Raju Bista protests call for GTA elections move by CM Mamata

Union home minister Amit Shah convened a meeting 'for resolution of issues related to Gorkhas' in Delhi on October 12

Raju Bista.: File photo

Vivek Chhetri   |   TT  |  Darjeeling   |  03.12.21:  Local BJP MP Raju Bista has demanded the dissolution of the Gorkhland Territorial Administration (GTA) in Parliament while the party’s ally Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) has shot off a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah for the second round of tripartite meeting on the hill solution as fast as possible.

The trigger behind these developments seems to be chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent announcement that her government would soon hold elections to the GTA, due since 2017.

With both BJP and GNLF opposed to GTA, Mamata’s announcement put the saffron party and its ally in the hills in a spot.

“It will be difficult for them to contest the elections (as they publicly are opposed the GTA) but if they don’t contest it would be akin to their handing power to their rivals on a platter,” said an observer from the hills.

On Wednesday, Bista, speaking on the hill issue at the Lok Sabha, demanded dissolution of GTA and also expressed his displeasure over Mamata’s decision

“….recently the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ji said that she will call for elections to the GTA.I informed the house (Lok Sabha), that by trying to impose elections for GTA, the TMC government in West Bengal is once again going against the will of the people, and they are trying to undermine the ongoing tripartite talks to find Permanent Political Solution,” said Bista in a written statement. “I have therefore requested the Central Govt to dissolve GTA altogether so that together we can arrive at the Permanent Political Solution at the earliest.”

Although Bista demanded dissolution of GTA in Parliament, the hill body has been formed under a state Act passed by the Bengal Assembly.

The Union home minister convened a meeting “for resolution of issues related to Gorkhas” in Delhi on October 12. The delegates had then said that the next round of meetings would be held soon after Diwali, preferably by November.

The GNLF, which met on Thursday, sought from Shah a second round of meeting as soon as possible.

“The earnest request to fix the date for holding second Tripartite Meeting urgently is compelling and arises out the apparent eagerness of the State Government to conduct GTA elections soon,” wrote Mann Ghisingh, president, GNLF, adding that “the uncalled haste” to hold the GTA election is “baffling and confusing especially in the midst of the tripartite meeting” on permanent political solution.

The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatrantrik Morcha, a Trinamul ally in favour of holding the GTA election, issued a statement attacking Bista.

 “If Raju Bista wants to dissolve GTA, he should first create a separate state of Gorkhaland,” said Keshav Raj.

(https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/raju-bista-protests-call-for-gta-elections-move-by-cm-mamata/cid/1841670)