In a historic development, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, West Bengal Government and the Centre today signed the tripartite agreement for the formation of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) solving the vexed Darjeeling problem.
West Bengal Home Secretary G D Gautama, Joint Secretary of the Union Home Ministry K.K.Pathak and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha General Secretary Roshan Giri signed the historic agreement at the Pintail village, about 8 km from Siliguri in West Bengal.
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and GJM chief Bimal Gurung and the BJP MP from Darjeeling Jaswant Singh also attended the signing ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Mamatha Banerjee ruled out the division of the state and assured that the historic agreement would confer on the GTA complete economic package and maximum possible autonomy within the constitutional framework of the country.
“The newly-formed GTA will have 45 members and the process of elections to the body will commence shortly and be completed with in 6 months,” she declared.
However, the occasion was marked by the beginning of a 48-hour bandh being organized by the Amra Bangali, Jana Jagaran and Jaja Chetana with the backing of the Adivasi Bikash Parishad. The Terai and Dooars areas observed complete bandh opposing the agreement.
