I am CM of the hills: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung

DARJEELING: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung today projected himself as the "chief minister of the hills" and challenged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to stop the agitation in the area.

The GJM leader claimed that it was his writ that "ran in the hills."

"As the chief minister of West Bengal she is trying to show her strength. But she must not forget that I am an elected member of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). I am the chief minister of the hills, I challenge her to stop the agitation in the hills," Gurung said.

Gurung also said, he will directly talk to the Centre about the deployment of Army and the alleged police atrocities in the hills.

"I will talk to the Centre, we are an ally of NDA. We will give them all the details of police atrocities on the innocent people of the hills," he said.

Two columns of Army were deployed in Darjeeling town yesterday after GJM supporters clashed with the police, damaged police vehicles and set some of them ablaze while West Bengal chief minister was holding a cabinet meeting there.

The police resorted to baton charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the agitators who tried to march to the venue of the state cabinet meeting yesterday.