Darjeeling Man Robbed of Rs 35000, Mobile Phone in Delhi

6:36 AM

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Gorkhas in Delhi

Writes: Bicky Sharma 

A 30 year old man from Dooars (Darjeeling) was beaten up and robbed of Rs. 35000 and his mobile phone by four men inside a cab in Delhi, just few hours after midnight.

Atit Limbu, who has been working in a bar in Sector 29 of Delhi, had boarded sharing a cab at IFFCO Chowk to Delhi's Ghittorni as usual at around 1 a.m. in the morning. After travelling a while, the taxi took an unusual U-turn, which raised suspicion into Atit's mind and when he asked the cab driver to stop, he accelerated the cab instead.

The culprits who had been acting like passengers, then suddenly started beating him. The duo sitting by his side covered his mouth to stop him from raising any alarm. They also tied his hands with his shoelaces, and later blindfolded him. They were carrying knives and pliers, as according to the victim, who also claims being hit on the face with the pliers.

The robbers snatched his debit card and withdrew 35000 from his account, after forcing him to reveal his PIN. They also took away his mobile phone.

After an hour, they dropped him in Sector 15, from where he took an auto to IFFCO Chowk. After reaching Ghitorni, he called the Police Control Room. An FIR has been registered at the Sector 29 Police station.

The Darjeeling Representatives of the Delhi Police for Northeast Region also went up to meet the SHO at Sector 29, who assured to find the accused as soon as possible.

Via TheDC

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Maha Rally in Delhi for new states including Gorkhaland

2:34 PM

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statehood

Joint rally in Delhi for statehood

Debraj Deb| Mar 20, 2018 00:00 IST - Telegrapg

Agartala: A group of the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) leaders on Monday joined a Maha Rally in New Delhi organised by the National Federation of New States seeking new states.

Failing this, the federation has threatened to launch a united political front before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Twipraland is a proposed separate state for indigenous communities of Tripura.

The federation organised a collective session on statehood demands at Hansraj College in Delhi on Sunday.

The rally on Mondaystarted from Rajghat and ended at Parliament Street.

Youth IPFT leader Shuklacharan Noatia told reporters that they were protesting to raise statehood demands from across the country at the national level. "Twipraland is a political demand and so are all others. The protest was successful," he said.

No central government representative has met the delegates so far.

NFNS general secretary Pramod Bodo said the protest was the first agitation of its type done jointly by all statehood demand groups in the country.

"After Telangana, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand, no new states were created," NFNS president Srihari Aney said.

The NFNS comprises the leaders of statehood movements of Vidharba, Bodoland, Bundelkhand, Gorkhaland, Twipraland, Kukiland, Karbi State and Poorvanchal.

On why his party leaders joined the rally despite being in alliance with the BJP in Tripura, which summarily rejected demand for a separate state, IPFT chief N.C. Debbarma said, "It was a pre-scheduled movement. A team of our party joined the agitation."

The All Bodo Students' Union, one of the participants in the rally, warned that the new state demand issue would "impact" the BJP in the next year's Lok Sabha polls.

It complained that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh did not reply to their letters for an appointment to discuss the issue.

Absu president Promod Boro told The Telegraph on Monday that if the BJP-led government did not fulfil their separate state demands, the NFNS would form a political front before the Lok Sabha elections. "Today we request the government to take a policy decision on the issue soon or the government will face the consequences," he said, adidng that the joint movement would continue.

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गोर्खा फाउनडेशनले केन्द्रिय जनजाती एंव अदिबाशी मन्त्री जोयल ओरमलाई चडाए बिन्ती पत्र

