MHA Makes Interlocutor “Terms of Reference” Public

Interlocutor ToR includes “Addressing Gorkha Aspirations within the constitutional framework.”

Answering to a question raised by the Trinamool Congress MP from Maturapur, Bapi Halder, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityananda Rai has informed the Lok Sabha that the Government of India had “appointed an Interlocutor to hold constructive dialogue with various stakeholders”, as “there was no representation of the Government of West Bengal in two tripartite meetings, and no substantial representation in one meeting”, held on issues related to the Gorkha community.

The Minister said the “Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) was formed following a tripartite agreement in 2011 between the Government of India, the Government of Bengal and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. In July 2017, all elected members of the GTA resigned. In view of the absence of elected members in the GTA and repeated requests for dialogue by Gorkha leaders, the Home Ministry convened three tripartite meetings on October 7, 2020, October 12, 2021, and April 3, 2025.

Subsequently, the Government of India appointed an Interlocutor fromer Dy NSA and IPS Officer Pankaj Kumar Singh to engage with various stakeholders, including representatives of Gorkha organizations, on issues concerning Gorkhas.

The interlocutor’s term is one year. The interlocutor will engage in constructive dialogue with various stakeholders and suggest measures to resolve these issues.

The Terms of Reference (ToR) for the interlocutor are as follows:

(i) To undertake constructive dialogue with various stakeholders including representatives of Gorkha organizations on the issues relating to Gorkhas in Darjeeling Hills, Tarai and Dooars region of West Bengal and suggest measures to resolve issues and roadmap in this regard.

(ii) To hold discussions with other stakeholders in Darjeeling Hills, Tarai and Dooars region of West Bengal in this regard.

(iii) Recommend measures for socio-economic upliftment, cultural recognition, and preservation of cultural heritage of Gorkhas in the region, and addressing their aspirations within the Constitutional framework.

It should be noted that interlocutor former Dy NSA Pankaj Kuma Singh (IPS) has been visiting the Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars region, and has held talks with various representatives here.