KOLKATA, 8 FEB : Even when the stand-off between the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha and the state government over the formation of Lepcha Development Council is continues, the GJMM today clarified that its position on supporting the Trinamul government remained unchanged. Its statehood demand is directed against the Centre, the Morcha claimed.
Mr Roshan Giri, GJMM general secretary, told The Statesman during the day that his party wasn't against the LDC, but noted that there's no provision for such LDC in the GTA accord. “If it has to be set up, the state government should have consulted GJMM leaders and other authorities who were present at the time of the formation of the GTA,'’ Mr Giri said.
In any case, if such a body is to be set up, it should be under the GTA, he said. “We are against the state government's arbitrary decision to set up LDC on the lines of GTA,'' he said.
“We have been protesting against the Centre in Delhi since 27 January for a separate Gorkhaland state, but our call for a 12-hour bandh in the Hills tomorrow is against the state government's arbitrary decision to set up LDC.''
Mr Harka Badhadur Chhetri, Kalimpong GJMM MLA, had stated in the state Assembly during the last Budget session that his party would support the Trinamul government as long as Miss Mamata Banerjee headed it.
Mr Giri iterated there had been no deviation from that position of the GJMM. “But that doesn't mean we won't fight for our main demand ~ formation of a separate Gorkhaland state. The state government has nothing to do about it. It's for the Centre to respond to our demand. Our meeting with the Union home minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde and the Union home secretary last month was disappointing, since they told us to withdraw our agitation first before they would hold any dialogue,” Mr Giri said.
The GJMM leaders also met the BJP leader, Mr LK Advani last month and the latter asked them to provide him with detailed “historical” facts in support of their statehood demand.
“We later handed over all the relevant documents to Mr Advani," Mr Giri added.
Mr Roshan Giri, GJMM general secretary, told The Statesman during the day that his party wasn't against the LDC, but noted that there's no provision for such LDC in the GTA accord. “If it has to be set up, the state government should have consulted GJMM leaders and other authorities who were present at the time of the formation of the GTA,'’ Mr Giri said.
In any case, if such a body is to be set up, it should be under the GTA, he said. “We are against the state government's arbitrary decision to set up LDC on the lines of GTA,'' he said.
“We have been protesting against the Centre in Delhi since 27 January for a separate Gorkhaland state, but our call for a 12-hour bandh in the Hills tomorrow is against the state government's arbitrary decision to set up LDC.''
Mr Harka Badhadur Chhetri, Kalimpong GJMM MLA, had stated in the state Assembly during the last Budget session that his party would support the Trinamul government as long as Miss Mamata Banerjee headed it.
Mr Giri iterated there had been no deviation from that position of the GJMM. “But that doesn't mean we won't fight for our main demand ~ formation of a separate Gorkhaland state. The state government has nothing to do about it. It's for the Centre to respond to our demand. Our meeting with the Union home minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde and the Union home secretary last month was disappointing, since they told us to withdraw our agitation first before they would hold any dialogue,” Mr Giri said.
The GJMM leaders also met the BJP leader, Mr LK Advani last month and the latter asked them to provide him with detailed “historical” facts in support of their statehood demand.
“We later handed over all the relevant documents to Mr Advani," Mr Giri added.
Source: thestatesman
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