CPM's Hills unit backs Sixth Schedule

Deep Gazmer, TNN, April 16 2013, DARJEELING: The Hills unit of the CPM on Monday stopped short of advocating the Sixth Schedule issue while asserting that theGorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) was the present reality.

Stepping out of the Darjeeling-Bijenbari zonal committee meeting on Monday, CPM district secretariat member K B Wattar said: "The sixth schedule is good for the Hills provided it is not implemented in the tribal concept. The tribal population is in the minority in the Hills and implementing the Sixth Schedule here will be harmful for the general population."

However, the Communist party accepted that the GTA, if provided with constitutional guarantee that it does not enjoy at present, would also suffice for the region if run well. "We have accepted that the GTA is the present reality and it has the people's mandate. But people running it should not indulge in nepotism and scams. This was exactly what had happened during the tenure of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) under the GNLF rule," reminded Wattar. On the issue of a separate state, the CPM leader said it was always on the card.

"The Bengal chief minister, even before signing of the GTA tripartite agreement, had said: 'I will give the name but not the power of a state.' So it has to come now. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has been compelled to accept and run the GTA," said Wattar.

He also advised the GJM leadership to ensure all-round development of the Hills region through the GTA. "They (GJM) wasted precious time with the Gorkhaland demand which was always going to be unfruitful and meant to strengthen the party. However now that things are getting clear vis-a-vis the separate statehood demand, the GJM leaders should concentrate on developing the region," remarked the CPM district secretariat member.

The CPM party also raked up the issue of new outfits making its presence felt in the Hills and asked the state government to take serious note of them.

"Cropping up of new outfits is a dangerous trend. We have doubts that these new outfits could be linked to the Maoists. It must be remembered that political frustrations and unemployment are key factors in changing the perspective and mind of restless people," said Wattar.