GJM open for dialogue which discusses Gorkhaland

Responding to West Bengal Chief Minister's appeal to the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha for abjuring violence and sit for talks, a prominent leader of the outfit on Thursday said it was open for dialogue, but only if the agenda is demand for Gorkhaland.

"Gorkhaland is the common aspiration of people in the Darjeeling hills and therefore the talks should centre only around that demand," GJM general secretary Roshan Giri told PTI.

Asked if he was putting formation of an interim council for the hills on the back burner, Giri said, "Yes. People are on the streets to press for acceptance by the government of their demand for Gorkhaland. Gorkhaland is their aspiration."

"We are for a political solution through talks, but the talks should revolve around Gorkhaland only," he said.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had on Wednesday appealed to the GJM to sit for talks and condemned the violent methods it was adopting in the hills.

When efforts were on to evolve a political solution to the Darjeeling issue through tripartite meetings in Delhi, the GJM had gone for violent methods which were not at all acceptable, Bhattacharjee had said in a statement.

Giri dismissed Bhattacharjee's allegation of starting the violence, claiming they were only conducting the movement in a Gandhian way.

"No, we have not started the violence. We are not indulging in violence. We are conducting our movement in a Gandhian way. Ours is a peaceful movement. The ruling party is trying to create a violent atmosphere to suppress our movement," he said.

He reiterated the demand for a CBI inquiry into the death of GJM supporters.