New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry began tripartite talks today with the Gorkha representatives from the Darjeeling Hills, Terrai and Dooars region and the Government of West Bengal. The talks aim at resolving the issues related to the Gorkhas.
The Gorkha delegation led by Darjeeling Member of Parliament Raju Bista (Bharatiya Janata Party) highlighted various issues concerning the Gorkhas and the region. The other members of the delegation were the Darjeeling MLA Neeraj Zimba, Kurseong MLA B.P. Bajgain, Kalchini MLA Bishal Lama, Gorkha National Liberation Front Chief Mann Ghising, Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) Chief R.B. Rai, Gorkhaland Rajya Nirman Morcha (GoRaNiMo) Chief Dawa Pakhrin, ABGL Chief Pratap Khati and SuMuMo Chief Bikash Rai.
After listening to all the parties concerned, Union Home Minister Amit Shah called for the second round of talks in the presence of the senior officials of the Government of West Bengal in November 2021. The West Bengal Government has been specifically asked to send their senior officials for the next round of talks.
Chairing today’s meeting, Shah claimed that the Central Government was constantly making efforts to resolve issues related to the Gorkhas and of the region. The all-round development and prosperity of the Darjeeling hills, Terrai and Dooars region is the top most priority of the present Government, he asserted.
The meeting was also attended by the Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, the Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Member of Parliament from Alipurdwar John Barla, the Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Secretary Ministry of Tribal Affairs Anil Kumar Jha, the Registrar General of India Dr. Vivek Joshi, the Principal Resident Commissioner of West Bengal Krishna Gupta and other senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
– global bihari bureau
