GNLF demands Mamata's apology

Darjeeling, Sep 20 (IANS)   For naming party President Mann Ghising among board of administrators to run the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) without his consent, the Gorkha National Liberation Front on Wednesday demanded an "unconditional apology" from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee 

"We demand an unconditional apology from Banerjee for tarnishing the good name of our party and party President. She should withdraw his name immediately, else we will be taking legal recourse against her unilateral announcement," GNLF spokesperson Neeraj Zimba said.

"Our party President was never consulted before his name was announced. Even if he was consulted, his answer would have been an outright 'no'. Mann Singh is not a Trinamool Congress cadre," he said.

Banerjee on Wednesday announced the formation of a nine-member board of administrators, headed by ousted Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader Binay Tamang, to run the GTA in the Darjeeling hills. She named Ghising as one of the members of the board.

Accusing Banerjee of trying to "divide the people of the hills", Zimba claimed both Ghising and his party were in 'utter shock' after her announcement.

He said the GNLF was the only hill party to file a writ petition in the Supreme Court to question the legal validity of GTA and would never want to be a part of it.

"How could the Chief Minister ever imagine that we will join the GTA, the very body which we have contended to be illegal?" he questioned.

Claiming that their party stands with the hill people, Zimba claimed Banerjee had damaged political courtesy between the GNLF and the state government.

"In taking such a decision, she has broken all rules of politics and basic political culture and courtesy. We wrote to the Bengal government for the bipartite talks out of respect for the federal structure and to break the political deadlock. We stand with the people and their aspirations and no one else," he added.