Statehood on hold, Didi gets Gorkhaland deal
Subrata NagchoudhuryTags : Gorkha Janamukti Morcha, West Bengal government, Bipartite agreement, Gorkhaland dealPosted: Wed Jun 08 2011, 01:56 hrsKolhapur:
A Bipartite agreement was signed today between the West Bengal government and the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), paving the way for resolution of the conflict in the Darjeeling hills, at least for the time being.
The crux of the agreement was that the GJM will assume power in Darjeeling, with its three MLAs being inducted into the Board of Administrators that would run the affairs of the hills till a new Hill Council is formed through elections to be held later.
Although some issues remain unresolved, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was quick to announce that “the Gorkhaland problem has been solved”. She said Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has been infomed about the “settlement” and a tripartite agreement would be signed in Darjeeling later.
Asked what was the magic formula that resolved the dispute, she replied: “The magic formula is our heart. If the intention is good, there is always a way out and the magic formula is peace.”
According to a senior government official, what clinched the deal was that the GJM put its demand for a separate state on the backburner. Instead, it agreed to be a part of the Board of Administrators till the Council elections are held, for which no time frame has been set for now.
“Most of the contentious issues like transfer of territory in Terai and Dooars region, control over reserve forest areas, status of casual employees and sectoral tribes were discussed at the meeting and many of these were resolved. We are happy with the outcome of today’s meeting,” said GMM general secretary Roshan Giri.
Asked if the Gorkhaland demand has been dropped, Giri said: “The demand for Gorkhaland will always be there but it was not raised right now.”
The deal, said officials, includes other marginal benefits like more legal powers, assured flow of funds, an IIT in Darjeeling, and semi-government employee status to nearly 6,000 casual workers in government offices in Darjeeling.
The more contentious issues have been referred to committees. At least two committees are to be formed — to look into the issue of territorial jurisdiction of the new Hill Council and control over forest areas and tea gardens. The first committee will have nine members, with four each from the government and GJM and one chairman.
Apart from the separate statehood demand, the main stumbling block which could have derailed the negotiations was the territorial jurisdiction of the Hill Council. In a climbdown from its earlier stand, the GJM has now agreed to refer the matter to a high-powered committee.
But despite the euphoria expressed after the meeting and the reported claim of a settlement to the “Gorkhaland problem”, there were voices of discontent. Former MP Dil Kumari Bhandari, who now heads the Bharatiya Gorkha Parishad, a pressure group in favour of the separate statehood demand, said, “I am dismayed if the Gorkhaland issue was not discussed at the meeting. We have lot of hopes on Mamata and her positive attitude to the hills, but we expected the meeting to discuss the Gorkhaland issue.”
Others asked if the settlement was an attempt at “buying temporary peace in the hills or finding a durable solution”. Today’s meeting did not seem to address the larger issue of Gorkha identity, which is at the core of finding a solution to the Darjeeling problem, they said.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh said the legal process for holding elections to the Hill Council would start soon, with the required Bill being brought during the ensuing session of the State Assembly. A delimitation process for the Council areas has to start simultaneously.
(source:.indianexpress.com/news/statehood-on-hold-didi-gets-gorkhaland-deal/800744/0)
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