Gorkhaland issue likely to be raised at CWC meet

New Delhi, July 30: In all likelihood, on Tuesday, India is set to get its 29th state- Telangana carved out of Andhra Pradesh, amid a lot of dilly-dallying by the government and a series of protests.

With the Centre's long-awaited decision to take a final call on Telangana, the statehood demand of Gorkhaland by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is likely to crop up at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Tuesday.

The GJM-delegation led by the General Secretary Roshan Giri met CWC members last week.

After the meet, Giri said, "Ajay Maken has assured to raise the issue of Gorkhaland in the next CWC meeting."

So, the Gorkhaland statehood issue is likely to be raised at the CWC meet today and if the Centre doesn't give its nod to declare Gorkhaland, a different state, then the ongoing bandh and unrest may continue in Darjeeling.

The CWC committee includes senior party members Digvijay Singh, Ambika Soni, CP Joshi and Ajay Maken .

The GJM delegation has earlier discussed this issue with the Defence Minister A K Antony and the Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and also with the Centre and theWest Bengal government.

During a press conference, GJM chief Bimal Gurung said, "Our demand for Gorkhaland is older than the demand for Telengana. If the Centre announces a Telengana state then it should also declare a Gorkhaland state."

Gurung also asserted that any decision by the Centre on creating new states without Gorkhaland would lead to indefinite unrest in Darjeeling and adjoining Terai areas.

He also said that he would resign as chief executive of the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), which runs the administration in the hills.

He further said, "This 72-hour bandh is just a beginning of a long agitation. Be prepared for more such bandhs."

GJM has been demanding that the issue of a separate state carved out in the Darjeeling hills be given priority by CWC when deciding on Telangana.

OneIndia News