Centre calls GTA review meeting on January 9

Darjeeling. The Centre has called a review meeting on the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders. The leaders from the Hills are hopeful the meeting will expedite the process of forming the GTA. The GTA agreement was signed by the state, central government and GJM representatives on July 18. The GTA bill was passed in the state assembly on September 2 and a review was held a week later. GJM leaders feel the government is taking too long to form the GTA. While GJM president Bimal Gurung recently said any delay in forming the GTA would invite "thoughts" of fresh stir, the youth wing of the party has already announced agitation programme across the Hills from next month.

"The Center has called us for a review meeting along with the state government on January 9 before the Bill for GTA is presented before the President," said Kalimpong MLA and GJM spokesperson Harka Bahadur Chhetri. On the delay, the MLA pointed out the GTA would require the clearance of various ministries. "A no-objection certificate would be required from the ministries that run the departments even though an agreement has already been reached," said Chhetri. However, the contagious issue of including new areas in the GTA remains the focal point of disconnect between the three parties. "A fact-finding high power committee to verify our demand is in the process of scrutinizing the ground realities. We will have to wait till the committee comes up with a report," he said.

The issue of including new areas of the Terai and Dooars region to the new administrative set up was to be completed within six months from the date of signing of the agreement. "The committee will have to ascertain which community is the majority in these areas. This obviously is delaying the formation of the GTA," Chhetri said.A nine member fact find committee has been formed to verify the ground reality that is headed by a retired justice and comprising of GJM and state and central members. However, even with the deadline nearing, the committee has sought extension which has not gone down well with central GJM leaderships.

The GJM has demanded the inclusion of 196 and 199 mouzas of the Terai and Dooars regions, respectively. These areas are mostly Nepali populated, claimed the party. "Our demand is not unjustified as we are demanding only those areas that is Nepali dominated be included. However, everyone is obliged to the high power committee's finding and report," said the GJM spokesperson from Guwahati, who along with other leaders including the party president are presently attending a program organized by the All Assam Gorkha Student's Union.

Cometh the New Year, the wish for a fast-track solution, to the Hills imbroglio that is still under the cloud, with the delay in the formation of an administrative council, could be just the remedy. The Union Government has called Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders for a review meeting to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) formulated to end the nearly four years of turmoil.

GJM on their part has not dithered to be vociferous, even as ministers from Bengal have put their weight behind Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in saying that 'all is well' in the Hills. In fact, GJM president Bimal Gurung recently said any delays in formation of the GTA would invite 'thoughts' of fresh stir. The youth wing of the party has already announced agitation program that includes rallies and public meetings across the Hills from January 1.

Today, Kalimpong MLA and GJM spokesperson Harka Bahadur Chhetri said over phone from Guwahati that the Union government has called for a review meeting on the GTA issue in Delhi on January 9. "The Center has called us for a review meeting along with the state government on January 9 before the Bill for GTA is presented before the President puts her signature," said the MLA. The GTA bill was passed in the state assembly on September 2 and a review was held between the center and state government and GJM a week later.The GJM leader though is optimistic that after the January 9 meeting and with completion of some final official procedures, the GTA would be become functional. "Most of the criteria have been completed but some official procedures have remained. We hope to complete these procedures in the review meeting," said Chhetri.

On the delay issue the MLA pointed out that including various departments in the GTA would require the nod of the concerned ministries. "A no objection certificate would be required from the ministries that run the departments even though an agreement has already been reached," said Chhetri. However, the contagious issue of including new areas in the GTA remain the focal point of disconnect between the three parties. "A fact finding high power committee to verify our demand is in the process of scrutinizing the ground realities. We will have to wait till the committee comes up with a report," he said.

The GTA agreement was signed July 18 by state and central government and GJM representatives. However, the issue of including new areas of the Terai and Dooars region, to the new administrative set up was to be completed within six months from the date of signing of the agreement. "The committee will have to ascertain which community is in the majority in the areas that we have demanded based on an ethnic line census. This obviously on the hind sight is delaying the formation of the GTA," said the MLA.A nine member fact find committee has been formed to verify the ground reality that is headed by a retired justice and comprising of GJM and state and central members. However, even with the deadline nearing, the committee has sought extension which has not gone down well with central GJM leaderships.

GJM has demanded the inclusion of 196 and 199 mouzas of the Terai and Dooars regions respectively, to the GTA. These areas GJM claim are mostly Nepali populated areas which is climb down from the earlier stand to include the whole of the plains areas. "Our demand is not unjustified as we are demanding only those areas that is Nepali dominated be included. However, everyone is obliged to the high power committee's finding and report," said the GJM spokesperson from Guwahati, who along with other leaders including the party president are presently attending a program organized by the All Assam Gorkha Student's Union.

(Source-Times of India)