Gorkhaland issue: Fourth tripartite talks begin

The fourth tripartite talks to find a solution to the demand for statehood to Gorkhaland began here today even as the West Bengal Government ruled out division of the state.

The meeting was being attended by a five-member central team led by Union home secretary GK Pillai, senior officials of the state government and representatives of the Gorkha Janakumkti Morcha, which is spearheading the demand for a separate state. Interlocutor Lt Gen (retd) Vijay Madan was also present.

The West Bengal government, which has ruled out separate Gorkhaland, was being represented by a four-member team headed by chief secretary Asok Mohan Chakraborty, besides home secretary Ardhendu Sen and DGP Bhupinder Singh and district officials.

Chakraborty had yesterday said, "More power and autonomy could be given. But we are not thinking of a separate state. We do not think there would be development if there is a separate state."

However, before the talks began this morning, Chakraborty said, "We want to hammer out a solution to the problem through negotiations. This is the purpose of the meeting. None of us will walk out." He said the stand of each other would be known at the meeting "for which I am hopeful."

The state government, he said, would like to usher in peace and stability, economic development, employment generation and poverty amelioration programmes in the hills.

"We would also like to see how the lapses of the previous Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council can be removed," he said. Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had yesterday warned that if the GJM leadership stuck to its demand the situation might turn critical.

"If anyone is arrogant on the demand and is not flexible enough, then the situation may go critical," he had said in Kolkata adding that there was no problem which could not be resolved through discussion.

The 16-member GJM team is led by its general secretary Roshan Giri. The Morcha has rejected the DGHC set up in 1988 under the Darjeeling Accord reached with GNLF chief Subhas Ghising after which he shelved his demand for Gorkhaland.

The GJM is demanding a separate state comprising three hill subdivisions and Siliguri in the plains of Darjeeling district and adjoining areas including the Dooars and Terai in neighbouring Jalpaiguri district.