ABGL for referendum on ‘set-up’

Darjeeling, April 18: The ABGL has urged the government to hold a referendum to find out whether the interim set-up mooted by the Centre, state and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is acceptable to the people.

“If the referendum goes in favour of the (interim) set-up, we have nothing to say. However, the government must not thrust any provision on the people unless it is accepted by them,” ABGL president Madan Tamang told a media conference today. “The Morcha is now talking as if the interim set-up is equivalent to the statehood. We do not think the people will accept it.”

The ABGL chief also demanded a probe into the assets of Morcha leaders. “We believe that Rs 1,200 crore has been spent through the DGHC in the last two years. We demand a CBI inquiry into the projects executed by the council in the past 24 months and a probe to ascertain Morcha leaders’ properties,” said Tamang.

Ghisingh salvo

The GNLF chief, Subash Ghisingh, said in Jalpaiguri on Sunday that the Morcha’s settling for an interim set-up was “nothing but begging”. Ghisingh said he was “101 per cent” sure that the Centre and the state had rejected the demand for Gorkhaland. He criticised the Morcha’s demand for the inclusion of the Terai, Dooars and Siliguri in the interim set-up and quashed rumours that he had been invited by the Union home minister for talks.

Source: The Telegraph