Signature campaign for 11 gorkha communities demanding tribal status

7:27 AM

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tribal news

Darjeeling 9 May 2016 The Bharatiya Gorkha Janjati Sangarsha Mahasangh, an umbrella organisation of 11 hill communities demanding tribal status, today announced it would organise a signature campaign in various parts of the country to garner support and to create pressure on the Centre.

The BGJSM’s demand is for according tribal status to the Bhujel, Gurung, Mangar, Newar, Jogi, Khas, Rai, Sunwar, Thami and Yakha (Dewan) communities from the hills and the Dhimals from the plains of Siliguri. The organisation, which is affiliated to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, asserted that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bagdogra and Birpara on April 7 to campaign for the state Assembly election, he had said the process for granting tribal status to the 11 communities had started.

Signature campaign for 11 gorkha communities demanding tribal status

Through the planned signature campaign, the Mahasangh wants not only to thank the prime minister for his assurance, but also to urge him to take concrete steps in facilitating the early grant of tribal status.

The GJM had initiated the demand for issuing granting tribal status to those communities that had been left out. Presently, the Bhutia, Sherpa, Yolmo, Lepcha and Tamang communities come under the tribal category. GJM leaders have also placed the demand in several bipartite and tripartite meetings as the matter also figures in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration agreement.

BGJSM president Kanchan Gurung said, “The signature campaign has actually started already from May 7 beginning from Lebong and the next day it was held in Mirik. We conducted the campaign today along Hill Cart Road in Darjeeling town. We are getting a good response from the people.”

The BGJSM maintained that the signature campaign was being undertaken solely after the announcement by the prime minister and refused to comment on a recent government circular that stated a committee has been formed to look into the demand. On April 2 this year, the Union tribal affairs ministry issued an order stating it had decided to constitute a committee which would be headed by Ashok Pal, joint secretary to the tribal affairs ministry, for examining and making recommendations on the issue of granting tribal status to the 11 communities in question.

“We do not want to comment on the formation of the committee as it is official work requiring due process. All we have to say is that no matter what, we should get tribal status. And we feel that through the signature campaign we want to tell the prime minister to grant it as soon as possible,” said Gurung, adding the list of signatures garnered would be sent to the prime minister on a regular basis.

The BGJSM also said that after the Assembly election results on May 19, they would hold a meeting with GJM chief Bimal Gurung to plan future programmes. They will also try to meet central ministers and the prime minister too if possible, to pursue the much sought-after demand.


(EOIC)

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"सानो सानो राज्य गठनको समर्थन गर्दैछौ र गोर्खाल्यन्डको मांगलाई पनि समर्थन गर्छौ" - श्री अरबिन्द केजरिवाल

11:48 AM

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nepali

दिनांक १८ फरवरी २०१६ बिहीवार को दिन गोर्खा फाउनडेशनको प्रतिनिधीहरुले दिल्लीका मुख्य मन्त्री श्रीमान अरबिन्द केजरिवालज्युलाई वहाँको बासस्थानमा भेटघाट गरे । उक्त भेटघाटमा गोर्खा फाउनडेशनको प्रतीनिधीहरुले मुख्य मन्त्रीलाई केही मांगहरुको बिन्ती पत्र सुम्पे । मुख्य मन्त्रीज्युले गोर्खा फाउनडेशनको बिन्ती पत्रलाई ध्यान पूर्वक पडी दिनु भयो साथै वहाँले चाडै यस बिषयमा समाधान गरी दिने बचन दिनु भयो। मुख्य मन्त्रीले यस बिषयमा सचीवालयलाई र बिशेष सचिवलाई पनि तुरन्त निर्देश दिनु भयो । वहाँले आफ्नो बिशेष सचीव सुश्री अस्वथी मुर्लीधरण सित नियमित रुपमा संपर्क गर्नु भन्नु भयो। मुख्य मन्त्रीज्युले दिल्ली सरकारको बिभिन्न बिभागहरुमा १५००० नोकरीहरु छन, गोर्खा दाजु भाई दिदी बहिनीहरुले पनि यसमा मौका पाउने छ भनेर बचन दिनु भयो र नोकरीको निम्ती नामहरु पठाइ दिने गोर्खा फाउनडेशनलाई जिम्मा लगाउनु भयो।

