GTA Swearing-in Ceremony: Not here to capture hills, but to win hearts says Mamata

Assuring the people of Darjeeling that the state government would extend all support for the development of the hills, Banerjee said, “I want forge a friendship. I don’t want anymore confrontation. Our only interest is to ensure there is peace in the hills and the progress of its people. Just believe in us. We will not come here to capture the hills. We will come here to win the hearts of the people.” The CM also announced a slew of development projects for the hills.

The GTA is a semi-autonomous body formed in 2011 to administer Darjeeling hills. The elections to it were first conducted in 2012 and then again on June 26 this year — after a decade.

The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) emerged as the largest party in the elections to the GTA, winning 27 of 45 seats. The party’s leader Anit Thapa and others took oath today as board members of the GTA.

Traditional hill parties such as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the Gorkha National Liberation Front, besides the BJP, had boycotted the semi-autonomous council elections. The TMC won five seats.

Congratulating the newly-elected members of the GTA board, the Chief Minister said, “The elections in the hills have never been so peaceful. GTA polls were held to ensure peace and stability remained in the hills. We want development and prosperity for the hills. We don’t want violence and disturbance. Please don’t allow the peace and stability of the hills to get disturbed. If few leaders try to instigate violence, don’t allow them to do so. If peace and stability remain in the hills, the economy of the hills will also get a boost,” she said.

Requesting the elected members of the GTA to keep aside their political affiliations and work for the development of the hills, Banerjee said, “Forget which party you belong to, now you are the elected representatives. Now, work for the people, for Darjeeling, for the country and for Bengal. We want to see Darjeeling smiling.”
Stating that in the last ten years, the GTA has received Rs 7000 crore from the state government, the chief minister said if there is peace, there will be economic development as industrial hubs and IT hubs would come to the hills. “Lots of students have to go to the plains to pursue higher studies. We have decided to build a university at Mungpoo,” she said.

Meanwhile, Banerjee also inaugurated a coffee house in Darjeeling and also sang Rabindra Sangeet (songs written by Rabindranath Tagore) while spending some time at the cafe. State minister Aroop Biswas and newly-elected GTA member Anit Thapa accompanied Banerjee.