No question of separation of Darjeeling: CM

Kolkata, May 9 (UNI) Dismissing the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha's (GJM) demands, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today ruled out any possibility of separating the hills and plains in Darjeeling.

" We want peace in both the hills and plains and the people of both the sides would live together peacefully. There is no question of separating the hills and plains," Mr Bhattacharjee told newspersons at a meet-the-press programme here.

He admitted that the GJM had sent a formal letter for calling the meeting but it was yet to be finalised.

Referring to the Maoists victory in Nepal election, the Chief Minister said the Centre and the state government had already welcomed the Maoists' decision of eschewing the war path and joining the constitutional democracy.

He admitted that few Maoists groups were active in Bandawan, Bagmundi, Balarampur, Binpur, Lalgarh, Ranigunge and Sarenga and they, after committing the crime, were fleeing to neighbouring state Jharkhand.

'' The groups can't do anything if the state government, the Jharkhand government and the Centre resist them jointly,'' he added.

UNI AKM-ADG KK DB1809