Kalimpong MLA and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha spokesperson Harka Bahadur Chhetri has said the September 2 meeting scheduled between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and GJM chief Bimal Gurung may not take place at all. This is because Gurung hasn’t accorded much importance to the upcoming meeting, according to Chhetri, who added the meeting is primarily to do with the functioning of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.
Speaking to reporters who had gathered around him, the legislator asserted, “I have no idea about the GTA simply because MLAs are not invited in its meetings.”
The GJM appears in no mood to entertain the chief minister despite her extending a hand of goodwill, feel observers. Further, it is a known fact that relations between Mamata and Gurung have soured once again after the general election.
Commenting on this, Chhetri said, “No positive outcome was reached in the past bipartite meetings and now, taking advantage of the breakup in ties, the chief minister is making an attempt to increase her foothold in the hills.”
He added the earlier meetings had been full of promises and assurances on the part of the state government to hand over more autonomy to the GTA, but such promises did not translate into action. According to Chhetri, if the GJM manages to run the GTA successfully, the TMC government will receive a setback politically.
“This is why the state government has made false provisions of granting unbridled autonomy to the GTA. The government says the GTA has failed to successfully run the departments it has under it, but has the council been given actual authority to run them on its own?” asked Chhetri.
The MLA further said he is unaware about the powers of the GTA, its actual functions and the funds it receives. “In paper, the GTA has the authority to set up an SSC department and make appointments, but in reality the state government interferes in this matter too to leave the council handicapped,” he observed.
He added the GTA and its members must publicly announce the amount of power it has been vested with including the departments under its jurisdiction. “Why has development work become suspended in the GTA?” asked Chhetri, adding he does not have any clue about this.
He suspects the GTA has become a victim of political subterfuge and the state government has fooled Bimal Gurung by promising many things just in paper. To ensure the failure of the GTA implies the growing influence of the TMC in the hills and this is why the September 2meeting bears little importance, according to Chhetri.
Source: EOI
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| Harka Bahadur Chhetri |
The GJM appears in no mood to entertain the chief minister despite her extending a hand of goodwill, feel observers. Further, it is a known fact that relations between Mamata and Gurung have soured once again after the general election.
Commenting on this, Chhetri said, “No positive outcome was reached in the past bipartite meetings and now, taking advantage of the breakup in ties, the chief minister is making an attempt to increase her foothold in the hills.”
He added the earlier meetings had been full of promises and assurances on the part of the state government to hand over more autonomy to the GTA, but such promises did not translate into action. According to Chhetri, if the GJM manages to run the GTA successfully, the TMC government will receive a setback politically.
“This is why the state government has made false provisions of granting unbridled autonomy to the GTA. The government says the GTA has failed to successfully run the departments it has under it, but has the council been given actual authority to run them on its own?” asked Chhetri.
The MLA further said he is unaware about the powers of the GTA, its actual functions and the funds it receives. “In paper, the GTA has the authority to set up an SSC department and make appointments, but in reality the state government interferes in this matter too to leave the council handicapped,” he observed.
He added the GTA and its members must publicly announce the amount of power it has been vested with including the departments under its jurisdiction. “Why has development work become suspended in the GTA?” asked Chhetri, adding he does not have any clue about this.
He suspects the GTA has become a victim of political subterfuge and the state government has fooled Bimal Gurung by promising many things just in paper. To ensure the failure of the GTA implies the growing influence of the TMC in the hills and this is why the September 2meeting bears little importance, according to Chhetri.
Source: EOI
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