Darjeeling, Dec. 15: The CPM has claimed that the credit for granting regional autonomy to the hills can be traced back to the initiative taken by the party 19 years ago, though a close study reveals otherwise.

In this regard, the party has decided to felicitate Ananda Pathak, the former CPM MP from Darjeeling, who had moved a private bill in the 80s seeking constitutional amendment so that regional autonomy could be granted to the Darjeeling hills and the contiguous Nepali-dominated areas.

The bill, which was introduced in Parliament on August 9, 1985, was debated on three days ? December 6, 1985, February 21 1986 and March 7 1986.

The results of the voting that took place on March 7, 1986 showed that only 17 MPs were in favour of granting regional autonomy while the rest ? 47 MPs ? were against it.

During that time, the CPM had 22 MPs, CPI 6, Forward Bloc 2 and the RSP 3. Though the Left Front had 33 MPs, only 17 supported the bill. The party-wise break-up of the voting patterns was never disclosed, but facts available certainly suggest that the CPM had neither taken the bill seriously nor supported it wholeheartedly.

However, after Subash Ghisingh signed the memorandum of settlement to bring the hills under the Sixth Schedule ?in principle?, the CPM has started taking credit for having started the process.

S.P. Lepcha, a former Darjeeling MP and the secretary of the CPM district secretariat, while confirming the felicitation, avoided questions on the party?s ?double standards? with regard to Pathak?s bill.

?Perhaps the other party MPs were not convinced then. Its better if you approached Pathak,? said Lepcha.

Pathak, however, could not be contacted.