मुख्य मन्त्रीलाई छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्यान्डलाई समर्थन मांग गर्दा, वहाँले भन्नु भयो, हामी त पहिले देखीनै सानो सानो राज्य गठनको समर्थन गर्दैछौ र गोर्खाल्यन्डको मांगलाई पनि समर्थन गर्छौ भन्नु भयो।

आउँदो दिनमा सम्पन्न हुने सेमिनरमा वहाँको स्वंय सहभागी हुने बचन दिनु भयो अपितु वहाँ न आउन सके पार्टीबाट कोही बरिषठ साथी पठाउने बचन दिनु भयो । वहाँले चाडैनै दिल्लीमा गोर्खाहरुको निम्ती एउटा कमयुनिटी हल बनाइ दिनु हुने आशवाशन पनि दिनु भयो। दिल्ली बसेका सबै गोर्खाहरुको सुरक्षाको मांग गर्दा वहाँले भन्नु भयो गोर्खाहरुको सुरक्षा र मानमर्यदाको निम्ती हामी चिन्तित छौ र कुनै घट्ना व असुबिधा भए सिधै मुख्य मन्त्री वा बिशेष सचिव सित संपर्क गर्नु भन्नु भयो । हामी पुर्णरुपले सहयोग गर्ने आश्वासन दिनु भयो ।

Supporting the formation of smaller states we also support the demand for Gorkhaland - Arvind Kejriwal

प्रतिनिधि टोलिमा सघन मोक्तान, युधिषटिर शाह, लोप्सँग लामा, डा० बिनु सुन्दास, निरज छेत्री, डि० के० प्रधान, एन्ड्रु गुरुङ अनी श्रीमती रेबेका राई उपस्थित थिए । सबैले बारी-बारी आ-आफ्नो पक्ष मुख्य मन्त्रीसित राख्नु भयो ।

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Remembering Gorkhas on VIJAY‬ DIWAS

8:41 AM

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Gorkhas in India

On ‪‎VIJAY‬ DIWAS: We Remember and Salute Our Legends

To those who don't know about it, Vijay Diwas‬ is when 93000 Pakistani terrorists surrendered to 5000 Indian soldiers on ‪‎Dec16‬ 1971.

Amongst the various paltans that participated in the war for Bangladesh liberation, the ‪Gorkhas‬ have stood out  through their unparalleled bravery, sheer grit and determination, and won the platitude of laurels in not just India, but across the world.

Highlighting three major battles that the Gorkhas fought and won….

5/11 GR – BOGRA : THE BATTLE OF HILLI OR THE BATTLE OF BOGRA

Amongst the Gorkhas, the Fighting Fifth 5/11 GR won for themselves the Battle honour “BOGRA” for itself. In fact the battle honour Bogra and theater honour East Pakistan was bestowed to the 5th only.

In the Indo - Pakistani war of 1971 the 5th battalion was instrumental in liberating Bangladesh, In the operations of East Pakistan, the 5th had secured the Bogra town for 20 mountain division, in one of the most daring operations Lt Teja Bedi and his Gorkha troops had single-handedly captured the headquarters along with the Commanding Officer and RMO of the prestigious Baluch Regiment of East Pakistan.

The regimental flag of 52 Baluch Regiment is still HUNG UPSIDE DOWN in the officer’s mess of the 5th and is one of their prized possession.

4/5 GORKHAS: THE BATTLE FOUGHT WITH ONLY KHUKURIS

One great initial battle of the war fought at Atgram to break the outer crust of Pakistani defences in the East opposite Sylhet sector needs revisiting. The battalion tasked was 4/5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) which went on to capture Gazipur and eventually single-handedly took the surrender of the Sylhet garrison.

Not before and not since has any battalion launched a full scale assault employing just the Khukuri and guile alone. After getting their orders, by 5am the fierce Khukuri assault had silenced Pakistani Maj Alvi’s Bravo Company. In the mopping up, nearly 45 bodies were found scattered around the main position.

