Norbula and Pathak at “Jan Adalat”

Darjeeling: Nagarik Suraksha Samitee, an apolitical forum from Darjeeling, had been able to brought two MPs in the same dais, to speak on the proposed council under the Sixth Schedule. Mr. Dawa Norbula, Congress MP in the lower house and Mr. Suraj Pathak, CPM member in the Upper house, were present in the “Jan Adalat” (people’s court) here at Gymkhana, Darjeeling.

Both the MPs had been little knowledge of the details of the provision under special status was evident from their speeches and their diverse opinions on Sixth Schedule. Mr. Norbula explained the parliament process of bill to Act. It is then that we can represent your grievances and ask for suitable amendments. I am people’s representative not a leader. Sixth Schedule ball is not in MPs court right now, the bill is under process. MoS have already been signed by people’s mandate authority, state and Central government.

Sixth Schedule should be implemented first and if it is unsuccessful, it should be reviewed and amend accordingly. Sixth Schedule is the only political solution for the Darjeeling hills and this will be unique, said Mr. Pathak. The CPM MP felt strongly on issues like reservation for Scheduled Caste and women and added that appropriate clauses should be made part of the draft, municipality and Panchayat should remain unchanged.

The “Jan Adalat” was presided over by Mr. K. K Pradhan. The MPs were thrown off guard when queries on a number of provisions of the memorandum of settlement signed by the Centre, the state and Subash Ghisingh were hurled at them.

On a question to Mr. Norbuala on people’s mandate, the person who signed the MoS did not have the people’s mandate, the mandate had expired on March 26 2004, while the MoS was signed on December 6 2005. Norbula replied that Ghisingh still had the mandate because his party had won the 2006 Assembly elections. All three seats in the DGHC area had been won by the GNLF.

Questions were also raised on the use of the term “Full and final agreement” in the MoS, whether this clause would stop the MPs from demanding amendments to the MoS to which both MPs replied in the negative. With the atmosphere getting charged up and people demanding the MPs raise the Gorkhaland issue, the organiser decided to close the session earlier than schedule. It had started at 1 pm and concluded at 3:30pm.

During the programme, the proposed Sixth Schedule MoS for Darjeeling hills prepared by Dr. Mahendra P Lama was handed over to both MPs.