GMCC to ask GJM to review indefinite strike

The Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee, which is spearheading the statehood agitation in the Darjeeling hills, will request the GJM to take a call on the indefinite strike which entered its 72nd day today.
The decision to write to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) to request for taking a call on the issue was taken at a meeting of the GMCC at Kalimpong today.
The GMCC was divided on attending the August 29 talks convened by the state government in response to the GNLF's letter requesting for a dialogue to restore normalcy in hills as it was yet to receive a formal invite.

"Today two things were discussed. One that we will write to the GJM leadership requesting them to take a call on the strike. The GJM will have to take a call as they had called the indefinite shutdown," a senior GMCC member said.
"Secondly we are waiting for an official invite from the state government to join the talks. We will again meet on August 27 to announce our decision," he said.
The GMCC comprises members of all hill parties, including the GJM and the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), and is headed by the GJM.

The GJM yesterday wrote a letter to the West Bengal government expressing its willingness to attend the August 29 talks to resolve the Darjeeling stalemate, abandoning its earlier stand.

A low-intensity blast rocked Teesta Bazar area in Darjeeling early today, four days before the hill parties are to meet in Kolkata for finding a solution to the impasse.
The police said that no one was killed or wounded in the blast which took place close to the Teesta bridge but some shops were damaged.
Today's blast is the third such incident since the indefinite shutdown began to press for a separate Gorkhaland state.
According to police sources, a pro-Gorkhaland activist was arrested in the hills for his alleged involvement in violence and arson that took place in the hills in June.

The Darjeeling district administration has, meanwhile, extended the ban on Internet for 10 more days. The ban was imposed on June 18.