Mamata gives Kalimpong districthood. Is it a ploy to undermine Gorkhaland movement?

In the name of development

To allow the various minority communities residing in the Darjeeling Hills - - Lepchas, Tamangs, Bhutias, Kamis, Vishwakarmas and others - greater say in running their administrative affairs, the Bengal government has formed 10 development boards. And during her visit to Kalimpong, Mamata handed out cheques to all boards for amounts ranging from Rs 2 crore to Rs 10 crore.

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The Mamata regime claims the development boards are meant to promote and safeguard the languages, culture and art of these minority communities. Many observers, however, are loathe to take such claims at the face value, not least because their funding comes not through the Gorkha Territorial Administration, a semi-autonomous body that governs the Darjeeling Hills, but directly from the state government.

"The GJM is completely against the formation of these development boards. They are nothing but a ploy to create a votebank for Mamata Banerjee in the hills, something she has been unsuccessful at so far," said Amar Singh Rai. "Had the state government allowed the GTA to function, there would have been no need for these boards. We are curious to know from which funds the government is giving this money. If it is coming from the GTA fund, then the GTA should get this money. Also why is there unequal division of these funds to various communities?"

"This is all part of Mamata Banerjee's divisive policy aimed at disintegrating the Gorkhaland movement," Rai added, complaining that the government has still not transferred control of many departments and administrative decision-making powers to the GTA.

The Trinamool leader Bhaichung Bhutia rejected these claims, however. He told Catch, "These boards are necessary for the upliftment of these minority communities. The boards are utilising these funds very well. Housing and schools for the poor, employment and many other benefits are coming out of these funds. And various communities are asking for it. Mamata Banerjee is in no way taking away from the cause of Gorkhaland. She is only obliging minorities with their basic needs."

Taking aim at the GJM, which runs the GTA with a majority, Bhaichung added, "We all have seen the work the GTA has done. The condition of the roads, the scarcity of water has not improved in any way under the GTA. They have not helped bring development to the hills in all these years of being in power. These things are just as important."

Demand for Gorkhaland

In spite of winning concessions, especially in regards to autonomy, from the government in Kolkata, the people of the hills haven't given up on the dream of having their own state - Gorkhaland. The sentiment for statehood, as indeed the mistrust of the "Bengal parties", is strong as evidenced, most starkly, in election results. In both the 2011 and 2016 assembly polls, the GJM clean swept the hills.

So, whether the formation of the boards for minority communities is Mamata coming through on her promise to develop the hills or just a ploy to gain an electoral foothold in region, the sentiment for Gorkhaland is something she cannot ignore forever.

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