Darjeeling unrest due to centre's provocation: Trinamool

Training its guns on the central government for the fresh unrest in West Bengal's Darjeeling hills, the state's ruling Trinamool Congress Friday accused it of inciting the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which has raised the pitch for a separate Gorkhaland state.

"The unrest is because of provocation by the central government," Trinamool Congress general secretary Mukul Roy said Friday after reaching Darjeeling district's Siliguri, on the eve of the GJM-sponsored indefinite strike for Gorkhaland.

Describing Darjeeling as an inseparable part of West Bengal, Roy said the Trinamool would endeavour to counter the GJM politically.

Violence has made a return to the hills with two home guards sustaining burns when alleged Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters set fire to a police camp besides burning down a forest bungalow and torching vehicles since Thursday night, police said.

Roy held meetings with Trinamool leaders from Darjeeling as also those from the Terai (the plains close to the hills) and Dooars (foothills of the Himalayas) during the day.

Meanwhile, North Bengal Affairs Minister Gautam Deb said the state government would hold talks with the GJM if it withdrew the shutdown and the movement for a separate state.