Commemorating the spirit of struggle on 25th Nepali Bhasa Manyata Diwas - Gorkha Students, JNU

10:35 AM

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Nepali Bhasha Diwas

It was a new dawn for the Gorkhas of India when their language, Nepali was given a constitutional status on the 20th day of August 1992. This day commemorates the struggle of those visionary and revolutionary Gorkhas who had fought to provide Nepali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, thereby fulfilling the aspirations of millions of Gorkhas living in different states of India.  Nepali as an official language is spoken in the Indian state of Sikkim, Gorkhaland and it has many speakers in the North-East region of India and Uttarakhand. There are also a lot of Nepali speakers in countries like Bhutan and Burmaand a Nepali speaking diaspora lives in different countries of South Asia, Middle east, Europe, the Americas, Australia and other parts of Asia. Nepali generally falls under the category of Pahari language branched out of the Indo-Aryan language family, thus sharing a commonality with languages of the Himalayan belt. Its history like any other language is rooted deep in time and the story of its struggle is the story of the Gorkhas in India. The recognition of Nepali language in the constitution is not merely a victory but a stepping stone towards the formation a separate state for the Gorkhas of India.

Nepali Bhasa Manyata Diwas celebrated by Gorkha Students, JNU -2015 a file photo

Although Nepali language has been given recognition by the Indian constitution but whether in practice, it has been able to breed properly in the sub-continent is a big question in itself. It is a sad reality that the West Bengal government has always alienated Nepali language by its power of hegemony and linguistic imposition on the people of the Gorkhaland. Such linguistic imposition is exercised by many clever bureaucratic and cultural tactics which includes forcing the people of Gorkhaland to learn a language(Bengali) which has always been alien to them, denying skilled jobs to Nepali speakers in government offices, changing names of places (roads, streets etc ) that were once in Nepali and introducing the Bengali script to write Nepali .Such is the atrocity meted out to people where Nepali language is an official language. In places where it is not, conditions are even more worse where the majoritarian attitude even denies to recognize the importance of Nepali language or its speakers in their hegemonic paradigm. When many other indigenous language has its healthy space to breed and grow, Nepali language in India is in the verge of endangerment. Even in the most progressive campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University which claims to protect the rights of the history and culture of the oppressed, there is no centre for the learning of Nepali language. The question should be raised as Why a language which is spoken by millions of people in India still do not have a place in JNU or many other big universities in India? It is an irony that a scheduled language in the Indian constitution is facing an act of discrimination and isolation. We have always known that India is a diverse country with many cultures interacting together in peace but such peace seems to exist in fairy tales in school textbooks. In practice it is a majoritarian communal attitude which is spreading its obnoxious tentacles to succumb the rights of the minorities and other oppressed communities. This linguistic and racial discrimination that the Gorkhas face is not a new event. This community has been ignored for centuries and has been recognized only as pawns in battlefields and yet the eyes of the so called progressive forces that fight for all never care to give a look at our plight. Thus, a separate state for the Gorkhas becomes obvious and inevitable in order to protect and preserve the rights of the community by its people so that they do not fell prey to any majoritarian attacks in the future.

Gorkha Students, JNU salutes all revolutionaries who had struggled for their cultural and linguistic identity in the past and whoever are doing so in the present. We demand that the rights of the oppressed communities and nationalities be ensured thereby bringing an end to the majoritarian tyranny in any form anywhere. Please join in large numbers for a public meeting on the history and struggle of the constitutional recognition of Nepali language in India.

