KOLKATA: Amid the rising political tempers in the hills of West Bengal, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leadership is all set to meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday to demand swift implementation of the proposed hill administration.
Within days of assuming office in May last year, Didi has claimed that she would bring peace to Darjeeling. But in the last few days, the GJM has upped the ante and expressed its unhappiness at the lack of progress on the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). The TMC-led state government, GJM and the Centre had signed the GTA on July 18 last year. However, months have passed and there has been no execution of the anticipated autonomous hill administration.
“We will meet the CM at around 12.30 pm on Saturday. We will talk to her regarding the delay in the implementation of the GTA,” told general secretary of the GJM Roshan Giri to The New Indian Express.
Earlier, GJM president Bimal Gurung had set March 27 deadline for the GTA’s birth and had warned that if that was not done, the treaty would be burnt at a meeting in Sukna, about 20 km from Siliguri, in Darjeeling district. “The people of the hills are unable to understand why there is unnecessary delay in the implementation of the pact,” said Giri.
The GJM has also threatened to renew its demand for statehood if the state government failed to meet the GJM’s ultimatum.