Separate state only solution, says GJM General Secretary

Kolkata, June 7 Accusing the West Bengal government of interfering in the working of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration – the development body in the north Bengal hills, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha General Secretary Roshan Giri on Wednesday said a separate state was now the only solution for the Darjeeling hills.

“A separate state is the only solution for the development of our people,” Giri told IANS after his meeting with state BJP president Dilip Ghosh here.

“Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has not let the GTA run smoothly. The board faced a lot of interference from the state government since the time of t’s inception,” he alleged.

Expressing discontent at the powers given to the GTA, Giri claimed there were still a host of major issues in the hills that is needed to addressed.

“The GTA hasn’t changed anything there. There is a constant issue with electricity in the hills. We are also not able to constitute the boards for school service commission, college service commission and subordinate service commission board in the hills,” he said.

On July 18, 2011, a tripartite agreement was signed between the GJM, and the state and central governments for setting up a new autonomous, elected GTA, a hill council armed with more powers than its predecessor, the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) formed in the late 1980s.

The GJM won the first GTA elections held in 2012, and is running the board since then.

However, the senior GJM leader sidestepped the issue of resigning from the semi-autonomous administrative body stating that nothing can be said till party chief Bimal Gurung makes any official announcement.

“Let Gurung make the announcement first. None of us have resigned from the GTA yet. We will let the people know once a decision is taken,” he said.

The GJM has been on the warpath with the Mamata Banerjee dispensation over a host of issues, with the latest trigger being the state’s alleged ‘imposition’ of Bengali in hill schools.

However, Banerjee has accused the GTAAof “spreading falsehood” about “imposition” of Bengali language and said Bengali would not be compulsory at schools in the Darjeeling hills and in certain areas of the Dooars and the Terai.

On Tuesday, hundreds of GJM supporters led by Gurung waved black flags and burnt Banerjee’s effigy at a protest in Darjeeling. They demanded the state government come up with a written circular about not making Bengali compulsory in the hills.

Banerjee has also announced a special audit to check how GTA has utilised the government aids and warned of punitive measures if any discrepancies are found.

In the recent civic polls in the hills, the GJM managed to retain its top spot, but the Trinamool also made substantial gains by winning the Mirik Notified area, and picking up seats in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong.