Govt forms panel for 'permanent political solution' to Gorkha issue

The Centre has taken a step towards resolving the longstanding Gorkha identity issue in the Darjeeling hills by forming a high-level committee to draft a 'permanent political solution' within the constitutional framework.

The Centre on Saturday constituted a committee to draft an agreement and finalise modalities for a "permanent political solution" within the constitutional framework to the Gorkha identity issue in the Darjeeling hills and adjoining areas, officials said following a key tripartite meeting involving Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Gorkha leaders and the West Bengal government.

The development comes amid the longstanding demand for greater political recognition, autonomy and protection of the distinct linguistic, cultural and ethnic identity of the region's predominantly Gorkha population.

Committee Formation and Mandate

"All issues relating to the hill population of West Bengal were discussed in detail. Their demands pertaining to a distinct identity, a permanent political solution and recognition under the Constitution of India were taken up. The Union Home Minister promised a permanent political solution soon under the umbrella of the Constitution," a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said.

"To finalise modalities, it was decided to form a committee under Shri Pankaj Kumar Singh, former deputy national security advisor and current interlocutor, to finalise the details regarding the final agreement that will be drafted towards a permanent political solution for the people of the hill areas of West Bengal under the Constitution of India," the statement added.

Shah, the release said, also promised to sympathetically look into all other demands of the community. "He said adequate funding from the Centre will ensure all pending issues are taken care of," the communication added.

Key Attendees and Historical Context

The meeting, held at a hotel in Sukna in the Darjeeling foothills on the third and final day of Shah's visit to the state, was chaired by the Union Home Minister and attended by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and leaders of various political parties of the hills and other stakeholders of the region. Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung, and the party's senior leader Roshan Giri, Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) chief Mann Ghisingh, several state ministers and BJP MLAs from the hills, besides senior officials of the state government, were among those present at the meeting.

Also present were BJP MPs Raju Bista and Harshvardhan Singla, MoS, Hill Affairs Bishal Lama, MLAs Bharat Chettri, Sonam Lama and Noman Rai, among others. In October 2025, the MHA appointed Pankaj Kumar Singh, a retired IPS officer and former BSF director general who served as deputy national security adviser from 2023 to 2025, as the government's interlocutor for issues relating to the Darjeeling hills, Dooars and Terai. His role focuses on leading political dialogue and addressing long-standing demands of the Gorkha community.

Previous Efforts and Future Outlook

BJP's Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said that Saturday's meeting was held on a historic day since it coincided with the date of signing of the Gorkha accord in 1988.

The accord, signed between the Centre, the West Bengal government and the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), had led to the creation of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) as an autonomous administrative arrangement following a prolonged and violent agitation for a separate state of Gorkhaland in the 1980s.

The demand resurfaced strongly in subsequent decades, including through the Gorkhaland movement led by the GJM, prompting repeated rounds of tripartite talks involving the Centre, the state government and Gorkha representatives.

In 2011, a tripartite agreement led to the creation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), but several core political and identity-related demands remained unresolved.

The Centre resumed formal tripartite talks in 2021 and has since maintained that the hill issues, including those concerning Darjeeling, Terai and Dooars, should be addressed within the constitutional framework and in coordination with the state government.

"The history of struggle of the hill communities spans over four decades, during which the previous Left and TMC government trampled over the aspirations of the hill people. The sacrifice made by our people involves nearly 2,000 people who were martyred, over 5,000 people displaced and women tortured and raped," the Darjeeling MP alleged.

Bista said while representatives of the various communities put forth their concerns and expectations at the meeting, Adhikari also spoke on how he intends to address the issues of the hill people.

"After hearing out all stakeholders, Shah summed up the meeting by elucidating how a permanent solution to the issues could be reached in the days ahead," the MP said.

GJM leader Roshan Giri said the Gorkha leadership was committed to finding a solution through constitutional means and would work with the Centre in the process.

"Shah has clearly said that whatever solution is reached to address the issue will have to be under the constitutional framework. I am in favour of a constitutional solution and have put forward my suggestions in accordance with that," Giri told reporters.

Attempts made by previous state governments to address the Gorkha identity issue through arrangements such as the establishment of the DGHC and the GTA have, arguably, failed to secure long-term peace, economic prosperity and political stability in the region. Against this backdrop, the Centre's decision to constitute a committee to work towards a final agreement and modalities for a "permanent political solution" represents an attempt to address the unresolved questions surrounding Gorkha identity and political aspirations through a negotiated constitutional process, stakeholders said.