3:10 PM

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tribal news

अस्ती शनिबार दिनाँक ९ तारिकको दिन गोर्खा फाउनडेशनका प्रतिनिधिहरुले मानननिय केन्द्रिय जनजाती मन्त्री श्रीमान जोयल उराँव सित वहाँको बासस्थानमा भेट गरेर गोर्खाहरुको बिभिन्न माँगहरुले लिएर एउटा ज्ञापन सुम्पे। यस् ज्ञापन पत्र बिशेष गरेर ४ सुत्रिय माँग गरिएको थियो। प्रथम, गोर्खाहरुको एउटा सपना गोर्खाल्यान्डको निम्ती यहाँको समर्थन ग्रुप अफ मिनिस्टरको सभामा समर्थन गर्दै जोड तोडले कुरा उठाइ दिनु, वहाँले भन्नु भयो म यस्मा पुरा समर्थन गर्दै कुरा उठाउने छु। दोस्रो माँगमा, भारतिय गोर्खाहरुले गरीरहेको लम्बित माँग गोर्खाहरुको समुदायको ११ जातीलाई जनजातीको माँग चाँडो भन्दा चाँडो मान्यता दिया जावोस। स्मरण रहोस् यस् माँग सित बिभिन्न संगठनहरुले गरेको आर टि आइको कपी एँव सिक्किम सरकारको माँगमा केन्द्रिय सरकारको जवाबको कपी पनि मन्त्री महोदयलाई सुम्पे को थियो, अनी यसै सन्दर्भमा ११ जातीको मुद्दा मन्त्री महोदयसित ब्रितान्तरुपमा चर्चा गरिएको थियो अनी आँउदो सन्सदको सत्रमा यो पारीत होस् भनी गोर्खा फाउनडेशनको प्रतिनिधिहरुले अनुरोध गरे साथै वहाँले भन्नु भयो यो माँग चाडैनै पुरा गरिने छ। तेस्रो माँगमा केन्द्रिय जनजाती मन्त्रालयको बन बन्धु कल्यान योजना अन्तर्गत गोर्खा बाहुल्य क्षेत्र एँव जनजाती बहुल्य क्षेत्रमा घरहरुको निर्माण चाडैनै पुरा गरियोस।

अनी चौथो माँगमा एकलब्य मोडेल रेसीडेन्टल स्कुल योजना अन्तर्गत गोर्खा बाहुल्य क्षेत्र एँव जनजाती बहुल्य क्षेत्रमा स्कुलहरुको निर्माण चाडैनै पुरा गरियोस, यसमा यो माँग चाडैनै पुरा गरिने छ भनेर वहाँले भन्नु भयो। अन्तमा मन्त्री महोदयलाई जनजाती मन्त्रालयको सबै सुनीयोजित कार्य एव कार्यक्रम सठिक रुपमा लागु भएको छ कि छैन साथै कार्य पुरा भएको छ कि छैन भनेर यस्को जाँचको देखरेख गर्नको निम्ती समाज र मन्त्रलाय बाट सयुक्त समितीको गठन हुनु पर्छ भन्दा वहाँले, यस् माथि तुरन्त पहल गर्ने आसवासन दिनु भयो। आजको यस् सभा अतीनै सकारात्मक थियो। आजको प्रतिनिधि टोलीमा श्रीमती किरण सेवा, अरुण दास, बिनोद घले, निरज रावत, रुस्तम छेत्री, डि० के० प्रधान, लोप्सँग लामा, एन्ड्रु गुरुङ, सघन मोक्तान आदी उपस्थित थिए।
सघन मोक्तान
अध्य्क्ष
गोर्खा फाउनडेशन
नयाँ दिल्ली

Via  Gorkha Foundation

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Gorkha Students Orientation and GYASA public meeting in Delhi

9:27 PM

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GYASA FC

Report by: Sanjay and @Gautam Chhetry (DU Students)

Gorkha Youth and Students’ Association organized Orientation for New Students and Delhi/NCR Gorkha meeting at Gorkha Welfare Center, New Delhi today. Students from different colleges, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and eminent personalities from Delhi/NCR attend the event.
Opening the session, Dinesh Sharma social activist and founder member of GYASA introduced the history, objectives and activities of the association. Explaining the idea of the initiative he says “we don’t aspire to be an NGO claiming to do this and that for the community, but will make sure that the aspirations of the youths and the ordinary people are heard across social and political circle, when pursuing issues related to the welfare and betterment of the community.”

The event was divided into two sessions – ‘orientation for new students’ and ‘general discussion on issues facing Gorkha community in Delhi/NCR’.

