TT, New Delhi, Feb. 22: The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs today decided to set up a “political committee” to deliberate upon the demand for the separate state of Gorkhaland as well as explore if the DGHC should be replaced by another body with more executive powers.
At its meeting today, the CCPA asked the home ministry to request political parties to name their representatives for the “political committee”. It is not clear whether GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh, the first DGHC administrator, will be invited to be part of the committee. The president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Bimal Gurung, had been a close lieutenant of Ghisingh till he broke away, floated his own outfit and chased away the GNLF chief from the hills.Sources said the committee was being constituted as the Centre, the Bengal government and the Morcha believed that the problem could not be solved at the bureaucratic-level but needs political intervention. Union home secretary G.K. Pillai and senior Bengal bureaucrats have negotiated with the Morcha leaders during the four rounds of tripartite talks held so far.Railway minister Mamata Banerjee who attended the CCPA meeting refused to speak to the media after the parley. Sources, who attended the session, said the Trinamul Congress chief had vehemently opposed a separate Gorkhaland state. Sources quoted Banerjee as having said Gorkhaland was an impossibility considering that all major political parties from Bengal were against it.The home ministry will decide upon the committee’s terms of reference in the days to come. The ministry had earlier this month constituted a committee headed by Justice (retired) B.N. Srikrishna to look into the demands of the separate Telangana state.Ministry sources said Morcha leader Gurung had realised that it was virtually impossible for the Centre and the Bengal government to agree to Gorkhaland and needed a face- saver to bring down the political temperature in the hills. “There is little likelihood of a separate Gorkhaland. All that can be conceded to the DGHC is some more area and executive powers. It is something that the committee will look into,” said a source.The last round of tripartite talks was held on December 23. The Morcha had demanded the fifth round within 45 days. But the CCPA has not yet decided on the date yet.There is near unanimity among Bengal’s major political parties and the Centre that a separate Gorkhaland is not possible. Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had rejected the demand during the chief ministers’ conference in New Delhi earlier this month. He had offered to give more powers to the DGHC or any other council that would replace it.Central force to keep vigil on Sikkim lifelineTT, Feb. 22: Two companies of the CRPF arrived in Siliguri from the Northeast today to be deployed along NH31A, the lifeline to Sikkim, following Supreme Court directives.While one company — each company comprises around 100 to 120 personnel — has reached Pintail Village in Dagapur on the outskirts of Siliguri, the other has been billeted in the state police lines near Darjeeling More. The third one is on the way.The inspector-general of police, north Bengal, K.L. Tamta, said the CRPF personnel had been specifically sent to keep NH31A (runs between Sevoke and Gangtok) free from blockades round-the-clock.“There were instructions from the judiciary to keep the highway open all times and these companies have come with specific instructions from the central government to keep this stretch of the national highway open,” Tamta said. “We have thought of deploying the three companies at Rangpo on the Bengal-Sikkim border, at Rambhi located on the highway in Kalimpong subdivision and in Siliguri.”Police sources said senior officials were in the process of trying to get a platoon of the central force each for Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong. “Discussions are on as to whether some of them could be deployed in the three hill subdivisions as well,” a source said.In Writers’ Buildings today, Bengal chief secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti said he would be in Siliguri on February 26 to discuss how to keep NH31A open at all times. “I will meet the chief secretary of Sikkim and Union cabinet secretary K. M. Chandrashekhar in Siliguri to discuss what steps needed to be taken to keep the highway open,” he said.Since 2005, the Supreme Court has been asking the Bengal government, the Centre and political parties that call strikes in the Darjeeling hills not to block the movement of vehicles on the highway. In recent times, it had also served a notice on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha after a petition was filed by O.P. Bhandari, a resident of Sikkim, against the NH31A shutdown.Ever since the Gorkhaland agitation was launched by the GNLF in 1986, Sikkim has been at the receiving end with the highway getting blocked frequently during bandhs called by political parties.Sukna arson pitches Morcha against cops
At its meeting today, the CCPA asked the home ministry to request political parties to name their representatives for the “political committee”. It is not clear whether GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh, the first DGHC administrator, will be invited to be part of the committee. The president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Bimal Gurung, had been a close lieutenant of Ghisingh till he broke away, floated his own outfit and chased away the GNLF chief from the hills.
Sources said the committee was being constituted as the Centre, the Bengal government and the Morcha believed that the problem could not be solved at the bureaucratic-level but needs political intervention. Union home secretary G.K. Pillai and senior Bengal bureaucrats have negotiated with the Morcha leaders during the four rounds of tripartite talks held so far.
Railway minister Mamata Banerjee who attended the CCPA meeting refused to speak to the media after the parley. Sources, who attended the session, said the Trinamul Congress chief had vehemently opposed a separate Gorkhaland state. Sources quoted Banerjee as having said Gorkhaland was an impossibility considering that all major political parties from Bengal were against it.
The home ministry will decide upon the committee’s terms of reference in the days to come. The ministry had earlier this month constituted a committee headed by Justice (retired) B.N. Srikrishna to look into the demands of the separate Telangana state.
Ministry sources said Morcha leader Gurung had realised that it was virtually impossible for the Centre and the Bengal government to agree to Gorkhaland and needed a face- saver to bring down the political temperature in the hills. “There is little likelihood of a separate Gorkhaland. All that can be conceded to the DGHC is some more area and executive powers. It is something that the committee will look into,” said a source.
The last round of tripartite talks was held on December 23. The Morcha had demanded the fifth round within 45 days. But the CCPA has not yet decided on the date yet.
There is near unanimity among Bengal’s major political parties and the Centre that a separate Gorkhaland is not possible. Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had rejected the demand during the chief ministers’ conference in New Delhi earlier this month. He had offered to give more powers to the DGHC or any other council that would replace it.
Central force to keep vigil on Sikkim lifeline
TT, Feb. 22: Two companies of the CRPF arrived in Siliguri from the Northeast today to be deployed along NH31A, the lifeline to Sikkim, following Supreme Court directives.
While one company — each company comprises around 100 to 120 personnel — has reached Pintail Village in Dagapur on the outskirts of Siliguri, the other has been billeted in the state police lines near Darjeeling More. The third one is on the way.
The inspector-general of police, north Bengal, K.L. Tamta, said the CRPF personnel had been specifically sent to keep NH31A (runs between Sevoke and Gangtok) free from blockades round-the-clock.
“There were instructions from the judiciary to keep the highway open all times and these companies have come with specific instructions from the central government to keep this stretch of the national highway open,” Tamta said. “We have thought of deploying the three companies at Rangpo on the Bengal-Sikkim border, at Rambhi located on the highway in Kalimpong subdivision and in Siliguri.”
Police sources said senior officials were in the process of trying to get a platoon of the central force each for Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong. “Discussions are on as to whether some of them could be deployed in the three hill subdivisions as well,” a source said.
In Writers’ Buildings today, Bengal chief secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti said he would be in Siliguri on February 26 to discuss how to keep NH31A open at all times. “I will meet the chief secretary of Sikkim and Union cabinet secretary K. M. Chandrashekhar in Siliguri to discuss what steps needed to be taken to keep the highway open,” he said.
Since 2005, the Supreme Court has been asking the Bengal government, the Centre and political parties that call strikes in the Darjeeling hills not to block the movement of vehicles on the highway. In recent times, it had also served a notice on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha after a petition was filed by O.P. Bhandari, a resident of Sikkim, against the NH31A shutdown.
Ever since the Gorkhaland agitation was launched by the GNLF in 1986, Sikkim has been at the receiving end with the highway getting blocked frequently during bandhs called by political parties.
Sukna arson pitches Morcha against cops