New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived in Delhi last night for a meeting with Prime Minister later today. Though meeting is supposedly to discuss issues of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and "excess flow of water" to Bangladesh through the Farakka barrage, it comes in the backdrop of confrontation between chief ministers and the Prime Minister over the anti-terror agency, the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).
Several chief ministers, including Mamata, have opposed NCTC on the grounds that it encroaches on states’ rights. Mamata had earlier sent a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to “review and withdraw” the decision to set it up. “It is difficult for the state government to accept such an arbitrary exercise of power by the central government/central agency, which will have a bearing on the rights and privileges of the states as enshrined in the Constitution of India,” she said.
Gorkhaland issue:
According to sources, Mamata wants to push for speedy presidential assent to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Act (GTA), which was passed by the Assembly last year. The process of consultations with the Centre, which began after the passage of the Bill, is learnt to be in the final stages.
But with the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), which had spearheaded the movement for a separate State for the Gorkhas of Darjeeling, threatening to start an indefinite agitation from March 27 unless the GTA is implemented, Mamata needs the Centre to act very quickly.
Farakka Barrage issue:
Last Saturday, Mamata had alleged that the Centre had kept secret the fact about the two damaged sluice gates on the Farakka Barrage, resulting in Bangladesh getting 82,801 cusecs of water as against 35,000 cusecs it is supposed to get during the dry season.
"I sought an appointment with the Prime Minister to discuss the issue of GTA and the problem arising out of excess flow of water to Bangladesh through the broken sluice gates on Farakka barrage. I will discuss these issues with him on Wednesday," she said.
Several chief ministers, including Mamata, have opposed NCTC on the grounds that it encroaches on states’ rights. Mamata had earlier sent a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to “review and withdraw” the decision to set it up. “It is difficult for the state government to accept such an arbitrary exercise of power by the central government/central agency, which will have a bearing on the rights and privileges of the states as enshrined in the Constitution of India,” she said.
Gorkhaland issue:
According to sources, Mamata wants to push for speedy presidential assent to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Act (GTA), which was passed by the Assembly last year. The process of consultations with the Centre, which began after the passage of the Bill, is learnt to be in the final stages.
But with the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), which had spearheaded the movement for a separate State for the Gorkhas of Darjeeling, threatening to start an indefinite agitation from March 27 unless the GTA is implemented, Mamata needs the Centre to act very quickly.
Farakka Barrage issue:
Last Saturday, Mamata had alleged that the Centre had kept secret the fact about the two damaged sluice gates on the Farakka Barrage, resulting in Bangladesh getting 82,801 cusecs of water as against 35,000 cusecs it is supposed to get during the dry season.
"I sought an appointment with the Prime Minister to discuss the issue of GTA and the problem arising out of excess flow of water to Bangladesh through the broken sluice gates on Farakka barrage. I will discuss these issues with him on Wednesday," she said.
STAR News Bureau
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