Will accept anything that's good for Darjeeling: Anit

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, MUNGPO, 8 NOVEMBER 2022: Chief Executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Anit Thapa has said he has to "accept anything" that is meant for the development of Hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, even if the Centre wants to carve out a separate state or Union Territory for north Bengal, as, according to him, he cannot stop such a decision. He, however, added that his demand will always be a separate state of Gorkhaland.

Speaking to reporters on "rumours" doing the round on the possibility of the Centre forming a UT for north Bengal, Mr Thapa said: "Where is the official announcement on it? If the Centre wants to execute it, being a leader of the GTA, a small body within a state, I cannot stop them from executing it. We do not have objections to anything, provided it is good for Darjeeling."

As the "rumours" did the rounds, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar had pointed out that he did not have any information on such a plan to create a separate state or a UT for north Bengal. "If the Centre wants to execute such a plan, it would discuss the matter with the state before implementing it," Mr Majumdar had said.

Reacting to the BJP president's statement, Mr Thapa, who is also the president of the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), said: "It is a political statement. What happened in Jammu and Kashmir...?'

Mr Thapa also tactfully bypassed the issue when asked if the demand for Gorkhaland would he diluted if a UT or a separate state plan happens.

"Where is the official proposal (for such UT or state)? Is there any evidence available with us...?" Mr Thapa said, adding, "It is a subject of the state and the Centre."

After convening a meeting with officials of the North Bengal University, including Vice Chancellor Om Prakash Mishra, who is also in-charge of the Darjeeling Hills University, located at Mungpo, yesterday, the GTA Chief said: "Darjeeling is lagging behind since the year 1986, following the agitation for separate statehood."

"When the matter is the subject of the central government, the demand for a separate state should go on through dialogue with the Centre.

There is no need to create conflict with the state," Mr Thapa said, adding, "Democracy has been restored in Darjeeling after five years. Peace has prevailed here. It is now time for development."

Interacting with reporters, Mr Thapa further said: "The demand for Gorkhaland is ours. The BJP did not demand Gorkhaland. It has bagged votes in the name of Gorkhaland in the last 15 years."

According to a political observer in Siliguri, the BJP may have been talking about a separate state or a UT in the region, where it has won seven of the eight Lok Sabha seats, with the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in mind.

"As BJP has done nothing for this region, compared to the present state government's role, the issue of a separate state for north Bengal may have been taken out by keeping an eye on the LS polls 2024 to take on the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress. It cannot directly oppose the demand of a section of the people here for partition of Bengal," the observer said.

During her recent visit to Siliguri, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said that she would not allow " partition" of Bengal.

"The Hill people still demand Gorkhaland because the GTA agreement was signed by keeping on record the demand for Gorkhaland after the change of guard in West Bengal," Mr Thapa said.