Gorkha Leader Threatens Mass Resignations from GTA Following Dispute Over Central Interlocutor Appointment

Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front leader Ajoy Edwards has threatened collective resignations from the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) following West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's objection to the central government's appointment of an interlocutor for Darjeeling hills.

In a letter dated November 17, Banerjee requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the appointment of retired IPS officer Pankaj Kumar Singh as interlocutor. Singh had been designated to conduct discussions with Gorkha groups regarding their longstanding political demands.

Edwards strongly criticized the state government's opposition to the Centre's initiative, describing the GTA as a "failed, non-functional and non-autonomous body," comparing it to its predecessor, the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC).

According to Edwards, the GTA Agreement of 2021 has remained unimplemented "in letter or spirit." He suggested there exists a "deliberate political design" to maintain the institution's weakness by failing to establish necessary laws, rules, and procedures for more than 13 years.

The IGJF chief further alleged that both the state government and "a single individual in Darjeeling" have been operating the GTA according to their personal preferences, thereby undermining democratic processes. He pointed out that elections scheduled for 2017 were delayed by nearly five years, and mandatory quarterly meetings of the GTA Sabha have been neglected, with only three meetings held in the past three years.

In her correspondence, Banerjee stated, "The present move by the Centre is not only unconstitutional, but also appears to be a politically motivated attempt to disturb the peace and stability of the region. The Government of West Bengal categorically rejects this unconstitutional, arbitrary, and politically coloured interference in the internal affairs of the state."

With West Bengal Assembly elections approaching in 2026, this dispute has acquired significant political dimensions. The BJP, seeking to strengthen its position in West Bengal, views the hills as a crucial electoral battleground.