Gorkhas reject WB Govt's offer for talks
The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha rejects CM's offer for talks on the Darjeeling issue, stressing on their demand for a separate state.
india Updated: Jun 14, 2008 01:28 IST
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s proposed all-party meeting on June 17 to discuss the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state might end in a fiasco with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader Bimal Gurung rejecting the CM’s offer of separate talks with him the following day.
Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee has expressed reservations about holding the meeting.
On the GJM rejecting his invitation, Bhattacharjee said tersely, “Wait and see what happens finally.” He has kept the issue of revising his stand on inviting the GJM to the all-party meet wide open.
In New Delhi, the AICC endorsed the state Congress stand against any division of West Bengal and hoped the all-party meeting called by the CM would find a solution to the Gorkhaland issue.
In a letter to Gurung on Friday, Bhattacharjee said he would be happy if Gurung and his colleagues could come to Kolkata on June 18 to discuss “measures needed to restore normalcy and speed up execution of development work in the hills and related subjects”.
The GJM has maintained it would hold talks with the state only if its demand for a separate Gorkha state is accepted.
