A Recent update on the Political situation in the Darjeeling Hill Region

Looking out at the Himalayas from the village of Kaffer

▼This report has been sent to me by a friend

After 4 yrs Gokhaland agitation in Darjeeling The Gorkha leader and the people of Darjeeling has compromise with GTA (Gorkha Territorial Administration) for the time being. Though some people are not happy with this deal as we had fought for our own land GORKHALAND but still we are under the West bengal govt.

The press release was as follows:

"Termed as a "historic deal", a tripartite pact has been signed Monday between the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) and the West Bengal and central governments, agreeing to establish an autonomous elected Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) in Darjeeling.

As per the deal, GTA will be more powerful than the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council formed during the time of Rajiv Gandhi in 1988. It will have 45 elected members to be elected within the next six months, according to online edition of The Hindu.

The agreement was signed by West Bengal Home Secretary G.D Gautama, Union Home Ministry Joint Secretary K.K.Pathak and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha General Secretary Roshan Giri at the Pintail village, about 8 km from Siliguri, the report said.

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and GJM chief Bimal Gurung and the BJP MP from Darjeeling Jaswant Singh were present at the accord-signing ceremony, among others

The Indian home minister Chidambaram was quoted as saying, both the Government of West Bengal and the Government of India will stand by you and hold your hand.

"The task before you is stupendous. There will be many hurdles, but there is no hurdle that cannot be solved through dialogue, determination and spirit of give and take."

GTA will have jurisdiction in the three sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong as per the deal. However, the GJM has been demanding inclusion of the Gorkha-dominated areas of the Dooars and Terai under the GTA.

Activists of the GJM and Gorkha Nari Morcha, and thousands of Nepali residents of the hills took to the stage, dancing and singing to celebrate the occasion, various Indian media reports said.

Indian experts and analysts were quoted by different media as expressing their remarks that the Darjeeling agreement would end long-standing Gorkhaland imbroglio.

Lets hope this ends all the unrest experienced in the past couple of years and provides a secure base for economic growth and peaceful co-existence.