Rajiv Gandhi's Darjeeling visit during 1986 Gorkhaland agitation

9:54 AM

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Subash Ghisingh

REMEMBERING: Rajiv Gandhi

During the height of Gorkhaland andolan in 1986-88 the then Prime Minister Shri. Rajiv Gandhi had visited Darjeeling...

But that was the time when Shri. Subash Ghising's GNLF ruled the roost... and the GNLF had called for a boycott of the Prime Minister due to the atrocities meted out against us by the CRPF and other forces.

Via TheDC

Despite the protest Shri. Rajiv Gandhi did come to Darjeeling and gave a speech at an almost empty NP school ground.

One of his closest aide was miffed at the fact that no one was present at the ground to attend the Prime Minister's rally other than the security forces, so he suggested that Shri. Rajiv Gandhi forgo his speech and return back to Delhi.

But despite opposition from his closest aide Shri Rajiv Gandhi refused to listen to anyone and gave his speech the way he wanted, even though in an empty stadium.

When one of his closest aides asked him why would he humiliate giving a speech at an empty venue? Shri. Rajiv Gandhi is said to have told his aide... "Even if they cannot come to see me, they can still hear me.."

While addressing the people gathered at the North Point ground, (the then) Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi said, “Gorkhas are intermingled with the Indian culture. The Gorkha brothers have shed their blood for the sake of the country before and during the freedom struggle.” There was emotional outburst from the hill people to his remark for it was the first time by any Prime Minister of India who praised the glory of Gorkhas.

Rajiv had further said "Bengal is not for Bengali people alone, it is for the people of Gorkhas too. Gorkhas must not be treated second class citizens here."     

He was a visionary nation builder to say the least and had he not died an untimely death, the history of Darjeeling and the Gorkhas could have been very different.

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Youths should talk about Agitation like the 86 agitation - BImal Gurung

8:31 AM

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Subash Ghisingh

Writes: Vivek Chhetri

At a public meeting of the Gorkha Yuva Morcha, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s youth wing, in his constituency of Vah-Tukvar, Gurung said: “I had told the youths I should not speak here because if I am to speak or chair (the meeting), your voices would be held back.”

He said: “The youths should speak their hearts out, the youths should talk about dignity, about the land, the land wanting blood. The youth brigade should talk about an agitation like the ’86 agitation, They should talk about lifting guns and wielding khukuris. This is what I had told them.”

Observers said Gurung wanted to draw the Centre’s attention with his speech. At one point in his 45-minutes speech, Gurung said: “I have told the Centre that we have extended all support and it is your duty to show us by doing karma (good deeds).” The Morcha chief’s anger at the state government’s supposed interference in hill affairs was clear.

Bimal Gurung in his constituency Tukvar

Gurung told the youths, about 1,000 were in attendance, that playing madals and chabrungs (musical instruments) would not lead to any “struggle”.

In the rest of his speech, Gurung repeatedly mentioned the state government’s alleged “discriminatory” attitude towards the hills.

“Everyone is bullying us, looking down upon us,” Gurung said. “We should live a life of dignity and not that of a coward. One should even be ready to give one’s life,” he said.

The 1986 statehood agitation Gurung was referring to had gone on for around 28 months. It was led by Subash Ghisingh, then Gurung’s leader, but later his rival.

Around 1,200 people had lost their lives during the statehood movement.

“The Bengal government is dividing our community. The black policy of the Bengal government towards the hills is creating such a situation that there could even be a division between husband and wife if they come from different communities. One should not give up one’s dignity for a toilet, a one-room house,” Gurung said, criticising chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s plan to make hill bodies for various hill communities.

The state government has announced development boards for 10 communities and among the major initiatives taken up by the boards, one is to construct toilets and houses for people of the respective communities.

Gurung said: “This (meeting) could be a turning point.”

The Morcha chief said he was increasingly feeling that the GTA cannot function. “There has just been too much interference in the working of the GTA. What is the use of a body that cannot even recruit a peon in the hills. Perhaps you will one day find me in a jungle. You must love me even then because I will be there for the cause of Gorkhaland,” he said.

The hill leader reminded the youths that nothing came without struggle. “One does not achieve anything without a struggle and struggle is not about playing madal and chabrung (musical instruments),” he said.

[Via: Telegraph]

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Subash Ghising - Was A Visionary, Who Dropped ‪Gorkhaland‬ Demand for National Interest

9:14 PM

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Subash Ghisingh

Writes: Anish Lopchan Tamang

Subash Ghising was not only a leader, he was a Visionary and Farsighted leader.... A true patriotic leader of national repute....

Yes, He had dropped the demand of Gorkhaland only for the sake of national interest and national decurity.... One must understand that above all the interests, "National Interest" must come first....
So, He was first an Indian and then a Gorkha.... As it is the duty and responsibility of every Indian to serve his nation first, setting aside his priorities and self-interests.... He has set an example of true and patriotic leader.... There is nothing above national interest and national security.... and no one should compromise it to meet their political and selfish objectives....

The 1986 agitation was a real agitation of the Gorkhas and made us realise our aspiration of a separate state of Gorkhaland within the Indian Union.... It was a wake-up call call to all the Gorkhas living across the Globe.... And the agitation gave us our lost identity, first class citizenship, and for the first time honoring the Sacrifice made by Subash Ghising for National Interest and National Security, The Govt. of India agreed and decided to insert the word "GORKHA" in the Constitution of India.... This is the achievement of 1986 Agitation.... And today I can proudly say that it was Subash Ghising who led the Gorkhas into the mainstream of National Politics....
I wonder whether Bimal Gurung and GJM knows the meaning and importance of National Security? They only seem to know their self-interest and party- interest....

Subash Ghising

And I humbly request to all the employees of GJM Pvt. Ltd. Company not to compare the agitation of 1986 with that of 2007....

The 2007 Agitation was just a political drama....
And Subash Ghising had rightly said, "Gorkhaland is the need of the country"....
It can be achieved only through Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.... And this is the truth.... The GJM may deny this truth inorder to serve their political interest.... It is their Political Compulsion....
.................................
This is an opinion piece and all views presented are that of the writer

Via The DC

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सुबास घिसिंगको पैत्रिक गाँव मंजु चियाबारीमा जन्मजयन्ती मनाए ।

8:13 PM

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Subash Ghisingh

-दिप मिलन प्रधान

22nd June 2016 मंजु चियाबारीको लाप्चे खोप स्थित सुबास घिसिंग को पैत्रिक गाव घरमा सम्पन्न जन्मजयन्ती समारोहमा सौरेनी समस्टीका अध्यक्ष-गणेश प्रधान,सचिव –जी.एस प्रधान,मिरिक समस्टी भिलेज प्रोटेक्सन सेलका प्रमुख शन्तमणि राई,टिंगलिंग भिलेज चिफ तिलक लुंगेली लगायत अन्य उपस्थित थिए भने यस अवसरमा दिवंगत सुबास घिसिंगको जन्मजयन्तीको अवसरमा उनको जीवनी तथा उनले गोर्खा जातिको निम्ति दिएको योगदान बारे वक्ताहरु ले प्रकाश पारे I

कार्यक्रममा मिठाईहरु पनि वितरण गरियो भने स्व. घिसिंग को तस्बिर मा धुप तथा दीप प्रज्ज्वलन गर्दै चिरशान्ति को प्रार्थना गरियो I

यसरी नै मिरिक समस्टी कार्यालय मा पनि सुबास घिसिंग को जन्म जयन्ती पालन गरियो भने तराई मा पनि गोरामुमो ले पार्टी सुप्रिमो को जन्मजयन्ती सादगीपूर्ण वातावरण मा पालन गरिएको जानकारी प्राप्त भएको छ I गोरामुमो सौरेनी समस्टी र मिरिक समस्टी ले आज सुबास घिसिंग को पैत्रिक जन्म थलो मंजु चिया बगान को लेप्चा गाव मा स्व घिसिंग को ८१ वा जन्म जयन्ती पालन गर्यो I

सुबास घिसिंगको पैत्रिक गाँव मंजु चियाबारीमा जन्मजयन्ती मनाए ।

या अवसर मा स्थनीय नागरिक, आफन्त तथा पार्टी क कर्मठ कार्यकर्ताहरु लगायत समस्टी का प्रतिनिधिहरु उपस्थित थिए I गोरामुमो का संस्थापक सुबास घिसिंग ले गोर्खा जाति को निम्ति दिएको योगदान तथा उनको जीवनी बारे प्रकास पर्दै वक्ताहरु ले स्व घिसिंग को सपना एक दिन पुरा हुने प्रतिबद्दता व्यक्त गरे I

जितस राई ले संचालन गरेको कार्यक्रम लाइ आसराम राई ले अध्यक्षता गरेका थिए भने कार्यक्रम मा सौरेनी समस्टी का अध्यक्ष गणेश प्रधान सचिव- जी एस प्रधान , भी पी सी चिफ संत मणि राई , टिंग लिंग भिलेज चिफ तिलक लुंगेली , लगायत अन्य को बिशेष उपस्थिति रहेको थियो I यसरी नै मिरिक समस्टी कार्यालय , लगायत तराई को बिभिन्न पाठशाला मा पनि स्व घिसिंग को जन्मजयन्ती पालन गरियो I

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GNLF - assembly election helped restoring democracy in the hills

8:41 AM

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Subash Ghisingh

Darjeeling 16 May 2016 The Gorkha National Liberation Front today heralded the recently concluded Assembly election as a force that has played a major role in restoring democracy in the hills even as it maintained winning or losing to be a secondary issue.

Indramani Rai, the GNLF Darjeeling town committee president, praised the part played by the district administration and the police, along with the election commission for ensuring polling went about peacefully. He said, “The election was peaceful and smooth and everyone could exercise their franchise freely. It is our opinion that democracy is not lost here and for this we must thank the election commission, administration and the police department.”

The GNLF did not field candidates from the hills for the state Assembly election, and instead chose to extend support to the Trinamool Congress in Darjeeling and Kurseong and to the Jan Andolan Party in Kalimpong.

 Gorkha National Liberation Front GNLF Flag

Rai said the election was only an exercise to test the waters for the party’s future activities in the hills and that victory and loss were not the end factors. “We thank the voters who rallied behind candidates we supported. But the bigger issue for us is the difference in victory margin achieved by the winning candidates. This will pave the way for our party’s future political activities,” the GNLF town committee president said.

On whether the GNLF would participate in the upcoming panchayat election in November-December, Rai said, “We are not concentrating on the panchayat election as our agenda of implementing the Sixth Schedule in the hills is more important. Besides, we will first have to go through the provision of the Sixth Schedule to see if things like panchayat election can be conducted.”

In December 2005, GNLF president Subash Ghisingh and the central government had signed a Memorandum of Agreement to bring the Darjeeling hills under the Sixth Schedule. A bill had also been placed in Parliament in 2007, but it was put in the backburner following opposition by the BJP when the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha objected to it.

“We still maintain that granting Sixth Schedule status to the Darjeeling hills is the best and only plausible solution to the problems that keep haunting the region. It was our Subash Ghisingh’s vision and political acumen to make the demand because Bengal had given us everything in its power then. The issue is still alive in Parliament and all that is needed is to pursue it properly,” Rai said.

He also said his party would take into consideration factors like time and the current situation and take a call on whether to participate in the municipality election or extend support to other parties. 

EOIC

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Subash Ghisingh stood for the separate Indian Gorkha Troops

12:51 PM

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Subash Ghisingh

Shri Subash Ghisingh always stood for the separate Indian Gorkha Troops, so as to differentiate the “Indo – Nepal Agreement Troops” and the “Indian Gorkha Troops” and to save the whole settled Indian Gorkhas from unnecessary and permanent stigma and allegation of Foreigners, Mercenaries, Reciprocal people and Nepal subjects.

Finally after 30 years on 2nd April 2016, The Army have raised a new Gorkha battalion comprising entirely of Indian Gorkha troops i.e. Sixth Battalion of the First Gorkha Rifles (6/1GR), named “Kanchi Paltan”. Traditionally, the majority of troops in Gorkha regiments belong to Nepal, The stipulated ratio of composition of these regiments between Nepalese and Indian domicile Gorkhas is about 70:30:

Why the need of separate Indian Gorkha Regiment / Battalion?

The separate Indian gorkha regiment or battalion is required so as to have clear distinction between the “Agreement Troops” (the gorkha troops from Nepal / Nepalese citizen) and the “Indian Gorkha Troops ( The gorkha troops from Indian / Indian citizen )”

The Indian Gorkhas had faced and are still facing the unique identity crisis with regard to their Indian citizenship because of the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1950) which permits "the citizen of Nepal or India, the freedom to reside, own the property, participate in trade and commerce and other rights of similar nature in their territory”. Thus, there are many Nepalese citizens of Nepal who have migrated after 1950 living in India. The Indian Gorkhas are mistakenly identified as the citizens of Nepal who have migrated to India in search of jobs and livelihood.

Whereas the history of Indian gorkha starts from The Gorkha War (1814–1816), the war that was fought between Gorkha Kingdom ( Nepal ) and the British East India Company which ended up by signing the Treaty of Sugauli in 1816.
The Sugauli Treaty was signed on 2nd December 1815 and later ratified on 4 March 1816 between East India Company and King of Nepal: however, the treaty asked for the territorial concessions, in which large territory of Nepal was given to British India, and also allowed British to recruit Gurkhas for its military service.


