By IANS,
Darjeeling: Even as public curfew cripples life in the Darjeeling hills, the GJM Tuesday said a unanimous decision has been taken to repeal the hill development body Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) soon.
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is likely to pitch for Birkhu Bhushal as interim chief executive officer of GTA to fill up the post which fell vacant following party chief Bimal Gurung’s resignation. Gurung quit July 30 to concentrate on the Gorkhaland movement.
The decision was taken at a GJM central committee meeting in the wake of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s assertion that if the second man in GTA does not take command after Gurung’s resignation, her government would fill up the post.
With GTA Deputy Chief Executive Ramesh Ale not agreeing to take charge, there was much speculation the state government’s nominated GTA member Durga Khorel may be appointed.
“The state has given us a letter to choose a chief executive in three days, otherwise the government will appoint their own chief executive. Do we want a chief executive of GTA to be from the state or someone from our own community? The issue of GTA and its chief executive is only for a limited period as our final goal is Gorkhaland,” said Gurung.
The GJM decision is believed to be aimed at staving off any such event.
Meanwhile, Gurung spoke of repealing the GTA in a facebook post.
“The GTA will be repealed but at an appropriate time. In an all-party meeting (Monday) we have decided that GTA should be repealed soon. It was a unanimous decision taken by all parties,” Gurung said.
Armed with more powers than its predecessor – the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council formed in the late 1980s – GTA was created July 18, 2011 via a tripartite agreement signed between GJM and the state and central governments.
Following the central government’s green signal for creation of a separate Telangana, the GJM intensified its separatist movement.
The chief minister Saturday issued a 72-hour deadline to GJM to withdraw the stir.
Retaliating against Banerjee’s ultimatum, the GJM has clamped a two-day public curfew in the region beginning Tuesday.
Claiming the ultimatum was by Calcutta High Court and not Banerjee, GJM said it would continue its stir but in accordance with the norms laid by the court which has directed the state government to prevent forcible shutdown.
GJM has announced a four-day relaxation, beginning Aug 15, in the indefinite strike called Aug 3 to press for Gorkhaland.
The government has started distributing rations for people, rapidly running out of food stocks.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick is also likely to reach the hills to monitor distribution of ration.