Because of the middle’s latest relocation, Appointment of former Nationwide Safety Advisor Pankaj Kumar Singh The problem of Gorkhaland’s standing as an interlocutor to resolve the long-pending problems with the Gorkha neighborhood in West Bengal’s Darjeeling Hills is gaining momentum as soon as once more.
The appointment of a Darjeeling interlocutor has additionally turn into a brand new level of competition between the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led state authorities and the Bharatiya Janata Celebration-led central authorities, with Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee calling the appointment “towards the spirit of cooperative federalism” in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanding its withdrawal.
The essential Bengal Meeting polls are scheduled for April-Might 2026, and the Gorkhaland secession concern is predicted to be the focus within the Darjeeling area.
What’s the historical past of Gorkhaland Motion?
The problem of ‘separating’ the Darjeeling Hills area has been round for a century, however got here to the fore within the Nineteen Eighties. Earlier than launching his violent agitation, the then chief of the Gorkha Nationwide Liberation Entrance (GNLF), Subhash Ghising, coined the time period “Gorkhaland” to check with the impartial state comprising the Darjeeling Hills and the adjoining Dooars and Terai areas.
In 1988, the Darjeeling Gorkha Hills Council (DGHC) was established as a semi-autonomous physique governing elements of the Darjeeling Hills. DGHC dominated the Hills for 23 years.
However in 2004, unrest over Gorkhaland reignited when Ghisingh’s former aide Bimal Gurung and different GNLF leaders determined to interrupt away and kind a separate occasion, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).
In 2011, a separate semi-autonomous physique, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), was established to manipulate the Darjeeling Hills. Nonetheless, flare-ups over the demand for an impartial state continued.
In 2013, after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) handed a decision to carve out an impartial state of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh and despatched its suggestion to the then Congress-led Middle, the GJM resumed its agitation within the Hills and known as for a bandh within the Hills, resulting in the deployment of central paramilitary forces there.
Recent agitation erupted in 2017 when the TMC-led Bengal authorities introduced Bengali as a obligatory language in government-run faculties within the Hills. The unrest turned violent, with 11 demonstrators killed in clashes with police, after which the GJM known as for a bandh that may final for 104 days.
What’s Toyota’s stance on this appointment?
TMC leaders termed Pankaj Kumar Singh’s appointment as a “political gimmick” forward of the upcoming Bengal polls to woo voters in Gorkha. Mamata has already written a scathing letter to Prime Minister Modi expressing her opposition.
“I’m shocked and shocked to be taught that the Authorities of India has appointed Mr. Pankaj Kumar Singh (IPS (retired)) as an interlocutor to debate points associated to the Gorkhas of Darjeeling Hills, Terai and Dooars areas of West Bengal. Regardless that the problems talked about are instantly related to West Bengal, this appointment was made with none session with the Authorities of West Bengal,” Mamata stated within the letter. Below the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), an autonomous unit of the West Bengal authorities, it ensures governance, peace and administrative stability within the area. ”
The CM additionally stated, “Such unilateral motion is inconsistent with the spirit of cooperative federalism, which types one of many basic rules of the Structure.”
Mamata known as on Prime Minister Modi to “evaluation and cancel this appointment order, which was issued with out prior and due session with the West Bengal authorities.”
North Bengal Growth Minister Udayan Guha claimed that the appointment was an try by the BJP to garner votes. “It’s clear that that is one other try and garner votes from the folks of Darjeeling and its surrounding areas forward of the meeting polls. The Bharatiya Janata Celebration is behind this transfer. There have been talks earlier, however nothing got here of it. As soon as once more, the Bharatiya Janata Celebration is attempting to fire up stress and divide the folks by stirring up the secession concern throughout election season,” Guha advised The Indian Specific.
How did Hills leaders react?
Most hill events together with the BJP, GJM and GNLF have welcomed the appointment. Nonetheless, Mamata’s stand on the problem has upset a bit of the Darjeeling management.
GJM normal secretary Roshan Giri advised The Indian Specific that the occasion welcomed the appointment of an interlocutor, saying the GTA had “did not reside as much as the aspirations of the folks”. “We welcomed the Centre’s transfer to nominate an interlocutor to hearken to our views and discover a sturdy political answer for the Hills and adjoining areas. We’re prepared to carry talks on different points within the state. Additionally on the agenda is the problem of ST standing of Gorkha-11 sub-groups… We would like a constitutional entity. GTA is a failed mini-development company,” Giri stated.
“The CM who wrote to the chief minister to cancel the appointment of the interlocutor is ridiculous. Within the tripartite assembly on October 12, 2021, the state authorities was absent. In one other tripartite assembly on April 4, 2025, the state authorities additionally didn’t take part. The state authorities has at all times proven that it isn’t . So why react now and search cancellation?” Giri stated.
The GNLF additionally welcomed the appointment, with Chairman Mann Ghisingh praising Prime Minister and Union Dwelling Minister Amit Shah for “appointing Pankaj Kumar Singh because the Authorities’s consultant to facilitate the method of discovering a sturdy political answer for the Gorkha neighborhood.”
The GNLF chief added: “We strongly consider that this inclusive and consultative course of will pave the best way for concrete, truthful and sturdy options to the long-standing political aspirations of the Gorkha neighborhood.”
“By appointing an interlocutor, the Middle has proven that it’s severe in regards to the concern of Darjeeling Hills and Gorkha… Nonetheless, Mamata Banerjee has written a letter to the Chief Minister towards it. This exhibits the angle of the state authorities,” BJP’s Darjeeling MP Raju Bista advised reporters on Thursday.
What’s the political state of affairs within the Hill household?
Within the 2021 Bengal Meeting polls, the BJP received two seats in Darjeeling and Kurseong Hills and three seats in Kalimpong for the Bharatiya Janata Celebration (BGPM), whose chief Anit Thapa is understood to be near Mamata.
Within the 2011 and 2016 meeting polls, the GJM had received all these three seats.
In India’s parliamentary elections, the BJP has received the Darjeeling constituency since 2009.
Within the final election for the 45-member GTA in 2022, BGPM received 27 seats and Thapa turned chairman.
