Issue
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had invited the West Bengal government, the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) for a tripartite meeting to “discuss issues related to Gorkhaland” in Delhi.
Details
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The separate state of Gorkhaland has been a longstanding demand of Gorkhas living in the Darjeeling hills.
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GTA is the local autonomous body in the Darjeeling hills, which is headed by the Binoy Tamang-led faction of the GJM that supports the TMC.
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The other GJM faction led by Bimal Gurung supports the BJP. Gurung had signed the GTA accord on behalf of the undivided GJM in July 2011.
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Despite winning the Darjeeling Parliamentary seat successively since 2009, the BJP has not been able to address the half-a-century old issue.
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However, the issue of Gorkhaland always resurfaces during the time of elections and is pushed under the carpet once polls are over.
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The bid to win over the people in North Bengal hills poses the risk of falling out with the people of rest of Bengal.
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Under the present circumstances, it remains to be seen what stance the BJP takes to address the issue without jeopardising its poll prospects in Bengal.
Gorkhaland
- The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration is an Autonomous District Council for the Darjeeling and Kalimpong areas of West Bengal.
- The GTA was formed in 2012 to replace the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, which was formed in 1988 and administered the Darjeeling hills for 23 years.[1][2]
- GTA presently consists of three hill subdivisions Darjeeling, Kurseong, Mirik, some areas of Siliguri subdivision of Darjeeling district and the whole of Kalimpong district under its authority.