Gorkhas will talk to Centre, not Buddha

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on Thursday reiterated its rejection of West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s invitation for talks in Kolkata. The GJM maintained that it is prepared only for tripartite talks involving the Central government in Delhi.

GJM leader Roshan Giri said, “We refuse to attend any talks in Kolkata. If the chief minister has to talk to us it will have to be in Delhi in the presence of the Central government.”

“The government has to call for tripartite talks. This is not a problem of the Darjeeling Hills alone. It is a problem faced by Gorkhas all over the country. Our demand of Gorkhaland is a democratic demand and under the purview of Article 3 of the Indian Constitution,” Giri reiterated. No communication has arrived from the Centre yet though the GJM is expecting an invitation from Delhi soon.

Meanwhile, Amar Lama, central committee leader said, “Ours is a democratic movement. Even if the state and Centre reject our demand, the greater movement, which is a people’s movement, will continue. The indefinite strike will continue.”

Meanwhile, nerves have begun to snap in Sikkim, with the man on the road beginning to feel the heat of the indefinite strike.

Santosh Rai, a resident of Gangtok, asked, “Have we not given enough moral and every kind of support. Why are we being made to suffer? VIPs can travel with escorts and avail of helicopter services but the common man is suffering.”