Gangtok: Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar
Chamling on Saturday stonewalled questions asking for his views on
Gorkhaland statehood demand and Gorkha Janamukti Morcha's
(GJM) call for 96-hour shut down from December 14 on the
issue.
"I have no comments to offer," he told mediapersons on
political developments in Darjeeling Hills and adjoining areas
following the Centre's nod to a new Telegana state.
"I will not say anything," Chamling said when asked on
the likely impact on traffic on NH-31A if the GJM went ahead
with its shut down to press for its demand.
Chamling had been vocal in the past on disruption of
traffic on the sole highway connecting Sikkim with the rest of
the country due to political agitation in Darjeeling Hills.
He had slammed both Centre and GJM for disruption of
normal life in Sikkim due to frequent strikes on the statehood
issue.
An aide of Chamling had even moved the Supreme Court and
filed a PIL seeking its direction to the Centre to ensure
uninterrupted traffic on the highway.
He had also written to the Centre that the strike on the
highway had caused a loss of Rs 8.7 crore per day to Sikkim
and adversely affected the booming tourism industry in the
Himalayan State.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, December 12, 2009, 17:06