RAJEEV RAVIDAS AND VIVEK CHHETRI
Mongpong/Darjeeling, Oct. 30: One key issue relating to the Darjeeling accord appeared headed for a breakthrough today when local leaders of a tribal outfit influential in the Dooars-Terai region agreed to these plains areas being included within the proposed hill set-up.
The Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad leaders, who addressed a joint news conference with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha here, said the Morcha had accepted their condition of including “Adivasi” in the name of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). It will be known as the Gorkhaland Adivasi Territorial Administration.
Parishad state president Birsa Tirkey, however, said from Ranchi that he had been “kept in the dark” about the deal and would seek an explanation for the “unauthorised” move.
The Morcha had sought the inclusion of Gorkha-dominated Dooars and Terai areas within the GTA’s territory but the Parishad had opposed the claim, leading to frequent clashes between the two sides. The state government had set up a committee, headed by Justice (retd) Shyamal Sen, to look into the matter.
Observers said today’s development could ease the tension in the plains. The Parishad would now be part of the GTA, a senior Morcha leader said.
Morcha chief Bimal Gurung told the news conference: “We want the inclusion of the entire Dooars and the Terai in the new set-up, not just the 199 mouzas that we had earlier been demanding. Unless this happens, elections to the GTA will not be held.”
John Barla, the Parishad’s Dooars unit chief, said a joint Morcha-Parishad team would meet Sen and “tell him we want all 315 mouzas of the Dooars and 199 mouzas of the Terai to be included in the GTA”.
Trinamul leader and state minister Partha Chatterjee refused comment, saying it was up to chief minister Mamata Banerjee to react. During a trip to the Dooars earlier this month, Mamata had urged the Parishad to take its case to the Sen committee and maintain peace in the region.
The chiefs of the Parishad’s Dooars and Terai units, Barla and Nicotine Minz, and state committee secretary Tezkumar Toppo were present at the joint news conference at Mongpong, 25km from Siliguri.
“We have struck a historic deal with the Morcha, which has not given up its demand for a separate state,” Barla said. “We too will stick to our demand for Sixth Schedule status for the Dooars and the Terai. Who knows, a Gorkha Adivasi Pradesh could be formed later.”
Gurung said: “The GTA agreement allows a change in nomenclature. Once the set-up is formed, the new administration will pass a resolution changing the name.”
He parried the question whether an agreement had been struck with the Parishad. “We will not say anything now. We will give the details at public meetings that we will jointly organise in the Dooars and the Terai,” Gurung said.
More than 1,000 Morcha and Parishad supporters were present at the venue of the news conference. The Adivasis make up 65 per cent of the population in the Dooars and the Terai, while the Gorkhas account for 25 per cent.
Sources said Morcha and Parishad leaders had met in the Dooars last night for three hours and worked out a deal.
Barla did not explain the change of stance but a Morcha leader attributed it to the Parishad’s “compulsions of staying afloat”.
“The Parishad had tried to side with the Congress in the run-up to the Assembly elections. Neither the Centre nor the state government has accepted the Sixth Schedule demand,” the Morcha leader said.
“Mamata’s decision to set up a committee to look into our territory demand has proved that she is firmly beside us. All this has persuaded the Parishad to rethink its strategy.”
He added: “The Parishad now wants to get some administrative powers for itself and develop the Terai and the Dooars by being part of the proposed administrative set-up for the hills.”
Parishad president Tirkey, however, questioned the move. “Some of our leaders in the Dooars and the Terai participated in a dialogue with the Morcha without taking the consent of our state committee,” he said over the phone from Ranchi.
“Although the leaders are free to attend meetings, they do not have the authority to take decisions without the ratification of the state committee. I will call an emergency meeting and seek an explanation from these leaders.”
Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1111031/jsp/frontpage/story_14688125.jsp
Mongpong/Darjeeling, Oct. 30: One key issue relating to the Darjeeling accord appeared headed for a breakthrough today when local leaders of a tribal outfit influential in the Dooars-Terai region agreed to these plains areas being included within the proposed hill set-up.
The Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad leaders, who addressed a joint news conference with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha here, said the Morcha had accepted their condition of including “Adivasi” in the name of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). It will be known as the Gorkhaland Adivasi Territorial Administration.
Parishad state president Birsa Tirkey, however, said from Ranchi that he had been “kept in the dark” about the deal and would seek an explanation for the “unauthorised” move.
The Morcha had sought the inclusion of Gorkha-dominated Dooars and Terai areas within the GTA’s territory but the Parishad had opposed the claim, leading to frequent clashes between the two sides. The state government had set up a committee, headed by Justice (retd) Shyamal Sen, to look into the matter.
Observers said today’s development could ease the tension in the plains. The Parishad would now be part of the GTA, a senior Morcha leader said.
Morcha chief Bimal Gurung told the news conference: “We want the inclusion of the entire Dooars and the Terai in the new set-up, not just the 199 mouzas that we had earlier been demanding. Unless this happens, elections to the GTA will not be held.”
John Barla, the Parishad’s Dooars unit chief, said a joint Morcha-Parishad team would meet Sen and “tell him we want all 315 mouzas of the Dooars and 199 mouzas of the Terai to be included in the GTA”.
Trinamul leader and state minister Partha Chatterjee refused comment, saying it was up to chief minister Mamata Banerjee to react. During a trip to the Dooars earlier this month, Mamata had urged the Parishad to take its case to the Sen committee and maintain peace in the region.
The chiefs of the Parishad’s Dooars and Terai units, Barla and Nicotine Minz, and state committee secretary Tezkumar Toppo were present at the joint news conference at Mongpong, 25km from Siliguri.
“We have struck a historic deal with the Morcha, which has not given up its demand for a separate state,” Barla said. “We too will stick to our demand for Sixth Schedule status for the Dooars and the Terai. Who knows, a Gorkha Adivasi Pradesh could be formed later.”
Gurung said: “The GTA agreement allows a change in nomenclature. Once the set-up is formed, the new administration will pass a resolution changing the name.”
He parried the question whether an agreement had been struck with the Parishad. “We will not say anything now. We will give the details at public meetings that we will jointly organise in the Dooars and the Terai,” Gurung said.
More than 1,000 Morcha and Parishad supporters were present at the venue of the news conference. The Adivasis make up 65 per cent of the population in the Dooars and the Terai, while the Gorkhas account for 25 per cent.
Sources said Morcha and Parishad leaders had met in the Dooars last night for three hours and worked out a deal.
Barla did not explain the change of stance but a Morcha leader attributed it to the Parishad’s “compulsions of staying afloat”.
“The Parishad had tried to side with the Congress in the run-up to the Assembly elections. Neither the Centre nor the state government has accepted the Sixth Schedule demand,” the Morcha leader said.
“Mamata’s decision to set up a committee to look into our territory demand has proved that she is firmly beside us. All this has persuaded the Parishad to rethink its strategy.”
He added: “The Parishad now wants to get some administrative powers for itself and develop the Terai and the Dooars by being part of the proposed administrative set-up for the hills.”
Parishad president Tirkey, however, questioned the move. “Some of our leaders in the Dooars and the Terai participated in a dialogue with the Morcha without taking the consent of our state committee,” he said over the phone from Ranchi.
“Although the leaders are free to attend meetings, they do not have the authority to take decisions without the ratification of the state committee. I will call an emergency meeting and seek an explanation from these leaders.”
Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1111031/jsp/frontpage/story_14688125.jsp