Centre 'cautious' on hills - Security worry, given region's strategic borders

A Morcha meeting in Delhi last week

Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, TT, Delhi, Aug. 15: The Centre has adopted a cautious approach in dealing with the Gorkhaland issue, given the region's strategic borders, and want the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the Bengal government to hold talks as early as possible, a Union home ministry official has said.

"We do not want to see another Kashmir-like situation in the troubled areas of Bengal. The Centre is very concerned about the agitation and violence in the region. It wants peace and stability," the official said.

The home ministry, he said, was keen on reviving the tripartite Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) meeting involving the Centre, state and the Morcha to resolve the Darjeeling impasse.

"Before that, the Morcha and the Bengal government should take immediate steps to kickstart a composite dialogue process and discuss all issues," the official said, reiterating Union home minister Rajnath Singh's appeal on Sunday to both the hill party and the state government to hold discussions.

The official, however, hinted that there was no question of central intervention without taking the state into confidence.

"Even if the Centre wants to do something, the state has to be involved...."

In his appeal yesterday, Rajnath had also spoken about the strategic importance of the region and told the visiting delegation of hill parties to withdraw the indefinite strike.

"We are all aware of the strategic importance of the locality and the challenges that we face in the region," the minister had said.

Sources in the security establishment said several parts of the Northeast were already under the grip of insurgents and the Centre did not want another violent situation in Darjeeling, where the strike enforcers clashed with police, prohibitory orders were clamped and Internet services were banned.

An Intelligence Bureau official expressed apprehension that the Siliguri corridor - referred to as the Chicken's Neck - was already vulnerable to insurgency and criminal activities and the violence and demand for Gorkhaland could pose a major security risk.

Last month, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had alleged Chinese involvement in the flare-up and accused the Centre of allowing nearly 400 schools to come up near Pashupati Gate in Darjeeling, where Chinese language was being taught.

The GTA, which was formed in July 2011, is controlled by the Morcha.

Citing the ongoing violence in Darjeeling, the Bengal government had in June asked the Centre to postpone the tripartite GTA meeting which was scheduled to discuss various provisions of the memorandum of agreement.

The last round of talks was held in January 2015, when the situation in the hills were discussed.

"The tripartite meetings are held as stipulated under the GTA deal. Ahead of the tripartite meetings, direct talks are also held between the state government and the GTA to iron out differences over the hill body's functioning," another ministry official said.

Government sources said the BJP, which favours smaller states, does not want to antagonise Bengali sentiments by supporting the bifurcation of Bengal.

Over the past two months, Morcha leaders have approached Rajnath and requested him for central intervention, like the withdrawal of central forces from the hills.

"Under pressure from his constituency, Darjeeling's BJP MP, S.S. Ahluwalia, had written several times to Rajnath Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting them to examine the demand for a separate state," said a source.

The demand for a separate state, he said, was initially political but it has also become a huge security issue, given the strategic borders.