The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the West Bengal government on Tuesday agreed on a broad range on points for the setting up of a Gorkha Interim Authority, which is temporarily being called the Gorkhland Autonomous Authority (GAA). While the standoff between the GJM and the West Bengal government over the jurisdiction of the
proposed GAA continues, an agreement has been reached to extend the term of the interim authority till December 2011. The GJM has also been assured that the proposed interim authority will be without any prejudice to its demand for creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland, government sources said.
The official level tripartite meeting between the Centre, GJM and West Bengal government on Tuesday moved a step forward with the GJM general secretary Roshan Giri agreeing to discuss the contentious issue, including its demand for enhanced territory with GJM chief Bimal Gurung and revert back to the Centre with a response. While the GJM is demanding that the Centre discuss its demand of separate statehood for Gorkhaland once the term expires, the Centre has said that the term can be extended after the stipulated date with the consent of the three parties. The Centre has also conveyed to the GJM that the interim authority cannot be vested with powers on law and order, judiciary nor can it have a body like a state Assembly. It also turned down the GJM’s demand for integrating Dooars-Terai region in the proposed interim authority.
The GJM and West Bengal government have broadly agreed on vesting powers of conduct of elections to gram panchayat, panchayat samities apart from handing over public health, sanitation, agriculture, horticulture to the interim authority.
The next tripartite talks are expected to be held on September 7. Once an agreement is reached, the political level talks will be held to give a final go-ahead for the setting of the authority.
Tuesday’s meeting, convened by the Union home ministry, was attended by the West Bengal home secretary, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, interlocutor Lt. Gen. Vijay Madan and other officials.