GTA sabha nod to resume talks on Gorkhaland demand :Janjati, tea workers' land rights, SSC Darjeeling meeting takes major decisions

We will now meet again and send this proposal to the central and the state governments

SNS, DARJEELING, 19 SEPTEMBER 2022:  The first policy-level meeting of the newly elected Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) today passed a resolution on opening dialogue on the demand for Gorkhaland.

According to the Deputy Chairman of the GTA, Rajesh Chauhan, the Sabha meeting unanimously approved the proposal tabled by GTA Chief Executive Anit Thapa. 

"As the 18 July 2011 agreement that formed the GTA had mentioned the line . 'While not dropping the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland ' Mr Anit Thapa moved a proposal, stating that the central and the state governments should reopen dialogue for the demand for Gorkhaland. 

The House unanimously passed the resolution," Mr Chauhan told reporters after the meeting held at the Gorkha Ranga Mancha Bhawan in Darjeeling town. 

"We will now meet again and send this proposal to the central and the state governments," he said. Proposals passed in today's meeting was granting of Scheduled tribe status to 11 Gorkha communities. "The House passed this Janjati demand too. The proposal was tabled by (nominated) Sabhasad Binita Khambu Rai," Mr Chauhan said. According to Mr Chauhan, the GTA also felt the need for a 'Shramik Bhawan' to be built at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri, where people from areas, mainly from the working class, go for their medical needs. 

"Several people from the GTA area visit the NBMCH for medical purposes, but they often face problems staying in the Plains and going about their work. The Bhawan will be built from funds collected in the GTA Chairman Relief Fund for tea workers during the Covid-19 pandemic earlier," Mr Chauhan said. 

It may be mentioned here that the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) had, during its GTA election campaign, vowed to table and approve such a resolution in the first general meeting of the GTA. According to GTA chairman Anjul Chauhan, the other resolutions approved today included regularization of temporary staff appointed during the erstwhile Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), appointment of Groups B, C, D GTA employees and formation of a Sub-ordinate Staff Selection Board. The Sabha also okayed a proposal to have the School Service Commission (SSC) for recruitment of teachers in schools under the GTA. Two other important proposals included parja-patta (land rights) for people living in tea and cinchona plantations, and inclusion of five mouzas of land from Siliguri and Jalpaiguri district to the GTA area. The meeting further decided to prepare an interim budget for the CM and send it to the state government. 

"Gorkhaland is not a political matter. It is not the right to politicise the future of the Gurkha race. This is a question of existence of the Gurkhas. To save this existence, as promised by my party, according to the limitations of the power and capacity of my leadership, I reopened the official doors on the issue of Gorkhaland. The central and state governments will definitely listen to our voice," GTA Chief Executive Anit Thapa later said. 

"I will have a sound sleep tonight. I have faith that the Gorkhaland issue will take the right direction. This will remain an issue above politics," Chief Executive Anit Thapa added.