GJM remark signals bifurcation of State....Biman scepticalof Hills treaty

CPI (M) wants contents of the “official-level agreement” to be made public

KOLKATA: Left Front Committee chairman Biman Bose on Thursday said the assertions by Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) leaders that the recently signed “official-level agreement” with the State Government was the “foundation of Gorkhaland” signalled “the bifurcation of West Bengal.”

Wondering whether in view of such remarks the agreement paved the way towards any sort of solution to the political crisis in the Darjeeling hills, Mr. Bose, who is also the State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), said the people were in the dark as to its contents.“What is the agreement about? What is the road map, what will the boundaries [of the new set-up] be, none but they [the signatories to the agreement] know.” Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Surya Kanta Mishra, who is also a member of the CPI(M)'s Central Committee, reiterated his demand that the agreement be made public.‘Only three hill sub-divisions'
The Left Front will welcome a solution to the crisis in the Darjeeling hills, but shall oppose any move to include areas beyond the three hill sub-divisions within the territorial jurisdiction of the proposed body, Mr. Mishra said.

Mr. Bose, who was speaking to journalists shortly after a meeting of the Left Front Committee, said it was decided there that a detailed review of the results of the Assembly elections would be made collectively only after the constituent parties completed their assessments.

“What the parties have completed is an absolutely preliminary review of the results. Only after a detailed review, based on facts and figures, will the Left Front together make a detailed review on the matter,” he said.

It has been decided to set up a Left Front coordination committee, comprising the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, the deputy leader, the chief whip and a legislator from each of the parties, for better coordination among Left MLAs when the Assembly is in session.

In view of the fact that more than half of the 61 Left Front MLAs are first-time legislators a workshop would be held to apprise them of their role in the Opposition, Mr. Bose said.

Biman scepticalof Hills treaty

KOLKATA TNN : Left Front chairman Biman Bose is sceptical of the treaty between the state government and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. He is not yet ready to accept the claim that the Darjeeling impasse has been resolved.

The contents of the agreement, the LF chairman said, have not been made public. "We need to know how a problem -which couldn't be resolved in two decades - was solved in just a few days," he said.

Bose expressed concern over the GJM leaders' statement that that the GJM leaders having reached Darjeeling reportedly said that

the agreement was the first step towards the creation of Gorkhaland. "Then it will be the first step towards bifurcation of Bengal as well. They say something in Kolkata and something else in Darjeeling. Then how can I comment on it?" he said. The treaty has been drafted by the government, Bose said, so they know the best. "We at this point of time are not even aware of its content," he added. tnn , the roadmap, what additional areas in Doors and Terrai are to be included in the revamped autonomous body. Only they know what will be the boundary. I do not know anything about the treaty signed between the GJM and the state government," Bose said, in replies to queries. "How can I congratulate them now?" he asked.

Bose also urged the state government to look into the reported student's dissatisfaction in the Aliah University. "It has been reported that students are keen to leave the university and take admission elsewhere. If this is true then the government should look into it," Bose said.

Bose tried to scotch of suggestions on the brewing discontent among the Left Front partners. A few smaller constituents, notably the CPI, RSP and FB, have publicly urged for a change of the Left Front leadership in light of the poll debacle. "I do not comment on what is referred by parties privately or publicly outside a Left Front meeting. I have never reacted in the past. This did not figure in the meeting today," he said.


On the suicide of CPM MLA Mostafa Bin Kasem and his family's subsequent allegation that his candidature (for the assembly polls) was done inspite of his own reluctance due to his failing health, Bose remarked, "We knew he had a knee problem and arthritis. The ailments were not known to us. He could have said the same to us which could have led us to review the situation better. It wasn't told to us. On reports that even before pending police investigations, how CPM leaders already claimed it to be a suicide, I wish to stress that police on that day - and even later - had said that the death appears to be due to suicide. That is what we and even the other leaders said."