No consensus at tripartite talks on Gorkhaland issue


FROM TIMES OF INDIA
21 Dec 2009
DARJEELING: The fourth round of tripartite talks on Gokhaland issue today failed to come to an agreement in the absence of a consensus and the organisation spearheading the movement for a separate state has sought political dialogue at the next round of talks within 45 days.

Union Home Secretary G K Pillai, who led a five-member Central team at the talks here, said the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has asked for political-level discussion at the next round of talks.

“There is no question of agreement. There is no political consensus as of today for formation of Gorkhaland,” he told a press conference at the end of the nearly three-hour meeting on GJM’s demand for carving out Gorkhaland from West Bengal.

“The state government and the Centre will give their views and we will come before them (GJM) within that period,” Pillai said.

To a question if the Centre submitted any proposal at the talks, he replied in the negative but added it would be done in consultation with the state government and the GJM.

Asked if the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), set up in 1988, would continue to function, he said “it will do so if it is not repealed. In the last tripartite meeting in Delhi on August 11, it was agreed to abolish DGHC and work for an alternative framework in Darjeeling.”

While the West Bengal Government has ruled out division of the state, the Centre yesterday warned that if the GJM leadership stuck to its demand the situation might turn critical.