Speaker:  Prof. Shrawan Acharya, CSRD, JNU
Venue: Godavari Mess, Time: 9:30 PM
GORKHA STUDENTS, JNU

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Nepali Bhasa Manyata Diwas celebrated by Gorkha Students, JNU

6:07 PM

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Nepali Bhasha Diwas

Nepali Bhasa Manyata Diwas historically celebrated in Jawaharlal Nehru University  

Writes Dawa Sherpa

Nepali music and poetry wafted for the first time in the hallowed halls of Jawaharlal Nehru University. The programme celebrating the 24th Nepali Bhasa Manyata Diwas organised by Gorkha Students (JNU) at School of Social Science- 1, Auditorium on 20th August, 2015 saw huge participation of not just Nepali speaking students but also other students of the University. The main speakers in the programme were Mr. Uttam Kumar Chettri and Dr. Saroj Giri (Political Science, University of Delhi).

The program started with group song titled “Yo desh ko mato le bhancha”. After which Dawa Sherpa who on behalf of Gorkha Students in his welcome address argued that the recognition and inclusion of Nepali language in Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution was a major step forward in the struggle of the Gorkhas in India to demolish the arguments/doubts which were trying to obstruct and eliminate the aspirations for a separate state of Gorkhaland. He said that despite getting constitutional recognition, the unbroken chain of exploitative moves of West Bengal Government against the Gorkha community based on its linguistic identity has not changed rather worsened overtime.  He argued how the Nepali language is still not included as an optional language paper in the West Bengal Civil Service Examination (WBCS) for years without giving any explanation, while all other optional language/subjects like Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit, Santhal and even Pali are included.
The first speaker of the programme, Mr. Uttam Kumar Chettri who had played an important role during the Bhasa Andolan and was also the Convenor of All India Nepali Bhasa Ekta Samiti during that time relived his personal experiences. In his speech, he gave the social-political context under which this movement emerged and gave exhaustive historical details related with the Bhasa Andolan in India. He argued that Gorkhas has faced immense amount of racial and political discrimination at the hand of the Indian government and that the Gorkhas need to unite and assert themselves politically to get rid of these exploitations. Palzor Tamang also enthralled the audience with the song "gazalu le'

The second speaker Dr. Saroj Giri spoke about need for space of dissent and disagreement in our Nepali society and how they are the soul of any democratic society. He said how any movement of oppressed community should have that space for self reflection for giving democratic soul to any such movement. He told the audience how before fighting larger external battle there is a need for a critical evaluation of internal exploitation within our community.

A cultural program followed the talk. Members of Gorkha Students, Pritika and Bhawana sang ‘baneko cha pahara le’ to a glorious applause. This was followed by poetry elocution/ recitation starting with Ishani Waiba who recited jaha mah ubchu tehi mero desh by Gopal Yonzom followed by Marina Rai who recited brahm ko pahar by Raja Puniyani and Bibas Sewa who recited his own poem call Chinnari. Followed by a mesmerizing group dance by Priyanka Chettri, Bhawana Khati and Ishani Waiba. In the end Gorkha Students members sang Gau Gau Bata Utha.

The entire programme was in Nepali and conducted by Barun Adhikary and vote of thanks was given by Bijay Thapa. The programme was attended by more than 200 hundred students of different communities.

-Gorkha Students, JNU

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Kursrong Gorkha Jan Pustakalay (GJP) call to promote Nepali language

1:58 PM

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Nepali Bhasha Diwas

Kurseong, | 21 August, 2015: Residents of Kurseong observed the 23rd Nepali Bhansa Diwas on Thursday, under the banner of Gorkha Jan Pustakalay (GJP).

Like every year, this year too, GJP hosted and observed Nepali Bhasha Diwas in Kurseong, organizing a rally in Kurseong town, where a large number of students from different schools and people from all walks of life including GTA members Yogendra Rai and Prabha Chettri participated. During the rally, the students carried different placards with slogans on ‘emphasizing and promoting the Nepali language.'

After the rally, a program was staged at GJP, in which, the speakers of the program emphasized on the proper implementation of the Nepali language.

The president of GJP, Robin Pradhan said that the Nepali language has already been recognized and given a place in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India, but still, it is yet to be implemented and promoted fully by the government. He added that since the recognition of the Nepali language on 20 August 1992, the GJP have been observing the day.

