The outfits asked the state government to immediately initiate the process to fulfill their demands. A press statement to this effect was issued by Santosh Rana on behalf of seven Naxalite organisations including CPI (ML). “We believe that the agitation for a separate state, which is going on for ages in the Darjeeling districts, is a legitimate one. The undivided Communist Party of India, too, supported the demand for a statehood,” read the press statement.
It also lambasted the Congress, saying: “With deep concern we are seeing the Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi side with the CPM in opposing the agitation. The CPM is instigating Bengali chauvinism to suppress the movement.”