September 6, 2013
AITC Chief Whip in RS Derek O`Brien demands clarification from Centre on meeting held with GJMM
AITC Chief Whip in RS Derek O`Brien speaks on Darjeeling issue at Rajya Sabha :
Through you, Sir, I want to share with this House, this is about Drajeeling, the letter written by the Prime Minister to the Chief Minister of Bengal in August states `that I have instructed the Central Government personnel that any meetings with the GJMM leadership should be done in consultation with the State Government, and they should keep you informed about the developments.` Sir, this is a letter from no less a person than the Prime Minister of India, of 1st August, 2013. And, then, Sir, on September 3, three days ago, while the Chief Minister of Bengal is making her 21st visit to Darjeeling for peace and development, while she is on the tour, in spite of this assurance given in writing by the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister in Delhi is meeting the GJMM Delegation on 3rd September without any notice whatsoever to the State Government. Sir, the meeting was taking place while the Chief Minister of Bengal was holding a public meeting in Kalimpong. Sir, this House knows the sensitivity of Darjeeling. The North-Eastern States are bordering there. They border with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Sir, all meetings on Darjeeling need to be held on a tripartite basis. This was the agreement.
Sir, you will also appreciate that this is a continuous political interference of the Central Government in the internal affairs of the State. Sir, the point here is, the Prime Minister writes, `I have instructed the Central Government…` My question here is, is anyone in the Central Government, including his Home Minister, listening to the Prime Minister? No one is listening because they are going about like this. Sir, the situation is like this. The situation is that the Central Government is blatantly playing, trying to play divide and rule politics in that very, very sensitive area. Sir, this is divide and rule of a very dangerous nature. We have been saying this on a variety of issues whether it comes to any kind of legislation, whether it comes to land reforms and food security, the federal structure of this country is being made a mockery of. But this particular one is absolutely shameless. When the Prime Minister has given the Chief Minister an assurance, the Home Minister is having meeting behind his back. Sir, we demand the Home Minister come to this House and explain to this House how this meeting took place without any consultation with the State Government. The Home Minister needs to come and explain to the Members of this House. The situation is sensitive, dangerous and this is playing with fire, Sir.
Sir, we want a statement from the Home Minister.
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