GTA member from Kurseong, Yogendra Rai said that to promote the Nepali language, the GTA chief, Bimal Gurung has already announced ‘Nepali language’ as the official language of the GTA. He added that they feel that the Nepali language which was recognised in 1992, will help and play an important role to create a separate state of Gorkhaland.

Chief guest of the program, Buddhiman Pradhan, who is also one of the leaders of the ‘Nepali Language’ agitation, said that to promote the Nepali language, the Sikkim Government used to organize a special program every three years, in which, they felicitated and gave rewards to the institutions and individuals, who have been working and organizing ‘different’ programmes for the promotion of the Nepali language. Hence, to promote the language, the GTA should also organize such programs, he added. SNS

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Bimal Gurung rakes up Gorkhaland demand on 23rd Bhasa Diwas

12:30 PM

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Politics

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung on Thursday said he trusted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was hopeful that the popular demand for a separate Gorkhaland state would be achieved soon under the BJP’s rule. Speaking on the occasion of the 23rd Bhasa Diwas in Darjeeling organised by the Gorkha Janmukti Yuwa Morcha (GJYM), the party’s youth front, Gurung said, “The BJP included our statehood demand in its election manifesto both in 2009 and 2014. The Prime Minister has even said that the dreams of the Gorkhas are his dreams. I am 110 per cent sure that he (Modi) will keep the promise he made prior to the 2014 Lok Sabha election.” In the same breath, Gurung also tried to clarify the hasty statement he had made saying “a separate state would be achieved by 2010 or I would kill myself”, which has become the Opposition’s ace card to throw at the GJM. “I was made to say that because of reasons that were favourable for us. In 2009, Jaswant Singh of the BJP became the Darjeeling MP and hopes were high that the saffron party would come to power in Delhi, but unfortunately this did not materialise. The BJP had also mentioned the Gorkhaland demand in the party’s election manifesto,” the GJM

Bimal Gurung Speaking on the occasion of the 23rd Bhasa Diwas in Darjeeling organised by he
Gorkha Janmukti Yuwa Morcha (GJYM)

Gurung asserted he has not lost hope and that a separate state would be achieved soon. “We have helped give the BJP and MP from Darjeeling once again and our demand has figured in their manifesto. We will soon celebrate the Bhasa Diwas in a Gorkhaland state,” he said. On August 20, 1992, the Nepali language was officially recognized under the 8th Schedule of the Constitution after a prolonged struggle. The GJM chief also reiterated that good relations should be maintained with the state government to usher in development of the hills. “We made a mistake by asking Bengal for a separate state as it is not capable of giving us anything. However, we need to keep developing the hills and this is why we should keep good relations with the state government,” he said. Gurung, who is the chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, also had a word of advice for the youths of the hills and asked them to prepare themselves for the future. “The GTA is only a test for us to see how well we can administer our region. We have learned a lot by now and the youths must be ready now because it will not be long before we achieve our demand. Should we hire IAS and IPS officers from outside to run our state?” he said to thunderous applause from the crowd. During the course of the day, Gurung handed out Rs68 lakh as compensation to the families of the June landslide victims and an additional sum of Rs50,000 each to two students for their higher studies. After the June landslide that

claimed 34 lives in different places of the hills, the GTA had promised to provide Rs2 lakh each to the victims’ kin, an amount in addition to the compensation promised by the state and central governments.

Source EOI

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Amir Sundas sculpts unique statute of Bhanu Bhakta Acharya at Milan More

10:16 AM

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Siliguri

Amir Sundas is the man behind the unique statute of poet  Nepali poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya in a sitting posture installed at Milan More Siliguri. Amir is multi-talented and in addition to sculpting he is also deft at painting, music and other art forms.

