The Left Front in West Bengal on Monday slammed the State government for the “hush-hush and undemocratic manner” in which it handled a “sensitive” issue like the Darjeeling Hills accord. It raised doubts as to whether the agreement would be able to restore peace in the region.
Left Front committee chairman Biman Bose said the “unilateral decision” taken by the State government on the subject could disturb the amity and harmony among the different tribal and non-tribal groups living in north Bengal and even precipitate clashes between them.
“The Left Front strongly protests against the undemocratic manner in which the pact is being signed. Barring a few representatives of the Centre, the State government and the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), all political parties and the common man were kept in the dark about the contents of the accord. This is unprecedented in West Bengal,” Mr. Bose said at a press conference, hours before the pact was signed. The Gorkha Hill Council Agreement was signed in 1988 only after marathon discussions about the contents of the pact at the Assembly, all-party meetings and with the consultation of the Centre, he said adding the Centre's role in signing of the present agreement was not clear.
