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Didi pits GJM against Centre on GTA delay
In a shrewd move Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday averted a possible attack from Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and set the fuming Darjeeling outfit against the Central Government for the delay in implementation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Authority Accord.
The Chief Minister who was meeting a GJM delegation led by Roshan Giri and Harka Bahadur Chetri not only managed to convince the Hill leaders that the delay was not on account of the Writers’ Buildings but the Central Government but also empathised with the delegation for the political pressure they had to handle in the Hills on account of the non-implementation of the Accord.
“We have communicated our concerns to the Chief Minister and she has told us that she would take it up with the Centre when she visits Delhi later this month,” a visibly satisfied Giri said quickly reminding the March 27 deadline for the implementation of the Accord set by GJM chief Bimal Gurung “stands.” Gurung had earlier warned he would tear off and burn the copy of the treaty if the deadline was not met by the Government.
“The GJM leaders have valid concerns about the delay in the implementation of the GTA Accord but here I must say that the State Government is not responsible for the delay as it has done its work,” Banerjee said adding the Centre had sought certain clarifications which had already been sent by the State Government and “now it is for them to do the rest.”
The Chief Minister said she had “sought the appointment of the Prime Minister either on 23rd or 24th of February and if I get the appointment I would certainly press for quick implementation of the Accord.” The Chief Minister said she would return to Darjeeling on February 27.
Banerjee’s statement transferring the blame on the Centre’s shoulder could trigger fresh round of hostilities between allies Congress and Trinamool Congress, experts said.
Incidentally the Chief Minister who was in the midst of her stock-taking tour of North Bengal had earlier warmed all the regional outfits “not to fish in troubled waters” as “we will never allow splitting of Bengal.” Her statement came after a Kamtapuri group gave a representation for a separate State sources said.
Banerjee also warned Opposition CPI(M) not to break peace and tranquility of the area by provoking the sub-regional interests. “We are determined to work within the framework of the GTA treaty and no attempt of breaking the peace process will be tolerated.”
According to the Accord a GTA would be formed taking three erstwhile sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong which were originally the parts of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council and the adjoining 400 moujas of Dooars and Terrain region.
The inhabitants of the contiguous plains like the Bengalis and the tribals who have formed the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad apart from the Kamtapuri groups have been protesting against the inclusion of the Plains in GTA as “in future if a separate Gorkhaland is formed the Plains will also go with it.”
In a shrewd move Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday averted a possible attack from Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and set the fuming Darjeeling outfit against the Central Government for the delay in implementation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Authority Accord.
The Chief Minister who was meeting a GJM delegation led by Roshan Giri and Harka Bahadur Chetri not only managed to convince the Hill leaders that the delay was not on account of the Writers’ Buildings but the Central Government but also empathised with the delegation for the political pressure they had to handle in the Hills on account of the non-implementation of the Accord.
“We have communicated our concerns to the Chief Minister and she has told us that she would take it up with the Centre when she visits Delhi later this month,” a visibly satisfied Giri said quickly reminding the March 27 deadline for the implementation of the Accord set by GJM chief Bimal Gurung “stands.” Gurung had earlier warned he would tear off and burn the copy of the treaty if the deadline was not met by the Government.
“The GJM leaders have valid concerns about the delay in the implementation of the GTA Accord but here I must say that the State Government is not responsible for the delay as it has done its work,” Banerjee said adding the Centre had sought certain clarifications which had already been sent by the State Government and “now it is for them to do the rest.”
The Chief Minister said she had “sought the appointment of the Prime Minister either on 23rd or 24th of February and if I get the appointment I would certainly press for quick implementation of the Accord.” The Chief Minister said she would return to Darjeeling on February 27.
Banerjee’s statement transferring the blame on the Centre’s shoulder could trigger fresh round of hostilities between allies Congress and Trinamool Congress, experts said.
Incidentally the Chief Minister who was in the midst of her stock-taking tour of North Bengal had earlier warmed all the regional outfits “not to fish in troubled waters” as “we will never allow splitting of Bengal.” Her statement came after a Kamtapuri group gave a representation for a separate State sources said.
Banerjee also warned Opposition CPI(M) not to break peace and tranquility of the area by provoking the sub-regional interests. “We are determined to work within the framework of the GTA treaty and no attempt of breaking the peace process will be tolerated.”
According to the Accord a GTA would be formed taking three erstwhile sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong which were originally the parts of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council and the adjoining 400 moujas of Dooars and Terrain region.
The inhabitants of the contiguous plains like the Bengalis and the tribals who have formed the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad apart from the Kamtapuri groups have been protesting against the inclusion of the Plains in GTA as “in future if a separate Gorkhaland is formed the Plains will also go with it.”