Under the treaty, about “one-third of Gorkha Kingdom (Nepal)” was lost, including Darjeeling, Sikkim, territory to west of the Kali River like Kumaon (present Indian state of Uttarakhand), Garhwal (present Indian state of Uttarakhand); some territories to the west of the Sutlej River like Kangra (present day Himachal Pradesh); and much of the Terai Region, It caused Nepal to lose about “105,000 km2” of its territory.

Later on in 1947, when British India got its Independent creating India and Pakistan, the fate of Indian gorkha was neglected and remained unresolved as Nepal didn’t accepted it back or demanded its lost territory nor did Indian accepted it constitutionally to be its Union of State by declaring these gorkha dominated areas (territory which had come to British India as per Sugauli Teaty) as a state of Gorkahaland, a state which would uphold the identity of Indian gorkha, like the states of Wes Bengal for Indian Bangalis or Punjab for Indian Panjabi.

But rather India signed an agreement with Nepal in 1950 which created the confusion on citizenship of entire gorkha settled in India, the gorkha who had come along with their ceded land to British India began to be called as foreigner on their own homeland in present India.


Hence, Shri Subash Ghisingh not only led the movement for separate state of Gorkhaland, which he believed would resolve our identity crisis in Indian; But also demanded for the separate Indian Gorkha Regiment for Indian Grokha so as to have clear cut distinction between Indian Gorkha and Nepali Gorkha,

Historical archive below :

Date: 15th January 1987:

Telegram sent To Shri Rajiv Gandhi, P M of India, Copy to King of Nepal:

We have no other alternative but to ask the whole settled Indian Gorkhas not to join the “Agreement Troops” of Gorkha Rifles. Furthermore, we are compelled to ask the central Government of India to immediately establish a New and Separate India Gorkha Regiment so as to save the whole settled Gorkhas from unnecessary and permanent stigma and allegation of Foreigners, Mercenaries, Reciprocal people and Nepal subjects.

Date: 3rd February, 1987: Statement released:

Urging government for formation of separate “Indian Gorkha Troops” to save guard the Indian Gorkha community and in the larger interest of Indian.

Date: 22nd July 1987:

Letter To Rajiv Gandhi PM, India:

Point No 9, (iii) The “Indian Gorkha Regiment” must be established as soon as possible so as to make a clear distinction between the “Agreement Troops” and the “Indian Gorkha Troops” in the interest of the victimized Gorkha and in the interest of the country of Indian. After declaration of the Government Notification on the issue of citizenship, the recruitment of the aboriginal and the settled gorkhas to the “Agreement Troops” must be immediately stopped.

However MOS was signed 23rd August 1988 between Subash Ghising (President of GNLF) and CG Somiah (Union Home Secretary) in presence of Sd/ Buta Singh (Union Home Minister) in Delhi:

As regards raising a separate Indian Gorkha Regiment, the policy of the Government of India of not having any new regiment raised on class composition was acknowledge. However, it was clarified that it is not obligatory for Indian Gorkhas to join only specified Gorkha Regiments and that they have the option to join the Regiments of their choice. To this extent suitable instructions will be issued by the Army Headquarters…….

Finally now after 30 year of struggle the government of Indian understood the strategic need of Indian Gorkha battalion to uphold the gorkha regiment FOREVER in India. We view this STRATEGIC decision, not only an employment opportunity BUT also a clear cut distinction between Indina gorkha and Nepalese gorkha citizens.



Source HAMRO APPA

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Subash Ghisingh advocated for Scheduled Tribe status to whole Gorkha community

8:06 PM

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tribal news

Shri Subash Ghisingh always advocated that whole Gorkha community should be granted the status of Scheduled Tribe in India as per the census of 1931 of British Raj in India, which had shown all Gorkha community as “Tribes” under the banner of “Hill Tribes”. Further he knew it clearly that, if Gorkhaland is to be achieved in coming days, than, all Gorkhas communities should stand-up unitedly at any cost, therefore, he came up with his political strategy of Sixth schedule & Schedule Tribe for all gorkahs, so that the Indian Gorkhas may “exist together” united in one banner of “Gorkha as a Tribe (ST)”.

His Letter to the National Commission for ST:

D.O. No. 154 CHA/LK/ DGHC Date :- 9th April 2005

Sri Kunwar Singh 
Hon’ble Chairman National Commission for ST
Govt of India, New Delhi.

Dear Sir Singh,

I would like to expressed my thanks and gratitude for granting scheduled tribe status to “Tamang” and “Limbu” of India which was done vide Govt. of India Gazette Notification no 10 dated New Delhi the 8th January 2003. However, this action of govt. of Indian has created confusion, controversy and ill feeling among others Gorkha Tribes like “Khambu ( Rai)”, “Gurung”, “Mangar”, “Newar”, “Khas (chhetri)”, “Baahun (Brahman)” and other tribes etc who followed same language culture and religious beliefs and all of them including “Tamangs” and “Limbus” come under “Bonbo” (worshipers of stones, river, trees, deities etc) and as such grave injustices have been done to these above other left out tribal communities. 
This matter were already discussed in the 2nd round tripartite review meeting on Memorandum of Settlement of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council dated 28th Jan 2005 at Round Table Conference Hall of Union Home Ministry under the chairmanship of Shri Dhirendra Singh, Union Home Secretary at New Delhi. 
I would, therefore on behalf of DGHC, request you to consider the above case for granting Scheduled Tribe status to all the members of the other left out Gorkha communities as a special case.

With Regards 
Yours Sincerely Subash Ghisingh, Administrator of DGHC

Followed by:.......

Date: 1st June, 2005 .............

To : The Hon’ble Justice Ram Surat Singh (Rtd)
Chairperson, National Commission for Backward Classes 
Ministry of social justice & empowerment 
Government of India New Delhi:

Sub: Pray for conversion into the Tribal Status of all the gorkha hill tribes as recognized by the then British Govt. of India in 1931

Where he writes about the necessary to convert the whole people of OBC and other non OBC community into ST category explaining the history of hill tribes of Darjeeling district during British Raj of India

Date: 13th December 2007................

To: Shri Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, 
Hon’ble Chief Minister – West Bengal

He writes about the burning issue of Hill tribes of Darjeeling stating that ……...................... before 1956 all hill tribe’s people of Darjeeling were happy and there was no any enmity among each other, But it was unfortunately smashed and destroyed after 1956 when the hill tribes of Darjeeling were divided into three categories viz Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Cast and Non Scheduled Tribes. At that time the ignorant hill tribes’ people of Darjeeling could not understand the exact meaning and its consequences of the above unwanted and merciless division of three categories. Actually the above unholy division of the hill tribes became like a slow poison for them and their future generation.