The heroes of this silent battle were Rifleman Dil Bahadur Chhetri, whose Khukuri accounted for eight Pakistan soldiers, and was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra; Rifleman Phas Bahadur Pun and 2nd Lieutenant Hawa Singh received posthumously, the Vir Chakra; and Captain Pravin Johry (posthumously) and Subedar Teerth Bahadur Gurung won the Sena Medal

[More details: http://bit.ly/1Rn8BJa]

4/5 GORKHA RIFLES (FRONTIER FORCE) - OPERATION OF SYLHET GORKHAS

The 4/5 Gorkhas were not to be left behind and were the 1st Indian troops to mount a Heliborne operations.

On a conservative estimate, the Heliborne Operation of Sylhet Gurkhas (4/5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)) made it possible for Indian Army and Mukhti Bahini to reach Dacca much earlier than planned; at least by 8 days.

On the 16th, when the surrender ceremony was going on at Dacca, Sylhet Gurkhas were celebrating with a toast, in honour of three fold success of the Battalion:

1. First Ever Successful Heliborne Operation of Indian Army, which tied the two brigades from the 7th to the 15th of December. 
2. Surrender of two Pakistani Brigades (202 and 313) on 15th December 1971. 
3. First major surrender to own forces in the Eastern Theatre. 
But the fourth larger toast, unknown to them at that time, was reserved for surrender at Dacca, which was thought unattainable.

For 'Early Dacca Surrender' was made possible by Sylhet Gurkhas tying down the Pakistani Meghna River Brigade (313), in addition to 202 Pak Infantry Brigade at Sylhet from the 7th to the 15th.

However, the degree of valour and contribution to the early creation of free Bangladesh, credit also goes to the men of the Sylhet Gurkhas, but not without a price. The cost of glory over the 27 days (20th November to 16th December) was not meagre.

Thirty one (4 Officers, 3 Junior Commissioned Officers, 7 Non-Commissioned Officers and 17 Riflemen) sacrificed their lives. Ironically one officer (Major Puri) and one Rifleman (Rifleman Kanta Bir Thapa) were injured during the 1965 War also, but this time they sacrificed their lives.

Another 122 (7 Officers, 2 Junior Commissioned Officers, 32 Non- Commissioned Officers and 81 Riflemen) were injured. A total of 153 casualties, including 11 Officers, constituted nearly 25 percent of the Battalion strength, out of which 55 were leaders at different levels (Officers, Junior Commissioned Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers); nearly 8 percent of the Battalion strength. This was the leadership and lead provided by Company, Platoon and Section Commanders.

Sylhet is the Battle Honour of The Sylhet Gorkhas and East Pakistan as Theatre Honour and nobody can deny that Heliborne Operations by Sylhet Gurkhas lead to early surrender at Dacca in December 1971.

[More details: http://bit.ly/1O7v4K2]

We SALUTE the bravery of our troops, and celebrate their great legacy.

While others may forget…. WE REMEMBER!!

Source : TheDC

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Truth Behind Politically non-Political Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh

2:51 PM

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society

Writes Upendra for The Darjeeling Chronicle

Established in 2001, Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh had the potential to be a major force of change within in the Gorkhali society, while also becoming the platform for uniting Gorkhalis all over India under one umbrella organization.

Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) logo

Sadly, their office bearers have jeopardized that pious agenda, perhaps due to their own political ambitions, so much so that today BGP is a name which is uttered with or followed by a cringe, amongst the political observers.

Here is the reason why

Since their inception, one of the major contributions of BGP to our community has been the erection of Shaheed Durga Malla’s statue on the grounds of our Parliament [Details: http://bit.ly/1MBENqh], thus cementing the Gorkhali contribution towards India’s freedom struggle forever. This was a major achievement of an organization which drew to it members from all over India. BGP branches opened up in Sikkim, Delhi, Assam, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, making it truly a national level platform for voicing issues relating to the Gorkhali community.

POLITICAL AMBITIONS
Perhaps that is what led to the BGP bosses harbouring political ambitions. Perhaps that is when the BGP bosses forgot that their’s was a non-Political organization.

