkhaland.
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