JAP points 'bias' finger at Bengal

TT, Siliguri: Leaders of Jan Andolan Party (JAP) on Saturday trained guns at the state by accusing it of bias and declared that they want to push the statehood demand for the Darjeeling hills through the Parliament.

The party observed its foundation day and held a public meeting here, after denied permission in the hills.

"The state has decided to grant permission to couple of parties to hold political programmes in hills. These are parties which have allied with the state and fulfiling its agenda," said Amar Lama, a JAP leader.

He was referring to Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and GNLF. On Sunday, GNLF will hold a public meeting in Darjeeling.

Anmole Prasad, another leader of the party, said they would stick to the demand for separate statehood.

"Our demand is separate statehood and we feel that the Parliament can make a decision on it and not the state or the Centre alone. We are thus trying to push the matter so that it is discussed in Parliament," said Prasad.

The public meeting was attended by 300-odd JAP supporters, who arrived at Baghajatin Park, located in the city.

"We were denied permission but did not felt any problem of arranging the programme here in Siliguri. It is due to some political parties in hills that the democratic movement on the demand for separate state has suffered a setback. Our party has not deviated from its agenda and has never indulged into any undemocratic activities," the JAP leader said.

Party chief Harka Bahadur Chhetri, however, was not present at the meeting. Sources said he could not make it to the venue due to some other engagements.