Centre calls Gorkhaland meet, TMC says bid to divide Bengal

Criticising the Centre’s move, senior Trinamool (TMC) leader Goutam Deb said it was an attempt to divide the state ahead of next year’s elections (File)

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday convened a meeting to “discuss issues related to Gorkhaland” in Delhi on October 7. It has invited the West Bengal government, the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).

In a notification, the Centre said the meeting would be held under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy. The invitees are the state home secretary, the district magistrate of Darjeeling, GTA principal secretary, and the president of GJM. Sources said the GJM would attend the meeting.

Last month, the BJP MP from Darjeeling, Raju Bista, raised the Gorkhaland matter during the monsoon session of Parliament.

Criticising the Centre’s move, senior Trinamool (TMC) leader Goutam Deb said it was an attempt to divide the state ahead of next year’s elections. “The BJP is trying to divide the state ahead of 2021 Assembly polls. We will never let anyone divide the state. We will stop BJP’s conspiracy at any cost.”

The BJP said it wants a permanent solution to the Gorkhaland issue. “The BJP does not want a division of the state. We want to find a permanent political solution,” said state BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu.

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