Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked Union home minister Amit Shah to look into the objections raised by chief minister Mamata Banerjee on the Centre’s decision to appoint an interlocutor for Darjeeling, the Terai and the Dooars, highly placed sources have told The Telegraph.

Sources said that following Mamata’s letter to Modi on October 18, the appointment cell of the Prime Minister’s Office conveyed the his decision to the home ministry on
October 21.

“The Prime Minister wants the home minister to look into the issues raised by chief minister Mamata Banerjee,” a source told this correspondent.

Many believe that the latest development is an indicator that the Centre is looking to tread the issue cautiously following Mamata’s strong objections.

Last week the Centre had appointed former deputy national security adviser Pankaj Kumar Mishra as “interlocutor and government representative” on the issue of “Darjeeling, the Dooars and the Terai”.

Mishra, appointed in the rank of the secretary to the Union government, had been tasked with taking forward and recommending measures for “social economic upliftment, cultural recognition, preservation of cultural heritage of Gorkhas in the region and address their aspiration within the constitutional framework of the country”.

Mamata had immediately written to Modi expressing her surprise and consternation over the appointment, objecting to the unilateral decision of the Centre.

“This appointment has been made without any consultation with the Government of West Bengal…..” Mamata had written adding that the move was “inconsistent with the spirit of cooperative federalism.”

“I would, therefore, request you to kindly re-consider and revoke this appointment order issued, without prior or due consultation with the Government of West Bengal, as is expected in the true spirit of federalism and mutual respect between the Union and the States,” Mamata had written, while also wishing Modi a happy Diwali.

Many observers believe that the Centre probably wanted to reconsider the
appointment.

“The PM’s directive is specific to the Union home minister and it is a clear indicator that the Centre is probably treading the issue more cautiously, or else it could have easily overlooked Mamata’s letter as the appointment (of Mishra) has already been made,” said an observer.

The appointment of the interlocutor also comes at a time when the Assembly elections are round the corner. The BJP, which has enjoyed significant voter support here since the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, has not fulfilled two of its key promises to Darjeeling.

These include finding a “permanent political solution” for the region, which is generally interpreted as Gorkhaland in Darjeeling hills even though the BJP has not specified what the term means, and granting tribal status to 11 Gorkha communities.

“If the support for Gorkhaland is unanimous in the Darjeeling hills, the opposition to it is as strong in the rest of Bengal,” the observer added.

The Darjeeling hills elect three MLAs in the 294-seat Bengal Assembly.

“Even if the Centre is now looking at alternatives other than Gorkhaland, it seems clear that Trinamool will rake up the statehood issue in the rest of Bengal before the 2026 state elections,” the observer further added.