Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed Union Home Minister Amit Shah to examine the objections raised by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding the Centre’s appointment of an interlocutor for Darjeeling, the Terai, and the Dooars regions.
According to official sources, the Prime Minister’s Office conveyed this directive to the Ministry of Home Affairs on October 21, following Mamata Banerjee’s letter dated October 18. The Chief Minister expressed strong objections to the appointment of former Deputy National Security Adviser Pankaj Kumar Mishra as the interlocutor, calling it a unilateral move made without consulting the West Bengal government.
In her letter, Banerjee stated that the decision was inconsistent with the principles of cooperative federalism and requested the Prime Minister to reconsider and revoke the appointment. Mishra has been tasked with recommending measures for socio-economic development, cultural recognition, and preservation of the Gorkha community’s heritage within the constitutional framework.
Political observers believe the Prime Minister’s directive signals a cautious approach by the Centre, considering the region’s political sensitivity and the upcoming 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
