Didi Urges PM Modi to Revoke Darjeeling Interlocutor’s Appointment
Calling the move “unilateral”, Ms Banerjee also urged the PM to ‘revoke” it.
Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her “surprise and shock” in a protest letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the appointment of a retired IPS officer Pankaj Kumar Singh as an interlocutor to discuss issues of Gorkhas in Darjeeling, Dooars and Terai ahead of Assembly Election next year.
Calling the move “unilateral”, Ms Banerjee also urged the PM to ‘revoke” it. She wrote in the letter, “I am surprised and shocked to know that the Government of India has appointed Shri Pankaj Kumar Singh, IPS (Retd.) as an interlocutor to hold discussions on the issues relating to Gorkhas in Darjeeling Hills, Tarai and Dooars regions of West Bengal.”
She alleged, “This appointment has been made without any consultation with the Government of West Bengal, even though the issues under reference directly relate to the governance, peace, and administrative stability of the area under Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), an autonomous body under Government of West Bengal. Such unilateral action is inconsistent with the spirit of cooperative federalism that forms one of the foundational principles of our Constitution.”
Referring to the constitution of the GTA following a Tripartite Agreement signed on July 18 in 2011 at Darjeeling, between the Centre, state government and the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), Ms Banerjee pointed out that the body was created to ensure socio-economic, infrastructural, educational, cultural and linguistic developments of the hill areas, while safeguarding the ethnic identity of the Gorkhas and promoting peaceful co-existence among all communities, a hallmark of the unity and harmony of the hills.
She then observed, “There has been peace and harmony prevailing in the hill districts of our state. This has been possible with the concerted and continuous efforts made by our government since it came to power in 2011. We are committed to continue with our positive efforts in that direction.”
The CM underlined, “The Government of West Bengal, therefore, is firmly of the view that any initiative concerning the Gorkha community or the GTA region must be undertaken in full consultation with the State Government, in order to preserve the hard-earned peace and tranquillity in the region. Any unilateral action in this sensitive matter will not be in interest of peace and harmony in the region.”
She added, “I would, therefore, request you to kindly re-consider and revoke this appointment order issued without prior and due consultation with the Government of West Bengal, as is expected in the true spirit of federalism and mutual respect between the Union and the States.”
