After Telangana, stir for Gorkhaland begins

Kolkata, Dec 10: In an undesirable fall out of the Centre's decision to allow division of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) announced a three-day bandh demanding for a separate 'Gorkhaland'.

GJM on Thursday, Dec 10 said that the three-day bandh will be start from Dec 14 and that at least 21 GJM activists will be launching an indefinite hunger strike from Friday, Dec 11.

The party, which has been spearheading the campaign for the separate Gorkhaland, has called for a complete shutdown in Darjeeling hills.

"Since Telangana, on the lines of the Gorkhaland statehood demand, has been approved by the Centre, our demand for a separate state carved out of West Bengal should also be conceded by the Centre," GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri told a news agency.

"Ours is a 102-year-old demand. We should be given justice and we have called a three-day bandh from December 14 in Darjeeling to press for it," Giri added.

He is reportedly on his way to Delhi, heading a four-member GJM team to take up the issue with the Centre.

Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday, Dec 9 announced Centre's approval for a separate Telangana following TRS chief K Chradrasekhar Rao' 11 day fast.

OneIndia News