Centre to convene tripartite talks on Gorkhaland

The Centre today promised to convene a tripartite meeting soon involving West Bengal government and Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee (GJAC) to discuss the demand for Gorkhaland after which the agitators hinted at suspending their indefinite strike in Darjeeling.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde conveyed to a delegation of Gorkha leaders led by Darjeeling MP and BJP leader Jaswant Singh that Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami will soon hold the meeting with Chief Secretary of West Bengal and GJAC leaders to discuss the demand for separate state.

"I will also talk to the Chief Minister (Mamata Banerjee) to discuss the issue," Shinde told reporters after the meeting.

He also asked the agitators to withdraw their ongoing indefinite strike in Darjeeling and its adjoining areas as it was causing hardships to the people.

"The Home Minister appealed to us to withdraw the agitation. Since the government agreed to GJAC's demand for talks, we are ready to consider the appeal. GJAC will take a final decision," Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee (GJAC) leader Roshan Giri told reporters here.

GJAC is a conglomerate of eight pro-Gorkhaland parties.

Giri said they were ready to resolve the issue through negotiation.

Darjeeling has witnessed agitation and violence over the demand for separate Gorkhaland state following Centre's decision to create Telanagana.

All the three sub-divisions of Darjeeling continue to be paralysed following a call of indefinite shutdown.

GJAC had earlier asked people to strictly observe its "Ghar Bhitre Janta" (people inside homes) programme during state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's two-day stay in the hills starting yesterday.