GJM rules out talks with WB govt, keen with Centre on

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Press Trust of India Darjeeling (WB)
Last Updated : Jul 08 2017 | 11:32 PM IST
The GJM today turned down Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's offer for talks, but said it was willing to hold discussions with the Centre on the issue of Gorkhaland.
In a statement tonight, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which is spearheading the agitation for a separate state, said the doors for talks with Banerjee and the state government are "closed forever".
"We will go for it ... If the Centre calls for talks on our demand for Gorkhaland," GJM secretary Binay Tamang said in the statement.
Banerjee had ealier in the day appealed for peace and said that the government was ready for talks with the hill parties, but peace has to be restored first.
Tamang said the GJM felt bad that national parties paid no attention to the "killings of innocent people during the month-long unrest", but a single incident at Basirhat drew their condemnation.
"We sincerely ask the leaders of all political parties - Are we in India?"
Fresh violence today erupted in Darjeeling hills prompting the state government to call the Army back on the streets as Gorkhaland supporters torched a police outpost, a toy train station and clashed with the police at two places.
While the GJM claimed that two youths were killed in police firing, the police said there were no reports of any such incident.

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First Published: Jul 08 2017 | 11:32 PM IST

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