Gorkha Students Orientation and GYASA public meeting in Delhi

SESSION I:
Adarsh Chhetry, Joint Secretary of NorthEast Students Society (NESS), Motilal Nehru College extended a warm welcome to the new students while motivating them to excel in their academic career. He emphasized on the importance of participating in various extracurricular activities and representing the community in every social-cultural aspect of college life. Sharing his own experiences, Aadarsh says “We are like sponges, and there is nothing different in any colleges; it depends on each student how much one can absorb from the teaching.”

Colonel (Retd) Sukul Pradhan then introduced Gorkha Football Club, a registered football society in Delhi. Col. Pradhan is a quiet activist who had raised and educated over 36 students from less privileged background in Bijanbari, Darjeeling. Starting his speech with “Moh ta Nepali ma baat garchu”, Col Pradhan emphasized on the need to build up confidence of the community. While lamenting the hesitation of many youngster in calling themselves Gorkha in public, Col. Pradhan shared his personal experience when he was asked to wash a car washer by his immediate neighbour thinking him to be another low wage labourer. After washing his neighbour’s car, Col Pradhan politely explains his neighbour how every honest job and sincere hard-working should never be looked down upon.

Urging everyone in the audience to help and support Gorkha Football Club, Col Pradhan said that “the idea of GFC is to connect to the community and youth through sports. We all love watching football and spending time with our friends and family doing something nice and positive. Let us all make every GFC match a Gorkha ‘mela’ in the coming days.”

The first session ended with an introduction of new students and address by Tshering Lepcha from JNU, who encouraged students to aspire big and extended all help from the senior Gorkha students from the prestigious university.

Session II
Shri Prem Prasad Sharma and Gopal Koirala of All Assam Gorkha Students Union (AAGSU-Delhi Leaders) opened the session by introducing the various issues facing the Gorkha community. They highlighted on the urgent need for all of us to collaborate as a community and come together for any emergency and urgent situation. Gopal Koirala emphasized the importance of Delhi Police for North East initiative and called upon everyone to work with the team at #1093 for assistance during emergencies.

Renowned social worker and poet Shri Uttam Kumar Chhettri lauded the efforts of GYASA in confidence building and slowing winning the trust of the community. “Sadly, there are still people in our community who hesitate to call themselves Gorkhas in public, or speak Nepali. Unless we speak our language, who else will? Unless we ourselves love and be proud to be Gorkha, who else will, Let us inculcate the spirit of being a proud Gorkha”, he added. Through his experience with Indian Red Cross, Uttam Chhetry also gave an overview of the mechanism behind donating and receiving blood. Requirements for blood being one of the most constant issues, he suggested that rather than donating individually, we must collective donate under the name of a community or organization, so that the blood banks can issue blood on the recommendation of the organization during any emergency.
Ramesh Singh Thakuri, eminent theatre personality, Ex-President and CEO of Dominos Pizza (India) and the son of Gorkha legend Capt. Ram Singh Thakuri mesmerized the audience with his motivational and inspirational address. “We should be confident about ourselves and never be bogged down under any circumstances. Learn good Hindi and English, and respond to the other person in the same language that they speak to you. Don’t be afraid and look into their eyes when you talk” he said. Citing his own example he says “My nickname in school was Chinku, but that didn’t bother me. I was a proud Chinky and I carried that attitude. I always respected the person before me, and that person would automatically respect me in return, without having to ask for it.” He called upon every youth to pursue their interest and not be bothered about parental or peer pressures, “but make sure you at least have a graduate degree because you may need a back-up anytime.”

Prem Chhetri, lawyer and advocate in Supreme Court while welcoming the initiatives by GYASA also focused on the need to distribute responsibilities and work with co-ordination for larger public issues. “We have too many issues to be handled by a single team – social, cultural, political, migration issues, pursuing government welfare benefits, reservations, and many more. A single team thinking about all these issues will burnout the activist on the ground. As a community, we must come forward and discuss how we can distribute responsibilities to various organizations. With a central team to coordinate and monitor the overall progresses, distribution of responsibilities will bring a proper structure and focus to our efforts.” Mr Chhetri also pointed out the as a community, we have been presenting a very confused public perception. “Organizations and individuals should stop representing the community without due consultation with all stakeholders. We must prioritize what we want - SC, ST, or OBC, but there should a consensus on the issues.”

