All India Nepali Schedule Caste Association GTA Reservation Demand - Threaten Agitation

11:56 AM

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ST

Writes: Vivek Chhetri

The All India Nepali Schedule Caste Association today threatened to launch a dharna at Nabanna and a hunger strike after that if the state failed to start the process of amending the GTA Act in a month to provide seat reservation for the community in the hill body.

Today, 1,000-odd members of the association brought out a silent rally from Darjeeling railway station to Chowrasta.

They also demanded a development board for the community and a 100-point roster system on GTA job reservation.

G.N. Lomjel, general secretary of the association, said: "One of our main demands is seat reservation. We would request the state to start the process by amending the GTA Act in a month failing which, we will stage a dharna at Nabanna. After that, we might sit for an indefinite hunger strike."

There are 45 elected seats in the GTA and none of them are reserved. The community did not have any reservation in the 28 elected seats of the erstwhile Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council as well.

"Seat reservation in the GTA must reflect our community's population in the hills which now stands at 17.5 per cent. We are deprived since 1988 (when DGHC was formed)," said association president R. Thatal. "If the GTA Act is not amended within the winter session, we are thinking of boycotting the coming elections," he said without elaborating.

"Our other demands include formation of a development board for the SC community and job reservation in the GTA. We will also write to the National Schedule Caste Commission," Thatal added.

Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said: "We will raise the demand at the meeting in Calcutta tomorrow."

Source: Telegraph, Pic: Himalaya Darpan

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Central Minister Assurance on ST Status for‪ ‎Gorkhas

8:52 AM

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tribal news

‬A team of representatives from various Gorkha communities led by former Kurseong MLA Dr. Rohit Sharma met the Central Minister for Tribal Affairs Mr. J in Siliguri yesterday and placed the demand for the inclusion of the Gorkha communities in Scheduled Tribe community. The Minister Mr. Jual Oram assured the representatives that the demand will examined sympathetically.

The leading party from Darjeeling, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has been demanding the inclusion of left out Gorkha groups – Rai, Bhujel, Newar, Gurung, Mangar, Jogi, Khas, Sunuwar, Thami, Yakha (Dewan) and Dhimal as Scheduled Tribes. 

The Hon’ble Minister Mr. Jual Oram has in turn assured the representatives that the demand for inclusion as STs would be examined sympathetically and following the existing norms. 

It might be noted that under the British, all the constituents of Gorkhali community were treated as “Hill Tribes,” and thus Darjeeling and Dooars where Gorkhas are in Majority were treated as a “non-regulation district” which meant that rules and laws developed in rest of the province would not be applicable in the region, without the express agreement from the governor, however that distinction was eradicated once India gained Independence.

The attempt by various Gorkha groups to be recognized as tribal, is seen as a move to assert the Gorkha autonomy over existing Bengal government disposition. 

Via: The Darjeeling Chronicle / Darpan

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Khas intensify schedule tribe (ST) status struggle

10:13 AM

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tribal news

In an effort to intensify its struggle for schedule tribe status, the Khas Janajati Mahasangh has undertaken the task of forming unit committees in several places in Kalimpong. As part of the process the organization today formed a branch committee at Nokdara in Lava after holding a meeting at Rampuri Mandir premises here. The meeting was attended by organization’s Gorubathan president Durga Bahaduri Thakuri, Kalimpong sub-divisional committee president Mahendra Budathoki and assistant secretary Sibhu Chettri along with members of 85 Thakuri families of the region.

Khas community 

Ashok Thakuri and Bhim Bhadur Chettri have been elected to the posts of president and secretary respectively for the new unit committee. Besides forming the unit committee the meeting also discussed about organizational activities in demand of ST status for the Khas community.

Source:EOI

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