Centre to hold tripartite talks on Hills issue on Oct 12, claims GNLF

Darjeeling: Gorkha National Liberation Front (

GNLF

) on Tuesday claimed the Union home ministry would hold a

tripartite

meeting in Delhi on October 12 to find a permanent political solution to the

Hills

issue.

The party leadership did not produce home ministry documents but based their claim on the letter the Centre sent to Darjeeling MP Raju Singh Bista for resolution of issues related to Gorkhas.

Such letters have also been sent to Kurseong and Darjeeling MLAs B P Bajgain and Niraj Zimba, who won on a BJP ticket this year.

Addressing mediapersons late in the evening, GNLF spokesperson Y Lama said sources in Delhi and Kolkata confirmed the Central letter. “Our party president has sources in Delhi and Kolkata who have confirmed the central government letter calling for tripartite talks on October 12 at 4pm in North Block,” he said.

Reminded about similar letters to the Darjeeling MP and two MLAs that do not mention tripartite talks, Lama said: “We do have a letter from the central government that states tripartite talks will be held on October 12. We cannot yet make it public, though.”

The GNLF leader claimed the talks would be presided over by Union home minister Amit Shah, which lends credence to the claim. “First, Amit Shah-ji will preside over the meet. Second, the subject matter is related to solving the issues of Gorkhas. The third issue is even Dooars region will have representation and lastly, the state government has also received a letter,” Lama said.

Zimba said he had received a letter via email and expressed gratitude to Shah and Bista. “As a public representative, I have also received a letter from the central government. It will be a high-level meeting. We are hopeful that we will have a fruitful discussion and outcome,” he said and added that letters have also been sent to BJP’s alliance partners in the Hills.

Political parties outside of the alliance expressed doubts about the true nature of the proposed meeting.

All India Gorkha League (Bharati Tamang) faction general secretary S P Sharma said only the BJP MP had been sent the letter. “How can it be tripartite talks when only the MP has been called,” he said.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri expressed doubts, saying the state government had not been consulted. “We don’t think it is an official letter for tripartite talks. The state government has not been involved. Therefore, the said meeting will not yield any result,” he said.

Trinamool Congress’ Hills spokesperson N B Khawas said it was a BJP exercise to hoodwink people. “The central government letter to the MP does not have the outline of an official letter. It is just an eyewash ploy well excercised by BJP,” he said.

Former GNLF leader Ajoy Edward, now working independently, asserted it was time BJP delivered on the promises made during elections. “We have given 13 years to BJP with high expectations. Nothing has been delivered though. I am hopeful our demands will be settled in the widely reported talks with the Union home minister,” he said.

Despite repeated efforts, Anit Thapa and Binoy Tamang, now leading separate political outfits, refused comment on the development.

In 2020, the Centre had called a meeting to discuss the Gorkhaland demand but at the last minute, the agenda was changed to discuss issues related to Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.