Darjeeling to have new administrative framework

Hill Council to be abolished.

Giving in to the key demands of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which has been leading an agitation in Darjeeling hills for creation of a new state out of West Bengal, the Centre today decided to abolish the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council.

The decision to scrap the DGHC Act of 1988 was taken at the third round of the tripartite talks between representatives of the Centre, the West Bengal government and the GJM, here today.

The move apparently signals a soft stand of both the Centre and the state government towards the GJM’s proposal for creation of a separate Gorkhaland state. “The unanimous decisions at the meeting seem to be taking us closer to fulfilment of our goal,” GJM leader Amar Lama said after the meeting.

While Union Home Secretary G K Pillai represented the central government, West Bengal Chief Secretary A K Chakrabarty headed the state delegation at the talks.

The Gorkhaland Hill Council was given to the region in 1988 following a protracted agitation. However, over the years, the council headed by Subash Gishing had come in for severe public criticism for alleged corruption and lack of transparency in its functioning. Also, it did not enjoy full financial powers to be effective.

Growing public anger against Gishing had led to emergence of the GJM. Last year, GJM activists had swooped on Gishing’s home and banished him and his outfit — the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) — from Darjeeling.

At today’s meeting, both the Centre and West Bengal governments agreed to order a CBI inquiry into the cases of corruption against GNLF leaders.

Pillai and Lama told reporters separately that the meeting had also decided to drop the proposed Bill to establish an alternative hill council under the sixth schedule of the Constitution, which is currently before Parliament.

Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh, who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Darjeeling, said that the changed equations between the Left Front and the Congress after previous discussions had had a positive impact on the tripartite talks.

Meanwhile, the GJM leaders today refused any categorical assurance of withdrawing their ongoing agitation in the hills. “We told them things would be fine if the state government does not provoke us,” Lama told reporters.