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| Subash Ghisingh at Calcutta High Court on Thursday. Picture by Bhubaneswarananda Halder |
Calcutta, June 14: GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh today filed a writ petition in Calcutta High Court challenging the validity of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Act, the suit prompting the Trinamul Congress to question the rationality behind his “delayed response”.
High court sources said the case would come up for hearing early next week. Ghisingh refused to comment on the case, saying: “Since I have already filed the case, the issue is now sub-judice. Now, whatever I have to say would be conveyed to the court by my counsel.” Arunava Ghosh will represent Ghisingh in court.
The GNLF chief also issued a press release in which he said: “In a meeting on June 8 this year, our party discussed the political fate of the Gorkhas…of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council area and also the long pending Sixth Schedule Bill… After discussions…it was finally decided that there is no other alternative for the party except to file a case to safeguard the special status of the DGHC.”
North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb today dismissed the GNLF chief’s petition saying anyone was free to approach the judiciary. But he added: “We have nothing to say on the suit filed by Subash Ghisingh but would like to question the rationality behind his delayed step. His decision to file the suit after 11 months of the GTA agreement is surprising.”
Deb said the GNLF chief was now a “non-entity” in the hills. “Over decades he had organised statehood movements, and was patronised by the CPM which had its own interests. During his regime, Ghisingh also got involved in financial irregularities and these are open secrets. It does not suit him to talk on issues like saving the hills and working in the interest of the people,” the minister, who is also the chairman of the north Bengal core committee of Trinamul, said.
In Jalpaiguri, Ghisingh told journalists: “Whatever I have to say regarding the violation of the Constitution, I will say in court. But the GTA accord cannot be implemented without clarifying the issues which I have raised.”
GNLF sources said Ghisingh had pointed out that after the dissolution of the DGHC, the hills should come under the municipalities and panchayats. “Under the constitutional provisions, it is necessary to amend the Constitution to form another body (GTA). But this was not done and so it is a violation of the Constitution,” a Morcha source said.(TT)
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