Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday wrote a two-page letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for overstepping the norms of cooperative federalism by appointing a former IPS officer, Pankaj Kumar Singh, as an interlocutor to sort out the problems in North Bengal's hills without taking the state government into confidence.
In a bluntly worded letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Banerjee stated she was "surprised and shocked" to hear about the Centre's decision unilaterally. She claimed that the act had the potential to "undermine the administrative and social stability of the state" and destroy the peace that has been preserved in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) territory.
CM Mamata's letter points out the violation of protocol
“I am surprised and shocked to know that the Government of India has appointed Shri Pankaj Kumar Singh, IPS (Retd) as an interlocutor to hold discussions on the issue relating to Gorkhas in Darjeeling Hills, Tarai and Dooars region of West Bengal. This appointment has been made without any consultation with the Government of West Bengal, even though the issues under reference directly relate to governance, peace, and administrative stability of the area under Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), an autonomous body under the Government of West Bengal," Banerjee said in her letter to Modi.
She further added, "such unilateral action is inconsistent with the spirit of cooperative federalism that forms one of the functional principles of our Constitution." Banerjee underlined that any action regarding the Gorkha community or the GTA area must be made in consultation with the state government at large. "Any unilateral action in this sensitive matter will not be in the interest of peace and harmony in the region," she stated.
Mamata Banerjee appealed to PM Modi, stating, “I would, therefore, request you to kindly reconsider and revoke this appointment order issued without prior and due consultation with the Government of West Bengal, as is expected in the true spirit of federalism and mutual respect between the Union and the States.”
