Gorkha Students of Jawaharlal Nehru University has put up posters supporting the demand for the separate state of Gorkhaland. The posters on Gorkhaland are the first to come up in the campus of the Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Gorkhaland: History of Oppression and Struggle
Why is it that only the marginalised and oppressed communities in the Republic of India have to give proof of their loyalty towards the nation? Why this red herring of national security is raised every time to vilify / delegitimize genuine democratic aspirations of the people in the country? What constitutes this national security which in its wisdom never accepts genuine aspirations of the people? Whose national security they are talking about?
It tells more about the majoritarian tendencies inscribed in the structure of Indian state which institutionally marginalizes certain section of the population and forces them into the margins.
The demand for Gorkhaland too falls in this category where the State and its ruling class have suppressed the genuine people's demand. The ongoing demand for separate state of Gorkhaland is the assertion for political identity of the Gorkha community.
The government of India and Bengal and the mainstream academic discourse time and again has reduced the problematique of Gorkhaland to mere political economic discourse, that it is mere "underdevelopment' or "corruption of the administration" of the region that has led to the outburst of Gorkhas, similarly the way the Indian political establishment does with other peoples movement elsewhere in the country.
Or in the other instances the political elites of Bengal and India have always branded the movement as "separatist", a false branding and tactical delegitirnization of the whole cause of the Gorkhas.
The political domination of Gorkhas historically has been operationalized through different forms of othering of the community- culturally, administratively, economically etc. Therefore, the call for Gorkhaland is for the realization of the political identity of the Gorkhas which can only be fulfilled by the creation of a separate state.
The continuous denial, numerous insensitive comments made by eminent political leaders (such as Sardar Patel, Morarn Desai, Ashok Bhattarcharya, Subhas Bhowmick) and political think tanks (KG. Suresh, senior fellow and editor of Viveknanda International Foundation) against the Gorkha's falsely categorising the community as "foreigners" is symptomatic of the racial bias entrenched among ruling class.
This racial bias arises out the paternalistic attitude of the ruling class which assumes that Gorkhas are unable to rule themselves and hence the need for their rule. The role of benevolent master is characteristic of the colonial understanding of the "White Man's buro'en"to civilize the Gorkhas whom they look upon as affable savages.
On the eve of the Government finally approving the separate State of Telangana, the popular movement for Gorkhaland has gained further momentum.
People are coming out in the streets protesting the oppressive Bengal government. Popular pressure has even forced the CEO of GTA to resign from his post and to back the call for a separate state. There have already been three self immolation bids which sadly resulted in the traMc death of one of the immolators. The reMon is under,oina a massive indefinite bandhl almost all government institution and private establishments have come to a standstill.
To check this popular upsurge the BengA Government has decided to repress the democratic movement by sending CRPF and ot1- 3- olice forces. The CRPF already has dubious legacy in repressing the p'i_-evi.3us agitation of 1980's through a means of excesses including rape, extra-judicial killings and physical intimidation. Now with the CRPF back on the scene the feelinc,s of the people are aggrieved more than ever.
Today is 90 da of the indefinite strike the •overnment has be. n the r . ession b indiscriminate arrests of the .eo.le. Almost 150 people have been arrested without bail the local cable network and news channels have been blocked by the repressive administration.
People are facing a lot of hardship but the support for the strike is overwhelming. They have always stood for Gorkhaland, but time and again it is the reactionary parties and the opportunist leadership which have betrayed this movement and settled for compromises (be it DGHC in 1987 or GTA in 2011). It is due to the progressive fighting character of the common mass which has ensured that the demand for Gorkhaland does not fade and remains vibrant and alive. The identity crisis of the Gorkha community cannot at all be settled by quick-fix solutions like- greater autonomy or 'development' in the proposed territory of Gorkhaland.
The government of West Bengal and Central government has time and again reduced the cause of Gorkhaland to 'development' issue which is both generalization and delegitirnization of the movement as a whole. Rather, Gorkhaland movement is the urge for settling the crisis of identity of the Gorkha community which can only be resolved through the creation of separate state of Gorkhaland.
The crisis at its kernel is political in nature (lack of political power in the hands of the Gorkhas) and not only economic (development issue). It is this political domination of the lndian/Bengali political elites that has led to identity crisis of the Gorkhas and not just because of "corruption", "mismanagement of funds", or "lack of development".
The present crisis in North Bengal can be solved only through the creation of separate state of Gorkhaland. Hence, the demand for Gorkhaland is not just a demand for a separate state but for reclaiming the lost self respect, dignity and justice, which has been robbed away from us by continuous colonial exploitation.
In the end we would like to reiterate our support to all such demands like ours where people's basic right of self determination is being undermined and their fundamental right to life and dignity curtailed.