………………………………… Therefore, I would like to request you for taking the above matter seriously from the side of West Bengal Government and also request you to secure again the original tribal status to the above victimized tribal left out communities of DGHC areas, like ‘Khambu (Rai), [which includes Dhimal, Maajhi, Dewan (Yakha), Sunuwar (Mukhia), Gainay], Gurung, Mangar, Newar, Thami, Bahun, Khas [which includes Chetri, Thakuri, Gharti, Saneshi, Bhujel, (khawas), Jogi], Kami, Damai, Sark, Bedi, etc all of whom were already within the list of hill tribes, not only in the census of 1931 but also in the list of Darjeeling district gazetteer of 1947.




Via HAMRO APPA

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Gorkhaland: A performance Audit

6:07 PM

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West Bengal

Writes: N N Ojha

The demand for Gorkhaland as a political and administrative entity separate from the province of Bengal (now state of West Bengal) has the formidable distinction of being the oldest surviving statehood demand within the Indian Union. Equally redoubtable is its distinction of having enjoyed and also continuing to enjoy absolutely unconditional support from not just majority but totality of the masses in the region.

In the normal course such prolonged, uninterrupted survival of a movement, its intensity and the absolute mass support would be infallible catalysts for its sure success. In the case of Gorkhaland however ironically success has remained elusive for over a century notwithstanding the presence of all these prerequisites.

It is this paradox of elusive success anyhow that a performance audit of the stakeholders including the protagonists and the opponents of the movement is seriously called for. After all a performance audit is complete only if it assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonists as well as antagonists.

Gorkhaland Map

First, the protagonists, the levels of their performance and a fiercely objective assessment to see if there are some Trojan horses and fifth columnists who taking advantage of the inborn simplicity of the Gorkha might be engaged in covertly subverting or weakening the movement even while overtly pretending to be its supporters. This is important, as hidden adversaries could be far more dangerous than open enemies.

Topping the list of diehard, unflinching supporters of Gorkhaland obviously would be the common men and women, the masses inhabiting the region irrespective of caste, color, creed or religion. The Hindus, Muslims, Christians, tribals, non-tribals, Marwaris, Biharis, Bengalis for whom the region has been home for generations are all without exception the staunchest supporters of state hood for Gorkhaland; their commitment absolutely unconditional right since 1907 when we have the first recorded evidence of the demand. It is indeed heartening that repeated efforts by the powers that be to divide the masses along communal or ethnic lines with lures of development boards or job quotas haven’t ever succeeded beyond a negligible degree.

Such absolute mass support is unique to Gorkhaland as in most others cases in which statehood has been granted till recently there were sizeable sections of population within the affected regions who were not supportive of the proposals and who accepted the divisions helplessly as a fiat accompli. In the case of Telangana, Chhattisgarh or Jharkhand there have been sections of th population who never supported the idea of bifurcation and who even today fondly recall ‘the good old days’ when their respective states happened to be united.

On the contrary in the case of Gorkhaland you won’t come across a single soul who would wish that the region should continue to be a part of west Bengal. The only exception perhaps could be some self-serving turncoats acting under the lure of mundane temptations from powerful vested interests operating probably at the behest of Kolkata centric ruling dispensation. The number of such fifth columnists mercifully is so small that one could count them on ones fingertips.

How do we assess the performance level of the masses; optimal, average or poor? Just look at the movement of the 1980s under the stewardship of the Late Subhash Ghising, the subsequent phase from 2007 to 2011 under the firebrand Bimal Gurung or the most recent spell of July – August 2013 under the combined might of the GJAC. Each time the response of the masses has been selfless and overwhelming. They sat on dhrnas, took out long marches, suffered long spells of strikes faced physical torture and mental humiliation at the hands of the police and paramilitary forces and above all sacrificed their lives in thousands without any expectation in return except for statehood. Even today the masses are ready to respond with full force to any call from a leadership that could command their trust and confidence. The level of performance of this segment of the stakeholders is thus optimal, extraordinary and highly commendable.

Let us now go into the modus operandi and performance level of the political parties and leaders of the region as they come next in the list of stakeholders. While dealing with political parties we have to focus only on the hill based parties as the mainstream parties of west Bengal like TMC or CPM have been and shall continue to be openly against creation of Gorkhaland out of concern for their own survival back home. The national parties e.g. the Indian National Congress (INC) or BJP shall at best be indifferent fence sitters as the (Gorkhaland) issue hardly affects their political fortunes. After all our political worth is just one seat in the Lok Sabha. (Remember Ms Rough & Tough exhorting the BJP during the 2014 general elections not to break up Bengal for ‘just one seat’).

The hostility of west Bengal’s political parties and indifference of the national parties need not dampen our spirits as we are more than compensated by the unanimous support the movement receives from almost every hill based party barring the one that refuses to disengage from a senseless and futile propaganda that the region’s larger interest lies not in statehood but in being a ‘Sixth Schedule area’ within the state of west Bengal. We may however ignore this party’s activities, as these have been repeatedly rejected by the masses. (In two earlier write ups in this column I had given detailed analysis of their stand. ‘The Sixth Schedule Cacophony’ [details http://bit.ly/1Hgh7Sb] and ‘A Full & Final Settlement?’ [Details: http://bit.ly/1HYztKY)

In so far as the other hill based political outfits are concerned they are all agreed on the goal i.e. Gorkhaland even though they might differ in the approach to achieve the goal. The spectacular show of unity displayed by all the parties during the agitation of July – August 2013 when all of them came under the collective banner of the Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee (GJAC) however goes to prove that their differences aren’t insurmountable. It is however regrettable that the show of unity proved woefully short lived. In a nutshell the level of performance of the political parties and leaders of the region is barely satisfactory and in the absence of unity they may not be able to deliver.

Can we expect success in spite of undiluted hostility of the mainstream political parties of west Bengal and unconcern of the national parties? I am optimistic for at least two or three reasons. First the unconditional and undying mass support; second near unanimity among all he hill based political outfits and third, the compulsions of political morality on the part of BJP to react favorably to the demand because of the support it got from us in the last parliamentary election and a commitment made by BJP’s most powerful leader Narendra Modi during his campaign speeches.

Can we hazard any guess as to the likely time frame for success? My own guess for whatever it is worth is that till the west Bengal assembly elections due in May 2016 the BJP shall remain non committal as any public perception of conceding to the demand may cost them votes in the plains of west Bengal. Post 2016 however I do hope things to move favorably. How fast they move might depend largely on how unitedly and intensely we make the demand audible in New Delhi through memorandums, delegations and if need be the more common methods of protests such as dharnas and hunger strikes. Such activities shall be unavoidable to enable the BJP to argue across Bengal that the demand simply couldn’t be ignored any longer as otherwise the situation could get volatile and go out of control.

