Darjeeling: Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabha member Ajoy Edwards has written a strongly worded letter to GTA Chief Executive Anit Thapa, demanding the immediate convening of the GTA Sabha (meeting) and urgent action on several neglected public issues. The letter, dated July 15, highlights prolonged inaction by the GTA leadership and warns against the “deliberate abdication of duty.”
Edwards pointed out that since the present GTA Sabha was formed, only three general and one emergency session have been convened, violating the GTA Act mandate of holding sessions every three months. “Your continued failure to convene the Sabha has effectively shut down the only platform available to elected Sabhasads to deliberate on public grievances, policies, and developmental concerns of the region,” Edwards wrote.
Among his key demands were the rollback of the Tea, Tourism and Allied Business Policy-2019, granting permanent land rights to tea garden workers, settlement of unpaid dues including provident fund and gratuity, enforcement of minimum wages, review of GTA autonomy, and rehabilitation of Teesta flood victims. He also raised concerns over leasing of GTA properties without Sabha resolutions and issues related to SSB land outside Lal Kothi. “This prolonged inaction is unacceptable. People elected us to speak, deliberate and decide on their behalf—not to remain mute spectators,” Edwards stated.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Anit Thapa, while welcoming over 180 families from different political parties including the Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF) from Rambi and Dhoteria Jorebunglow Valley into his party, reiterated his commitment to work in close coordination with the Bengal government. “Let me say openly, I will work together with the Bengal government. Without cooperation from the government, development in the hills is impossible,” he asserted.
Thapa emphasised that politics in the hills must move away from ‘disruptive methods’ of the past. “Earlier, shouting and burning were called politics. Today, only work-based politics matters. The people want achievements, not blame games,” he said. Stressing ideological change, he added, “Real transformation comes from a change in thought. Building our own villages is our responsibility.”