Mukherjee (top), Gurung

Darjeeling, Aug 6: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has assured the Bengal tourism minister that it will refrain from calling strikes during the festival season, although it does no rule out the possibility of holding dharnas or rallies at that time.

The assurance from Morcha chief Bimal Gurung is the second in seven days. The first had been on July 30 when hotel owners were told that there would be no strike during Pujas.

Today, Gurung also said the date for the tripartite meeting between the Centre, state and his party is expected to be finalised on August 8 when chief secretary Amit Kiran Deb visits Delhi.

“Once we know the date, we will hold an all-party meeting in the hills and will take representatives from other outfits, too, to Delhi,” said Gurung.

He said his party may in future hand over houses belonging to former GNLF leaders who have fled the hills in recent times. “As these houses were built with public money, they belong to the people. In future, we may think of giving them to the poor.”

The Morcha president said he had received a letter from tourism minister Manab Mukherjee. The minister had said in Calcutta yesterday that he has written to the Morcha to help facilitate tourism during the festive months of October and November.

“We have already maintained that there would be no strikes during the festivity. Nevertheless, we will reply to the minister stating the same. There could be rallies and dharnas during the period, but we will refrain from calling strikes,” said Gurung.

A section of the Morcha, however, came down heavily on Mukherjee for writing the letter.

“There was no reason for the minister to be overzealous. Even before any one approached us, we said no strikes would be held during the festive months. If Mukherjee is interested in tourism, he should assure the people that his party and the constituents of the Left Front will not call a strike in the rest of Bengal during that period,” said Binay Tamang, media and publicity secretary of the Morcha.

If the minister fails to give such an assurance on behalf of his party, he should remain silent, Tamang added.

“Has the tourism minister ever visited the hills in his official capacity to listen to the grievances of the people involved with the industry here,” said Tamang.