Gorkhaland might be discussed during talks: WB

PTI

Kolkata: The West Bengal government is not in favour of a separate Gorkhaland but will discuss the issue if it comes up during the December 21 tripartite talks in Darjeeling, the state Home secretary, Mr Ardhendu Sen said on Thursday.

There was no written agenda of the tripartite talks between the representatives of the Centre, the West Bengal government and the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), but issues like granting more autonomy or scrapping of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council were likely to come up, Mr Sen told reporters here.

To a question whether the talks would be held as GJM was continuing its indefinite fast to press its separate state demand, Mr Sen evaded a direct reply saying, "It will depend on the situation."

Th eUnion Home secretary, Mr G.K. Pillai, will lead a five-member central team to the talks and the state government would be represented by the chief secretary, Mr Asok Chakraborty, Home secretary, Mr Sen, the DGP, Mr Bhupinder Singh, and the Darjeeling district magistrate, Mr Surendra Gupta.