“Today we have IGP Robin Hibu, IPS who is working tirelessly for the benefit of the entire region. What happens tomorrow if Robin sir is transferred or retires? Is it back to square one then? We must bring together all our police officials, bureaucrats, legal experts, and ‘grounded’ intellectuals on a common platform where we can discuss issues that are relevant to the community. This should be the think-tank that should determine what we should do and how, not people with hidden agendas and dubious standings,” Prem Chhetri added.

Adding to the discussion, Rajen Chhetry of GYASA asked “why a team of 4-5 members go about meeting ministers and officials and claim to represent the community?” He asked the audience if anyone of them were informed or consulted about the issues being raised in the memorandum because “seeing their reports on media and facebook, they seem to be claiming they are community representatives. Which community are they representing? Have they discussed about any community issue in a public gathering, outside of Facebook?”

Rajen Chhetry also pointed out the insensitivity of these so called leader and ‘apex organizations’ regarding issues of the North East, and Gorkha settled outside Sikkim and Gorkhaland regions. “While they go about taking names of Gorkhas across India, they don’t even seem to know the ground realities and local issues facing the community in different states.” Warning against any such moves by individuals and organization, Rajen added “Don’t think you can hoodwink and fool the people anymore. Gone are the days when the job of the public was only to clap; we have started questioning now and they don’t like it.”

The event ended with scholarship announcement for meritorious students by Haamro Swabhimaan representatives. Detailing the criteria and subjects for which scholarships are on offer, Mohan Karki, Yog Guru called upon parents and students to reach out to the organization for any such requirements. This was followed by an open forum where people asked questions and clarifications form the presenters.

GYASA would like to extend sincere gratitude to Gorkha Welfare Center Administrator and Manager Jolen Gurung for letting us use the premise for the event. We also like to thank Dipendra Basnet, good samaritan and Gorkha FC mentor, and Major Deepak Bista, NSG for financially helping us for the event. Mothers’ Group (Delhi), World Gorkha Foundation Trust, sister of legendary footballer Shyam Thapa, Gorkha FC boys, JNU community, and students for making this event a success. A big shout out to senior students for such a warm welcome to the new students. We wish you all the best.

Via GYASA

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Working together to save a Gorkha brother injured in an accident in Delhi

7:02 PM

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GYASA

25th June 2016 Delhi: Raju Chetry (24 years), a Gorkha brother from Duliajan, Assam defeated the death after getting extremely injured in a road accident in South Delhi.

Words are not enough to explain the smile that I have seen in his face today, though the wound is still profound and painful. It reminded me a quote from Dalai Lama and I quote “When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us to develop inner happiness and peace”.

Today is the fourth day since the fateful night of 20th June, when the tragic road accident almost taken his life. God was kind enough to send IGP Robin Hibu (IPS), the Messiah in this case whose timely action and intervention make the positive difference. All Assam Gorkha Student Union (AAGSU) Delhi Unit has been constantly trying our best to provide all possible help and assistance whatever we can do with our limited resources. It is a huge encouragement and inspiration for us when we see people coming from different parts of the country extending a helping hand in this case. A special thanks to our Gorkha brothers and sisters from Delhi (Ms Rebecca Rai – Delhi Police For North East Representative (DPNER – Darjeeling), Mr Rajen Chetry (2) – DPNER – Manipur, Mr Rajen Chetry (1) – Gorkha Youth and Student Association (GYASA), Mr Sunil Tamang – Delhi Police for whole heartedly supporting and standing with us in the hour of need. It will take enough time to fully recover and heal the wound physically but our support and prayers will give him strength to overcome this darkest period of his life. A much needed support, prayer, encouragement, motivation is the need of the hour to keep his spirit high.

Following are some of the Photos from the hospital

We are very much thankful to the people who have generously contributed towards the treatment of Mr Raju Chetry and would like to update you all their name and contributions, as a gesture to acknowledge their contributions.

