Date:28/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/28/stories/2008062860111700.htm

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Buddhadeb holds talks with GJM team

Marcus Dam

KOLKATA: Tripartite talks to resolve the stalemate in the Darjeeling hills arising from the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha’s (GJM) demand for a separate State “will be premature” unless they are preceded by bipartite discussions between the West Bengal government and those behind the agitation “to find a political solution” to the impasse, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee told a GJM delegation at a meeting here on Friday.

Members of the four-member GJM team asserted that they would not budge from their demand for a separate Gorkhaland, and ruled out any talk with the State government over greater autonomy to the Darjeeling hills.

“Our democratic and peaceful movement will continue till Gorkhaland is created. The future of the indefinite bandh in the hills [relaxed till July 5] will be determined after a central committee meeting on our return to Darjeeling,” said Amar Lama, a GJM central committee member, who led the delegation.

“We have no objections as such to a tripartite meeting but it would be more meaningful if there are further talks between the State government and the GJM leadership prior to it being held. Otherwise, I am afraid nothing much will come out of such a meeting,” Mr. Bhattacharjee told newspersons after the meeting with the GJM delegation.

“We reject the Chief Minister’s suggestion for greater administrative and financial powers to the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council,” Mr. Lama said.

On the Statehood demand, Mr. Bhattacharjee said, “As I have done so before, I told them that we, in West Bengal, should stay together as we have for so many years.”