State Gorkhaland cry gains ground

New Delhi: Demands for trifurcation of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and bifurcation of West Bengal have gained ground.

The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha that spearheads the demand for creation of Gorkhaland as a separate state encompassing hilly areas of West Bengal has given a call for a 96-hour hunger strike starting Friday.

Protagonists of the demand for creation of Bundelkhand and Harit Pradesh have also threatened mass protests. Bundelkhand is to comprise 15 districts of UP and Madhya Pradesh (MP), while Harit Pradesh consists of districts of western UP, adjoining Delhi and Haryana.

According to Home Ministry sources, petitions for creation of at least nine other states, besides Telangana, are pending before it.

Apart from Gorkhaland, Bundelkhand and Harit Pradesh, only the demand for creation of Vidarbha by bifurcating Maharashtra is thought to be serious.

Other demands are for: Bhojpur by including Bhojuri-speaking areas of Bihar and eastern UP, Mithilanchal by including Maithili-speaking areas of north Bihar, Saurashtra by including Kutch and other surrounding areas of Gujarat, Coorg by bifurcating Karnataka and Cooch Behar with inclusion of certain districts of West Bengal and Assam.