BGP started off as a socio-political group that would highlight and voice the social and political concerns of Gorhalis in India.

When Gorkhaland andolan re-started in 2013 and GJM called for all the “political parties” to form a joint forum, BGP also joined as one of the “parties” constituting the Joint Forum, I guess that is when the downfall of BGP truly began.

In my opinion, BGP being a national level body of the Gorkhas had no business in involving itself with a “joint forum” which was meant to contain political parties. BGP I think should have remained over and above the “joint forum,” as that particular forum was formed to raise the Gorkhakand issue, which even though emotionally related to all the Gorkhas in India, BGP by its very mandate should not have confined itself to the issue of Gorkhaland alone. There are many issues across India that confronts the Gorkhalis, and Gorkhaland happens to be just one of the many such issues, hence BGP could have chosen to support Gorkhaland while remaining uninvolved in the “join forum” deliberations. But that didn’t happen.

The unsuccessful “joint forum” experiment failed miserably, when you have too many political interests clashing it was bound to fail, leaving a sour taste in the mouths of everyone involved. The outcome of “joint forum” was mistrust, doubt and suspicion against each other amongst Darjeeling’s political parties, and sadly that included BGP.

BGP after that stint stopped being a non-Political national level entity, people started to view them as another Political group in the fry.

JAN AAWAZ
Towards the end of 2013 Gorkhaland andolan, one of the well known leaders from BGP Mr. Munish Tamang along with senior journalist Mr. Joel Rai etc went on to form a group called Jan Aawaz, based out of Delhi. I am not very clean on the agenda or orientation of Jan Aawaz, but even they joined the cry for Gorkhaland from Delhi and along with BGP held a Dharna and Protest in Delhi in support of Gorkhaland statehood.

It was only when 2014 elections came around; that I realized that perhaps Jan Aawaz was meant to be the political arm of the BGP, as almost everyone involved with Jan Aawaz was also associated with BGP. Mr. Munish Tamang the leader of Jan Aawaz travelled extensively and had even addressed a Jan Aawaz rally in Darjeeling, prior to the 2014 MP Elections.

2014 MP ELECTIONS
In 2014 MP elections BGP extended support to Dr. Mahendra P Lama, that is when BGP openly transformed into a political entity [Details:http://bit.ly/1NDQz0o and http://bit.ly/1NiJjKg].

For a body claiming to represent the national interest of Gorkhalis in India, by deciding to support Dr. Lama openly BGP had gone on to antagonize the majority Gorkhas of Darjeeling who supported and continue to support GJM.

Anyone with any inclination towards politics understands that keeping a non-Political group out of the purview of electoral politics is one of the most important criterion for maintaining its neutrality. In supporting Dr. M P Lama the BGP leaders may have been doing the right thing, but it sounded the death knell for BGP as an organization.

Connecting political dots becomes is a dicey job as it becomes difficult to connect the interests and orientations of various groups that tend to emerge every once in a while. So when Jan Aawaz died a convenient death of sorts (no action) after the 2014 MP elections, I was more than convinced that it was another failed experiment on the part of some of the BGP leaders to head into politics.

Following the defeat of Dr. MP Lama voices of dissent were heard from within BGP rank and file against the political stand taken BGP central leadership and the decision to support Dr. Lama by Dr. Enos Das Pradhan.

Unhappy with the development Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh Working President C P Giri and National Vice President Arun Upadhyay accused BGP Executive President Rev Dr. Enos Das Pradhan and a few central committee members of subverting the political neutrality of BGP [Details:http://bit.ly/1J2Gc2Y].

Cornered BGP claimed that the support was extended at a “personal capacity” and not on an organization basis. Which as the facts so, is untrue [Details: http://bit.ly/1NiJjKg].

BGP which started as a non-Political group had gone on to become a politically active group which was anti-GJM. I am not a fan of GJM myself, but for a non-Political group which “claims” to represent all the Gorkhas from India, to take such a hard stand against GJM was stupid. If integration of all the Gorkhalis is/was BGP’s actual ambition and aspiration, then there was no reason for them to cut off a major Gorkha group like GJM.

