Thaindian News

Kolkata, June 9 (IANS) As the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and its associates threatened to launch a protest campaign against the high-powered committee’s recommendations on formation of Gorkhaland, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday urged all stakeholders to abide by the report.

“During the GTA agreement (signed July 18 last year) it was pre-decided that all the parties, that is the state and the central governments and GJM, will abide by whatever recommendations the high-powered committee makes,” Banerjee told the media.

“The committee is an impartial, independent body and none of the stakeholders had any say in making the recommendations. I, therefore, urge all to abide by its decisions. There is no scope for misunderstanding,” she said.

The 10-member high-powered committee headed by Justice (retd.) Shyamal Kumar Sen, set up for identifying additional areas for the proposed Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), has recommended inclusion of only five areas into the hill development council as against the GJM’s demand of 398 Mouzas.

Banerjee also warned against politicising the issue.

“Neither we, nor the people want any disturbance in the (Darjeeling) hills. I urge everybody not to try and politicise the issue. We have to look into things keeping in mind peace and development,” the chief minister added.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the recommendation, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said: “The recommendation is a farce. We do not accept this. The people of (Darjeeling Hills) are with us. We will go on a stir.”

Going a step further, a pro-GJM faction of the tribal Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad has threatened to revive the movement for a separate Gorkhaland in protest against the panel’s recommendations. The panel’s report was made public Saturday.