Rebel Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader Binay Tamang today sought to take
credit for the Centre's formation of a committee to look into the
Darjeeling issue, saying it was his letter to Union home minister
Rajnath Singh that led to the move.
"On September 3, after I was
made the chief coordinator of the party, I wrote to the Union home
minister mentioning that if any tripartite talks are held on the hill
issue, I should be called. On October 10, after I took charge at the
GTA, I sent another set of letters. It was yesterday that I learnt about
the committee and I feel that it was done because of my letters,"
Tamang said.
The Centre has formed a high-level committee of
officials to initiate a composite dialogue with the Mamata Banerjee
government and Morcha representatives to find a solution to the
Gorkhaland issue.
The third round of
bipartite talks between the Bengal government and the hill parties are
scheduled for September 16 in Nabanna. The Centre is yet to decide on a
date for the tripartite talks.
Asked if he would attend the tripartite talks if Morcha chief Bimal
Gurung was invited, Tamang said: "We feel some legal hurdles might crop
up if a person, against whom charges have been clamped under the UAPA
and who is wanted in several cases, is called for such talks. We believe
the Centre also knows it."
Tamang will head for Calcutta
tomorrow and is slated to meet the chief minister in the afternoon. He
will meet the governor on September 15 and attend the talks with the
state the day after.
Tamang today appealed to tourists to visit
the hills with a promise of security. "We welcome tourists to the hills
and would like to assure them that all steps would be taken to ensure
their protection. Peace and normality have been restored in the hills,"
he said.
Courtesy: The Telegraph
Post a Comment
We love to hear from you! What's on your mind?