Mayor Bikash Ghosh (standing) presents the annual budget for 2008-09 on Tuesday. A Telegraph picture

Siliguri, March 18: The ruling and opposition parties of Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) have joined hands to protest against the Gorkha Janmuti Morcha’s decision to include the trade hub in its demand for a separate state.

After the annual budget session got over today, mayor Bikash Ghosh of the CPM made an appeal to all councillors and residents of the town. “Some forces are trying to disturb the peace and harmony of the region by making unreasonable demands like including Siliguri and the Dooars in a separate state,” Ghosh said.

Next month, SMC will organise a civic convention in Siliguri, where people of different political organisation and communities will participate, the mayor announced.

“The convention is our attempt to uphold the spirit of unity that the people of this town have always shown and consolidate our defence against any attempts to bring disharmony and unrest,” Ghosh added.

“Under no circumstance shall we part with even an inch of this town. I appeal to all the residents to come forward irrespective of political affiliation to oppose this demand,” the mayor said.

The opposition councillors were quick to extend their support to the appeal.

“It is our duty to cooperate with the administration and the civic body to maintain peace and harmony here,” said Trinamul councillor Krishna Pal, who is the leader of the Opposition.

The other councillors from the Congress and BJP echoed Pal.

Morcha promise

The Morcha has said it would not let its fight for Gorkhaland impede development work in the hills. “We will direct our party cadres not to hamper such projects,” party chief Bimal Gurung said today.

Morcha leaders said they want the DGHC, now headed by Jalpaiguri divisional divisional commissioner B.L. Meena, to focus on roads, water supply and electrification. Madan Tamang, the president of the ABGL, has also decided to meet Meena to demand transparency in the way the council functions.