Talks to resolve Gorkhaland problem will continue: Pillai

Darjeeling: There was no consensus on the issue of a Gorkhaland state but discussions to find a solution to the problem would continue, union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said Monday after meeting representatives of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) and the state government.

"We had detailed discussions with the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha and state government representatives regarding the formation of a separate Gorkhaland state and various other issues. We'll continue to hold discussions on this to find a solution to the Gorkhaland problem," Pillai said at a press conference after the three-hour tripartite meeting.

No agreement

He said GJM representatives had indicated they wanted the discussion to be held at the political level.

"Both the centre and the state government representatives will place their requests to the respective governments and will come back to the GJM within 45 days. There is no such agreement at all for a separate Gorkhaland state," Pillai said.

The central government in 2005 conferred Sixth Schedule status on the Gorkha National Liberation Front-led Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), ensuring greater autonomy to the governing body.

The meeting, which began at 11am, was attended by a central government team led by Pillai and a six-member state government team headed by Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty.

The GJM, led by the party's general secretary Roshan Giri, was represented by 16 members at the talks being held at the private Mayfair resort in the heart of this hill town.

Lieutenant General Vijay Madan, the central government-appointed interlocutor, was also present during the meeting.

Security across Darjeeling district was stepped up for the meeting, police sources said.

Hunger strike

The GJM has been spearheading a movement for a Gorkhaland state carved out of northern West Bengal, besides opposing special status for the hill's governing body DGHC.

The Amra Bangali, Bangla Bhasha O Bhasha Banchao Committee, a local outfit protesting the GJM's demand for a separate state, also started a relay hunger strike in Siliguri plains from Sunday saying that they oppose the "unconstitutional" dialogue with some "aliens" from Nepal.

The All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), a prominent partner in West Bengal's Left Front government, has opposed the demand for a Gorkhaland state but asked that a second State Reorganisation Committee (SRC) be set up to decide on the Telangana issue.

Terming the Congress' decision to concede Telangana without holding any discussion with other parties and in parliament as unethical, AIFB national general secretary Debabrata Biswas alleged that the issue was blown up to divert people's attention from spiralling prices.

"It is unethical on the part of Congress that it did not discuss the issue of the creation of the new state of Telangana with all the political parties and in both the houses of parliament. Congress has a midnight culture of announcing decisions at midnight," Biswas said.