"We call upon the Centre and the state to initiate a process to start tripartite talks to find a permanent solution or else, the 100-year-old sore will never heal," Amrit Yonzone, the president of the Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha, told a public meeting at Darjeeling Motor Stand here on Sunday. The demand for a separate administrative body for the Darjeeling hills was first raised by the Hillmen Association in 1907 and the statehood cry was also raised later in the same year. During the last year's Gorkhaland agitation, sources said, the Centre wanted to hold a tripartite meeting involving Bimal Gurung, who was the Morcha president then, but the state insisted that the party be represented by Binay Tamang. With the BJP backing Gurung, it is unlikely that tripartite talks involving the central and state governments and the Morcha will be held soon. The Yuva Morcha listed a series of other demands also on Sunday.

Source: The Telegraph February 25, 2018 20:26 UTC