Gorkha delegates to call Bengal CS on Darjeeling demand

Siliguri, Feb 12 (UNI) A seven-member team of Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) today left here for Kolkata to meet West Bengal's Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb at Writers Buildings tomorrow with several political demands related to Darjeeling hills.

Inspector General of Police, North Bengal, RJS Nalowa acknowledged the departure of the GJM delegation for Kolkata.

GJM spokesman Roshan Giri said they wanted the Government should refrain from extending furtehr term to GNLF president Subash Ghisingh in the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council(DGHC). Mr Ghising, now caretaker chairman of the DGHC, had been given several extension since the Gvoernment could not hold election to the council as the Centre was considering the 6th Schedule status for the hills. Now Mr Ghisingh's term will expire on March 20.

The GJM recently founded by Bimal Gurung has been demanding for a separate Gorkhaldn state and not the 6th Schedule status as claimed by Ghisingh.

About 78 GJM activists, 26 each group, have been on hunger strike since February 7 in Darjeeling, Kureong and Kalingpong demanding separate state and no more extension to Ghisingh in the DGHC.

The GJM cadres today also enforced bandh in all government offices, both the state and central, in support of their demands.

UNI XC PC RN2151