Tomorrow’s politics will be based on achievements:Anit Thapa
The people of the hills have placed their trust and affection in the BGPM. Here are our major achievements:

Restoration of Panchayati Raj in Darjeeling Hills

+ Issue

After the formation of DGHC in 1988, the three-tier panchayat system prevalent across the country was replaced with a two-tier system in the hills – gram panchayat and panchayat samiti – in 1992 by amending the Constitution. GNLF founder Subhas Ghisingh argued in 2005 that the panchayat was diluting the powers of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), which was later rechristened as GTA.

In 1995 and 2000 instead of two tier, only one tier Panchayat election was held. The next Panchayat election was scheduled to be held in 2005 at the end of the term of 112 panchayats. But Subash Ghising called for the 6th scheduled status for then DGHC. Then onwards Panchayat election hasn’t taken place in GTA area till July 2023.

+ Effects of not having Panchayat Raj in GTA

GTA region with a population of more than one million and a half lost the power of rural self-governance where according to the census 2011, 68% of the population reside in rural area of the hills. Even though most of the population reside in rural area , the population of rural Darjeeling Hills were kept far from the mainstream developmental process. No developmental works took place in the hills through Panchayat. Developmental works are channelised either through GTA or BDO.

As promised BGPM started to advocate for panchayat election in GTA region. On 29 August 2022 state election commission released a notice for delimitation for the Panchayat election. GTA region ( part of Darjeeling district and Kalimpong district) will have two-tier Panchayat election.

BJP, GJM, GNLF and HP wanted a tier Panchayat election. But for a three-tier election to be held constitutional amendment has to take place. It’s because in 1992 three-tier Panchayat election was brought to two-tier through constitutional amendment.

The Panchayat election was held in July 2023. On 11 July 2023 results were declared. BGPM formed boards in 8 Panchayat Samitis out of 9 and boards in 105 Gram Panchayat out of 112.

Promises made to people are fulfilled.

Revived Regional School Service Commission in GTA

Reviving of the Regional SSC is one of the promises BGPM made in its election manifesto. The promise made to the public of Darjeeling Hills has been fulfilled.

West Bengal School Education Department (WBSD) revived the Regional School Service Commission (RSSC) for the GTA in January 2024 after 20 years. The commission is made up of seven members, with Bijoy Kr. Rai, Asstt. Master, West Bengal (Subordinate) Education Service, as chairman, and other educationlists from the region. The commission’s terms and conditions are valid until January 24, 2028, or until further orders.

The WBSD’s decision to revive the RSSC was in response to a demand from BGPM’s GTA administration. The establishment of RSSC was mentioned in the 2011 GTA memorandum of settlement. The demand was to address the acute shortage of teachers in the hills of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong in GTA region. Without the RSSC, there was no system for recruiting teachers in GTA schools. In it’s absence, teachers were recruited as volunteer teachers from the DGHC era.

Due to the absence of RSSC, many died in harness cases are pending. As per the reports around 60 such cases are yet to be resolved. RSSC has initiated the cases.
With the Regional SSC in place issues facing Higher Education in GTA will be resolved step by step.

Our Land, Our Rights : Anit Thapa crusader of Land Rights

The term “Parja Patta” refers to a legal document or land lease agreement that grants land rights to individuals or communities. In the context of the tea gardens in the Darjeeling hills, Parja Patta is significant because it addresses land rights issues, particularly for workers and residents living on tea garden lands.

In the Darjeeling Hills, the issue of Parja Patta has been a longstanding and contentious one. Many residents of the region have been living on their ancestral lands for generations without possessing formal land titles. This lack of documentation has led to numerous problems, including:

1. Land Disputes: Without clear ownership, disputes over land boundaries and rights can arise, leading to conflict and instability within communities.
2. Lack of Access to Services: Government services, such as electricity, water, and healthcare, are often tied to land ownership. Without Parja Patta, residents may have limited access to these essential services.
3. Economic Hardships: Lack of land titles can hinder economic development, as it can be difficult to obtain loans or investments for agricultural or other ventures.

Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha from its inception had taken up the issue of granting Land rights to tea garden workers. It started its advocacy campaign prior to GTA election. After forming GTA sabha in 2022 with majority it passed resolution in its first meeting of GTA sabha (legislative assembly of GTA) and pursued it with Govt of West Bengal.

In August 2023, the Bengal government announced plans to grant land rights to people living in tea gardens in the Darjeeling hills, including tea workers, retired landless laborers, and long-term occupiers. The settlement process would include a sketch map, a record of rights, the name of the women in the family, and a deed of settlement. The government also plans to provide basic amenities like streetlights, drainage, internal roads, and services to extend livelihoods. The decision could affect nearly 70% of the hill population who have lived in tea gardens without land rights.

+ Nature and process of granting Homestead patta

1. The state government issued a notification on August 1, 2023 to grant homestead pattas (land rights) to eligible families residing in tea gardens in GTA region.

2. Homestead pattas will be granted for up to 5 decimals of land per eligible family, with priority given to families headed by females

3. The pattas will be heritable but not transferable.

+ Resuming Unutilized Tea Garden Land

1. District Magistrates will survey ( with the help of survey team ) and identify unutilized/surplus tea garden land to be resumed for distributing pattas

2. The DMs will send proposals for resumption of land to the state government with necessary documents

Difference of opinion emerged regarding granting homestead patta in the hills. Some say that many tea garden workers have been in possession of more than 8.2 decimals of land for generations, which is the ceiling of land with the homestead patta. Others say that tea garden workers have no land rights at all, and many have less than eight decimals of land. Owing to this on the request of Anit Thapa, the chief executive of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and BGPM president on 12th September 2023, the government halted the survey and other work related to granting land rights. Anit Thapa promised that he will advocate with government to grant parja patta for the entire possessed land.

On 24th September Anit Thapa declared campaign for Tea Garden workers’ land rights with ‘Our Land , Our Rights’ for Parja patta. The advocacy was for Parja patta for the entire possessed land.

On 2nd November 2023 West Bengal govt on the demand of Anit Thapa modified the notification and directed the land and land reforms department to commence survey of land on ‘ as is, where is’ basis without reference to any limitations on area held.

On 5th November 2023 GTA called a meeting of all Trade Union at Kurseong Circuit House. There it was unanimously decided that prior to granting Parja patta for all possessed land survey of such land has to be taken as per the government notification.

On 11th November 2023 a meeting was convened at Lal kothi with the trade union and three layered land survey committee was formed viz. District level – Supervisory committee, Block level- Program Implementation committee and Garden level survey committee.

As per the decision the survey of the land initiated and the process is still going on. After the completion of the survey of the land, the process of granting Parja patta for the entire possessed land would be initiated.

On 8th December 2023 HCM Mamata Banerjee from the Kurseong meeting reiterated that Land Rights would be granted as per the possession of the land.


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