LF doubtful of outcome of tripartite agreement on Darjeeling

Kolkata, Jul 18: The Left Front today expressed doubt over the outcome of the tripartite agreement to be signed today (Jul 18) in Darjeeling for the Gorkhaland Regional Authority and said it has been kept in the dark about its details.

"We feel that the outcome of the agreement being signed on such a sensitive issue through unilateral discussion may not be good," Left Front chairman Biman Bose told reporters here.

The Left Front was not aware about what was discussed with the GJM or the contents of the agreement, he said, adding the people in Dooars and Terai in North Bengal have expressed anger over with it with a bandh being observed there today.

Bose also feared that the agreement might harm the amity between adivasi, non-adivasi and the Nepali population It would not be good if it led to clashes, he said.

Earlier, major LF partner CPI(M) had rejected the West Bengal government's invitation to the Leader of the Opposition Suryakanta Mishra to attend the signing ceremony of the tripartite agreement that will pave the way for establishment of a new elected administrative body for Darjeeling.

Mishra had said that the CPI(M) rejected the invitation since the contents and the basis for the tripartite agreement were not known.

He had also said the name of the new hill council, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, was misleading and confusing and was bound to create disunity in the Darjeeling hills.

PTI