The Centre has appointed former Deputy National Security Adviser Pankaj Kumar Singh as the interlocutor to hold talks with Gurkha representatives to address their political demands, including the call for a separate State, officials said on Friday.
Lieutenant-General Vijay Madan (retired), who was the last interlocutor to be appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in 2009, had quit in 2011.
The move coming ahead of the West Bengal Assembly election assumes significance, especially with the ruling Trinamool Congress consistently opposed to the idea of bifurcation of the State.
Political parties in the Darjeeling Hills have hailed the appointment of an interlocutor to hold discussions on the long-standing demand of a permanent political solution for the people of the region.
Darjeeling MP Raju Bista in a social media post said Pankaj Kumar Singh, IPS (retired), who served as India’s Deputy National Security Adviser (Deputy NSA), had been appointed interlocutor by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to discuss issues concerning people of the region.
“For the first time in the history of our region, we have reached the stage of appointing an interlocutor without any bloodshed, political unrest, or the loss of a single life. For us, this signifies a remarkable victory for the people of Darjeeling Hills, Terai, and Dooars,” Mr. Bista said on social media.
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) led by Bimal Gurung, a political party that has been raising the demand for creation of a separate State of Gorkhaland for the past two decades, also welcomed the development.
“A permanent solution under the Constitution of India for our region is not only vital for protecting the rights of the Gorkha community, but also essential for the overall progress and prosperity of the entire region and people who live here,” a statement by Mr. Gurung said.
‘A historic step’
The GJM leader thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for taking this positive step towards resolving the concerns of the people from Darjeeling Hills, Terai and Dooars region. Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), the political party that launched the movement for Gorkhaland in the 1980s, hailed the decision as a historic step, reflecting the Indian government’s sensitivity, commitment, and just approach towards resolving the Gorkha community’s issues.
“The appointment is seen as a move to foster an inclusive and consultative process, providing all stakeholders an opportunity to present their views, suggestions, and concerns constructively,” the GNLF said in a statement.
The Trinamool Congress, which has opposed the idea of bifurcation of the State, however, described the move as a political gimmick. Darjeeling district Trinamool congress president (Hills), L.B. Rai said the move was a political gimmick ahead of elections.
Earlier, in April 2025, the Union Home Ministry had convened a tripartite meeting with Gorkha representatives in New Delhi to address issues concerning the Gorkha community.
The demand for creation of a separate State of Gorkhaland has been the fulcrum of politics in the hills since the 1980s. In 2019, the BJP manifesto for Lok Sabha polls had referred to a phrase “permanent political solution” for the region. In 2024, the BJP manifesto, however, had no mention of the phrase. The Darjeeling Hills have been electing BJP MPs and legislators who had the support of the saffron party for the past two decades.
New Interlocutor Mr. Singh, a 1988 batch retired Indian Police Service officer, has also headed the Border Security Force as its Director General till December 31, 2022. In 2023, he was appointed Deputy NSA for two years.
On April 3, the MHA resumed dialogue with Gorkha representatives after a gap of more than three years to address the issues concerning the community.
In the meeting chaired by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, the delegation which included Mr. Bista, demanded a permanent solution to the Gorkhaland (separate State for Gorkhas) issue and grant of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to 11 Gorkha sub-communities.
Published – October 18, 2025 05:00 am IST
