The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha which had earlier dropped the demand for a separate State “for now,” on Thursday revived it circuitously by asking for a “Hill State status” for Darjeeling.
“We are asking for a Hill State status for Dajeeling,” Roshan Giri, senior GJM leader said after emerging from a tripartite meeting featuring the representatives of the Central and Bengal Governments.
The GJM also demanded a North-East Council-like treatment for Darjeeling apart from funds under the Backward Region Development Funds scheme, Giri who attended the meeting along with party MlA Harka Bahadur Chhetri said.
“Currently there is a huge need for development at every level of the society for which there is also a need for implementing a three-tier Panchayati Raj system in Darjeeling,” Giri said making a vociferous demand for panchayati raj.
“The Central team has told us that they would hold consultations with the AG and would come back to us after he reviews the demand,” Giri said.
The GJM was asking for NEC status along the line of the North East because it needed additional funds to develop
the Hill region, Giri said adding the GTA had told the Government the need to set up a Central university and a national institute of technology.
He also asked for bringing the national parks in Darjeeling under the GTA. “Development does not only mean promises but steady implementation of programmes so that the people of all sections can get the benefit of the developmental works,” he said insisting there was a need for the Gorkha youth to be included in the police forces.
“We have made our demands for taking the Gorkha youth in the police force,” he said. The GJM also demanded immediate release of jailed party leaders and withdrawal of all the cases against them, he maintained.
The equation between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the GJM, a former ally in the 2011 State elections had dwindled after the Hill outfit revived the separate State status in the wake of Centre's decision to create a new Telangana State dividing Andhra Pradesh.
Even as the party started protests calling bandhs the relationship between the two parties worsened after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took a strong stance. While the Government hardened stance arresting hundreds of GJM workers a
section of locals resented continuous bandhs forcing the Hill outfit to the back foot leading it to “drop for now” the demand for a separate State.
The GJM also asked for a tribal status for the entire Gorkha people except the Scheduled Castes Giri said, adding he hoped funds would flow soon leading the GTA to start developmental works soon.