Mamata govt. refuses to discuss Gorkhaland at all-party meeting

TIL Desk/National/Kolkata/ West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that she could not agree on Gorkhaland simple because it is the matter of the Centre.

In the all-party meet to end the Darjeeling crisis at the state secretariat Nabanna, Banerjee stuck to her stand that she will not let the state will not be divided and requested the representatives of all the hills party to call off their indefinite bandh which has reached 78th day.

While addressing the media, Banerjee said, “I am happy that the dialogue started but the Gorkhaland demand is not in my hand. There are constitutional issues and binding obligations. We cannot ask the Centre for a separate state. We don’t agree on it. It is the Centre who will take the call.”

The next round of meeting will be held on September 12 at Uttarkanya in Siliguri at 3PM, she added. Meanwhile, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) Chief Bimal Gurung announced that the indefinite strike in the Darjeeling hill districts will continue as the outcome of the meeting didn’t favor the people.