Gorkhaland, Bodoland agitation to be intensified: Leaders

NEW DELHI: Protagonists of Gorkhaland and Bodoland today threatened to intensify their agitations for statehood, saying with the creation of Telanagana, the Centre cannot deny them their "old and justified" demands.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) general secretary Roshan Giri and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) MP Sansuma Khunggur Bwiswmuthiary said they have no option but to intensify their movements for separate states to be carved out of West Bengal and Assam respectively.

"After Telangana, the central government will now have to give us Gorkhaland. They cannot deny our old and justified demand. We will intensify our agitation," Giri told PTI.

The GJM leader said Darjeeling hills and its adjoining areas were never part of West Bengal and therefore there was no reason "to forcefully keep us with West Bengal".

"We do not want to remain with West Bengal. It is a mystery how we were attached with West Bengal. We want Gorkhaland," Giri said.

The GJM has threatened that the ongoing three-day strike, which entered the second day today, would be converted into an indefinite one to press for Gorkhaland in case statehood was conferred on Telangana.

BPF Lok Sabha member Bwiswmuthiary said they have called a public rally in Kokrajhar, Assam, on August 5 to renew their demand for separate Bodoland.

"Demand for Bodoland is several decades old. If the Centre can give Telangana, why not Bodoland. We will soon meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde to press our demand," he told PTI.

The UPA today unanimously endorsed creation of Telangana state.