File picture of shutdown over demands for Gorkhaland in Darjeeling
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Benrjee once again ruling out bifurcation of the state today and asked the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to withdraw the indefinite bandh in the Darjeeling hills to facilitate election of a new chief executive of the GTA.
Ms Banerjee said the state government had made available "everything" to them (GJM) to run the affairs in the hills through the GTA including "even the name Gorkhaland".
"Under the GTA, barring one or two departments, we have given them everything including land, health, education, 100-day work scheme and so on. Even the name Gorkhaland and the money. So what more do they want? I fail to understand. I have said before, a separate state cannot be created," she told reporters.
Accusing the GJM of stalling development activity in Darjeeling in the name of shutdown by using force, she said, "Even cars carrying patients to the hospitals are being set afire."
"Those who are violating the court order in the name of the bandh, let them follow the court order and our appeal. Withdraw the bandh and help return normalcy," she said.
Ms Banerjee said she would go to Kalimpong on September 3 on an invitation by the Lepchas, the original inhabitants of the hills.