GJM procuring arms from NE rebels: Minister

GJM movement leaders were in contact with extremist groups of the northeast and procuring arms from them, he said.

Holding the GJM solely responsible for the violence in the Darjeeling hills 'in connivance with the Trinamool Congress', Bhattacharya said these parties had been out to put the blame on the state government for the present unrest in the hills.

Calling for a negotiated settlement of the hill problem, he said he did not rule out a Maoist hand in the violence in the hills.

“I can't rule out Naxal hand in Darjeeling hills,” he said, adding that reports reaching him indicated that the Maoists had been holding out threats to the local people.

 

After its participation in the Delhi tripartite meeting on January 25, the GJM had indulged in violence in Darjeeling knowing it well that their separate statehood demand will not be met by the state government," he observed.