Kolkata: Ahead of tabling of a bill seeking
more autonomy for Gorkhaland, members of Gorkha Janmukti
Morcha met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with their list of
proposed changes to the proposed law claiming the draft is
different from what was promised in the July 18 declaration.
A GJM team, including general secretary Roshan Giri and
party MLA Harka Bahadur Chettri met Banerjee, Parliamentary
Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee and Chief Secretary Samar
Ghosh to place their demands and objections to the Gorkhaland
Territorial Administration Bill, 2011 which is scheduled to be
tabled in the state Assembly tomorrow.
The GJM said it has noticed several `discrepancies` in
the Bill vis-a-vis the Memorandum of Agreement signed in
Darjeeling on July 18 and has asked for necessary amendments
before it comes up for discussion.
Giri said they had raised `24 points` and maintained
Banerjee has assured them that the government would accept the
points which would be brought in the form of official
amendments tomorrow.
Pointing out the `discrepancies`, Giri said, "The Bill
only mentions about executive powers and not financial and
administrative powers. The government has agreed to
incorporate the transfer of financial and administrative
powers in the Bill."
"The agreement says that the Chief Executive of the GTA
will nominate 14 members to its Executive Council, whereas the
Bill says two of the Executive Council members will be
nominated by the Governor," he said.
The GJM would not accept this because the Governor
already has powers to nominate five general members to the
council, Giri said, claiming "they (government) have agreed to
consider the GJM viewpoint in this regard."
PTI
