West Bengal Chief Minster Mamata Banerjee on Thursday requested hill political outfits to leave behind ideological differences and work together with the state's ruling Trinamool Congress for Darjeeling's development and betterment.Terming the "region to be the best hill destination in the world", she also announced holding an industrial meet here next month where industrialists from different sectors would be invited."I have one request for all the political parties in Darjeeling. There might be different political ideologies, but we all have to come together in question of development and Darjeeling's betterment.So whatever we need to do, we would do together," the Chief Minister said at the end of a meeting here with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and other stakeholders."The meeting was very fruitful. Let us forget whatever happened. Let us work for the future," she said.Current GTA chief and Gorkha Janamukti Morcha leader Binay Tamang, Gorkha National Libetation Front chief and head of recently formed Hill Area Development Committee Mann Ghising were present in the meeting with Bengal government.
The bipartite meeting between Bengal government and the hill outfits was held in Darjeeling exactly eight months after Banerjee's first cabinet meeting on June 8 when hundreds of GJM activists went on a rampage accusing the government of imposing Bengali in the local schools.The Trinamool supremo said the industrial meeting would explore the options of industrialisation in the area and focus on community development."To restore peace among the people and help out the young generation Darjeeling, we will hold an industrial meeting in Darjeeling in March. IT industry, horticulture, agriculture, tourism, hotel industry can be built here.
"We would request the industrial houses to come here so that many industries can be built here. We will also see how the 1,000 acres of land in Chinchona be used," Banerjee said."There would be another meeting in Kalimpong with all the 15 board members in the region. People from all the villages would also be called in the meeting," she added.The Chief Minister also assured that the teachers would be given the pending salary but asked them to conduct some extra classes to make up for the two-three months of the Gorkhaland agitation, when the schools were closed.She also said the locals who are good in sports, would be appointed as civic volunteers in the area.