Darjeeling crisis comes to an end: After 104 days, GJM's Bimal Gurung calls off stir following appeal by Rajnath Singh

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) said on Tuesday night that the indefinite shut down in Darjeeling hills will be suspended from Wednesday, 6.00 am. The announcement came merely hours after home minister Rajnath Singh’s appeal  to the Bimal Gurung-led party to end its 104-days-long agitation.

GJM’s assistant general secretary Jyoti Rai told IANS,“After Rajnath Singh’s appeal, we had a discussion with senior leaders, including GJM chief Bimal Gurung, and decided to withdraw the shutdown from 6 am tomorrow (Wednesday).”

Singh had, earlier on Tuesday, appealed to GJM activists to call off the over three-month-long strike and had invited them for talks to find an amicable solution to the issue.

The home minister said that in a democracy, dialogue is the only way out to resolve any problem and solutions can be found through restraint and mutual dialogue within the legal ambit.

“I appeal to the GJM and its leader Bimal Gurung to withdraw the ongoing bandh and to help create a conducive atmosphere for allowing normalcy to return to the area, particularly in view of the festival season,” Singh had said.

He further added that the Union home secretary Rajiv Gauba will convene an official-level meeting st the home ministry within a fortnight to discuss all related issues.

“Eleven precious lives have been lost so far, seven have been injured and the people of Darjeeling Hills have suffered a lot since the strike. I am deeply  pained by what has happened in Darjeeling Hills,” Singh said.

The indefinite strike called by the Gurung-led GJM has continued since 12 June even though rebel GJM leader  Binay Tamang had announced the suspension of the bandh a few days ago.

On 20 September, the West Bengal government announced the constitution of a nine-member board of administrators with the same powers as Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) which is headed by Gurung.

Tamang and another rebel GJM leader Anit Thapa were made the chairman and vice chairman of the board respectively.

The state administration had lifted the restrictions on the use of internet services in Darjeeling and Kalimpong on Monday night, which were imposed on 18 June.

With inputs from agencies.