1. AAGSU Delhi Unit - 5500
(Gopal Koirala – 1000/-)
(P P Sharma – 1000)
(Amit Sharma – 1000)
(Keshab Tamang – 1000)
(Pratap Limboo – 500)
(Sibu Konwar – 500)
(Rahul Adhikari – 500) Delhi
2 IGP Robin Hibu IPS Delhi 5000
3 Mr Rajen Chetry (2) Delhi 500
4 Ms Ranjana Rai Hyderabad 2000
5 Mr Bhushan Rai Darjeeling 1000
6 Mr Vikash Chetry Assam 300
7 Mr S Sherpa Darjeeling 1000
8 Ms Rebecca Rai Delhi 500
9 Mr Sunil Tamang Delhi Police 500
10 Mr Mohan Rizal Assam 500
11 Mr Bishnu Karki Arunachal Pradesh 10000
12 Mr Yogsem Lama Darjeeling 1100
13 Mr Hiralal & Mrs Manju Sharma Assam 2000
14 Mr Vijay Rai Chamling Sikkim 10000
15 Ms Srijana Rai Darjeeling 2000
16 Mr Sanjeev Kr (SHO Fatehpur Beri) Delhi Police 5000
17 Mr Prem Kr Limboo Assam 1000
18 Mr Mukund Upadhyaya & Mr Varun Adhikari JNU Student 1000
19 Mr AIT Limboo 1000
Total Amount received 49900/-

We All Assam Gorkha Student Union (AAGSU) humbly request all the well wishers, brothers, and sisters to generously contribute whatever amount you can for the treatment of our brother Raju Chetry. You can deposit the amount in the following account:

Account Holder Name: Prem Prasad Sharma
Bank Name: Axis Bank
A/C No: 913010049307931
IFSC Code: UTIB0001129
Branch: Duliajan, Assam

(Note: Mr Prem Prasad Sharma is President of AAGSU Delhi Unit)
“Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that”.
~ Norman Vincent Peale

Thank you!
Gopal Koirala
Publicity Secretary – AAGSU Delhi Unit
gkinstyle@gmail.com

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Gorkha Students JNU protests discriminatory citizenship policies of Assam Government (NRC)

8:49 AM

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northeast gorkhas

23rd June 2016 JNU Delhi Gorkha Students JNU brought up a poster on 23rd June in the campus protesting against highly exclusionary and discriminatory citizenship policies of Assam government.

"Given the recent history of exodus of Gorkhas from different North Eastern states, Bhutan and Burma, the current threat emanating from Assam and Manipur is highly credible and too large to ignore. Even under such threat the calculated silence maintained by political leaders claiming to represent ‘Gorkha cause’ are highly shameful and smacks of their opportunism. Why the loud chorus of praises made by Indian political establishment of bravery and the sacrifices made by Gorkha soldiers protecting this country somewhat transforms into morbid.

And indifference when that community is brazenly discriminated and vilified in public sphere. It is such numerous instances of political discrimination and exclusion which consolidates and justifies the demand for separate state of Gorkhaland." said Dawa Sherpa.

