Gorkhaland - Issues and Necessity

Writes: Rinchen Dukpa

The basic problem in the Gorkhaland issue is that any Tom, Dick or Harry is an "expert" in the Gorkhaland issue, and the Government thinks that by sending money or talking development they can curb the movement. Worse still if money fails they will send the CRPF and the local police will arrest any school going kid to the cable guy – I have seen this with my own eyes when they started arresting everyone from petty contractors to school teachers.

Of course our MPs, MLAs and Leaders who led the Gorkhland movement have turned us into a laughing stock, in front of the whole of West Bengal and India. One of my colleagues said that none of our leaders from Ghising to Gurung was honest in the demand for Gorkhaland . But that’s all together another matter for discussion.

But why Gorkhaland?
The demand for Gorkhaland is not only a Developmental issue but more correctly it’s a Identity issue.Darjeeling was never a part of West Bengal . The movement is not because we hate Bengalis or West Bengal. It’s simply a search and fight for our own Identity.

why Gorkhaland?

The demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland dates back to 1907 when the leaders of the Hill People of India submitted a memorandum to the British Government demanding a separate administrative set up on grounds of a distinctive history, language, culture, tradition, way of life, mindset and off course residence in a completely different topography with different climatic conditions. A separate state has been the political aspiration of the Gorkhas for more than 100 years.

Rather, this is the oldest demand for a separate state under the Indian Union.
The proposed state of Gorkhaland i.e. Darjeeling and Doars were part of Sikkim and Bhutan so where is the question of West Bengal… at that time India was also under British rule. The part of Darjeeling was annexed by British to make a sanatorium and later Kalimpong and Doars were annexed by British.

So when Darjeeling was never a part of Bengal where is the question of Bonga Bhanga?? It is not a separatist or anti-national movement. It is just the aspirations of the Gorkha people who have contributed a lot for the country. Also a separate state can be created on the basis of linguistic lines, but somehow, the Indian Government has also failed us. And to add salt to our woes the Bengal Government thinks we are incapable of ruling our own so they need to do this good deed.

But please keep your benevolence to yourself.

Gorkhaland‬ Endures!!

Source The Darjeeling Chronicle

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