Mamata, Gurung give and take on GTA

Mamata, Gurung give and take on GTA

KOLKATA, 24 MARCH: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today managed to avert a renewal of the crisis in the Hills for the time being with the government conceding the demand of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) of publishing the report of the High Power Committee on inclusion of newer territories in Terai and Dooars before holding elections for the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA).

However, the state government too scored some significant points by getting the GJMM to agree to its stand that the election would be held in the "existing area", that is, the area currently under the Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council, according to the GTA Act.

While the GJMM agreed ~ in writing for the first time ~ to abide by the decision of the High Power Committee, it was decided that the state would request the committee headed by the former Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court, Justice (retired) Shyamal Sen to submit his report by June this year. The elections to the GTA in that case would be held either towards the end of June or in early July and in the meantime delimitation work for the existing area would continue ~ another thorny issue that was resolved today to the satisfaction of the chief minister.  

The GJMM president, Mr Bimal Gurung today met the CM at Writers' Buildings to resolve the stalemate created by the party's demand to include newer areas of the Terai and Dooars before elections are held while the state government had been adamant that the first election held in the area would be in the existing area only. Mr Gurung was invited by Miss Banerjee in order to resolve the crisis.

The GJMM, while raising the issue of holding elections in the additional areas, contended that they would be without any representative, if and when they are eventually included under the GTA.

Since the GTA Act does not have any such provision it was decided that the five nominated members would in that case be representing the additional areas, and the state government would nominate them in consultation with GTA. Asked whether they were sure of inclusion of the additional areas, an elated Mr Gurung said: "Our four members in the High Power Committee would not sit with their hands tied. The delay caused by the High Power Committee in submitting its report had led to the stalemate." He also said that it was "wrong" on the part of the ruling party to disregard their demand for a Rajya Sabha member and said it should be rectified next time. An upbeat chief minister, on her part, expressed happiness over the outcome of the meeting. sns