Amir Sundas seen in action - PIC via TheDC

Amir Sundas from Bagrakote in Dooars is the artist who designed and sculpt the unique statute of Bhanu Bhakta Acharya in sitting position that was unveiled at Milan More Siliguri on the 23rd Nepali Bhasha Diwas , the day when the Nepali language got recognition by the Constitution.

The statue made in a sitting position on stone with verses of the Ramayana engraved is the first one in Bengal and l cost around Rs 3 lakhs.

With inputs from TheDC

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Siliguri Gorkha Manch to Prioritize Nepali Language

9:38 AM

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Siliguri Gorkha Manch (SGM)

On 23rd Nepali Bhasha Diwas SGM held a meeting just to celebrate the auspicious occasion and the meeting was chaired by Smt Sudha Passi.

Siliguri Gorkha Manch to Prioritize Nepali Language

The General Secretary Shri Suren Pradhan welcomed the members and wished them a very happy Bhasha Diwas and placed the agenda which was already passed to them. After a hot discussion the following resolutions were unanimously adopted.

1. From today onwards SGM will make all correspondence in Nepali language, no use of other language.

2. All text books of Nepali medium schools have numerous spelling mistakes and delay in supply for this reason SGM shall write to the concerned authority and will ensure that no spelling mistake in text books and timely supply of books

. 3. Once Nepali language has been recognized by the Indian constitution it should be adopted as official language not only in three hill sub divisions of Darjeeling but in SiliguriTerai and that all forms be printed in Nepali - eg voter card, ration cards, Aadhar card and all other forms should also be printed in Nepali Language too.

SGM has stated that they will start correspondence immediately with the concerned authority for implementation of the above. 

SGM saluted the agitators who were directly or indirectly involved in the Bhasha andolan. SGM will immediately submit a memorandum to D.M Darjeeling and all concerned authority very soon.

Via TheDC

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Fighting with state for Gorkhaland was a "mistake" - Bimal Gurung

9:26 AM

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West Bengal

Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, Aug. 20: Bimal Gurung today, 23rd Nepali Bhasha Diwas, said fighting with the state government over the Gorkhaland demand was a "mistake" as a separate state can be achieved only through the Centre.

Bimal Gurung at Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan on Thursday. Picture by Suman Tamang

While addressing a programme organised by the Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha to celebrate Bhasa Divas, Gurung said: "We were fighting with the Bengal government and this was a mistake because even if Bengal wants, it cannot give Gorkhaland. Statehood can be given only by the Centre and I am 110 per cent confident that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will live up to his words."

At a public meeting in Siliguri on April 10, Modi had said; "The dream of the Gorkhas is my dream."

Gurung also spoke about the need to maintain peace in the hills. "There must be peace in the hills. Our party, since its inception (in 2007), has always talked about the need for peace. There was lot of bloodshed in Nagaland, but ultimately, they had to come to the negotiating table," he said.

During the last phase of agitation in 2013, nearly 1,000 Morcha supporters were arrested, including senior leaders.

"Right now, tourists are coming to Darjeeling hills. Funds are also flowing to the GTA. The GTA is a test of our administrative ability and very soon, we will be administering a state," Gurung said at the Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan.

The Morcha chief, who had famously said that Gorkhaland would be created by March 10, 2010, today said: "... we have not lost hope and we will not do anything that will go against our community."

Gurung said he will meet Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling in Gangtok tomorrow and not on August 23. Sources said Chamling is scheduled to leave for Delhi tomorrow.

Gurung will meet Chamling to drum up support for the inclusion of 10 Gorkha communities in the ST list.

Morcha aid
Gurung, the chief executive of GTA, today handed over cheques of Rs 2 lakh to each of the next of kin of the 34 people who died in the June landslides. The GTA has decided to give additional help of Rs 50,000 each to Vivek Rai, a Class VI student from Kalimpong, and Selushna Thapa, a first-year student from Mirik, who lost their parents in the landslides.

Source: Telegraph

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