GTA will pave way for Tripartite talks: Binay... JAP doubts formation of board ...not for Gorkhaland but for tripartite talks on GTA

SNS, DARJEELING, 21 SEPTEMBER: Rebel Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) leader Binay Tamang today welcomed the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) board of administrators announced by chief minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday and said that it will pave way for tripartite talks on Gorkhaland. GJMM chief Bimal Gurung, however, slammed the move and said Mr Tamang, 'who himself burnt the GTA agreement ," can go for the tripartite talks as a Trinamul Congressman and not as a GJMM representative.

The Jan Andolan Party (JAP) also maintained that the move could be a ploy so that tripartite talks could be held for the GTA instead.

Addressing a Press conference, Tamang, who has been named as the chairman of the board of administrators said, "In the bipartite meeting held by the state government on 12 September in Siliguri, the chief minister said that the GTA was defunct and that legalities would have to be seen as to with whom tripartite talks should he initiated.

The GTA act states that after completion of the term of the GTA is over and if a situation arises, board of administrators will run the GTA for a period of six months or two years, which is being done now. Looking at all this we feel that the GTA functioning would pave the way for a tripartite talks for Gorkhaland."

Maintaining that dialogues and meetings would be the right way to move ahead wit the statehood demand, Tamang said,"There are issues like peace and normality and development, but we are more concerned about how to move forward with the statehood demand. Earlier, it was me who had filed six cases of interference of the state government in the GTA, but in the triparite talks, this will not be the issue or things like transfer of departments and other things pertaining to the GTA. The board of administrators will only talk about a permanent solution, which is Gorkhaland."

Tamang also appealed to other political parties and other members named in the board of administrators, namely GNLF president Mann Ghisingh and Darjeeling MLA Amar Singh Rai, to take this positively and try to capitalise on it.

It may be added here that the Darjeeling MLA and the GNLF have criticised the formation of the board of administrators with their names in it. When reminded that he was the one to burn the GTA Act and agreement recently, Tamang said, "I do not support GTA and I did burn its agreement and act, but the situation has changed, and right now, it gives us a broad space for tripartite meetings to be initiated."'

Meanwhile, the JAP alleged a conspiracy behind all this and challenged the legalities of tripartite talks with the board of administrators.

"How can tripartite talks be held with a board of administrators which has been chosen by the state government. Only a party with clear people's mandate can join the tripartite meetings, said JAP Bureau member Amar Lama.

The JAP also questioned as to which Morcha camp sits for the tripartite talks, if held. "It should be decided by the election commission and not the state government, but both the Morcha camps are eyeing the GTA," Mr Lama said.

"We are doubtful of the outcome of the bipartite meeting to be held on 16 October, as we were hopeful that would lead the way for tripartite talks for Gorkhaland. Seeing the announcement yesterday, we are, however, only seeing that the earlier talks were only a meeting within a meeting from which the board of GTA administrators was formed.This could all be a ploy to start a tripartite meeting for GTA and not the statehood demand,' said Lama.

ln a video he released to the Press from an undisclosed location, GJMM chief Bimal Gurung appealed to the people to reject Tamang and Anit Thapa, the two Morcha rebel leaders, for accepting to be part of the board of GTA administrators.

"I had warned the people about all this earlier, but they did not believe me, with people in Kurseong also saying that Anit and Bimal are brothers. I stayed quiet and also tried to cover it all up, but despite my efforts to cover them, people now know that they are hand in glove with the state government."