A separate state of Gorkhaland ruled out

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Kolkata, June 14 : The Central Government on Saturday ruled out any possibility of carving out a separate state of Gorkhaland from West Bengal as demanded by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).

"There is no question of creating a separate state of Gorkhaland," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of Merchants' Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata.

He further added that the government is however ready to hold talks with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), but without any precondition.

He also called on West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and had a brief meeting on this issue.

GJM comprising about half a dozen parties has been organizing protests over the past few months in the Darjeeling hills demanding a separate Gorkhaland state. The group had revived the demand for Sixth schedule status while the GJM, a breakaway faction of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), opposed it, demanding full-fledged statehood. The West Bengal Government has been resisting the demand for a separate state for the Gorkhas.

ANI

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