West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to retract the appointment of a central interlocutor for Gorkha affairs in the Darjeeling region, terming the decision ‘unilateral’ and taken without state consultation. Banerjee conveyed her “surprise and shock” in a two-page letter, asserting that the appointment of former IPS officer Pankaj Kumar Singh disregards the principles of cooperative federalism. She pointed out that the matters fall under the purview of the state-governed Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). The Chief Minister underscored the significant peace and stability achieved in the hill districts since 2011 under her administration’s sustained efforts. Banerjee cautioned that bypassing the state government in such sensitive decisions could jeopardize the hard-won peace. She referenced the 2011 Tripartite Agreement, which led to the formation of the GTA for the region’s development and the preservation of Gorkha identity. The Chief Minister firmly stated that the state government must be involved in all future endeavors related to the GTA and the Gorkha community to maintain an inclusive and peaceful environment. Banerjee concluded by requesting the Prime Minister to reconsider and withdraw the interlocutor’s appointment, emphasizing the necessity of federal-state coordination.
