Leaders of Gorkha parties and the BJP on Saturday called on Pankaj Kumar Singh, the retired IPS officer appointed by the Centre as the interlocutor to look into the issues of the Darjeeling hills, the Dooars and the Terai.
Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, and MP Raju Bista and MLA Neeraj Zimba from the BJP met Singh in Darjeeling. Zimba, though elected from Darjeeling on a BJP ticket, represents the GNLF.
While the Morcha leaders and Zimba submitted memoranda to Singh, Bista held a detailed discussion with him.
“We have underscored our longstanding demand for the separate Gorkhaland state and Scheduled Tribe status for 11 Gorkha communities,” Morcha general secretary
Giri said.
Considering the geographical location of the hills, the Terai and the Dooars and the issue of national security, Giri said, a Union territory with a legislative Assembly like Puducherry could be an alternative to the separate state.
“We hope the central government will take necessary steps to meet the aspirations of the people here,” added Giri.
In the memorandum submitted by Zimba to the interlocutor, he said the dialogue process should aim for a “final constitutional settlement” through Article 3 of the Indian Constitution, which could be a separate state or the sixth schedule status for the hills.
Darjeeling MP Bista said: “His (Singh’s) visit has not been planned with the upcoming elections in mind. I have requested him to ensure fair, transparent, and equitable discussions, free from political bias, and to renew momentum in the negotiations with inclusive participation from all stakeholders.”
According to him, the interlocutor’s visit is aimed at advancing the tripartite talks involving the people of the region and the central and Bengal governments.
Thapa: Bid for votes
The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), which is led by Anit Thapa and is an ally of the Trinamool Congress, called the interlocutor’s visit to Darjeeling an attempt to consolidate votes for the BJP.
In a social media post, Thapa has alleged that the interlocutor came to collect votes for the BJP ahead of the Assembly elections.
“There is peace in the hills now. Attempts are being made to create perceptions by sending the interlocutor. There is an attempt to fool us, and I don’t want to be a fool by meeting him,” wrote Thapa, who is also the chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).