Gorkhas hold separate state demand torch rally

Salugara (West Bengal), May 15 (ANI): The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) held a torch procession at Salugara town in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri District in support of their demand for a separate state.

"The Siliguri land is ours. History has witnessed our fight for our survival here.

Therefore, this is our land. The Bengal government should leave this land. It should not capture the land forcefully. Therefore, today, we have taken out this torch rally to protest against this," said Arjun Pradhan, a central committee leader of GJM.

Earlier on April 9, GJM chief Bimal Gurung met Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in New Delhi, who assured him that he would talk to the Government of West Bengal and Trinamool Congress about the new territory.

The GJM had agreed during the fifth round of tripartite talks in New Delhi to the constitution of Interim Council by next year prior to the creation of a separate state.

The Gorkhas are demanding a separate state to protect their culture and heritage.

The Gorkha population in West Bengal is estimated to be around a million. (ANI)