SUPPORT TO GNLF
The final nail in the coffin for BGP as far as I am concerned, came after Mr. Mann Ghising took charge of GNLF, following the death of late Subash Ghising. As GNLF was trying to regroup, BGP national spokesperson Mr. R Moktan stated that “BGP would provide “documentary support” to GNLF if it decides to pursue 6th Schedule status for the Darjeeling region” [Details: http://bit.ly/1JpzucW].

This again led to another round of outrage from BGP insiders, to which once again Dr. Enos Das Pradhan responded that it was Mr. R Moktan’s personal decision and not that of BGP [Details: http://bit.ly/1gVCZL8].

Do you see a pattern? I do

BGP leaders support a political group, and when pointed out they claim it was a “personal decision” as an excuse.

BGP which was once a ray of hope that could have gone on to become the strongest lobby group for the Gorkhalis in India, has today lost its direction, sense of purpose and apolitical nature.

YOUTHS SHOULD KNOW
I was forced to write this longish editorial as apparently BGP is trying to recruit new people into their fold and targeting the youths as potential recruiting base. I wouldn’t worry otherwise, but since 2016 elections are around the corner, I have every reason to suspect the timing of their current attempts. Our people, especially the youth have a right to know what has happened with BGP so far, so that they can make an informed decision.

I honestly think that, it is time to for people associated with BGP to realize that they cannot continue to do politics in the guise of a non-Political entity.

Stop pretending!! Is what I am trying to say... and if you guys cannot do that, please stop making trying to fool the people... come clean on your agendas, priorities and political leanings...

फेरी it was कुन्निकोसको “personal decision” चै न भन्नु होला पछि गएर

Is someone listening?

Originally posted here http://on.fb.me/1USt1cr

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Bharatia Gorkhas Towards Gorkhalism

3:21 PM

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Opinion

Anmol Mukhia, PhD Research Scholar, JNU,

Gorkhalism is a philosophy which belief in the method of structural change in the various Nepali speaking community in India and beyond. The main idea behind this philosophy is to unify them in the umbrellas of Gorkhas. This philosophy is well supported by the ideas of many prominent theories like post colonialism, post modernism and social constructivism etc. There have been the various movements in Indian history and abroad which address the question of Gorkhas identity and their demands. Some questions have been the ethical part of Gorkhas as self questioning. Such as- Who are the Gorkhas and why does it matters? What are the difference of Nepali and Gorkhali? Why Gorkhaland? These are the major questions of so called Gorkhali people living in the Himalayan foothills and distinctive areas of Darjeeling district who were known as Bharatia Gorkhas.

Gorkhalism

Addressing to each question there is a need for revisiting of history from theoretical understanding.
The terminology of ‘Gorkhalism’ was first coined by the Gorkha Youth and Students’ Association (GYASA) based on New Delhi, India, as “unity of all Gorkhas as Indian Gorkhas” but the ‘Bharatia Gorkhas’ has been used by the various political and non-political groups and parties of India. Gorkhalism is a way of life of the Gorkha community who have struggle in the past and have their same history. It goes to an extension when it comes to the question of identity of Bharat Gorkhas. Bharatia Gorkhas differs from the Gurkhas of Nepal because the former are the Indian citizens who have been the ‘sons of soils’ of India, and have been practising the Indian constitutional rights and duties. Although the Bharatia Gorkhas have been seen many times as the Gurkhas of Nepal but, nowhere in Indian histories Bharatia Gorkhas have been celebrating the Independence Day on December 21 (Independence Day of Nepal). Bharatia Gorkhas have been distinctively following the Independence Day on 15 August i.e., the Independence Day of India, from their heart, mind, and soul. Bharatia Gorkhas have not only been practising the Fundamental duties listed in the Art. 51A (Part IVA of the Indian Constitution) which is non-enforceable but also the various constitutional rights which gives by default the Bharatia Gorkhas rights with democratic values.

