Darjeeling: Raju Bista, the BJP MP from Darjeeling, on Thursday declared that the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) will be scrapped after May 4, following the declaration of the results of the West Bengal Assembly election.
Bista was present in Kurseong for the filing of the nomination of the BJP candidate Sonam Lama. Talking to media persons, Bista stated: “GTA is not a political solution for the Gorkhas. Rather, it is an obstacle. For the liberation of our people, the obstacle needs to be removed, then only a solution will emerge.”
Bista then went on to announce: “ On May 4, after the declaration of poll results, GTA will be scrapped as it is not recognised by the Central Government. A commission of inquiry will be constituted to look into the widespread corruption in the GTA post 2017. All those involved will be sent to jail.”
He stated that GTA has become an instrument of corruption. “In the name of lease, they have sold all the property of GTA, including Gorkha Bhawan at Darjeeling More, Swiss cottages and Sailabas in Darjeeling. The West Bengal government has forcefully occupied Pintail village. We have to get back all these properties. They are our heritage, our assets,” claimed Bista. The signing of a tripartite agreement between the Government of India, the Government of West Bengal and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in July 2011 had paved the way for the formation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
When questioned on the large number of deletions in SIR and his earlier assurance of including the deleted names in the electoral roll, Bista stated that instead of coming out on the streets, the process of appeal needs to be followed. Incidentally, on Wednesday, a large number of Darjeeling residents whose names had been deleted from the electoral rolls had called for an explanation from Bista, questioning as to what had happened to his commitment to include names back into the list. A peeved Bista, turning a volte face, stated: “The GTA should have been involved in guiding the people. Why are they shouting? SIR is happening all over the country. The names have been deleted because of the negligence of the DMs and SDOs. They are under the state government.”
Reacting to this, BGPM Spokesperson SP Sharma stated: “Before every election, Raju Bista says this. He stated that the GTA would be scrapped during the 2021 Assembly election and again during the last Lok Sabha election in 2024. People have stopped believing in his talk. He says that the BJP will form the Government in Bengal. The party that has not managed till now to field candidates in all the 294 constituencies, how can it cross the
magic number?”
The days saw the filing of nominations by BGPM candidate Vijay Kumar Rai from Darjeeling, BJP candidate Sonam Lama from Kurseong and Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front candidate Bandana Rai from Kurseong.