After unity song,question mark over fate of joint Gorkha,Adivasi council

The fate of the Adivasi Territorial Administration is still undecided with the GJM and Adivasi Vikas Parishad (AVP) leadership appeared to be divided over sharing of the seats in the administrative council.

A day after president of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha announced at a political rally in Darjeelings Mongpu area that the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) will be changed to Gorkhaland and Adivasi Territorial Administration,the fate of the Adivasi Territorial Administration is still undecided with the GJM and Adivasi Vikas Parishad (AVP) leadership appeared to be divided over sharing of the seats in the administrative council.

President Bimal Gurung has convinced the Adivasi leaders to withdraw their objection and support the cause of the movement. It was a political decision. But there is no way that the set up of the GTA could be changed to include them in the GTA. GTA has been formed after a resolution has been passed in the state Assembly and it cannot be changed. We can give some seats to the Adivasi leaders only after the areas of Terai and Dooars are amalgamated into the GTA, a senior member of GJM central committee told The Indian Express on Monday.

Significantly,the decision has been deliberately taken by Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri to bring the AVP leaders,who have a strong hold over the tribal areas in the Terai and Dooars region,so that the AVP leaders and their supporters do not create any obstacle during the survey of the joint verification committee. They also want the adivasis to suggest to the joint verification committee about the inclusion of 400 mouzas of Terai and Dooars into the GTA.

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In the central committee we have decided that we will take decision on sharing our seats with the AVP only after the election in GTA will be held and after the high-powered committee submits its report on the inclusion of mouzas into the GTA. Our main objective is extending the area of GTA, the senior leader said.

After the territory is determined,in our sabha,we will decide what number of seats we can give to the representatives of the AVP. The seats and share of financial package given to the AVP will be proportionate to the population and the area coming under GTA, the leader added.

At present,we will not even change the nomenclature of GTA and the administrative set up. After the determination of the territorial limits of GTA,we will amend the GTA Act. We will meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram soon,and if the government agrees then the amendment will be brought in, said the GJM leader.

Govt bound by only GTA pact,says Chief Secretary

Kolkata: Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh on Monday said the state government does not accept any agreement than other than the GTA. The GTA was a tripartite agreement signed by the state government,the Centre and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha,and we will abide by that agreement only. Reacting on the proposal of a joint Gorkha Adivasi Council,Ghosh said: We have read about the new development in the Hills in the newspapers and we have got nothing to say regarding this.

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