Mamata, GJMM reach agreement on Hills issue
statesman news service
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: Within three weeks of assuming power, chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee today declared that the problem in the Hills stood “resolved” following an agreement between the state government and the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) which saw both sides conceding ground to arrive at an amicable solution, including formation of a new body through elections to replace the existing Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council (DGAHC) and the possibility of expansion of territorial jurisdiction.
While the demand for Gorkhaland was kept “on record”, it was not deliberated upon at the two-day official level meeting.
Miss Banerjee, who had pledged to resolve the Gorkhaland issue within three months after coming to power, later said that she had spoken to Union home minister Mr P Chidambaram about the settlement of the problem in Darjeeling and has suggested that the signing of the tripartite agreement should take place in the Hills.
“The Darjeeling problem stands settled. It is a historic day. We have come to an agreement. We want the agreement to be signed in Darjeeling,” a gushing chief minister declared before the media, holding aloft the minutes of the meeting.
GJMM also agreed to maintain peace and normality in the Hills and Mr Roshan Giri, a signatory to the minutes, said: “We are happy.”
The GJMM during the Left Front regime had opposed the formation of the new body through elections while the state government had been categorically against any expansion of the territory beyond the jurisdiction of the present DGAHC. However, during the talks today, the government was able to convince GJMM that the new body should be formed through elections.
A Bill would be shortly introduced in the Legislative Assembly paving the way for the formation of the new body which will have administrative, executive and financial powers over the subjects that would be transferred to them enabling it to function in an autonomous manner. Although the legislative powers cannot be transferred to the new body it will have powers to frame rules and regulations under State Acts.
The state government today conceded somewhat the demand of the GJMM for inclusion of Gorkha-majority areas in Siliguri, Terai and the Dooars by agreeing to set up a high-powered committee comprising four GJMM members, the district magistrates of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri, a home department official and director of census to look into GJMM's demand for new areas. The chairman of the committee would be appointed by the state and the administrator of the DGAHC would be the convener of the committee which will submit its report within six months.
The committee will look into the question of “identification of additional areas in Siliguri Terai and the Dooars that may be transferred to the new body, having regard to their compactness, contiguity, homogeneity, ground level situation and other relevant factors.”
However, the process of election to the new body will continue simultaneously with the above exercise though the empowering statute will have the provision of inclusion of the new areas. Meanwhile, a board of administrators comprising the three GJMM MLAs, DM, Darjeeling and DGAHC administrator will be empowered to run development work in Hills. Asked about a financial package Miss Banerjee said: “How can I go to a wedding without a gift?”
statesman news service
KOLKATA, 7 JUNE: Within three weeks of assuming power, chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee today declared that the problem in the Hills stood “resolved” following an agreement between the state government and the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) which saw both sides conceding ground to arrive at an amicable solution, including formation of a new body through elections to replace the existing Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council (DGAHC) and the possibility of expansion of territorial jurisdiction.
While the demand for Gorkhaland was kept “on record”, it was not deliberated upon at the two-day official level meeting.
Miss Banerjee, who had pledged to resolve the Gorkhaland issue within three months after coming to power, later said that she had spoken to Union home minister Mr P Chidambaram about the settlement of the problem in Darjeeling and has suggested that the signing of the tripartite agreement should take place in the Hills.
“The Darjeeling problem stands settled. It is a historic day. We have come to an agreement. We want the agreement to be signed in Darjeeling,” a gushing chief minister declared before the media, holding aloft the minutes of the meeting.
GJMM also agreed to maintain peace and normality in the Hills and Mr Roshan Giri, a signatory to the minutes, said: “We are happy.”
The GJMM during the Left Front regime had opposed the formation of the new body through elections while the state government had been categorically against any expansion of the territory beyond the jurisdiction of the present DGAHC. However, during the talks today, the government was able to convince GJMM that the new body should be formed through elections.
A Bill would be shortly introduced in the Legislative Assembly paving the way for the formation of the new body which will have administrative, executive and financial powers over the subjects that would be transferred to them enabling it to function in an autonomous manner. Although the legislative powers cannot be transferred to the new body it will have powers to frame rules and regulations under State Acts.
The state government today conceded somewhat the demand of the GJMM for inclusion of Gorkha-majority areas in Siliguri, Terai and the Dooars by agreeing to set up a high-powered committee comprising four GJMM members, the district magistrates of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri, a home department official and director of census to look into GJMM's demand for new areas. The chairman of the committee would be appointed by the state and the administrator of the DGAHC would be the convener of the committee which will submit its report within six months.
The committee will look into the question of “identification of additional areas in Siliguri Terai and the Dooars that may be transferred to the new body, having regard to their compactness, contiguity, homogeneity, ground level situation and other relevant factors.”
However, the process of election to the new body will continue simultaneously with the above exercise though the empowering statute will have the provision of inclusion of the new areas. Meanwhile, a board of administrators comprising the three GJMM MLAs, DM, Darjeeling and DGAHC administrator will be empowered to run development work in Hills. Asked about a financial package Miss Banerjee said: “How can I go to a wedding without a gift?”
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