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Gorkha morcha resumes agitation

KOLKATA: The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) resumed its “non-cooperation movement” with the West Bengal government in the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling district on Wednesday with activists forcing the closure of Central, State and Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council offices.

Banks, post-offices and emergency services, however, have been exempted from the agitation. “The non-cooperation movement will continue indefinitely. We have resumed it as part of our agitation for a separate State of Gorkhaland,” GJM general secretary Roshan Giri told The Hindu from Darjeeling.

Earlier, the agitation for a separate State to be carved out of Darjeeling district and certain areas contiguous to it was suspended after weeks on December 26, 2008, to create a situation “conducive” to the second round of tripartite talks on the situation in the region among the Centre, the State and the GJM leadership on December 29 The talks had ended inconclusively.

“GJM president, Bimal Gurung and other leaders are in New Delhi to discuss the statehood demand with various Central leaders,” Mr. Giri said. The GJM leadership is looking forward to subsequent rounds of tripartite talks but has been insisting that they involve political leaders from the three participating sides.

GJM president Bimal Gurung said the GJM would settle for “nothing less than a separate State.” He has vowed that Gorkhaland will be created by March 2010.

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