Gorkhaland Territorial Administration not inclusive, says Ajoy's Hamro Party

Six elected GTA Sabha members from Hamro Party on Friday wrote to GTA chief executive Anit Thapa of the BGPM

Ajoy Edwards: File image

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, 16.12.23 : Hamro Party members in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) have decried the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha-led hill body’s alleged policy of keeping out Opposition members from development projects.

Six elected GTA Sabha members from Hamro Party on Friday wrote to GTA chief executive Anit Thapa of the BGPM.

“We write to bring to your esteemed attention a matter of paramount importance regarding the ongoing initiatives and projects within the jurisdiction of various government initiatives and the GTA,” reads the letter signed by the six elected members of Hamro Party, Ajoy Edwards, Robert Chettri, Pratim Subba, Sunny Bomzon, Jitan Rai and Ruben Das Pradhan.

“In this age of widespread information through social media channels, we have observed announcements related to the commencement of development projects.... We feel it is imperative for Government Institutions and the GTA to actively seek the confidence and input of duly elected representatives, spanning from Gram Panchayats to Panchayat Samities,” the letter says.

“Incorporating the perspectives and insights of elected representatives will not only enhance the effectiveness of these initiatives but will also foster greater public involvement and support. Our collective success in realising these projects is contingent upon collaboration and shared understanding,” the letter further stated.

The letter has also been sent to GTA principal secretary and the district magistrates of Darjeeling and Kalimpong.

Sources in the Opposition added that the newly elected panchayat bodies, too, were adopting a similar exclusionary approach. “If the trend continues we will have no option but to voice our opposition on a stronger note,” said a leader from the Opposition camp.

Elections to the two-tier panchayat — the gram panchayats and the panchayat samitis — were held in Darjeeling hills after a gap of 22 years in July this year. Most of the seats were won by Anit Thapa’s BGPM.

Thapa could not be contacted by this newspaper on Friday.

Courtesy & source- The Telegraph

https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/gorkhaland-territorial-administration-not-inclusive-says-ajoy-edwardss-hamro-party/cid/1987240