Hill support - NFNS supports Gorkhaland

Pheroze L. Vincent, TT, New Delhi, June 24: Activists of several movements for separate states met in Delhi today to declare their support for Gorkhaland and demand that the BJP, which they have supported in recent elections, clarify its stand.

The activists included those demanding separate states of Vidarbha, Bundelkhand, Bodoland and Twipraland. The activists have formed a front named the National Federation for New States. The Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra, which wants a state to be carved out of Tripura, is a part of the NDA.

Federation general secretary Munish Tamang, also senior vice-president of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, said: "The Prime Minister had said the dream of the Gorkhas was his dream too. He must fulfil that dream." National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Progressive) chairman Dhirendra Boro said: "We laid down arms in 2005, but since then the Centre has neither said yes nor no to a Bodoland state."

Shrihari Aney, president of the federation and leader of the Vidarbha Rajya Aghadi, said: "Why was there a Modi wave only in Vidarbha and not in the rest of Maharashtra? That's because (Union minister) Nitin Gadkari and now Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had assured us that if they came to power, they would push Vidarbha's case forward."