Darjeeling hills do not have the rule of law any more, Ghisingh said, indirectly blaming the state government for failing to ensure his safe return to the hills.

It is almost over a fortnight now since Ghisingh has been kept out of Darjeeling, his hometown.

He warned that the incident has set a trend and one must bear in mind that the rule of law can be ignored in such a fashion in future in the hills. “The longer I am denied entry into Darjeeling, the better,” the GNLF chief told mediapersons on Friday.

The Darjeeling Gorkha Janamukti Morcha has launched an agitation and its leaders said Ghisingh has not been able to go back to his hometown because people in the hills do not want him

anymore.

A senior state government official said once Ghisingh puts in his resignation as caretaker administrator of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, the agitators will allow him to go back.

West Bengal Home Secretary Prasad Ranjan Ray said Jalpaiguri Divisional Commissioner B L Meena is likely to take over as the new caretaker administrator of the council. Ray, however, did not specify the date when the charge will be handed over. He said Ghisingh is expected to put in his papers on March 10.