Theories like post colonialism not only shows how the third world societies were marginalised in international politics but has left the hangover effect of the terms of Bahadur, or ideas of marginalisation which has been influencing the Bharat Gorkhas till the date today. Post modernism theory shows that it was the power-knowledge nexus which has been genealogically influencing in the making of histories. This means there are histories of histories and there are essentialities of revisiting or rewriting the histories of Bharatia Gorkhas by deconstructing with textual strategies. However well accepted theories like social constructivism address that it is the ‘ideational factors’ (ideas, identity and ideologies) that plays an important role in formation of structures. Thus democratic rights are based on the theory that rights are not created by the state. Individuals are born with right. It is on this theory that the Indians before independence raised the slogan that “freedom is our birth right.” It is in this sense again that Prof. Laski asserts that the “state does not create rights, it only recognizes rights.”

Likewise on the question of who were the Gorkhas? The recognition of Bharatia Gorkhas is essential because it is the Bharatia Gorkha community who have been the essential part of strengthening the Indian community. Moreover, many are confused with the Nepali and Gorkhali, while the latter are the broader homogenous concepts which have inclusion of heterogeneous Nepali community. The similarities in the homogenous Bahratia Gorkhas are the common cultures, languages, and cause for the Gorkhaland. However there are various answer to the statehood demand of why Gorkhaland but the basic logic behind this demand is- Bharatia Gorkhas has been ill-treated in the socio-political and economic distribution by the West Bengal, there has been the question of identity crisis despite enjoying every day constitutional rights, and it the constitution rights of Art 3 of India constitution which gives the rights to demand for it peacefully.

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Who are Indian Gorkhas?

8:19 PM

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Indo-Nepal

Indian Gorkhas (Nepali: भारतीय गोर्खा) are Nepali speaking community mostly living all along the Himalayan belt and the North-East states of India. Gorkha is an umbrella term for numerous groups and tribes such as Chettri, Bahuns, Newars, Gurungs, Mangars, Rais, Limbus, Tamangs, Sunuwar, Thamis and others.The term ‘Gorkha’ in the Indian context is used to differentiate the INDIAN CITIZENS of Nepali ethnicity from the citizens of Nepal who prefer to be called ‘Nepalese.’ It is estimated that there are about 1,50,000,00 Gorkhas in India or Bharatiya Gorkhas.

Ethnically Indian Gorkhas are one (living in India or Nepal or any Diaspora) and our language is Nepali(8th Schedule& Nepal's Official Lingua Franca).But due to foreigner,nationality issue we Indians Nepali Speaking Population name ourselves as Indian Gorkha Tribe though we share same ethnicity. The Contradictory term is Nepalí; where Nepali refers to Citizen of Nepal and also people of Nepali Origin(general term who speak Nepali Language ).Main problem is our single term for Citizen ,Language and Ethnicity.Language doesn't matter much but term for Ethnicity and Citizens contradicts and many tries to distort knowingly or out of ignorance.

Contrary to perceptions that the Gorkhas are citizens of Nepal residing in India, Indian Gorkhas have lived for generations in India, the areas which they inhabited having been ceded to the British by regimes in parts of Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim during the pre-independence days. 

The Gorkha community, which came with the land and culture, accepted India as their motherland and added to the country's rich diversity. Gorkhas played citizens' role in the Independence movement, with many of them being martyred during the years India fought to free itself from the colonial yoke.

Indian Gorkhas are citizens of India as per the Gazette notification of the Government of India on the issue of citizenship of the Gorkhas of India.However, the Indian Gorkhas are faced with a unique identity crisis with regard to their Indian citizenship because of the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1950) that permits "on a reciprocal basis, the nationals of one country in the territories of the other the same privileges in the matter of residence, ownership of property, participation in trade and commerce, movement and other privileges of a similar nature".Thus, there are also many Nepalese citizens of Nepal living in India. The Indian Gorkhas are mistakenly identified as citizens of Nepal, which has led to several movements of the Indian Gorkhas, including the Gorkhaland movement, for a clear recognition of their Indian citizenship.


