Gorkhaland issue will be focus of talks: GJM

SILIGURI: The demand for carving out a separate state of 'Gorkhaland' would be the focus of the second round of tripartite talks, the agitating Gorkha Janamukti Morcha said on Firday.

GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri said the party was yet to receive any formal invitation for the talks.

While the GJM said that the parleys, originally scheduled in November, will be held on December 29 in New Delhi, West Bengal Urban Development Minister Ashok Bhattacharjee said the talks were likely to be held at the end of the month but did not confirm the date.

Giri claimed that the GJM did not create any pressure either on West Bengal or on the Centre for the talks in view of the militant attack in Mumbai.

He said that only GJM leadership would participate in the December 29 talks and there would be no representation of any other party like in the first round of tripartite talks in New Delhi on September 8 this year.

It was not yet decided whether party president Bimal Gurung would join the talks. Gurung would decide about the delegation only after receiving formal invitation, he added.

GJM, which called an indefinite closure of state government offices in the hills since December 8, however exempted the treasury today to help employees get their salary.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Gorkhaland_issue_will_be_focus_of_talks_GJM/articleshow/3827826.cms

From tomorrow, 'Govt of Gorkhaland' takes over

KOLKATA: After enforcing that car number plates in the Darjeeling hills carry the 'GL' marking, the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha has directed that all sig
nboards in the region should carry Gorkhaland in place of West Bengal from Friday.

GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said government offices such as the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council will have to bear the inscription 'Government of Gorkhaland' instead of 'Government of West Bengal' from Friday.

"In case of signboards at private establishments such as offices, shops and hotels, it should read Darjeeling and Kurseong, followed by 'Gorkhaland," Giri said.

"This is part of our non-coperation movement that is aimed at showing that we are not willing to stay under West Bengal's rule," he said.

This will also be applicable in areas such as Siliguri, Terai and the Dooars, he said.

District Magistrate of Darjeeling Surendra Gupta said the move was illegal and would be dealt with "appropriately".

"It is illegal and we will react when it is enforced. Home Secretary (Ashok Mohan Chakraborty) has stated the government's position clearly on October 13 and I have nothing to add to that," he said.

Soruce: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/?in_leftnav

Gorkhaland crisis: Army called in Siliguri

June 12, 2008 , The army was called out to patrol streets of Siliguri and adjacent areas on Thursday following attacks on local people, tourists and police by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha activists demanding a separate state.

As tension prevailed in various areas in north Bengal, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya called an all-party meeting on June 17 to discuss the Darjeeling crisis arising out of the morcha's demand.

"I contacted the army, discussed the situation with the authorities and asked them to patrol streets as early as possible in Siliguri and the vicinity," Bhattacharya said at Writers' Buildings in Kolkata.

Saying that an unrest was growing in Siliguri and its adjoining areas, he appealed to people there and all political parties to maintain peace and amity and not to indulge in violence.

"You have to maintain peace and harmony, which is the need of the hour," Bhattacharya said.

GJM supporters attacked tourists and policemen, injuring 28 people and damaged 16 vehicles on Wednesday evening at Malbazar in neighbouring Jalpaiguri district, as two organisations observed a 48-hour bandh in this north Bengal town in Darjeeling district from Thursday.

Twelve tourists, being escorted by Forest Department personnel from a forest bungalow at Chapramari in Jalpaiguri district, were attacked by armed GJM supporters at Khunia More, Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife-II, Tapan Das said.

The GJM supporters torched one of the vehicles the tourists were travelling in and damaged the other and also attacked local people at Malbazar town and stoned the police when they intervened.
In Siliguri and Dooars, normal life was hit on Thursday during the bandh called by groups opposing the demand for creation of a separate Gorkha state.

The two-day bandh initially began on a dull note, but picked up as the day progressed with all shops and business establishments remaining shut and vehicles off the roads.

Some educational institutions cancelled their scheduled examinations and majority of the banks remained closed.

GJM press secretary Benoy Tamang alleged that the bandh at Siliguri and Dooars was purposely called to restrict movement of vehicles carrying food and essentials to Darjeeling.

Inspector General of Police (North Bengal) K L Tamta, however, told PTI that the allegation of GJM was not correct.

Vehicles were very much moving towards the hills and sufficient security forces were deployed at all vulnerable points, particularly the entry points to the hills.

There was no report of any major untoward incident either in Siliguri or Dooars, Tamta said.

Source: www.rediff.com