West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed surprise over the Centre’s approval to appoint retired IPS officer Pankaj Kumar Singh as an interlocutor to discuss issues pertaining to the Gorkhas in Darjeeling Hills, Terai, and Dooars regions.

In a statement issued from Nabanna, the State Secretariat, Banerjee stated that the Centre made the appointment without consulting the West Bengal government, even though the matter directly affects peace and governance in areas under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) — an autonomous body formed under the state government.

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Terming the action as “unilateral”, Mamata said it goes against the spirit of cooperative federalism, which is a significant principle of the Indian Constitution.

Banerjee reminded that the

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