Darjeeling
4 Sep 2013
The meeting today to elect a new chief
executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, which has been
lying vacant for over a month, failed to yield any result due to
sabhasads abstaining from attending the congregation.
The meeting at the Gorkha Ranga Manch in
Darjeeling that started at midday was attended only by the GTA Sabha
chairman and his deputy. The GTA principal secretary was also present.
The 45 sabhasads, all from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, remained absent
for the duration of the meeting that lasted for more than an hour.
The move to elect a new incumbent failed because the mandatory 1/3rd quorum required was lacking.
“We had sent letters to all GTA elected
members to attend today’s meeting. But we could not elect the new chief
executive because only two of the sabhasads attended the meeting,”
informed GTA Sabha chairman Bhupendra Pradhan and deputy chairman
Lobsang Yolmo in a press brief.
Pradhan however, said sabhasads PT Ola
and Trilok Chandra Roka were present at the meeting to submit a
petition. “The two GTA members came and submitted an appeal for the
unconditional release of all arrested GJM leaders and activists
including the 10 sabhasads. The petition also states the elected members
would not attend any GTA Sabha meetings in future till the arrested are
released,” said Pradhan. The petition was signed by 29 sabhasads in
all.
The police have arrested 1,025 GJM
activists and leaders since July 29, with the latest detention of two
persons taking place in Latpanchar on Tuesday.
GJM chief Bimal Gurung had demanded for
the unconditional release of all GTA members and GJM leaders as a
precondition to attend today’s meeting. In response, the state
government had asked the GJM to attend the meeting first. On Tuesday,
the GJM president said the elected members would attend the GTA meeting,
but with the sole intention of adopting a resolution for the release of
those arrested.
Sources have said the 29 elected GTA
members signed the petition at the GJM party office in Patlebas this
morning, while maintaining that a new chief executive could have been
elected from among the 10 arrested sabhasads, and therefore, it did not
make sense for the remaining members to attend the meeting.
GTA principal secretary RD Meena, the
fifth person to attend the meeting today, said the election process
could not be completed given the absence of the GTA members.
“The main agenda today was the election
of a new GTA chief executive However, we could not complete the process
as the elected members abstained from the meeting,” he said.
Meena also acknowledged about receiving a
petition signed by the 29 elected members seeking the release of the
arrested people. “I have received the petition and will forward it to
the state government for its action,” he said as he stressed he was in
no position to comment on the future of the GTA.
0 comments:
Post a Comment