Gorkha Students JNU 

The Poster

Reject the exclusionary and divisive policies of ‘them’ and ‘us’ in Assam

“When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty!”- Thomas Jefferson

The wicked hands of majoritarian chauvinism have always tried to squeeze the identity and existence of marginalized communities through its clever tactic of othering and isolating people. History have witnessed, whenever such tendencies of racial and linguistic hatred have been unleashed it has brought misery to the weaker nations and unending guilt to those who practice it. But it seems humanity do not learn from history and so it repeat its mistakes time after time in all possible spaces on earth. Such an act of majoritarian exclusionary and divisive policies is manifested in the form of a National Registration Certificate in Assam, which identifies the Gorkhas and the Muslims as ‘outsiders’ in the NRC forms thus preparing them to be excluded from their rights in their own homeland. The NRC earlier had fixed the base year as 1951 as per which anybody who was enumerated in the NRC of 1951 and the electoral list of 1951 shall be declared as original inhabitant (OI) of Assam. But under recent specific government notification, the Gorkhas and Muslims are excluded from the category of OI in the NRC forms even though they had all the official documents proving their name enrolled in the NRC of 1951. Many British official documents(like by Krishna Ram Medhi, Sub Deputy Collector, Samuguri in 1937 and Deputy Commissioner of Darrang in 1937) shows that Gorkhas were living in Assam for about century with perfect harmony with the indigenous population. But situation changed after the beginning of Assam Movement in 1980s, when the Gorkhas, Muslims and some other linguistic and religious minorities were perceived by locals as cause of their underdevelopment and treat to their identity and opportunity. They were arbitrarily labeled as ‘immigrants’ who come to rob jobs and lands from the natives and some of them are labeled more brutally as ‘illegal migrants’. The irony is that even those people whose ancestors came during the British times and who have settled considering Assam as their home are branded as immigrants in popular culture. They are treated as undesirables in the society, thus ghettoizing and putting them under the lenses of suspicion always. The level of hatred towards these communities has always been at a high degree in Assam since many decades. The abhorrence spread by the Assam Movement in name of fighting against “foreigner” may be unseen by the majoritarian value system but to the minorities it was a propaganda specifically designed to put the Assamese society in illusion and prey of a false belief that hating specific communities could bring peace and development to them. Such hate propaganda was also seen in Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland in the late 80’s when thousands of Gorkhas were forced to leave their homes and many even died in some unwelcomed ethnic conflicts. All the people of Assam need is hope in the midst of multi-cultaralism where societies interact together in harmony as equal socio-political beings. The Gorkhas of Assam have always been in peaceful coexistence within the larger Assamese society. It even went to the extent of changing its very identity to ‘Assameli Nepali’( Gorkhas of Assam) and trying to intermix Gorkha culture with Assamese and other indigenous culture through various forms of socialisation like marriages, celebrations of indigenous festivals together and respecting the cultural values of everyone. On the contrary, it seems that a few anti-social majoritarian chauvinists do not want peaceful coexistence and want to divide society in name of language, ethnicity and religion. They want hatred to be spread everywhere so that they can divide people into ‘us’ and ‘them’ and rule everyone through the medium of fear and ignorance. Such brazen principles of exclusion and hatred are not only experimented in Assam but similar acts are peeping through the window to terrorize minority communities in Manipur in from of three new bills. Given the recent history of exodus of Gorkhas from different North Eastern states, Bhutan and Burma, the current threat emanating from Assam and Manipur is highly credible and too large to ignore. Even under such threat the calculated silence maintained by political leaders claiming to represent ‘Gorkha cause’ are highly shameful and smacks of their opportunism. Why the loud chorus of praises made by Indian political establishment of bravery and the sacrifices made by Gorkha soldiers protecting this country somewhat transforms into morbid silence and indifference when that community is brazenly discriminated and vilified in public sphere. It is such numerous instances of political discrimination and exclusion which consolidates and justifies the demand for separate state of Gorkhaland.
 
We condemn and reject such exclusionary and divisive policies which are pitted against linguistic and religious minority communities and demand immediate revocation of such discriminatory rules/bills from Assam and Manipur. Let us unite and fight against such majoritarian injustice!

 GORKHA STUDENTS, JNU

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Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh statement on meeting with Dr Jitendra Singh

5:35 PM

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schedule tribe

STATEMENT OF THE BHARATIYA GORKHA PARISANGH REGARDING THE MEETING IT HAD WITH DONER MINISTER DR JITENDRA SINGH

With reference to the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh’s meeting with Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Development of Northeast Region (DONER), and the reports on the meeting as carried by various national newspapers, including The Hindustan Times of News Delhi, The Hindu of Chennai and The Tribune of Chandigarh, certain erroneous and mischievous views are being circulated regarding the objectives of the Parisangh’s meeting. We are clarifying some points here.

