Centre forms panel for 'permanent political solution' to Gorkha issue

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday promised a “permanent political solution” to the Gorkha identity issue in the Darjeeling hills and adjoining areas in West Bengal under the Constitution, signalling a fresh push by the Centre to address the long-pending political and identity-related demands of the region.At a meeting in Siliguri with political leaders and representatives of various hill organisations, Shah said the Centre would work towards finding a solution soon while keeping it within the framework of the Constitution.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, along with senior officials of the Centre and the state government, attended the meeting.

The Gorkha representatives put forward their demands relating to a distinct identity for the hill population, a permanent political settlement and recognition under the Constitution.

Shah assured them that the Centre would sympathetically consider their other demands. He said adequate funding from the Union Government would help address the pending issues concerning the hill areas.

The meeting decided to constitute a committee headed by Pankaj Kumar Singh, former Deputy National Security Adviser and the Centre’s interlocutor, to work out the modalities of the proposed settlement and finalise the details of the agreement.

The discussions are significant given the long-standing political uncertainty in the Darjeeling and adjoining hills, where demands concerning identity, governance and a separate political arrangement have remained unresolved for years.

According to the officials, the meeting ended on a positive note, with representatives of the various organisations thanking Shah and Adhikari for their “cordial and magnanimous” approach.

The committee will now work towards giving shape to the proposed settlement, with the Centre indicating that the process would seek to deliver a political solution for the hill population within the constitutional framework.