More autonomy for India's ethnic Gorkhas

The Associated Press

NEW DELHI -- The government of the Indian state of West Bengal and the Gorkha ethnic group are set to sign an agreement offering greater autonomy to the Gorkhas in hopes of ending their often violent actions in their push for a homeland in the Himalayan foothills.
The agreement to be signed Monday was negotiated with the main Gorkha organization.
However, the deal does not appear to go far enough for some activists who want a separate state carved out of West Bengal. They've called a 48-hour strike in the area to protest the agreement.
In the 1980s, the Gorkhas led a violent insurgency, leading to the deaths of some 1,200 people. They adopted more peaceful means in later decades.
Experts said the agreement could bring development to the Darjeeling region famed for its tea gardens.