1. The granting of Schedule Tribe status is state-specific. (According to the Union Tribal Ministry website: “The list of Scheduled Tribes is State/UT specific and a community declared as a Scheduled Tribe in a State need not be so in another State/UT.” http://tribal.nic.in/Con.../IntroductionScheduledTribes.aspx )

Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh logo

This clearly means that the demand for ST status in by the Sikkim Chief Minister and by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha will pertain only to Gorkhas in Sikkim and West Bengal, and will not automatically extend to Gorkhas living in other states of India. Therefore, to infer that Parisangh’s meeting with Dr Jitendra Singh jeopardizes the move to have ST status for Gorkhas across India ignores these constitutional provisions and is based on ill understanding of such provisions. Any suggestion that Parisangh is being used to throw a spanner in the demands arising out of Sikkim and Darjeeling is erroneous, malicious and ill-conceived.

2. The demand for OBC status for Gorkhas in the Northeast is entirely in the context of the Parisangh’s meeting with the DONER minister and not any other Union ministry. When ST status for Gorkhas in Northeast states was broached to the minister, Dr Jitendra Singh said there were pending issues about OBC status for Gorkhas in these states. The Parisangh said that the demand for OBC was an old one, and it wanted ST status for Gorkhas there. However, since the issues discussed pertained only to Gorkhas in the Northeast and not to Gorkhas in general across India, the Parisangh told the minister that it knew that because the entire Northeast region was a complex interplay of tribal affiliations, various state governments and the policymakers of the Northeast were reluctant to accord TRIBAL STATUS to Gorkhas. An example is Mizoram, where the Home Department has suggest OBC status for the Gorkhas, but the state cabinet has been reluctant to accord even OBC status, deciding instead to hold a new census of Gorkhas in the state. Since ST status may not be forthcoming for some time, the best alternative for Gorkhas to derive policy benefits in the region is through recognition as OBC.

3. Even OBC status is state-specific. Gorkhas, for instance, are OBCs in Uttarakhand but their OBC status does not confer similar status to Gorkhas in other Indian States nor to all Gorkhas at the Central level. The Parisangh, in its meeting with Dr Jitendra Singh, requested that he use his influence to have the Central Government extend the OBC status, in addition to ST/SC, given to Gorkhas in certain Northeast and other Indian states to the Central level, so that Gorkhas can still derive economic and development benefits of the Central Government.

4. The letter of the Parisangh, attached with this statement, to Union Tribal Welfare Minister Jual Oram clearly proves that the only pan-India social organization of the Gorkhas wants Scheduled Tribe status for all categories of Gorkhas across India. In fact, a resolution passed in the 3rd Mahaadhiveshan of the Parisangh in 2012 called for the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh to contact the authorities to confer special category statuses, including Schedule Tribes, Schedule Caste and OBC, wherever best applicable so that the Gorkhas are not left out of the development processes of the various states in which they are resident. The Parisangh is committed to ensuring that Gorkhas across India has access to whatever benefits the Constitution can accord under various provisions, whether they by ST, SC, OBC or other social categorizations.

5. It is a journalistic practice to contact the person/persons/organization about whom the journalist is writing something. When office bearers are unavailable to clarify points that may seem inadequate, the article normally mentions the fact that no one answered the journalist’s queries. It is, therefore, against journalistic practices to assume and infer malicious motives without having tried to ascertain the facts from the organization named. No one bothered to contact the Parisangh office bearers to seek their clarification, so the Parisangh rejects such articles as individual fantasies and biased opinions.

Sukhman Moktan
President, Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh.

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GORKHAS CHANT PEACE AT PEOPLE'S CONVENTION, DELHI

8:08 PM

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Manipuri Gorkhas

PRESS RELEASE: Manipur Gorkha Society, Delhi

MANIPUR GORKHAS CHANT PEACE AT PEOPLE'S CONVENTION, DELHI

11th June, 2016: A delegation of Manipur Gorkha Society, Delhi attended the trust building day-long People’s Convention for A United Manipur People's Forum for Hills and Valley Peace and Reconciliation Dialogue at the Deputy Speakers Hall, Constitution Club, New Delhi today.

