GNLF revives Sixth Schedule demand for Darjeeling

SILIGURI: GNLF IS LIKELY TO RAISE THE DEMAND IN THE BILATERAL MEETING BETWEEN THE

HILL PARTIES AND

THE STATE GOVERNMENT IN SILIGURI ON NOVEMBER 21

There is a new twist in the Darjeeling political situation with Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), the second most prominent party in the north Bengal hills, reviving demand for Sixth Schedule that marks a departure from its demand of a separate state of Gorkhaland.

Over the past few months, the hills became restive with all the parties pushing for a statehood demand.

A 104-day bandh between June 15 and September 26 entered the record books for being the longest shutdown, during which as many as 13 people, including a police officer, lost their lives in violence.

The Sixth Schedule under article 244 (2) and 275 (1) of the Constitution provides for provisions of administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. It would require amendment of the Constitution if Darjeeling has to brought under its purview since majority of the population is not tribal.

GNLF is likely to raise the demand for Sixth Schedule in the bilateral meeting between the hill parties and the state government in Siliguri on November 21.

“As the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has no constitutional validity; the hills should be brought under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution,” said Mahindra Chettri, the GNLF general secretary.

“As Gorkhaland cannot happen at one go, the only sustainable political solution that would fulfill the aspiration of the Gorkhas is the Sixth Schedule status,” he added.

Trinamool leader in north Bengal, Gautam Deb, told HT that he was in Kolkata and could not comment. “I have to go back, understand the demand first,” Deb told HT.

GNLF president Mann Ghisingh said on Sunday that an autonomous body under the Sixth Schedule would be much more effective than the GTA that was rejected by all hill parties for being an obstacle in the path of statehood. He admitted the Sixth Schedule demand was rejected in the past by the hill people as they failed to educate the people about its advantages.

However, GNLF leaders may not be in a position to immediately start campaigning for the Sixth Schedule status since it may earn them the label of enemy of the statehood demand that is an emotive issue in the hills.

Incidentally, GNLF campaigned hard for Sixth Schedule status earlier. The Centre, state government and GNLF president Subash Ghisingh signed a tripartite agreement on December 6, 2005 to bring Darjeeling hills under the Sixth Schedule. However, the agreement was opposed by opposition parties and hill organisations that prompted the Centre in 2007 to send the Sixth Schedule bill to the Parliamentary standing committee on home affairs then headed by BJP leader Sushma Swaraj.