Agitation for small states

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, March 20: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today said the newly formed federation to pursue statehood demands in different parts of the country would organise a series of movements, including hunger strike and bandh, this year.

The National Federation for Smaller States had been formed by organisations demanding Gorkhaland, Bodoland, Vidarbha, Bundelkhand, Purbanchal and Twipra Land by bifurcating their respective parent states.

The federation met in Mumbai yesterday and chalked out the programmes.

Speaking over the phone from Mumbai, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said: "We have agreed to a series of movements. The demands for smaller states will be raised by the federation. We have also decided that if any state government tries to suppress our democratic agitation, we will launch the agitation in all the six states immediately."

The federation will first submit a memorandum seeking creation of smaller states to Prime Minister either at the end of April or in the first week of May. "The memorandum will be finalised within 15 days," said Giri.

In June, the federation will come together for an annual convention. "In November, the representatives of outfits demanding the six states will sit for an indefinite hunger strike in Delhi and during that period, a bandh will also be called in all the six states," said Giri.

This is the first time that all those demanding separate states are planning to launch a common agitation and even the Centre would be under pressure if the movement spreads in all the six states, which the federation wants to be bifurcated, at one go.