SIgned _
Gurkha Students, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Please do not remove till 17th August 2013
Gorkhaland: History of Oppression and Struggle
Why is it that only the marginalised and oppressed communities in the Republic of India have to give proof of their loyalty towards the nation? Why this red herring of national security is raised every time to vilify / delegitimize genuine democratic aspirations of the people in the country? What constitutes this national security which in its wisdom never accepts genuine aspirations of the people? Whose national security they are talking about?
It tells more about the majoritarian tendencies inscribed in the structure of Indian state which institutionally marginalizes certain section of the population and forces them into the margins.
The demand for Gorkhaland too falls in this category where the State and its ruling class have suppressed the genuine people's demand. The ongoing demand for separate state of Gorkhaland is the assertion for political identity of the Gorkha community.
The government of India and Bengal and the mainstream academic discourse time and again has reduced the problematique of Gorkhaland to mere political economic discourse, that it is mere "underdevelopment' or "corruption of the administration" of the region that has led to the outburst of Gorkhas, similarly the way the Indian political establishment does with other peoples movement elsewhere in the country.
Or in the other instances the political elites of Bengal and India have always branded the movement as "separatist", a false branding and tactical delegitirnization of the whole cause of the Gorkhas.
The political domination of Gorkhas historically has been operationalized through different forms of othering of the community- culturally, administratively, economically etc. Therefore, the call for Gorkhaland is for the realization of the political identity of the Gorkhas which can only be fulfilled by the creation of a separate state.
The continuous denial, numerous insensitive comments made by eminent political leaders (such as Sardar Patel, Morarn Desai, Ashok Bhattarcharya, Subhas Bhowmick) and political think tanks (KG. Suresh, senior fellow and editor of Viveknanda International Foundation) against the Gorkha's falsely categorising the community as "foreigners" is symptomatic of the racial bias entrenched among ruling class.
This racial bias arises out the paternalistic attitude of the ruling class which assumes that Gorkhas are unable to rule themselves and hence the need for their rule. The role of benevolent master is characteristic of the colonial understanding of the "White Man's buro'en"to civilize the Gorkhas whom they look upon as affable savages.
On the eve of the Government finally approving the separate State of Telangana, the popular movement for Gorkhaland has gained further momentum.
People are coming out in the streets protesting the oppressive Bengal government. Popular pressure has even forced the CEO of GTA to resign from his post and to back the call for a separate state. There have already been three self immolation bids which sadly resulted in the traMc death of one of the immolators. The reMon is under,oina a massive indefinite bandhl almost all government institution and private establishments have come to a standstill.
To check this popular upsurge the BengA Government has decided to repress the democratic movement by sending CRPF and ot1- 3- olice forces. The CRPF already has dubious legacy in repressing the p'i_-evi.3us agitation of 1980's through a means of excesses including rape, extra-judicial killings and physical intimidation. Now with the CRPF back on the scene the feelinc,s of the people are aggrieved more than ever.
Today is 90 da of the indefinite strike the •overnment has be. n the r . ession b indiscriminate arrests of the .eo.le. Almost 150 people have been arrested without bail the local cable network and news channels have been blocked by the repressive administration.
People are facing a lot of hardship but the support for the strike is overwhelming. They have always stood for Gorkhaland, but time and again it is the reactionary parties and the opportunist leadership which have betrayed this movement and settled for compromises (be it DGHC in 1987 or GTA in 2011). It is due to the progressive fighting character of the common mass which has ensured that the demand for Gorkhaland does not fade and remains vibrant and alive. The identity crisis of the Gorkha community cannot at all be settled by quick-fix solutions like- greater autonomy or 'development' in the proposed territory of Gorkhaland.
The government of West Bengal and Central government has time and again reduced the cause of Gorkhaland to 'development' issue which is both generalization and delegitirnization of the movement as a whole. Rather, Gorkhaland movement is the urge for settling the crisis of identity of the Gorkha community which can only be resolved through the creation of separate state of Gorkhaland.
The crisis at its kernel is political in nature (lack of political power in the hands of the Gorkhas) and not only economic (development issue). It is this political domination of the lndian/Bengali political elites that has led to identity crisis of the Gorkhas and not just because of "corruption", "mismanagement of funds", or "lack of development".
The present crisis in North Bengal can be solved only through the creation of separate state of Gorkhaland. Hence, the demand for Gorkhaland is not just a demand for a separate state but for reclaiming the lost self respect, dignity and justice, which has been robbed away from us by continuous colonial exploitation.
In the end we would like to reiterate our support to all such demands like ours where people's basic right of self determination is being undermined and their fundamental right to life and dignity curtailed.
SIgned _
Gurkha Students, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Please do not remove till 17th August 2013
+Avinash+Gurung+at+the+Gorkha+Rangamanch+Bhavan+in+Darjeeling+on+Saturday;+Bimal+and+Asha+Gurung+in+the+audience.+Pictures+by+Suman+Tamang.jpg)
Post a Comment