GJMM demands Centre's intervention

PTI, DARJEELING, 17 AUG: Accusing the West Bengal government of trying to suppress the Gorkhaland movement in the Darjeeling Hills, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha(GJMM) today insisted Centre's intervention. 
GJMM General Secretary Roshan Giri, demanded the Central government's intervention saying that the people in the Hills wanted Gorkhaland. “It is their aspiration and the Centre has to intervene.” 

Earlier, GJMM President Bimal Gurung had sought an appointment with Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, but did not get it. A six member GJMM team had also recently gone to Delhi to meet central leaders. 

Asked whether they would talk to Governor M K Narayanan on the issue, he said that GJMM could talk to the Governor, but insisted on central intervention. 
Mr Narayanan had said on 15 Aug that if Mr Gurung wanted to talk to him then he was ready for it. 

Mr Giri, the GJMM spokesman, said three MLAs of the party would sit in the Opposition in the Assembly as a mark of protest against the state government's attempt to suppress the party's movement for a separate state.

“Our three MLAs will now sit in the Opposition Bench instead of the Treasury Bench,” Mr Giri said, adding that the party was writing to Speaker Biman Banerjee to this effect. GJM has alleged that the state government was mobilising forces in the Hills to suppress GJMM's movement for a separate state.