GJM demands Centre's intervention, MLAs to sit in oppn bench

Accusing the West Bengal government of trying to suppress the Gorkhaland movement in the Darjeeling hills, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today insisted Centre's intervention.

The party also decided that three of its three MLAs to sit in the opposition.

GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri, demanded the central government's intervention saying that the people in the hills wanted Gorkhaland. "It is their aspiration and the Centre has to intervene."

He alleged that the state government was mobilising forces in the hills to suppress GJM's movement for a separate state.

Earlier, GJM President Bimal Gurung had sought an appointment with Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, but did not get it. A six member GJM team had also recently gone to Delhi to meet central leaders.

Asked whether they would talk to Governor M K Narayanan on the issue, he said that GJM could talk to the Governor, but insisted on central intervention.

Narayanan had said on August 15 that if Gurung wanted to talk to him then he was ready for it.

Giri, the GJM spokesman, said three MLAs of the party would sit in the opposition in the Assembly as a mark of protest against the state government's attempt to suppress the party's movement for a separate state.

"Our three MLAs will now sit in the opposition bench instead of the treasury bench," Giri said, adding that the party was writing to Speaker Biman Banerjee to this effect.