GJM leaders meet Chidambaram over swift formation of GTA

New Delhi, Jan 9 (ANI): Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders met Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram here on Monday and requested him to expedite the process for the formation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha General Secretary, Roshan Giri, after the meeting told the media here that various issues related to GTA were discussed in the review meeting between the leaders.

"Today was the meeting of review committee and in this our Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and discussions were done on each and every issues listed in the Memorandum," said Giri.

"Now in this, the main is the involvement of Terai and Dooars in GTA and three meetings of the High Powered Committee have taken place and now the next meeting is on May 18. So, we have requested the Home Minister to expedite the process. Now, the matter will be taken up by the Home Ministry of Government of West Bengal," he added.

Giri further said that issues like inclusion of reserve forest in GTA and recruitment procedure of the youth in paramilitary; police and army were also taken up with the Home Ministry.

"Second issue is to involve the reserve forest in GTA, so in this case Additional Secretary Home Affairs had a meeting with Ministry of Forest and they are still taking up the issue. So Ministry of Forest is waiting for the comments of the government of West Bengal that what government of West Bengal will have to say about it," said Giri.

" And thirdly, the most important thing is that the youth of GTA should be recruited in the paramilitary, police and army, so as far as paramilitary is concerned, the home ministry is said that there will be no problem in the recruitment procedure in paramilitary as the department is under Home Ministry," he added.

The meeting was seen important for the leaders of GJM, as they feel that the Central Government took too long to implement the agreement despite several reminders.

"So, we want that the High Powered Committee should expedite the process of GTA and include Terai and Dooars into GTA during the elections," said Giri.

A renewed demand for a separate Gorkhaland region, which would include Darjeeling and some contiguous areas of Jalpaiguri District, has created fresh turmoil over the past few months.

The Gorkha population in West Bengal is estimated to be around a million. (ANI)