What happens if we miss the bus during the present BJP led government’s entire term of 5 years? Well we simply can’t afford to miss. Nor can the government afford to give us the miss going by the likely consequences that might follow such an eventuality. If Gorkhaland is denied, we end up as losers but the government too doesn’t emerge as a winner. What the government loses is the trust and good will of the Gorkha. Besides the BJP leading the government in Delhi loses its moral face for not honoring a solemn commitment made by its highest leader Narendra Modi to the people during his election campaign.

The people in the region are already disenchanted with the all the previous governments since independence and any further dillydallying could quickly turn their disenchantment into alienation. Leadership of the movement might pass into the hands of hardliners and its Gandhian character diluted beyond recognition. On the contrary if Gorkhaland is granted we emerge as winners and the government itself also emerges as the winner of the trust and everlasting gratitude of people in an important geostrategic region.

Given an option won’t a sensible government choose a win-win option over a loose-loose one? And no one can deny that the BJP led NDA government in Delhi is for sure a sensible government.

[We welcome back Mr. OJHA... Who just recovered from a heart surgery. He writes exclusively for DT and his column The Expositor can be read here: http://darjeelingtimes.com/category/columns/the-expositor-n-n-ojha/]

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The Gorkhas are treated like animals in a zoo - Subash Ghishing

3:45 PM

•

Subash Ghisingh

Illustrated weekly of India, Bombay, June 28,1987

Why didn’t you let me tape you?

No, I got into a lot of trouble after your last report. You quoted me on very sensitive issues and declared that the extract were from a taped conversation. I could note even deny it as you had actually used a tape recorder.

Which statements of you created trouble?

I gave you name of R A W and SIB officers with whom I interacted. You published their names why? Are you working for some foreign intelligence agency? The home ministry was very upset by my statements.
I told you about Inder Jit of INFA. You published that too. I cannot understand your motives. But I have made a new rule. I will not allow any reporter to tape my interviews. I don’t want to get into trouble.

Are you aware that West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu and Union Home Minister Buta Singh met on June 16 in Calcutta and categorically ruled out the creation of Gorkhaland ?

The WB state government and the Union home ministry have entered into a conspiracy to humiliate all Gorkhas. I have received this information from secret source.
Rajiv Gandhi has been imprisoned in a dark room. He is completely in the dark. Buta singh and Jyoti Basu are acting against the Prime Minister’s wishes. Is it not true that Buta Singh has agreed to send more para-military forces to suppress our genuine movement?

Yes, Jyoti Basu asked for reinforcements and Buta Singh quickly agreed, Six companies more, to be precise.

I cannot understand why Buta Singh came to Calcutta. Is Jyoti Basu the Prime Minister of Bengal that Union home minister had to call on him? Jyoti Basu is a mere chief Minister. Buta Singh should have summoned him to Delhi. By going to Calcutta, he has put down himself and the office he holds.

Were you expecting Buta Singh to make a dramatic announcement after the meeting with Jyoti Basu ?

Not Dramatic announcement. If he had announce the date for the delegation’s meeting with Rajiv Gandhi. I would have withdrawn the 13day bandh from June 20. Now the bandh is on.

I spoke to dozens of ordinary Nepali people, They are worried. Especially daily wage earners, who might starve for 13 days. The poor people will be crippled economically it will be a big economic loss ?

Why do you call it economic loss? call it sacrifice. Forget income and earnings, people are ready to sacrifice their lives for the creation of Gorkhaland. A separate state is a must. The Gorkhas are treated like animals in a zoo. You speak of 13 days, My frustrated brothers and sisters are exhorting me to organize a 13 year bandh to ensure the creation of Gorkhaland.

The central government has ruled out the possibility of separate state. Apart from Buta Singh and P Chidambaram, Union Home Secretary C G Somaiah stated at Simla on June 8 that Centre has categorically informed you that there is no question of a separate Gorkha state within India ?

There are chaiwallas, panwallas, rickshawallas, and mochis. They may say anything. Do your expect me to pay attention to their words? I want to discuss the genuine grievances of the Gorkhas with Rajiv Gandhi.

But Rajiv Gandhi too has said that there will be no Gorkhaland.

The WB police and the Centre’s para-militar forces have never treated Gorkhas as Indians. We have received the treatment reserved for enemies of India. If the police commits excesses. I cannot guarantee a peaceful band.

You met Buta Singh in Delhi on may 15 was the meeting fruitful?

I had to wait for 15 days to get 15 minutes of the Home Minister’s valuable time. This is how they treat the representative of the people. Buta Singh promised to arrange a meeting with Rajiv Gandhi. But he has not kept his word.
The kursis in Delhi are perfect but the men who sit on the kursis are hopeless.
Buta Singh served us tea, barfi and kaju. This is the politics of Delhi. And the fourth ingredient of Delhi’s politics is the press release. But my meeting was not covered by Doordarshan. Why ?

Perhaps, because they didn’t want to give you legitimacy.

I am very confused. The Gorkhas are simple people. But nobody should take advantage of their simplicity. There are thousands of ex-servicemen living in Darjeeling, what will happen if they get arms? Do you think that the CRP and BSF will be able to hold us? Nobody should at least blame me if the situation goes out of control.

Are your receiving financial assistance from China?

No. we are patriots. We are funded by the people. There is no dearth of funds. We collected Rs 5.70 lakhs in May to finance the delegation to Delhi. Each person paid only Rs.10

Where is the unspent money?

I am not accountable to the press. I am accountable only to my people.

You are still confident of getting Gorkhaland ?

Very much. Surely by the end of 1987 by hook or by crook. After the 13 day bandh, I will let the people steer the course of the movement. And the people are becoming increasingly aggressive. The state cannot give us anything. And the center has flirted with us for too long.


HAMRO APPA

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Harka Bahadur Working For ‪‎Bengal‬ - GJM

7:17 AM

•

West Bengal

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today said the party did not want to work with the state government as Calcutta would never agree to Gorkhaland and lashed out at Harka Bahadur Chhetri for allegedly acting at the behest of the state government to belittle the demand.

In a statement, Binay Tamang, assistant general secretary of the Morcha, said: "The Morcha does not want to work with the state government because our only demand is Gorkhaland and supporters of the Gorkhaland cause know we will never get statehood by working closely with the state."

Lashing out at the Kalimpong MLA, he said: "Even Chhetri knows this reality and yet, he has gone to Mamata Banerjee's camp because just like Subash Ghisingh, he, too, has been sold to the government. He has sold the Gorkhaland demand and his self esteem for the MLA post and power."

Source: Telegraph

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Whither Gorkha Land?

