Peace Talks With Mamata Banerjee

Four days from now, Mamata Banerjee will sit for a second round of talks with political parties from Darjeeling to try and end the deadlock over the indefinite shutdown in the hills that is now 86 days old. But a series of incidents have raised question marks about the entire exercise.

On the 77th day of the indefinite shutdown in Darjeeling, when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met leaders of several hill parties, she refused to discuss the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state raised during an all-party meeting in Kolkata.

Four days from now, Mamata Banerjee will sit for a second round of talks with political parties from Darjeeling to try and end the deadlock over the indefinite shutdown in the hills that is now 86 days old. But a series of incidents have raised question marks about the entire exercise.

On the 77th day of the indefinite shutdown in Darjeeling, when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met leaders of several hill parties, she refused to discuss the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state raised during an all-party meeting in Kolkata.