Concerned citizens and eminent personalities from Manipur and outside including Harsh Mander, Director of the centre for Equity studies, Dr Anuradha Chenoy, Dean, JNU SIS, Mr David Boyes, Founder-Member, Northeast India Forum Against Racism, Dr Alana Golmei, General Secretary, Northeast Support Centre & helpline, Mrs Rose Mangshi Haokip, President, Kuki Women's Union, Mrs Sitara Begum, Muslim Woman Leader, Mr Lakpachui Siro, Co-founder of FUNICH (Forum for understanding the Naga-India conflict and human rights), Mr Babloo Loitongbam, Director, Human Rights Alert, Ms Lianboi Vaiphei, IP College, Delhi (TBC), Mrs Lucy Jajo, Conflict Widow, Ukhrul, Manipur, Mr Amit Luwang, Mr Jenil, Social Warriors, Mr Ghanashyam Moirangcha, Mr Nido Patra, Arunachal Pradesh, different student leaders.

Representatives of the Manipur Gorkha community Rajen Chhetry

The convention was initiated by a team of social activists and volunteers including Ms Binalakshmi Nepram, Founder, Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network/Northeast India women initiative for peace.

In a full-day discussion, various speakers cutting across ethnic tribes and communities, discussed on various aspects of the ILP stand-off the Valley people of Manipur and the Hills tribe.

While some speakers pointed out the structural flaws in the legislation, others expressed their concern at the “mass” agitation, because almost 90 percent of the mass don’t seem to understand what exactly the legislation means. Some speakers called it a ‘manufactured crisis’ and some addressed the urgent need for all stakeholders to sit down and discuss, before it creates further rift in the society.

With a very interactive and positive note of discussions, the convention also expressed concerns that the never ending agitations that threatens to engulf the state one after another, can also be part of a larger ploy to keep the public away from talking about Development and Accountability. Appealing to the students to stay focused on their studies, the gathering also requested that schools students, medical and emergency services should be kept away from any such public blockades and bandhs.

Intellectuals and leaders from other NorthEast regions, bureaucrats and senior government officials also participated in the daylong discussion. Representatives of the Manipur Gorkha community was led by Rajen Chhetry, Sangeeta Pradhan, Gautam Chhetry, and Dinesh Sharma.

In an open-forum panel discussion various speakers including activists, intellectuals, community elders, mothers, youths and students speakers cutting across tribe and communities while agreeing on the need for a law to protect social political demography of the ethnic minorities,

Representing the voice of the marginalized communities in the ongoing agitation, Rajen Chhetry, social activist and youth leader from Manipur started by saying that his voice represents the “fears and concerns gripping thousands of marginalized communities, who are extremely vulnerable and are often at the receiving end.”
Highlighting the plight of the Gorkha community living in Manipur, Rajen Chhtery said, “Not just in Manipur, the Gorkhas have been the favourite punching-bag for any nativity propaganda across the North East. In the 1980s, thousands were forcefully evicted from Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and across the NE region and we still live without acceptance from the state government.”

He added “As a marginalized community, we have never enjoyed any welfare benefits or priviledges of a government. After 30 year of living my life, and with an ancestral heritage of over 200 years, I am still called an “outsider” and a “foreigner” in my own Motherland.”!!!. "It Pains" he added.

The Gorkhas have also been an equal contributor in the making of Modern Manipur. The community that came along with Maharaja Gambhir Singh’s troop and British army in 1824 played an important role in liberating Manipur from the Burmese in in Manipur after the Chahi Taret Kumbaba (Seven years Devastation). We had patriots like Subedar Niranjan Chhetry who sacrificed his life fighting for the native Prince Yubraj Tikendrajit, against the British.”

Appealing for peace and requesting introspection from all quarters, Rajen added “While I am not an expert in law or an intellectual who understand what is right or wrong. But as a youth of the state, I also believe there is a better way of address this real problem that affects us all equally.”

As was expected of every speakers to provide inputs for the solution of the vexed issue, Chhetry added, “As we are headed for a new beginning after such a historic event, this offers us a unique opportunity to resolve the crisis in the most satisfactory manner. While we step onto a new beginning, a modern state calls for “Inclusive Governance where the marginalized minorities are protected, and their rights safeguarded as per national and international laws. It is also equally important to recognize the contribution and existence of even the smallest section of the population, in the process of nation-building.”

Ending his speech with a call for peace, Rajen added “I am from Manipur and a Gorkha. I am proud to be from the North-East India, and from the land called the ‘Jewel of India’."

Via GYASA

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