7:50 AM

•

Subash Ghisingh

Writes: NN Ojha

In my last write up for this column captioned ‘Bihar Elections Results And Gorkha Land’ [Details: bit.ly/1ZVuDET] the opening sentence, ‘Gorkha Land is once again the talk of the town’ was in a way an expression of the incorrigible optimism all of us have collectively preserved rather painstakingly for over a century. It is a unique movement that has survived many ups and downs and has witnessed during its long but untiring journey tides and ebbs of hope and despair repeatedly. 

At times the movement witnessed the proverbial slip ‘between the cup and the lips’. In the early 1980s under the charismatic leadership of the late Subhash Ghising there was a mass upsurge in favor of Gorkhaland and more than a thousand youths sacrificed their lives. The police and paramilitary forces unleashed by the state and the central authorities could not deter the masses and everyone was hopeful that Gorkhaland could soon become reality. Just then alas the crest fell into a trough. In December 1985 Mr Ghising signed an agreement that the demand for Gorkhaland was being given up ‘in larger national interest’ and an autonomous council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India was agreed to as ‘full and final settlement.’ 

What was the ‘larger national interest’ that could be secured only by denial of statehood to Gorkhaland and how could a council, howsoever autonomous, be ‘full and final settlement’ so long as the region continued as sidekick of west Bengal isn’t known till date. Was it an act of betrayal? Well prima facie it was but going by the iconic stature of Ghising and his long years of service to the community one has to give him the benefit of doubt. 

In 2013 we once again missed the goal after coming within touching distance The tripartite agreement by the governments of India and west Bengal with the GJMM led by Bimal Gurung in July 2011 had an explicit clause and a tacit understanding. The explicit clause incorporated at the very outset of the agreement recognized the legitimacy of the demand for Gorkhaland. The tacit understanding was that decision on the demand would be taken along with Telangana. Hence when Telangana was decided upon with no whiff of Gorkhaland protests erupted all over the region once again. 

Those who witnessed this phase of the movement were deeply impressed by its peaceful and disciplined character in spite of massive turnouts. It remained peaceful in the face of provocation by the ruling politicians of west Bengal and occasional excesses by the police and paramilitary personnel. The movement was at its peak when all political forces of the region came together on a common platform of Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee or JAC. The impact of the unprecedented show of unity was truly spectacular. Had the momentum been preserved the least that could be reasonably expected was the government announcing a road map and time frame for formation of Gorkhaland. 

But just then the JAC that had emerged as the symbol of the unconquerable power and unity of the Gorkha suddenly and mysteriously dissipated. Once again we experienced the slip between the cup and the lips. It wasn’t betrayal as much as perhaps an invisible fear of political obliteration by those who joined the JAC under political compulsion sensing the mood of the masses but possibly without commitment or sense of purpose. The wrecking of the JAC could also be because of apprehension most common among politicians that credit for success seen round the corner could be hogged by some to the exclusion of the others.. Obviously the authorities in Kolkata had every reason to feel happy about the breakup and would have even put in efforts in their own way to bring it about. 

Betrayal was yet to come. It came in September 2015 when Dr Harka Bahadur Chhetri GJM’s chosen MLA from Kalimpong and a trusted lieutenant of Bimal Gurung turned out to be a Trojan horse of sorts. The triggering point for the betrayal was a directive by GJMM that the three MLAs from hills who were elected with the party’s support must resign and Dr Chhetri’s defiance thereof. Party’s directive to resign could be debatable and the MLA’s right to resist the directive could be perfectly justifiable. What was baffling however was the manner in which Dr Harka Bahadur started glorifying Mamta Banerjee the chief minister who insulted the hill politicians, ridiculed the Gorkhaland movement and has been consistently trying every trick in the book to divide and rule destroying in the process the age old social fabric characterized traditionally by perfect social harmony. 

In this crossword puzzle of personal ambitions, political dissensions and petty rivalries where does Gorkhaland figure? Or does it figure any longer at all? Let us carry out a reality check on some of the players. 

GJMM is still swearing by their commitment to Gorkhaland at least overtly and keep on holding occasional public meetings, pad yatras and protest demonstrations in Delhi’s Jantarmantar. The Darjeeling MP who got elected on BJP’s ticket with support from GJMM on the exclusive plank of Gorkhaland hasn’t till now taken any tangible steps demonstrative of his commitment. His apologists claim that the MP’s silence is due to political compulsions of the forthcoming West Bengal Assembly election after which they seem hopeful of significant progress. We have to wait and watch.

Subhash Ghising’s political heir Mann Ghising seems unsure whether to continue clinging to his late father’s demand of sixth schedule or to upgrade to the statehood demand. To what extent his reluctance or opposition to statehood demand helps his political survival only time will tell. Going by the present indications the approach seems suicidal to say the least. 

Singing paeans of Mamta Banerjee Dr Harka Bahadur Chhetri seems to have become a preacher giving sermons (as he did in Bijanbari on 8 January and in Mirik two days later) that people must refrain from ‘politics of sentiments’ that he thinks what the demand for Gorkhaland amounts to. The question of identity at the root of the century old movement is according to him an issue as trivial as the taxi drivers of Siliguri asking visitors from Darjeeling if they want to go to ‘Kakarvita’ (on the Indo-Nepal border near Siliguri) in the mistaken belief that we are from Nepal and not India. ‘What is the big deal’, asks Dr Chhetri and advises, ‘just tell them no we aren’t going to Kakarvita’ and asks ‘why get sentimental’. 

Dr Mahendra P Lama a highly respected intellectual from the region seems to have made common cause with Dr Chhetri as both of them are busy holding public meetings together with a common agenda of condemning the GJMM and also overtly arguing that the Gorkhaland can wait as there are other more pressing issues like ‘patta purja’ confronting the region. While Chhetri tends to run down the statehood demand as ‘politics of sentiments’ Lama’s discourse implies that no point crying hoarse about Gorkhaland unless our MP raises it in the Parliament. 

Dr Chhetri perhaps forgets that sentiment and passion are two different constructs. Sentiment may be transient and only skin deep but passion is far deeper and pervasive for human soul. A common man in the region is passionate about Gorkhaland, not just sentimental. 

Before you trivialize the identity issue Dr Chhetri I suggest read an article, ‘What Gorkhaland means to a non Drjeelingey Gorkha’ by a young man Dinesh Sharma [Details: bit.ly/22UkxGA]. May be you will stand educated how shallow your own perception of the identity issue is when you dismiss it just as some pep talk of Kakarvita by the cabbies of Siliguri.

Likewise to see for yourself how passionate the people especially our youth is about Gorkhaland I recommend you to an article by a young student of Philosophy from Sikkim University, Privat Giri, ‘Has Gorkhaland become Tuberculosis’ [Details: on.fb.me/1OJ8rKf]. 

