Justice Shyamal Sen submits report

SNS, KOLKATA/SILIGURI, 8 JUNE 2012: The report of the high-power committee headed by retired Justice Mr Shyamal Sen on inclusion of additional areas from the Dooars and Terai in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) was today submitted to the state government. Chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee said she had not yet seen it.

The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) had demanded the inclusion in the GTA of 398 mouzas, including 196 from the Dooars, 199 from the Terai and three from Raiganj. However, the administration apprehends that there would be further trouble in the Dooars and Terai if the demands of the GJMM are met even partially.

Chief secretary, Mr Samar Ghosh said he was yet to go through the report, but it will pave the way for elections to the GTA. He said the election notification is likely to be issued next month. The GJMM had agreed in writing that they would abide by the decision of the committee and the GTA election would be held in the existing Hill Council area.

The elections will be held in the 45 constituencies of the Hills, after the delimitation. For the new area, if any, which would be included in GTA, abiding by the recommendations of the high-power committee, the government will nominate representatives in consultation with GJMM.

Reacting to the submission of the report, GJMM general secretary Roshan Giri said: “We are eagerly waiting for the report and high-power committee chairman retired Justice Mr Shymal Sen’s recommendations on the GTA territory... We hope that the expected 396 mouzas will be recommended for inclusion in the GTA.

“If Mr Sen recommends less than 50 per cent or less than 100 mouzas for inclusion, the party will decide the next course of action,” he added.

Mr Giri said he has not yet received any call from the chief minister’s office regarding any meeting between the GJMM leadership and chief minister regarding Sen Committee’s recommendation and notification for GTA elections.

Though the GJMM central leadership wants to go for elections and not start disruptive agitation immediately after the publication of Mr Sen’s recommendations, other GJMM leaders do not want elections without additional mouzas.

GJMM president Bimal Gurung assured the chief minister that his party would accept Mr Sen’s recommendations and go for the GTA election. The pro-GJMM ABAVP splinter group is also waiting for Sen Committee’s recommendation to formulate strategies to demand for inclusion of additional areas in the GTA.

Adivasi leader Raju Barla said: “We need to know how many tribal-dominated tea plantation areas in the Dooars have included in the GTA. If we are not satisfied with the report we have to continue our movement to demand more areas in the GTA on the issue of development.”

“At present we are supporting the GJMM for inclusion of additional areas in the GTA, if they start demanding Gorkhaland would protest against their demand,” Mr Bara said.