Mamata Banerjee Urges PM Modi Again to Withdraw Centre’s Interlocutor for Gorkha Issues

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has once again urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the Centre’s decision to appoint a retired IPS officer as an interlocutor for discussions on issues concerning the Gorkha community in the Darjeeling hills.

In a fresh two-page letter sent on Monday, Banerjee said the Centre’s move violates constitutional provisions and undermines the authority of the state government under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Act, 2011.

“Shocking and Unilateral Decision,” Says Mamata

Banerjee pointed out that she had already written to the Prime Minister on October 18, and that the Prime Minister’s Office had forwarded her concerns to the Union Home Minister. However, she expressed surprise that the interlocutor’s office has started functioning without any further response from the Centre.

Calling the development “shocking,” she said the decision was “unilateral and arbitrary,” and taken without any consultation with the West Bengal government.

Cites Constitutional and Legal Violations

In her letter, the Chief Minister argued that the Centre’s appointment of an interlocutor has no constitutional backing.

She emphasised that:

• The GTA Act, 2011 clearly defines “the government” as the Government of West Bengal.
• Therefore, the Centre has no jurisdiction to appoint a representative or interlocutor for matters within the GTA region.
• The move violates the federal structure and encroaches upon the state’s autonomy.

Banerjee added that the Centre has provided no justification for the decision, which she said is “wholly unconstitutional, without jurisdiction, and devoid of legal sanctity.”

Concerns Over Political Intent

The Chief Minister also alleged that the Centre’s intervention appears “politically motivated” and could destabilise a region that has remained largely peaceful under state-led reforms since 2011.

“The appointment of an interlocutor is a blatant encroachment upon state powers,” she wrote, urging the Prime Minister once again to revoke the decision.

The issue has reignited a Centre–State standoff over administrative rights in the northern districts of West Bengal, especially in the sensitive Gorkha-majority regions.