GJM holds all-party meet in Darjeeling to discuss permanent political solution

REZA PRADHAN

DARJEELING,: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) convened an all-party meeting in Darjeeling on Sunday to discuss the demand for a permanent political solution (PPS) for the Hills, with party chief Bimal Gurung saying the initiative was taken following directions from the Union Home Minister to hold consultations with stakeholders.

“We invited all political parties in the Hills and most of them attended except few who could not come as they had other meetings to attend to. The Home Minister had asked us to meet all stakeholders here, discuss the issues of the Hills and work towards a solution after which an agreement could be reached,” Gurung said.

With most political outfits in the Hills projecting Gorkhaland as their preferred option for the PPS, Gurung said the demand for a separate State was the main issue discussed at the meeting.

He also claimed that the Home Minister had assured them that the demand for Scheduled Tribe status for 11 communities would be granted as part of a “package” and that work on the matter was underway.

However, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said Home Minister Amit Shah had told the party during a meeting on September 12, 2024, that creation of Gorkhaland was “not possible at present” and suggested exploring a model similar to the Bodoland Territorial Council.

“While the Morcha has been working for the demand of Gorkhaland continuously, the HM Amit Shah when me met him on 12th September 2024, said that the State of Gorkhaland was not possible now and that we should opt for something like the Bodoland Territorial Council. In response to that, we had said that we cannot decide on that as there were many stakeholders demanding Statehood,” said Giri.

He said the Centre subsequently called a tripartite meeting on April 3, 2025, where BJP alliance parties present had agreed to consider a constitutional-guaranteed body as proposed by the Home Minister. However, with the West Bengal government not attending, it remained a bipartite meeting, he added.

Giri said the Morcha submitted a memorandum to the Home Minister on February 12, 2026, demanding either Statehood or Union Territory status for the region, following which an interlocutor was appointed.

“What the Centre has planned for this area is for them to decide, but have been putting forward our demand for Gorkhaland or a Union Territory. We have also asked for the inclusion of 396 mouzas of the Terai and Dooars in this area,” he said, urging all stakeholders to unite on the issue.

Darjeeling MLA Noman Rai, who attended the meeting, said the BJP had been promising to work towards a permanent political solution for the region along with tribal status for several years.

“The BJP has been promising since 2009 to work for a PPS and tribal status. This time, with the BJP forming the government in the State as well, it is the right time for them to fulfil these demands. We want dialogues for these two issues to be continued,” Rai said.

Asked about the Gorkhaland demand, Rai said, “If you ask anyone in the Hills about the PPS, they will say Gorkhaland, and I also support it. However, since dialogues are being held with stakeholders and the government, we have to see what emerges from the process.”