GNLF to resort to legal route to stop GTA election

EOI, DARJEELING, APRIL 5, 2022: Darjeeling MLA and Gorkha National Liberation Front secretary general Neeraj Zimba on Tuesday said his party would take recourse to legal course to stop the election to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

Speaking on the sidelines of the party's 43rd foundation day, Zimba said: "We are against the GTA which is unconstitutional. We have filed a petition in the court. Since it is a subjudice matter, we have not come out in to the streets. We will take the help of court and not allow GTA elections to be held here in the hills. The GTA does not fulfil the aspirations of the people economically, politically, educationally or culturally". 

Zimba's statement comes in the wake of the announcement by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her visit to the hills that the GTA elections would be held in around May-June.

"One of the signatories of the tripartite agreement of the GTA and his party themselves are against it," he said, in an apparent reference to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. The GJM has been demanding that the state government resolve the issue of a Permanent Political Solution (PPS) for the hills before holding the GTA elections."

In protest against the move to hold GTA elections, the GJM has plastered posters across the hills demanding PPS. In fact, a GJM delegation led by party general secretary Roshan Giri raised the issue with the West Bengal Chief Minister during her recent visit to the hills. However political parties like the newly floated Hamro Party and the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha have welcomed the decision of the State Government to hold election to the GTA. 

Zimba was also seen stressing on 'good news for this area' in his speech. When asked about it he said: "The issues of PPS and tribal status for 11 Gorkha communities are in Delhi. The thing, which is possible now, should be done by them." 

Zimba asserted no meeting was required because relevant documents that were needed had already been submitted to the concerned Department and Ministry.

"We have not held any Press conference regarding these matters as we have to be circumspect about certain things as there are many people in hills, and in Delhi and Bengal, who do not want the benefit of the people," he said. 

The Darjeeling MLA also said that GNLF president Mann Ghising was presently in Delhi to pursue different issues related to the judicial process. Similar foundation day programmes of the GNLF were also held in Kalimpong, Kuresong and Mirik.