Amit Shah Says Permanent Political Solution for Gorkha Issue Will Be Within Constitution and Without Dividing Bengal

Amit Shah Affirms Constitutional Solution for Darjeeling Without Bifurcating Bengal; Centre Forms High-Level Drafting Panel Amid Broad Support from Hill Allies

KalimNews, Aug 23, 2026, Kalimpong: In a defining breakthrough for the political landscape of North Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that a Permanent Political Solution (PPS) for the Darjeeling hills, Terai, and Dooars will be achieved strictly within the framework of the Constitution of India and without dividing the state of West Bengal. The landmark declaration was made during a crucial high-level tripartite convention convened at Sukna near Siliguri, attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, top administrative officials, and key political leadership representing the hill communities.

To translate the dialogue into an enforceable settlement, the Ministry of Home Affairs constituted a high-level committee chaired by Pankaj Kumar Singh, former Deputy National Security Adviser, former Director General of the BSF, and current Centre-appointed interlocutor. The panel has been officially mandated to draft the legal, constitutional, and administrative modalities for the final agreement, marking an institutional shift from preliminary discussions to a structured settlement mechanism.

The decisive assurance that Bengal will not be bifurcated while simultaneously delivering a robust, constitutionally guaranteed arrangement has garnered broad consensus and deep satisfaction across the BJP’s regional alliance partners. Political leaders across the spectrum expressed strong optimism, affirming that the constitutional route provides the only durable path to securing Gorkha identity, administrative autonomy, and economic stability after decades of unrest.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) President Bimal Gurung formally endorsed the initiative, describing it as an essential breakthrough that channels decades of political sacrifice into a concrete, constitutional outcome. Gurung emphasized the necessity of political maturity, collective unity, and constructive engagement, reaffirming his party’s commitment to achieving a meaningful resolution—such as an empowered Sixth Schedule framework—under constitutional guarantees. Echoing these sentiments, GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri stated that the discussions serve as a major milestone, emphasizing that hill leaders fully back a constitutionally sound settlement that permanently addresses the region's core aspirations.

Darjeeling MP Raju Bista underscored the historic weight of the meeting, pointing out that it coincided with the anniversary of the 1988 Gorkha Accord. Bista stated with firm confidence that the impending arrangement would surpass past expectations, ensuring that four decades of struggle, displacement, and sacrifices by the Gorkha community are met with honor, justice, and long-term socio-economic respect. He noted that past statutory bodies like the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) lacked constitutional safeguards, an inadequacy the current Centre-led framework intends to resolve permanently.

Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) President J.B. Rai confirmed that Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari expressed complete alignment with resolving the Gorkha impasse through any viable constitutional framework that maintains the geographical integrity of Bengal. Leaders from the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), led by Mann Ghisingh, alongside Minister of State for Hill Affairs Bishal Lama, Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla, and hill MLAs Bharat Chettri, Sonam Lama, and Noman Rai, also voiced satisfaction with the structured roadmap.

Beyond the constitutional framework, the conference tackled crucial developmental and administrative reforms, including the comprehensive restructuring of the GTA, transparent municipal and panchayat elections, prompt teacher recruitment, local youth employment generation, and the immediate revival of stalled infrastructure initiatives backed by Central financial assistance.

The convention brought together top national and state leadership, including Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau Director Mahesh Dixit, West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal, and Director General of Police Siddha Nath Gupta. With the Pankaj Kumar Singh panel now actively formulating the draft framework, the Siliguri talks represent a decisive and united stride toward institutionalizing enduring peace, democratic stability, and prosperity across the Darjeeling hills, Terai, and Dooars.