No election to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA)- GJMM

DARJEELING/SILIGURI, 6 SEPT: The GJMM leadership today reaffirmed its stance that no election to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) would be allowed to be held in the Darjeeling Hills until the state government-appointed land survey committee submits its report regarding
the party’s claim over the Gorkha-majority areas spread across the Terai-Dooars.
“We would not participate in the election to the new council until the Committee concerned would submit its report to the state government,” said the GJMM general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri. However, he expressed satisfaction over the passage of the GTA Bill in the state Assembly. The party celebrated the passage of the GTA Bill in the Assembly today through several rallies and other programmes across the Hills.
A senior Hill CPI-M leader, Mr KB Wattar said in Darjeeling yesterday that the Hill unit of the party was with the GJMM in the land transfer demand. According to the observers, the Hill CPI-M's stance has provided fresh impetus to the GJMM clamour over lands in the plains.
Banks and post-offices as well as the educational institutions across the three Hill sub-divisions remained closed today in response to the GJMM-sponsored celebration programmes. However, shops and other commercial establishments remained open. Thousands of people participated in the ‘victory’ rallies staged across the Hills. However, intriguingly, the GJMM president, Mr Bimal Gurung did not participate in today’s programmes. He is away at Rimbick, around 80 km away from Darjeeling town, presiding over the party’s organisational meeting.
Mr Giri said the party should desist from confusing people by parading ‘spurious’ empathy for the cause of Gorkhaland. “We have not betrayed the cause as is being alleged,” he said.

BJP slams govt for Hills body
BJP state president Mr Rahul Sinha today said the state government had committed a blunder by including ‘Gorkhaland’ in the nomenclature of the administrative setup for the Darjeeling Hills. “This is a monumental mistake on the part of the state government. The chief minister seems to have been entrapped in a blind alley due to her overpowering obsession with claptrap. The state might pay the penalty in the form of a further division of the state,” he said. He demanded reintroduction of the traditional ‘Darjeeling’ and dropping of ‘Gorkhaland’ from nomenclature of the autonomous body.
statesman news service