GJM expresses satisfaction

The Hindu
KOLKATA: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership has expressed “satisfaction” with the outcome of the third round of tripartite talks held in New Delhi on Tuesday to end the political stalemate in the Darjeeling hills arising from the GJM demand for the creation of a Gorkhaland state.

“In the right direction”
“The results of the talks are a step in the right direction but the new administrative set-up for the region as proposed by the Centre will have to be a Gorkhaland State,” GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, told The Hindu on the phone from Darjeeling.
He was referring to reports from the capital that Union Home Secretary G. K. Pillai suggested an alternative set-up for the region that is to be finalised through mutual consultations and agreement between the parties concerned.
“The decision taken at the meeting to repeal the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) Act, 1988, to pave the way for an alternative administrative set-up is one that we have been demanding for a long time,” Mr. Giri said.
“It has also been agreed that the proposal for granting Sixth Schedule status to the Darjeeling Hills will be dropped. This was another one of our demands.”
The GJM called for a CBI probe into corruption cases during Subash Ghisingh’s (former DGHC chairman) tenure, Mr. Giri said.
A Central team will be visiting the hills to “study the ground realities.”