KOLKATA: The government on Friday made it clear to Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders that elections in the Hills will be held according to the tripartite agreement for setting up the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). The GJM kept harping on their demand of including the Terai and Dooars in the GTA, but didn't have much to say except submitting their memorandum signed by party supremo Bimal Gurung.
The GJM leaders first met chief secretary Samar Ghosh, who told them about the government's stand. Later, chief minister Mamata Banerjee reiterated the view. The government's firmness made the GJM leaders seem quite helpless.
A delegation of GJM leaders, led by general secretary Roshan Giri and Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri arrived at Writers' Buildings in the afternoon, to pursue with their demand for keeping elections on hold till there was a definitive decision on the 400 moujas of the Terai-Dooars within the GTA.
Giri told reporters, "We have asked the chief minister to wait till the high-power committee submits its report on the inclusion of Terai-Dooars. We have also asked her to let GTA be an interim body until this is done."
"A tripartite agreement was clinched and none of the parties can deviate from it. The elections in the Hills will be held according to the tripartite agreement," the chief secretary later told reporters.
Both the chief minister and the chief secretary told the GJM leaders that the government has issued the notification for the GTA Act, which calls for holding elections in the Hills. The government has, therefore, started making preparations for the elections which will roll in two months.
The GJM leaders, however, harped on their demand at a press conference at the state secretariat. When asked what they would do, now that the government has made its stand very clear to them, Giri only said, "We have submitted out memorandum to the chief minister ..." The GJM leaders abruptly ended their press conference and left.
Meanwhile, the Justice Shyamal Sen Committee set up to ascertain the GTA jurisdiction met on Friday. Among those present GJM leader LB Pariyar and DMs of Darjeeling and Cocchbehar. The committee will again meet on March 27 to discuss with the DMs on how to enumerate Gorkha-speaking population in Terai-Dooars.
The committee is planning to do a survey since the government has set factors like compactness, continuity and homogeneity which must be considered while determining the additional territory of GTA.
The GJM leaders first met chief secretary Samar Ghosh, who told them about the government's stand. Later, chief minister Mamata Banerjee reiterated the view. The government's firmness made the GJM leaders seem quite helpless.
A delegation of GJM leaders, led by general secretary Roshan Giri and Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri arrived at Writers' Buildings in the afternoon, to pursue with their demand for keeping elections on hold till there was a definitive decision on the 400 moujas of the Terai-Dooars within the GTA.
Giri told reporters, "We have asked the chief minister to wait till the high-power committee submits its report on the inclusion of Terai-Dooars. We have also asked her to let GTA be an interim body until this is done."
"A tripartite agreement was clinched and none of the parties can deviate from it. The elections in the Hills will be held according to the tripartite agreement," the chief secretary later told reporters.
Both the chief minister and the chief secretary told the GJM leaders that the government has issued the notification for the GTA Act, which calls for holding elections in the Hills. The government has, therefore, started making preparations for the elections which will roll in two months.
The GJM leaders, however, harped on their demand at a press conference at the state secretariat. When asked what they would do, now that the government has made its stand very clear to them, Giri only said, "We have submitted out memorandum to the chief minister ..." The GJM leaders abruptly ended their press conference and left.
Meanwhile, the Justice Shyamal Sen Committee set up to ascertain the GTA jurisdiction met on Friday. Among those present GJM leader LB Pariyar and DMs of Darjeeling and Cocchbehar. The committee will again meet on March 27 to discuss with the DMs on how to enumerate Gorkha-speaking population in Terai-Dooars.
The committee is planning to do a survey since the government has set factors like compactness, continuity and homogeneity which must be considered while determining the additional territory of GTA.
Source: TOI
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