Kolkata: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha will
meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday to
press its demand for time-bound implementation of the
Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in Darjeeling.
"We will meet the chief minister tomorrow at noon on the
GTA and will urge her for quick implementation of the
agreement," GJM general secretary Roshan Giri told a news agency about
the tripartite accord which was signed in July 18 last year.
The GJM delegation, likely to be led by its chief Bimal
Gurung, will meet Banerjee who is currently in Siliguri on a
two-day visit to north Bengal.
The hill-based party has threatened to burn copies of the
tripartite agreement on April 17 if the state government does
not implement it by March 27.
"The GJM is still sticking to it," Giri said referring
to the threat.
The party has been demanding the inclusion of 198 mouzas
(area less than a sub-division) from Dooars and Terai in the
proposed GTA.
Following the demand, the West Bengal government had
constituted a high-powered committee to decide on the issue.
The GTA Bill was passed in the state assembly on September two
last year.
The tripartite agreement was signed in the presence of
Home Minister P Chidambaram, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
and GJM chief Bimal Gurung at Pintail village, about 8 km from
Siliguri.
Banerjee, accompanied by 12 ministers, held a review
meeting in Siliguri during the day to take stock of
development work in north Bengal. Secretaries and senior
officials of six districts attended the review meeting.
The Chief Minister is also scheduled to inaugurate the
week-long North Bengal Utsav in Siliguri, the main goal of
which is to project the cultural heritage of the region, North
Bengal Development minister Gautam Deb said.
PTI
