DARJEELING, : Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha
president Anit Thapa issued a stern warning to the State government, cautioning
that continued instigation and provocation of the Hill residents could lead to
serious consequences. This is perhaps the first time since 2017 that the BGPM
leader has taken a hard stance against the Bengal government.
In a video message shared on his
Facebook page, Thapa expressed his disapproval of the district magistrates of
Darjeeling and Kalimpong for not consulting the Gorkhaland Territorial
Administration (GTA) before placing signboards in various locations across the
Hills, declaring the land as government property.
Thapa emphasized that the GTA, as per
the 2011 GTA Act and Agreement, is empowered to govern the Hills and should be
included in such decisions.
"We will not accept autocratic
decisions and the monopoly of the district magistrates. The GTA has to be
consulted because it has been empowered to govern the Hills comprising the
districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong," said Thapa, who is also the chief
executive of the GTA.
The BGPM, which heads the GTA, has
historically worked closely with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party in Bengal,
including forming electoral alliances. However, Thapa's recent comments
indicate a growing friction. He warned the district magistrates that they would
be held responsible if any untoward incidents or troubles arose from these
actions. Thapa also announced his intention to write to the Bengal Chief
Minister on this issue.
The signboards, which have gone viral on
social media, were reportedly put up on vested land belonging to the State
government under the direction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to prevent
encroachment. Thapa, however, argued that the district officials should engage
with the state government to provide land rights documents to the local people
who have been working the land for years.
"Our people have toiled for years,
engaging in agriculture and looking after the land. Instead of putting up
signboards, the district officials should talk with the state government to
provide land right documents to our people. We will extend our support in
this," said Thapa, urging citizens to refrain from encroaching on public
roads in urban areas.
Thapa's concerns were echoed by Hamro
Party president Ajoy Edwards, who warned that if the signboards were not
opposed, people could become homeless in the future. Edwards suggested that if
the signboards mentioned the GTA instead of the State government, they would
have been acceptable.
BJP Darjeeling MP Raju Bista also
criticized the Bengal government, accusing it of undermining the functioning of
the hill council body, which he claimed was against the GTA act. Bista urged
the BGPM to reconsider their alliance with the TMC, suggesting that the State
government was using them against their own people.
"This is a strong reminder to those
who think they can work hand in hand with the TMC government. They will only
use you as a weapon against your own people. It is high time you wake up from
the cozy agreement to the harsh realities of the state government taking over
the day-to-day functioning of our region," said Bista.
