GG News Bureau
Kolkata, 18th Oct: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday expressed “surprise and shock” over the Centre’s decision to appoint an interlocutor for discussions on Gorkha-related issues, calling it a “unilateral action” that undermines the spirit of cooperative federalism.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Banerjee demanded that the appointment of retired IPS officer Pankaj Kumar Singh as interlocutor be revoked, stating that the decision was made without consulting the state government.
“This appointment has been made without any consultation with the Government of West Bengal, even though the issues directly relate to governance, peace, and administrative stability in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area,” Banerjee posted on X.
She underscored that the GTA, an autonomous body under the state government, was constituted through a tripartite agreement in 2011 involving the Centre, the Bengal government, and the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha. The arrangement, she said, aimed to ensure socio-economic and cultural development of the hill areas while preserving harmony.
“Any initiative concerning the Gorkha community or the GTA region must be undertaken in full consultation with the state government to preserve the hard-earned peace,” Banerjee asserted, adding that unilateral actions could disrupt the region’s stability.
She urged the Prime Minister to reconsider and revoke the order, saying, “This is expected in the true spirit of federalism and mutual respect between the Union and the States.”
