The Statesman edits
21 March 2012
FLUTTER IN THE HILLS
Let GTA materialise
Let GTA materialise
THE presidential
assent to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration agreement has
finally come through. Yet it would be presumptuous, even inappropriate,
for the BJP’s MP from Darjeeling to suggest that “this is the first step
towards achievement of Gorkhaland”. Small wonder that Jaswant Singh’s
statement in the Lok Sabha on Monday caused a flutter in the roost.
This isn’t the perception of the Centre, the State, of Parliament or for
that matter the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha. The agreement envisages a fair
measure of autonomy, at best a marked degree of self-rule after more
than 25 years of turmoil. More critical and relevant than Jaswant
playing to the Gorkha gallery are the brass tacks that remain to be
addressed. Most importantly, the GJMM’s decision to boycott the election
to the GTA unless the territorial issue is settled, a move announced in
parallel with the MP’s statement.
The inclusion of the Dooars and the Terai will involve a measure of state reorganisation, a risk that no Chief Minister will be prepared to shoulder. Furthermore, it could ignite similar demands in other parts of the country. Substantial is the risk of the GTA agreement being reduced to a non-starter unless elections are held.
Statehood may be a consummation devoutly to be wished by the Hills people. At this juncture though, the GJMM views the GTA agreement as a step towards added territories, indeed a change in the contours of Darjeeling’s map. Attitudes have distinctly hardened since the simulated euphoria last July when the deal was concluded. This is reflected in Monday’s decision of the GJMM MLAs to seek the party’s permission to resign from the Assembly. To put a charitable construct upon it, the morcha must stop short of precipitating a crisis however valid its grouse of exploitation. The territorial question goes beyond the remit of the state government and the Assembly; it requires the concurrence of the Centre and Parliament. Of far greater moment and an issue of immediate relevance is the devolution of powers and funds from the state to the GTA. All efforts ~ and parliamentary presentations ~ ought now to be directed towards that end, indeed to make the new entity functional. Jaswant Singh’s wish-fulfilment can wait as can the demand for a larger slice of territory.
The inclusion of the Dooars and the Terai will involve a measure of state reorganisation, a risk that no Chief Minister will be prepared to shoulder. Furthermore, it could ignite similar demands in other parts of the country. Substantial is the risk of the GTA agreement being reduced to a non-starter unless elections are held.
Statehood may be a consummation devoutly to be wished by the Hills people. At this juncture though, the GJMM views the GTA agreement as a step towards added territories, indeed a change in the contours of Darjeeling’s map. Attitudes have distinctly hardened since the simulated euphoria last July when the deal was concluded. This is reflected in Monday’s decision of the GJMM MLAs to seek the party’s permission to resign from the Assembly. To put a charitable construct upon it, the morcha must stop short of precipitating a crisis however valid its grouse of exploitation. The territorial question goes beyond the remit of the state government and the Assembly; it requires the concurrence of the Centre and Parliament. Of far greater moment and an issue of immediate relevance is the devolution of powers and funds from the state to the GTA. All efforts ~ and parliamentary presentations ~ ought now to be directed towards that end, indeed to make the new entity functional. Jaswant Singh’s wish-fulfilment can wait as can the demand for a larger slice of territory.
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