Oct 03: Announcement of the decision of the cabinet to create an autonomous self-governing Gorkha Hill council in Darjeeling, a district of the west Bengal has put the whole district in a celebration mood.
Union cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave approval to the long held demand of Darjeeling for autonomous council. Cabinet approved the sixth schedule status to Darjeeling and amendment of the constitution.
Bill for the amendment of the Articles 244 and 332 and the sixth schedule of the constitution will be brought before the parliament in the winter session. After the amendment which will give the same special status to Darjeeling hills as north eastern areas, the present Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council will be replaced by newly created and more autonomous body ‘Gorkha Hill Council’.
Around two years ago a memorandum of settlement to replace DGHC with more autonomous body was signed between DGHC and west Bengal government and central government.
There were celebrations in each and every corner of Darjeeling Hills with rallies on the streets with the spread of the news of cabinet’s decision of creation of an autonomous Gorkha Council.
The decision of the union cabinet has been welcomed by the leader of the GNLF Gorkha National Liberation Front, Subash Ghisingh. He accepted the decision a move which would really fulfil the aspirations and protect the identity of the Gorkha people.
This is to be known that demand of the sixth schedule status of Darjeeling hills was first made by Subhash Ghisingh. The decision has also been hailed by the local CPI(M) but Akhil Bhartiya Gorkha League (ABGL) has not welcomed the decision saying this will give boost to the demand of a separate state of ‘Gorkhaland’.
What new status meant to the Hills?
New council will have jurisdiction over three subdivisions of Darjeeling hills, Kilimpong and Kurseong with sixteen mouzas of Siliguri under the jurisdiction.
Council will have more powers of legislation in areas such as taxation, education, rural development and land revenue. Recruitment to the local posts will also rest with the council except the posts to be filled by Public service commission.
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Comments:
rohit
October 3, 2007 at 12:00 AM
Manmoan sarkar is out to ruin the nation with such decisions. Being a resident of darjeeling , i can fairly understand why this has been approved by congress. Two decades ago , congress laid the foundadtion of a mass agitation in darjeeling which led to the massacer of number of non nepli families in darjeeling. To attain vote bank , congress has yet again not hesitated to sacrifise the interests of the nation . This is a decision which will have very very bad repercursions in the years to come.God save my queen of hill .