CM blames Centre for GTA delay
11 February 2012
GJMM to go ahead with 27 march stir if GTA Bill not signed into law
soma mookherjee & manas banerjee
SILIGURI, 11 FEB: The chief minister, Miss Mamata Banerjee will visit Delhi on 22 February to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the GTA issue. After holding a meeting with the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) leaders, she told mediapersons that she would request the Prime Minister to expedite Presidential clearance of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Bill, the delay of which has "offended" the GJMM leaders. “I don’t know why the Central government is delaying this sensitive issue. They have asked for clarifications on one or two subjects and we have promptly sent the required clarifications,” the chief minister said.
“I will meet the Prime Minister on 22 February requesting him to ensure that the President of India would put her signature on the GTA Bill so that it could be made into an Act. The delay in signing the Bill into law has offended the GJMM leaders and I too am offended on this issue. Their demand for the GTA is legitimate. I will personally visit Darjeeling on 28 February and there I will announce the development package for the Hills,” Miss Banerjee said.
After interacting with the chief minister, the GJMM general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri, said that his group was satisfied with the discussion. “We are happy that the chief minister will take up the matter with the Prime Minister. The state government will have to press the Centre to ensure that the President gives her assent to the accord, which will resolve the basic problem,” Mr Giri said. However, Mr Giri iterated that if the accord is not given the Presidential seal of approval by 27 March, they will go ahead with their declared programme of a public protest by burning copies of the GTA document. “The chief minister is coming to the Hills on 28 February and then the GJMM would take up the issue with her once again,” Mr Giri added.
Miss Banerjee appealed to the GJMM leaders to have patience and remain calm. “You have to maintain peace in the Hills, otherwise the development works which I have started will come to a halt,” she added.
The GTA was framed after much hard work over a long time, she added. “I will not tolerate any outside intervention in the treaty. The tripartite treaty signed by the Centre, the state and the GJMM will remain as it is,” she said.
While speaking to the media Miss Banerjee said that there are some forces that are trying to create disruption in the Hills. “They are trying to disrupt the peace process in the Hills by pressing new demands ever so often. Don’t play with fire. We will not tolerate any bloodshed, arson or violence,” she warned. She added: “I know that there are some political forces who are behind these outfits who are trying to destabilise the ongoing peace process.”
Answering a question, the chief minister said there is no Maoist presence in Kalimpong. Earlier, GJMM president Bimal Gurung had alleged that the Maoists are gaining ground in the forests of Kalimpong and this needs to be looked into by the state government.
The chief minister today met GJMM general secretary Roshan Giri, MLA from Kalimpong Dr Harka Bahadur Chhetri, MLA from Darjeeling Tilak Dewan, one of the members of the state appointed high power committee for land verification L B Pariar, and Darjeeling municipality chairman Amar Rai for talks that focussed mainly on the GTA issue. Dr Chhetri also demanded more financial aid for earthquake-ravaged Kalimpong subdivision.
Miss Banerjee announced that a film city would be set up on 74 acres of land on the banks of the Teesta river in order to promote tourism industry in Darjeeling district. She thanked the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority chairman, Dr Rudranath Bhattacharya for earmarking land for the purpose.
SILIGURI, 11 FEB: The chief minister, Miss Mamata Banerjee will visit Delhi on 22 February to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the GTA issue. After holding a meeting with the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) leaders, she told mediapersons that she would request the Prime Minister to expedite Presidential clearance of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Bill, the delay of which has "offended" the GJMM leaders. “I don’t know why the Central government is delaying this sensitive issue. They have asked for clarifications on one or two subjects and we have promptly sent the required clarifications,” the chief minister said.
“I will meet the Prime Minister on 22 February requesting him to ensure that the President of India would put her signature on the GTA Bill so that it could be made into an Act. The delay in signing the Bill into law has offended the GJMM leaders and I too am offended on this issue. Their demand for the GTA is legitimate. I will personally visit Darjeeling on 28 February and there I will announce the development package for the Hills,” Miss Banerjee said.
After interacting with the chief minister, the GJMM general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri, said that his group was satisfied with the discussion. “We are happy that the chief minister will take up the matter with the Prime Minister. The state government will have to press the Centre to ensure that the President gives her assent to the accord, which will resolve the basic problem,” Mr Giri said. However, Mr Giri iterated that if the accord is not given the Presidential seal of approval by 27 March, they will go ahead with their declared programme of a public protest by burning copies of the GTA document. “The chief minister is coming to the Hills on 28 February and then the GJMM would take up the issue with her once again,” Mr Giri added.
Miss Banerjee appealed to the GJMM leaders to have patience and remain calm. “You have to maintain peace in the Hills, otherwise the development works which I have started will come to a halt,” she added.
The GTA was framed after much hard work over a long time, she added. “I will not tolerate any outside intervention in the treaty. The tripartite treaty signed by the Centre, the state and the GJMM will remain as it is,” she said.
While speaking to the media Miss Banerjee said that there are some forces that are trying to create disruption in the Hills. “They are trying to disrupt the peace process in the Hills by pressing new demands ever so often. Don’t play with fire. We will not tolerate any bloodshed, arson or violence,” she warned. She added: “I know that there are some political forces who are behind these outfits who are trying to destabilise the ongoing peace process.”
Answering a question, the chief minister said there is no Maoist presence in Kalimpong. Earlier, GJMM president Bimal Gurung had alleged that the Maoists are gaining ground in the forests of Kalimpong and this needs to be looked into by the state government.
The chief minister today met GJMM general secretary Roshan Giri, MLA from Kalimpong Dr Harka Bahadur Chhetri, MLA from Darjeeling Tilak Dewan, one of the members of the state appointed high power committee for land verification L B Pariar, and Darjeeling municipality chairman Amar Rai for talks that focussed mainly on the GTA issue. Dr Chhetri also demanded more financial aid for earthquake-ravaged Kalimpong subdivision.
Miss Banerjee announced that a film city would be set up on 74 acres of land on the banks of the Teesta river in order to promote tourism industry in Darjeeling district. She thanked the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority chairman, Dr Rudranath Bhattacharya for earmarking land for the purpose.
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