Giri waves another claim on state panel

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, Nov. 20: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha once again claimed that the Union home ministry would soon fix a meeting to discuss the formation of a committee to examine the statehood demand.

The claim on the panel creation has been doing the round since 2014 but today, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said Union home minister Rajnath Singh had even called up the Darjeeling BJP MP, S.S Ahluwalia, in his presence and told him that a date would be fixed soon to discuss the committee's constitution.

Giri called on Singh in Delhi today, along with Morcha president Bimal Gurung.

Speaking over the phone, Giri said: "During the meeting, Union home minister called up our Darjeeling MP S.S. Ahluwalia and told him that a date for a meeting regarding the formation of a committee to look into the statehood demand would be finalised soon. My understanding is that the two (Singh and Ahluwalia) will sit and finalise the date of the meeting."

Ahluwalia said the home minister had called him up and "talked about fixing a date for a meeting to fulfil the commitments he had made to the Morcha and the GTA".

The meeting is expected to be attended by the home ministry officials.

The Morcha had claimed twice in the past - on November 24, 2014, and on August 3 this year - that the Union home ministry had promised the party to constitute a committee to look into the Gorkhaland demand.

On August 3, the party also said a meeting might be chaired by Singh after Independence Day to discuss the formation of the panel.

The Union home ministry has not issued any statement on the formation of the panel in the last two years.

The role of the state government in the panel is not yet known but observers believe Mamata Banerjee is expected to oppose the committee's formation tooth and nail.

If the committee is created, it will be a morale booster for the Morcha as elections to the GTA, four municipalities, and gram panchayats and panchayat samitis are scheduled for next year in the hills.

The Morcha is facing a challenge from Trinamul and other hill outfits like the GNLF and the Jana Andolan Party.