Centre committed to deliver justice to hill people: Nityanand Rai

RAJESH SHARMA, EOI, NEW DELHI, APRIL 3, 2025 : With representatives of the West Bengal Government not attending the tripartite meeting in Delhi on Thursday convened by the Union Home Ministry to discuss a permanent political solution to the problems of the Darjeeling hills, the outcome of the meeting was restricted to assurances without any concrete decision.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, who chaired the meeting, assured that the Centre was committed to delivering justice to the people of the hills under the Constitution. The demand for Gorkhaland was discussed, along with the proposal to grant tribal rights under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. While the Centre acknowledged the issue, it emphasized that a final decision would require the participation of the West Bengal Government.

Leaders from the BJP, NDA, and representatives from Darjeeling, Terai, and Dooars were present in the meeting, which focused on finding a permanent solution for the hills. However, the absence of representatives from the West Bengal Government led to a one-sided discussion between the Centre and local organizations.

Among those who were present in the meeting were Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Registrar General of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, Darjeeling M.P. Raju Bista, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha President Bimal Gurung, GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri, Gorkha National Liberation Front leaders Mann Ghising, Neeraj Zimba, Sandip Limbu, and N.B. Chettri, Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists leader J.B. Rai, BJP Darjeeling District President Kalyan Dewan, Gorkhaland Rajya Nirman Morcha leader Dawa Pakhrin, and BJP MLA from Kalchini Bishal Lama.

The absence of any representative from the West Bengal Government in the meeting, despite an invitation from the Centre, raised concern among the political leaders in the hills that the State Government was not taking the issues of Darjeeling, Terai, and Dooars seriously.

The challenges faced by tea plantation workers in Darjeeling, Terai, and Dooars were also discussed. The Centre reaffirmed its commitment to improving wages, housing, healthcare, and other facilities for the workers. The meeting also focused on the demand to recognize 11 left-out Gorkha communities as Scheduled Tribes. The hill leaders present demanded an early resolution as the issue had been pending for a long time.

Nityanand Rai said the Centre was committed to resolving this issue through a constitutional approach while respecting the federal structure. It was decided that the next meeting would be chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.