One of the many Gorkha heroes of the period is Shaheed Durga Malla, whose statue stands on the lawns of the Parliament House. Thousands fought in the ranks of the Azad Hind Fauz, while two Gorkha nationalists were participants in the Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi. An Indian Gorkha was a member of the Constituent Assembly. Post- Independence, many Gorkha soldiers have given their lives for the country in the wars that India has fought against foreign aggressors and in countering terrorism in different parts of the country.

The mother tongue of the Indian Gorkhas is Nepali, a language that is included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution as a national language.

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RECALLING THE BLACK DAY FOR GORKHALAND APRIL 9

9:25 PM

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Gorkhas in India

"Ourtake: Justice should be in the form of Gorkhaland "

“April 9 is considered as the "Blackest Day" for all Gorkhaland supporters as it was in this day in 2008 that our ex servicemen were injured in a lathi charge by the police when conducting a peaceful rally for Gorkhaland. Till date now no proper action has been taken by the government on this matter. The GJM demands a high level enquiry in this incident. I would appeal to all ex servicemen to vote for the BJP so that we are able to convince the coming BJP Government for a high level enquiry in this matter. Today our Bharatiya Gorkha Bhutpurwa Sainik Morcha is organizing a rally from Darjeeling More to Milan More”—Bimal Gurung on Facebook.

April 9th "Blackest Day" for all Gorkhaland 

Gorkhas have been manning the border since India procured independence. The ex-servicemen who were charged up by the police on this very day, April 9 ofcourse was a sad day for the Gorkhas living in the country. Bimal Gurung has rightly demanded justice ahead of this poll season and rallied his ex-servicemen unit to the streets of Darjeeling. 

Though the demand comes ahead of the polls, many might be making a guess that the ploy is to grab voters in a bid to make sure that the BJP wins and GJM serves its promises. In such sense, again the GJM is using sentiments to win the seat. The hills have been acting on sentiments since years and are still lacking to prepare a roadmap to achieve statehood. 

Speaking on the justice to ex-servicemen on this very day the GJM is making a ploy to make people believe that ‘they’ are still sincere with the issue amidst doubts from the pro-Gorkhaland forces, those who are anti-GJM and not satisfied with the way GJM are handling things.

Results are a far story for the Darjeeling seat now because unlike in the past equation allows one to be unpredictable this time. But if S.S.Ahaluwalia wins the seat, the onus to deliver justice to these ex-servicemen lies with the BJP then. The GJM has a role to play definitely in the long run and the servicemen should not tolerate if the issue fades away after polls. The ex-servicemen unit of the GJM should be aware that April 9 incident cannot be used as just an issue to get votes. So the right justice for these ex-servicemen for their sacrifice should be nothing less than ‘Gorkhaland’.  

Vivek Ghatani - Editor Indian Gorkhas

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Controversy over Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh Dr. Enos Das Pradhan declaring support to M.P. Lama

10:36 AM

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Mahendra P. Lama

Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh Working President C P Giri, accuses Rev Dr. Enos Das Pradhan of subverting BGP Constitution

Controversy has erupted over Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh executive President Rev Dr. Enos Das Pradhan declaring BGP's support in favour of Independent candidate from Darjeeling, Dr. M P Lama.

Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh executive President Rev Dr. Enos Das Pradhan

Talking to the press BGP Working President Shri C P Giri said, "BGP is fundamentally a non-political organization and therein lies its mandate and its strength. Our Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh.... we are a pan-India organization for reason, we are not expected to indulge in politics... but Dr. Enos Das Pradhan and a few other executive members have udnermined that mandate and indulged in active politics."

Making further clarification, Mr. Giri said, "on March 9th, 2014 we all attended a meeting in Siliguri for deciding BGP policy, and we had not discussed anything about supporting Dr. Lama... However Rev Enos Das Pradhan called a press meet and declared BGP support for Dr. Lama... which he should not have done."

National Vice President Arun Upadhyay has also confirmed that BGP did not take any official decision to support Dr. Lama and clarified that what Dr. Enos Das Pradhan did was on his personal capacity and that he should not have dragged the BGP name in it.

Both Mr. Giri and Mr Upadhyay have accused Dr. Pradhan of his personal agenda clouding his judgement and impairing his ability to function as the President of a national level body.

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