Is there any reason to believe that the century old struggle for separation of Gorkhaland from West Bengal is coming to naught? Certainly not. Gorkhaland isn’t withering away. It is being frittered away by some of our political leaders. Will they succeed in frittering it away? I don’t think so. Before they fritter it away they shall wither away from the region’s political scene to be remembered by posterity only as self-serving turncoats and not as leaders in any sense of the term. Who will make it possible? The common man, with the youth at the forefront. 

Come next elections and you will see my assessment getting duly validated hopefully.

Source The Darjeeling Times

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A documentary on Subash Ghisingh "Khoji Chinhariko" released

9:00 PM

•

Subash Ghisingh

The Gorkha National Liberation Front’s (GNLF) women’s wing has launched ‘Khoji Chinhariko,’ (in search of identity) a short documentary on their party chief Subash Ghisingh.

The video was released in Mirik under the Kurseong sub-division during the 10th Sixth Schedule Accord Day the party celebrated in Mirik on 6 December.

Former GNLF MLA from Kurseong and the chief guest of the programme, NB Chettri, and the Gorkha National Women’s Organisation, Darjeeling branch president, Manjila Tamang released the CDs.

Talking to reporters here, Mrs Tamang said the CD aims at making GNLF supporters and members aware of the different work Mr Ghisingh has done for the Gorkha community.
She added that they have compiled several work and facts about Mr Ghisingh from diffrent sources and compiled them into the CD.

The documentary shows the Hill leader’s fight against governments while he spearheaded an agitation for a separate state of Gorkhaland in Darjeeling Hills, the birth of the autonomous Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, and his demand for the Sixth Schedule status for the Hills.

Mrs Tamang said there is no price tag for the 31-minute film and that only limited number of copies has been distributed among GNLF supporters only.

The CD cover has a picture of Mr Ghisingh from the time he led the Gorkhaland agitation in the 1980s, the GNLF party symbol, khukuri, and three stars, and a lotus flower, the symbol of the GNLF’s women wing. sns

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GNLF to intensify its agitation for Sixth Schedule

9:13 AM

•

Subash Ghisingh

The GNLF held a meeting in Darjeeling on Sunday to commemorate the signing of a memorandum of settlement by the Centre, state and former party president Subash Ghisingh on December 6, 2005, to bring the hills under the Sixth Schedule.

At the meeting, Bhanu Lama, the organising secretary of the GNLF, said the party would intensify its agitation to bring the hills under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

GNLF marks 6th Scheduled Accord Signing Day Samjhauta Divas

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OPEN LETTER TO GNLF CHIEF MANN GHISING

3:05 PM

•

Subash Ghisingh

Open letter to GNLF‬ president Mann Ghisingh on his controversial statement on traditional dress of Daura Sural and Chowbandi Choli in his recent press release.

Writes Dipendra Khati

Dear Mann Jojo,

I am very confused about on what language should I write this letter to you. Though English emanated from England (Official language of England), I found it to be universally accepted, so that is the language that I chose to communicate with you today, hope you will not be displeased with it, as it seems these days you are getting annoyed at things that are not from Darjeeling.

 Late. Subhas Ghising always wore his Dhaka-Topi with pride

According to your official statement dated 21/8/2015, you claim that Daura Suruwal is the official dress of Nepal and people going to Delhi and Kolkata in this dress are ‘पट्ट मुर्खहरु - Patt Murkha haru”.

Here, I would like to inform you that Daura Suruwal is not just Official dress of Nepal, but also the traditional dress of Nepali/Gorkha people, though some communities have their own dresses, but majority of the Gorkhali people wear it. I don’t find any logic behind your statement. Do you want us to not use Daura Suruwal, Chaubandi Choli and all other Nepali dresses and ornaments just because they are – according to you – “Official dress of Nepal?”

Ok let me accept that…

But what about language? Your official statement came in Nepali language… isn’t that “Nepal ko Sarkari bhasa”??

Going by your logic we should not be using that language too, because it’s the “official language of Nepal.” So pray tell me, why did you choose to communicate in Nepali?

Our Nepali proverb, “काम पायिनस बुहारी कनिका पोखौंदै उठा" summarizes what you just did.

I think there are many issue and topic you can talk about, and of all the things you could have talked about, you chose to speak about our जातीय पोशाक??

Late. Subash Ghising must be turning in his grave, for he always wore his “जातीय ढाकाको टोपी” with pride and in fine style. I wonder what he would have said to your comment on our जातीय पोशाक??

Moreover, I found that you sound more hypocrite when you talk about “पुरनो रिती रिवाजहरुले भरिएको बहुमुल्य संस्कृतिलाई सन्बैधनिक सुरक्षा प्रदान गर्नको लागि साथ् साथै गोर्खा जातीको चिन्हारीलाई पनि सजिलै बोक्नसक्ने नयाँ नाम करण भएको "गोर्खा हिल्ल काउन्सिल” this and later you phrase out “नेपाल देश को सरकारी पोसाक लगएर दिल्ली कोलकाता”... don’t those Daura Suruwal come under “पुरनो रिती रिवाजहरुले भरिएको बहुमुल्य संस्कृति”????

Ohh and most important issue here, you said, “गोर्खा जाती को चिन्हारीलाई पनि सजिलै बोक्नसक्ने नयाँ नाम करण भएको "गोर्खा हिल्ल काउन्सिल” really?? If the नाम करण of ‘GORKHA Hill Council’ can carry carry गोर्खा जाती को चिन्हारी then why GORKHALAND Territorial Administration (I am not a supporter of GTA) wouldn’t do the same, if not better?

By the way it seems you were not told why our Aappa Late. Subhas Ghising came and fought for Gorkhaland. As I see no mention of word Gorkhaland in your official statement. May be you forgot or.....??....

You have said “यदी यी कुराहरुमा सरकार अघी बढ़दैन भने गो रा मु मो ले हाम्रो भुभागबारे केन्द्र सरकारसित वार्ता को बाटो खोल्न वाध्य हुनेछ” what was that? What stops you? Why not??

If you want to engage with central Govt. about our land, that will be very appreciable, but I am very suspicious about that comment of yours.

Sorry Jojo, I am no body to judge you, but what I felt is... ‘हजुर पनि त्यहि ढ्यांग को मुला हुनु हुदा रैछ”

Thank you
Dipendra Khati
Well wisher of Maato and Jaati... Not Neta or Party


Via The Darjeeling Chronicle

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Term Gorkhaland Coined by British officer not Subash Ghishing - Roshan Giri

10:09 AM

•

Subash Ghisingh

Roshan Giri, a senior Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader, today waved a book by a British officer written before India's Independence and said the term "Gorkhaland", contrary to popular belief, was not used by Subash Ghisingh first, but by Major W. Brook Northey.

Roshan Giri says Birtish officer, not Ghisingh, first used the word Gurkha-land to describe hills

Giri, at a seminar organised by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's Study Forum, said: "Everyone thinks it was Subash Ghisingh who coined the word but this is not the truth. The word was coined by W. Brook Northey in his book The Land of the Gurkhas in 1937."

