It is a new dawn for Kurseong in the educational sector: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday laid the foundation stones of the Dowhill Education Hub and the Himalayan Centre of Presidency University at Kurseong.
"Today is a new dawn for Kurseong in the educational sector. These institutes will be the centres of learning, skill development and research, and will attract students and researchers from all over the world," she said.

The chief minister will return to Kolkata from her Darjeeling sojourn on September 17. On Tuesday, she will attend an event organised by the Tamang Development Board and, on Wednesday, she is scheduled to address a function of the Lepcha Development Board at Kalimpong.

Mamata is visiting Darjeeling at a time when the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) has announced that its three MLAs from Kalimpong, Kurseong and Darjeeling will resign from the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on September 23. The move will mark their opposition to the state government's non-cooperation with the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), an autonomous body engaged in carrying out development activities in the Hills.

The GJM has been opposing the formation of separate development boards for Tamangs and Lepchas, alleging that by setting up such units, the chief minister is trying to introduce split among the numerous tribes in Darjeeling. "Setting up separate boards for different tribes in Darjeeling is a political move by the chief minister to enable her party to establish its presence in Darjeeling. The GTA was formed following a tripartite meeting between the Centre, the state and the GJM. We do not think that any board other than GTA is required for development activities here," a senior GJM leader told ET from Darjeeling over phone.

He also alleged that the state government was not transferring important government departments to the GTA and thus flouting the clauses of the agreement.