Splits appear in Gorkhaland movement as one faction calls off strike, other says strike still on

Splits appeared in the ongoing Gorkhaland movement on Thursday when one faction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, led by party coordinator Binay Tamang, called off the indefinite shutdown in the Darjeeling hills while the other said it would continue. The Tamang-led faction called off the strike temporarily, until September 12, to facilitate talks with the state administration.

However, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said the bandh would continue till dialogues on separate statehood for Gorkhaland are initiated, The New Indian Express reported.

Party chief Bimal Gurung, also in favour of the strike, said, “The bandh will continue and the section that announced the suspension of the bandh had no locus standi to do so,” Hindustan Times reported.

While Gurung, who has largely been underground for over 80 days, is against open talks with the Mamata Banerjee-government, Tamang was quoted as saying, “Even the Doklam issue got resolved with talks. We want to resolve the Gorkhaland issue through talks with the central and state governments” adding, “Mamata Banerjee has acknowledged our demand as being constitutional but wanted us to express our demand in a peaceful and non-violent manner.”

A decision on whether to recommence the strike or withdraw it completely will be taken on September 13 depending on the outcome of the talks with the state government, Tamang said.