Bengal guv chastises GTA sabhasads in oath-taking ceremony, Mamata truant

EOI | DARJEELING | JULY 14, 2022: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar on Thursday administered the oath of office to the newly elected Gorkhaland Territorial Administration chief executive. 

The oath-taking ceremony was marked by eventful happenings. Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha president Anit Thapa was elected the GTA chief executive in the first meeting of the Sabha. 

In the official programme, the State head did not have a speech, but the Governor went out of his way to interrupt the announcer and took the microphone stand. Interestingly, going against the nature of the event, the Governor used strong words and criticized the way the GTA functioned and warned the newly elected Sabhasads of consequences if it was repeated. "In three years, I have seen virtual stagnation of development in the hills. Issues like the GTA becoming a den of corruption, patronage, violation of the GTA act, lack of accountability and no audit taking place have been flagged off to me," the Gover said. 

"I urge the newly elected members to trust their Governor. Everyone who has committed transgression and violation will be brought to book," he further added. On Wednesday, the Governor hosted West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at Raj Bhawan, a point that the Governor fleetingly touched but with an overtone concerning the West Bengal CM. 

"When the first election took place in 2012, the Bengal chief minister was here. It would have been graceful of her to be present on such an important ocassion while she is reportedly in Darjeeling," said Dhankar. 

Going a step further Dhankar took a dig at the Mamata Banerjee-led government for the state of affairs of the GTA and rampant corruption. 

"It should have been the third GTA election, but unfortunately it is the second. I also get the impression that the Governor can do little, inspite of my request to every administrator. Don't test my patience and indulgence. No one is above the law because cleansing will take place in a manner like Ganga has been cleaned," the Governor said; adding actions this time would be super fast against the defaulters. 

As the Governor administered the oath at the Gorkha Ranga Mancha Bhawan, the West Bengal chief minister as her usual self mingled with the hills residents. Mamata Banerjee stopped by a small eatery to interact with some elders making momos. And then sat down flattened the dough and cupped the momos with near perfection. However what caught everyone's attention was a song in Nepali praising the West Bengal CM, which was played outside the Gorkha Ranga Manch Bhawan. 

One of the translated stanza states- "Life is a struggle...but you have kept grappling with it. The hills was in darkness...and you shone like a light. My mamta, your mamta, our mamta, everyone's mamta". Sources confirmed that the Chief Minister had asked for a similar version of the song to be composed in the Bengali language. "The CM was smittened by the Nepali version when she first heard it. Someone then composed the song replacing the chorus with her name. Now she has asked for a Bengali version," the source said. The West Bengal chief minister later in the afternoon left for Siliguri with her entourage to board the flight back to Kolkata after three days of the hills tour. The new GTA chief executive said he would prioritise revamping the administrative system of the council body. "The system has completely collapsed. We have to change this first. There are other challenges in the GTA, which we will work to eradicate," said Thapa On the Governor's strong words on the GTA and demand for audit, Thapa said, "It is his right as a Governor. Somewhere he is right because we have to folliw system. I have always maintained that government money should be spent properly and accounted for"