Union Home Ministry calls for GTA review meeting
Darjeeling: The Home Secretary, Government of India will be convening a meeting "to review the issues related to Gorkhaland Territorial Administration," on August 7 at 3:30 pm in Room no. 119, North Block, New Delhi.
The meeting notice dated July 27, 2020 is signed by Renu Sarin, Director CS-II. The West Bengal Home Secretary; GTA Principal Secretary; Darjeeling DM; Representative of GTA Chief Executive and Representative of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha have been invited for the talks that is tripartite in nature. The last review meeting on the GTA was held on January 29, 2015.
Interestingly the issue of a "tripartite talk" has been occupying the centre stage of hill politics ever since a press release by GJM (Bimal faction) General Secretary Roshan Giri, posted in social media, claiming that a two-member team had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in his office in New Delhi.
"Amit Shah expressed a desire to solve the predicaments of the Gorkhas," stated the release, adding that Shah would convene tripartite talks within a fortnight.
With the tripartite talk letter arriving on Thursday, hill political camps went into a tizzy.
"We had thought that the BJP would live up to their pre-election assurances of a permanent solution for the Gorkhas and call tripartite talks. Instead, the BJP led Union Government has called a GTA review meeting. Their politics of lies have been exposed. The BJP and their allies just give false assurances to win elections," alleged Keshav Raj Pokhrel of GJM (Binoy Tamang faction.)
The GNLF, an ally of the BJP, was quick to label it an instrument of betrayal.
"This is what the GJM (Bimal faction) had in mind all along. They are trying to cook up a new avatar of the GTA. We will not allow this hoodwinking. The BJP and the GJM (Bimal faction) will have to clarify this within a week else should leave the coalition," warned Ajoy Edwards, Central Committee member, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.
Later Roshan Giri issued a press release on social media, assured the constituent parties that GJM (Bimal faction) has nothing to do with this meeting.
"GTA is redundant. We will only attend a meeting where the issue of a permanent solution is discussed along with the inclusion of 11 Gorkha communities in the Scheduled Tribe list," stated Giri.
Interestingly an hour before the arrival of the letter, GNLF President Mann Ghising, on his way back from Delhi, after attending meetings with BJP leaders had stated: "We have made it clear to the BJP leadership that they should spell out and initiate the permanent political solution before the 2021 Bengal Assembly elections."
