Lepchas get council, end hunger strike

Darjeeling, Feb 12 (IANS) Around 3,000 members of the Lepcha community who were on a hunger strike Feb 7 demanding creation of a council in northern West Bengal's hills Tuesday withdrew their fast as the state government issued a notification for setting up a Lepcha Development Board.

The Lepchas, indigenous tribals of Sikkim and surrounding hills including Darjeeling, withdrew their strike after assurances by North Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb.

Later in the day, the state government notified the Lepcha Development Board.

The pro-Grokahland Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has so long been firmly opposing the constitution of the board, and said it should function under the hill development body Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

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