The Hindu : National : Meeting on Darjeeling Council today

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Friday, Jan 28, 2005

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Meeting on Darjeeling Council today

By Our Special Correspondent

KOLKATA, JAN. 27. The future of the 16-year-old Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Autonomous Council (DGHAC) — the outcome of a violent movement for a separate Gorkhaland comprising the hills of West Bengal — hinges on a crucial meeting involving the Council, the Centre and the State Government in New Delhi tomorrow. The last such meeting was held four years ago.

During talks between the Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, and the DGHAC Chairman, Subash Ghisingh, last week, the latter's demand of greater powers for the council was discussed. This will be high on the agenda of the talks tomorrow .

The outcome of the talks will have a direct bearing on the political situation in the Darjeeling hills. Mr. Ghisingh had threatened to wind up the Council unless its powers are increased and more departments brought under its purview. He also said that there could be no elections to the Council unless its existing powers were reviewed. The elections are due to be held by March 26 when the term of the Council expires.

The Chief Minister had said that for ensuring peace in the Darjeeling hills his Government was not averse to considering some of Mr. Ghisingh's demands.

At a meeting held at the State-level a few days ago between senior officials of various departments the present powers of the Council were reviewed.

Mr. Bhattacharjee has already conceded one of Mr. Ghisingh's demands. Earlier this week he directed the officials concerned to hand over investigations being made into the assassination attempt on Mr. Ghisingh near Kurseong four years ago to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

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