Centre Forms Committee for Permanent Gorkha Solution in Darjeeling

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the formation of a committee to draft a permanent political solution for the Gorkha community in West Bengal's Darjeeling hills during a tripartite meeting on August 22, 2026. The meeting, held at Sukna in the Darjeeling foothills, was attended by state and regional political representatives, including West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and leaders of major hill parties.

The committee will be chaired by Pankaj Kumar Singh, a former deputy national security adviser and the Centre's interlocutor for the region. According to a statement from the Union Home Ministry, the panel's mandate is to finalize the modalities and draft an agreement aimed at providing a lasting resolution to the longstanding demands of the hill population. These demands center on a distinct identity, a permanent political solution, and constitutional recognition.

During the meeting, Shah assured stakeholders that the Centre would work towards a solution within the constitutional framework and would not involve dividing West Bengal. He also promised sympathetic consideration of other community demands and pledged adequate central funding to address pending...