June 7: The Mamata Banerjee government and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today signed an agreement that stirred hopes of a solution to the Darjeeling dispute through accommodation and flexibility.
The deal has settled some of the differences on setting up a new administrative set-up to govern the region. The more contentious issues, especially the sensitive territorial limits of the administrative authority, will be examined jointly.
"You will all be very happy to know that the Darjeeling problem has been solved," announced a euphoric chief minister Mamata Banerjee this afternoon after a four-hour meeting between the Morcha delegation led by general secretary Roshan Giri and state government officials headed by chief secretary Samar Ghosh.
"I just called up P. Chidambaram (the Union home minister) and told him that an agreement has been signed at the official level. The chief secretary would request Chidambaram for his presence during the tripartite talks to be held in Darjeeling, preferably in a week's time, to ink the final deal," Mamata said.
The Morcha was less effusive, probably because it has to first reassure its constituency that its territorial concerns will be addressed.
However, both sides displayed flexibility. The Morcha gave up its insistence on the members of the administrative set-up being nominated and agreed to elections. It did not bring up the issue of a separate state or tag the word "interim" to the new set-up.
The state government reciprocated by promising to absorb casual workers of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), under administrator rule as polls have not been held since 1999. It was agreed today to include the three hill MLAs in the DGHC board till the new body is formed.
The government agreed to set up a joint committee to examine if the tauzi department, which deals with tea garden land, can be transferred to the new authority.
But the "turning point", according to the Morcha leadership, was the government's decision to form a joint committee to recommend if the Gorkha-dominated areas of the Dooars, Terai and Siliguri could be included in the new set-up.
"That was our biggest demand which had repeatedly been turned down by the previous government," said Morcha spokesperson Harka Bahadur Chhetri. "There is a huge difference between the previous government and this government. Miss Mamata Banerjee has shown courage by agreeing to set up a committee on territory and a beginning has been made."
Chief secretary Ghosh said the process of enacting a law to initiate the election process for the new authority would begin in the next session of the Assembly.
Mamata, who had promised to solve the problem within three months of coming to power, said she would go to Darjeeling and make an announcement after the tripartite talks. "Financial packages will be given to the hills. Should I go to a wedding empty-handed? I have to take a gift," she added.
But challenges lie ahead. The Morcha is only too aware of the political backlash Mamata will have to face if she has to part with land in the plains, especially since its leadership has stressed that the signing of today's agreement "does not dilute the demand for Gorkhaland". The Morcha has staked its credibility on ensuring that the Gorkha-dominated areas in the plains form part of the new set-up.
Raju Pradhan, the assistant secretary of the Morcha, said: "While we are happy that a committee has been formed, we are very clear that the new arrangement cannot be made functional till the territory issue is fairly resolved."
A bulk of the tribals, the majority in the Dooars and the Terai, is opposed to being included in the new set-up. Bifurcation of the region can open a new flank of unrest.
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7 Jun 2011 ... "Darjeeling problem has been solved. The next tripartite meeting among the Centre, the state government and GJM will be held in Darjeeling... www.darjeelingtimes.com/.../2902-mamata-banerjee-solves-darjeeling-hill-problems.html
7 Jun 2011 ... "I want to inform you that Darjeeling problem has been solved. We are very happy. You all know that official level talks were going on. ... www.starnews.in/.../11411-gorkhaland-issue-solved-says-mamata-banerjee
7 Jun 2011 ... 'I want to inform you that the Darjeeling problem has been solved. We are very happy. An agreement has been signed,' Banerjee told media. ... connect.in.com/.../darjeeling-issue-solved-says-mamata-gjm-maintains-gorkhaland-demand-51342edf74f3b42d2d964437395b89854ae8ccb1.htm...
7 Jun 2011 ... "I want to inform you that Darjeeling problem has been solved. We are very happy. You all know that official level talks were going on. ... mungpoonews.blogspot.com/.../gorkhaland-issue-resolved-darjeeling.html
7 Jun 2011 ... Kolkata, June 7 - West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday claimed that the over two-decade-old contentious issue of a separate ... www.citybengaluru.com/darjeeling-issue-solved-says-mamata-after-talks-with
"You will all be very happy to know that the Darjeeling problem has beensolved," announced a euphoric chief minister Mamata Banerjee this afternoon after a ...
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We all love Darjeeling and want the problems of hills and Junglemahal to be solved as soon as possible. The problems will be solved through dialogues and we ...
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I understand the problems of the people living in Darjeeling hills. Allproblems can be solved through dialogues," were the words of Mamta Banerjee which ...
In one way, it solved the problem of 'succession' as all the executive ... I grew up in a very small Tibetan refugee settlement between Darjeeling and ...
... Gorkhaland problem has been solved". She said Union Home Minister PC Chidambaram has been infomed about the "settlement" and a tripartite agreement would be signed in Darjeeling later. Asked what was the magic formula that resolved the dispute, ...
"Darjeeling problem has been solved. The next tripartite meeting among the Centre, the state government and GJM will be held in Darjeeling hills very soon and the discord in the hills will be nipped in the bud there," chief minister Mamata Banerjee ...
'I want to inform you that the Darjeeling problem has been solved. We are very happy. An agreement has been signed,' Banerjee told mediapersons here after a two-day discussion between government officials and a seven-member GJM delegation. ...
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday claimed that the Darjeeling dispute has beenresolved and a formal agreement with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has also been signed. Mamata said that she has informed the Union Home ...
"You will all be very happy to know that the Darjeeling problem has been solved," announced a euphoric chief minister Mamata Banerjee this afternoon after a four-hour meeting between the Morcha delegation led by general secretary Roshan Giri and state ...
The Gorkha problem stands resolved. I called union home minister P Chidambaram and informed him about the agreement between the government and the GJM," Mamata Banerjee told the media. GJM spokesperson Roshan Giri said after the meeting: "We are happy. ...
Today's meeting did not seem to address the larger issue of Gorkha identity, which is at the core of finding a solution to the Darjeeling problem, they said. Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh said the legal process for holding elections to the ...
"The Darjeeling impasse stands resolved. We have already signed a deal at the Secretary level with the GJM. The final agreement will be inked in a political level tripartite talk between the Centre, state and the GJM, preferably inDarjeeling. ...
"I want to inform you that Darjeeling problem has been solved. We are very happy. You all know that official-level talks were going on. An agreement has been signed," Banerjee told media persons here after the talks between West Bengal government ...
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Andhras earning is 20% where as their budget share is 70%.....this was not happening in the case of West Bengal and Darjeeling.....Our problems are differnt and it will be resolved only when the states are separated....... By Syed Habeeb Ullah Quadri ...
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A t riumphant chief minister Mamata Banerjee, addressing media persons in Kolkata stated "Our brothers and sisters in Darjeeling have been agitating. Now the crisis has ended. We will work together to make the Hills into Switzerland. ...
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West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday claimed to have resolved the Darjeeling issue, after an agreement with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) for a new governing body with greater powers than the earlierDarjeeling Gorkha Hill Council ...
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A triumphant Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, waving an "agreement copy" in front of media persons in Kolkata, declared "The Darjeeling impasse stands resolved. We have already signed a deal at the Secretary level with the GJM. The final agreement will ...
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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday claimed that the over two-decade-old contentious issue of a separate Gorkhaland in the state's northern part had been resolved and an agreement signed. The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha, spearheading the ...
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