DARJEELING, 21 JULY: The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) president, Mr
Bimal Gurung, today said at Chowrasta in Darjeeling that the Gorkhaland
Territorial Administration (GTA), the recently-established autonomous
hill body, is just a test for the hill people. The final solution for
the hills, he said, would be Gorkhaland.
He said that the GTA will carry out its functions in such an efficient manner that the Central and state governments will be obliged to grant statehood status to the hills. “We have a tough task ahead of us, as the Union home minister Mr P Chidambaram has said, we need to build the hills brick by brick and bring all round development, so we must ensure that the GTA functions in an efficient manner that will serve as an example to the rest of the nation. Nevertheless, this is just a test for us. We must pass this test so that the government thinks of granting us statehood status.” He said he will not be part of the governing body and that the post of chairman will be occupied by someone who is capable of leading the body. Mr Gurung assured his supporters, gathered at Chowrasta to celebrate the creation of the GTA, and chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee's assertions that the state of West Bengal would not be divided was the result of political pressure.
The GJMM general secretary Mr Rosahn Giri read out the important sections of the agreement signed at Pintail Village, Siliguri on 18 July. Comparing the GTA with the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), in place between 1988 and 2005, Mr Giri emphasised that the new body has been bestowed with 59 departments, while the DGHC was granted control of only 14 departments. He also pointed out that that the new body will receive Rs 200 crore per annum as part of a special package. sns
He said that the GTA will carry out its functions in such an efficient manner that the Central and state governments will be obliged to grant statehood status to the hills. “We have a tough task ahead of us, as the Union home minister Mr P Chidambaram has said, we need to build the hills brick by brick and bring all round development, so we must ensure that the GTA functions in an efficient manner that will serve as an example to the rest of the nation. Nevertheless, this is just a test for us. We must pass this test so that the government thinks of granting us statehood status.” He said he will not be part of the governing body and that the post of chairman will be occupied by someone who is capable of leading the body. Mr Gurung assured his supporters, gathered at Chowrasta to celebrate the creation of the GTA, and chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee's assertions that the state of West Bengal would not be divided was the result of political pressure.
The GJMM general secretary Mr Rosahn Giri read out the important sections of the agreement signed at Pintail Village, Siliguri on 18 July. Comparing the GTA with the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), in place between 1988 and 2005, Mr Giri emphasised that the new body has been bestowed with 59 departments, while the DGHC was granted control of only 14 departments. He also pointed out that that the new body will receive Rs 200 crore per annum as part of a special package. sns
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