Giri's assertion comes days after Mann Ghisingh, the younger son of the late GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh, hinted that the party would have no option but to demand statehood if its Sixth Schedule demand was not met by the Centre. If the GNLF now gives a call for statehood, it will be realigning its campaign to suit the popular sentiment in the hills.


By mentioning the book, Giri's tired to burn a hole into the GNLF's claim that their late leader had coined the term "Gorkhaland", honouring which Subash Ghisingh's party also observed Gorkhaland Namakaran Diwas - a Gorkhaland Naming Day - on its founding day, April 5.

The full title of the book mentioned by Giri is The Land of the Gurkhas or the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal.

The British always wrote Gurkhas, not Gorkhas. Major Northey served in the 1st Gurkha Rifles.

Giri, while waving the book at the audience, said: "This book should dispel all false claims."

Metro managed to get a copy of the book that Giri had waved at the audience at Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan in Darjeeling today.

Page 201 of Chapter XX - titled The Eastern Border - in the book reads as follows: "Although a visit to Nepal, or even crossing the Nepalese frontier, may not be possible for everyone, it may be of interest to note for the benefit of those desirous of learning more of the Gurkha's cheerful and engaging personality that in Darjeeling there is what may be termed an Indian Gurkha-land, where he can be studied at first hand without let or hindrance."

On page 221 of the book, in the chapter Darjeeling Today (Chapter XXII), Northey wrote: "Less vividly attired but hardly less picturesque are the Nepalese women, for Darjeeling bazaar is the Bond Street of Gurkha-land, and here the shawls and veils which the women wear over the heads, Italian-fashion, are of a texture and a colour rarely seen in Nepal proper, to which high-heeled shoes will possibly be added in due course."

The seminar at which Giri was speaking today is titled Gorkhaland 2015: Creation of smaller states and the demand for Gorkhaland as well as relevance of Gorkhaland to the Indian Gorkha identity.

Mann, when told about the usage of Gurkha-land before his father, said today: "We will have to see and find out."

From the preface of Northey's book it is clear that he had worked with the Gurkha Regiment for 20 years, which included training the Nepal Escort in Kathmandu in 1910, service with the Nepalese Contingent on the Indian frontier during the World War I and in the post of recruiting officer for five years.

The book is largely on Nepal and Northey, while explaining his work, states in the preface: "In writing this book, undertaken at the suggestion of many friends, I have tried to steer a middle course between those accounts of Nepal, inevitably cursory and incomplete, that are to be found in ordinary works of travel whose authors have paid merely brief visits to that little-known country, and the more elaborate and exhaustive works written by those who from their close connection, official or non-official, with the country, can claim to be actual experts on the subject."

According to the book, Northey was also conferred with the Order of the Star of Nepal title.

Even though the demand for a separate administrative unit for the Darjeeling hills was raised in 1907, post-Independence, Ghisingh was the first to use the term after the GNLF was formed on April 5, 1980.

Source: Telegraph

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GJM seeks SSC and CSC for the GTA.

11:55 PM

•

Subash Ghisingh

Roshan Giri, GTA Executive Member, Dr Harkha Bahadur Chettri, MLA Kalimpong and Dr Rohit Sharma, MLA Kurseong had a meeting with West Bengal education minister, Partha Chatterjee at Bikash Bhavan and raised the issue of setting up of a separate School Service Commission ( SSC) and College Service Commission (CSC) for the GTA.

GJM seeks SSC and CSC for the GTA - meeting with West Bengal education minister,
Partha Chatterjee at Bikash Bhavan 

The 3 member delegation was informed by the minister that the formalities for setting up a separate SSC and CSC have been completed and that a note would be placed before the state cabinet for its final approval.

The meeting was also attended by Vivek Kumar, secretary, higher secondary education department and Arnab Roy, secretary, secondary education of the state government.

The earlier Left Front Government had formed the School Service Commission exclusively for the hill areas in 1999. However, the then Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council had refused to give appointment to candidates who had cleared the SSC (hills) examinations in 2000 and 2002. However, after Subash Ghisingh resigned as the caretaker administrator of the DGHC in 2008, our party pressurized to issue appointment letters to those candidates who had passed the earlier examinations.
The issue of online admission process in colleges were also discussed in the meeting today. The delegation told the minister that since internet connectivity and electrification in the hills was poor, the online process for admission in colleges should be exempted for the hill areas.

The other issues raised were regarding employing 515 para teachers and 127 adhoc teachers in various vacancies in the hills and also the creation of 79 posts under the Right to Education.

Source: Bimal Gurung Official

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GNLF decides to observe ‘Gorkhaland Namkaran Diwas’ on April 5

11:11 AM

•

Subash Ghisingh

The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), which chose to steer clear of the statehood demand when Subash Ghishing was alive, has now decided to observe April 5, the day it was founded, as ‘Gorkhaland Namkaran Diwas’.

GNLF decides to observe ‘Gorkhaland Namkaran Diwas’ on April 5

Ghisingh formed the GNLF in 1980 to pursue the demand for a Gorkhaland state. In 1986, he launched a bloody agitation that lasted 28 months and led to the death of more than 1,200 people. A peace accord was signed in 1988 and the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, an autonomous body, was formed, which brought an end to the bloody agitation.

However, during the fag end of his life till his death on January 29 of this year, Ghisingh never advocated for a Gorkhaland state. In 2004, he instead raked up the issue of conferring the Darjeeling hills with the Sixth Schedule status. He asked all DGHC councillors to resign in support of the demand and with a deft move became the hill body’s caretaker administrator and also signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the state and central governments in December 2006.

But current leaders of the GNLF have a different take on Gorkhaland. “Ghisingh was the first to coin the word Gorkhaland and it has become synonymous with the Darjeeling hills now. In fact, all political parties here have embraced the issue of statehood to maintain their political identity,” said MG Subba, Darjeeling sub-divisional convener of the GNLF.

Asked about the decision to observe Gorkhaland Namkaran Diwas, he said, “The world has come to know about the Gorkhaland demand because of our party president. He sacrificed the major part of his life pursuing the demand. Hence it is only fitting we observe the party’s foundation day as Gorkhaland Namkaran Diwas to honour the founder,” said Subba.

The GNLF has decided to organise a programme at the Mela ground in Kalimpong where the new president, Mann Ghisingh, will address supporters for the first time after taking office. “Our new president will be present at the programme and deliver his first public speech. He is expected to announce future programmes as well,” Subba said.

The GNLF’s demand is to revive the now defunct DGHC till such time the hills are accorded with the Sixth Schedule status. The contention is that the erstwhile council had constitutional guarantee unlike the existing Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

Source: EOIC

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