PTI, SILIGURI, 13 Feb: The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha today rejected West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's offer of more autonomy, power and funds for Darjeeling hills, saying it would not rest till its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland is met.
"Darjeeling problem cannot be solved by anything short of Gorkhaland. We want separation from West Bengal. We are already mentally separated," GJM General Secretary, Roshan Giri told PTI.
On GJM's claim over Siliguri, Terai and Dooars, Giri said the areas did never belong to West Bengal before Independence.
The chief minister had yesterday dismissed formation of Gorkhaland and said the state was ready to consider more autonomy, more power and more funds for three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling district.
He also asked the hill leaders not to demand Siliguri, Terai and Dooars in their proposed territory.
Giri said it was unfortunate that the chief minister had made such comments when the hill people were looking forward to the proposed political level talks, the date for which was expected to be declared by the Centre very shortly.
"This type of comment is against the spirit of talks," he said.
| CM calls for resistance, Buddha warns rival, Mamata responds with taunt | ||
TT, Feb. 13: Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today warned the Trinamul Congress and its activists that the Left Front and its supporters would not sit quiet after being attacked but would strike back.
“The Trinamul Congress is creating anarchy in the state. After winning some south Bengal seats in the Lok Sabha elections, they have begun forcibly grabbing schools, colleges, panchayats and our party offices. They have gone mad,” he told a rally in Cooch Behar.
“Trinamul thinks they have captured power and the world, too, by winning some Lok Sabha seats. I am warning them. Our supporters will not sit quiet after being beaten up. They will strike back against Trinamul men creating… anarchy. I ask you all to get together and resist them.”
The show of aggression is being seen as a bid to boost the morale of CPM cadres ahead of elections to 82 civic bodies, barely three months away. Despondency had crept into the party’s ranks because of a series of electoral reverses since the 2008 rural polls.
During the 25-minute speech at the Rasmela Ground in Cooch Behar town, the chief minister did not utter a word against estranged ally Congress. It has been the CPM’s strategy to try and drive a wedge between the Congress and its new ally Trinamul.
Bhattacharjee asked the Trinamul leadership to shun violence and said that if they ignored his words, it would be to their peril. “I am appealing to all in Trinamul not to take the path of violence. Don’t create disturbance in the state. If they think they can do whatever they want, we won’t allow that. Are they taking a test of our patience? If Trinamul keeps behaving this way, it will be to their peril. They will get an answer to that.”
A section of the CPM had been advocating resistance against alleged Trinamul violence, but the chief minister had never spoken of it before.
The CPM has been alleging that Trinamul activists are killing innocent CPM supporters in collusion with Maoists. Repeated clashes between supporters of the two parties have occurred across the state since the Lok Sabha polls last May for control of turf.
At a rally in East Midnapore’s Tamluk tonight, Mamata Banerjee responded to Bhattacharjee’s remarks with sarc- asm. “The chief minister has threatened us. Why? Is he failing to contain his cadres with the lure of jobs? How can those who deal in guns give jobs to people?
“Buddhababu, remember that you had got only 15 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats. The people have taught you a lesson. The people don’t want you.”
She had restraint on her lips while addressing party supporters. “They are going out of their way to pick fights with us. Don’t fall into their trap.... Remember, the people had rejected them in the polls.”
Statehood demands
In Cooch Behar, the chief minister dwelt on the demands for new states carved out of north Bengal. “First, there was a Kamtapuri movement involving the people of Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri. The Rajbangshis were told they were not Bengalis and asked to move into the jungles with rifles. Then there was a demand for Greater Cooch Behar involving those in Cooch Behar and a section of those in Assam.
“But such demands can’t be met. A separate state will spell trouble for the people here. The idea of creating divisions among Bengalis, Rajbangshis and Adivasis is not good.”
On the statehood demand in Darjeeling, he asked: “What is the need to leave us?”
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