GNLF calls parza-patta transfer impractical

SNS, Kurseong 20 February 2017: At a time when several political parties in the Hills including the ruling Trinamul Congress in the state have been saying that they fight and provide parza-patta (land rights) to the hill people, the leadership of Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) is saying that the move is not possible as well as impractical in the lease-hold land in the tea belt while quoting a verdict of Supreme Court.

Talking to the reporters, GNLF general secretary, Mr Mahendra Chettri who was a Marxist leader earlier, said, 'Several political parties in the hills recently have been saying and claiming that they will fight and provide parza-patta (land rights) to the Hills people. But from the GNLF party side, they want to make it clear that it is not an easy task to provide parza-patta to the people residing in the lease hold land areas." Mr Chettri further said that most of the Hill people have been staying in the tea garden lands and these tea garden lands are lease hold lands. As per the Supreme Court ruling, it is not possible to provide parza-patta (land rights) in the lease hold land, he claimed.

"If any government decides to give parza-patta, the government should first acquire and resumption of the land as well as include it in the No.1 Khatiyan. Not only this, despite these processes, as per the present land policy of the Bengali government, only 5 decimal land will be given to the people through the parza-patta. Moreover, the parza-patta land is also no transferable. Hence, the people who have been occupying more than 5 decimal lands will have additional problems on the matter," the GNLF general secretary added.

As per Mr Chettri, through the Sixth Schedule Status of the Indian Constitution, the Gorkha Community residing in the Darjeeling Hills since the time of their forefathers can secure their land rights by using the new Acts. That is why; they have been demanding the Sixth Schedule status of the Indian Constitution for Darjeeling for the all round interest of the Gorkha people, he added.

Speaking on the upcoming municipality election, Mr Chettri said that the party has already decided to take part in all the four municipality election seats in the Hills. However, nothing has been decided so far by them regarding the candidates, alliance or their role in the election_