रोहिंग्याहरूलाई ढुक्कै छ, तर गोर्खाको चिनारी अझै संकटमा।

5:10 PM

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Roshan Giri

विश्वकै बृहतम गनतान्त्रिक देशमा यो के भैरहेछ? एकातिर राष्ट्र स्तरको साहित्यिक कार्यक्रम, राष्ट्रिय अकादमी कवि सम्मेलन विच भारतिय साहित्यका चिरपरिचित साहित्यकारहरूलाई समेत विदेशीको सम्बोधन गरिन्छ_ भने यता पहाडमा गोर्खा नेता बिमल गुरूङ र मोर्चाका शिर्ष नेताहरू लगायत GTA का पूर्व सभासद्, नगरपालीका पार्षद् समेतको नाम मतदाता शुचीबाट हटाइने फरमान जारी भएको छ। जब कि राज्यका मुख्य मन्त्री तथा तृनमुल नेत्री सुश्री ममता ब्यानर्जीले रोहिंग्या मुस्लिमहरूलाई बगांलमा आश्रय दिइने घोषना गरिसकेकी छिन भने दमदम नगरपालीकामा रोहिंग्याहरूको आधार कार्ड समेत बनिएको रिपोर्टमा उल्लेख छ। राष्ट्रकै गृह विभाग द्वारा रोहिंग्याहरू देशका लागी खतरा भनेर भनिएता पनी उनीहरूले बगांलमा आश्रय लिरहेका छन्।

तर के अचम्म पहाडमा GTA चुनाव जितेर यसका मुख्य कार्यपाल रहिसकेका बिमल गुरूङ लगायत सभासद अनी दुइ-दुइ पटक नगरपालिका चुनाव जितिसकेका नगर पार्षदको नाम मतदातन शुचीबाट हटाइने बगांल प्रसाषनको फरमान जारी भए पछी पहाड मा एउटा भयावह स्थिति देखा परेको छ।

भारतमा IPS र IAS लाई एउटा उच्च गरिमाको रूपमा सम्मान गरिन्छ तर उनीहरूनै राज्नैतिक प्रेरित भएर आँफ्नो कर्तब्य पथबाट हटेर कार्य गर्छन भने उनीहरूमाथी जन्ताको विश्वास हटेर जाने छ। साथै छोराछोरीलाई IAS र IPS बनाउछु भन्ने सपना पालेर बसेका आमाबाबुको सपना समेत गर्वमै तुहुने छ।

विश्वको बृहतम् गनतान्त्रिक देश भनिने यो देश भित्र त्यो कस्तो कानुन हो जो निर्वाचित सदस्यको समेत नाम मतदाता शुचीबाट हटाइन्छ?? बगांलमा गोर्खाहरूले चुनेका नेताहरू आज शुरक्षित छैनन् भने अब जन्ता कति शुरक्षित छन् त?? यो अन्दाज लाउने कुरो हो।

*के यो सहि भैरहेछ??
*के यसमा तपाँइको पनी सहमती छ?
*यदि छैन भने फेरी किन मौंनधारण गरेर बस्नुभएको छ?
*कतै बिमल पछी तपाँइ र मेरो पालो! त आउँदैन??

*सचेत नेताहरू बोल्नु पर्छ कि पर्दैन??
*शिक्षित जन्ताहरू बोल्नु पर्छ कि पर्दैन??
*जेम्मावार पत्रकारहरू बोल्नु पर्छ कि पर्दैन??
*साहित्यकारहरू बोल्नु पर्छ कि पर्दैन?

Prem Kumar Chettri

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GORKHAS UNSAFE IN BENGAL – Removal of names from voters list, points to a bleak future

7:21 AM

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West Bengal

Writes Upendra

"First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the communists and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me - and by then there was no one left to speak out for me."
                                                                                                           - Pastor Martin Niemöller

Of late, a very scary trend has started in our Darjeeling hills, notices are being issued to those Gorkhaland supporters who have gone underground or missing, asking for them to show up at various designated Government offices with 'relevant documents by a certain date', barring which their names will be removed from the voters list.' In a democratic nation like India, where Majority will always thrive, this is a very scary scenario unfolding for the minorities, and especially for micro-minority communities like the Gorkhas, it could translate to the end of any and all forms of resistance and rebellion against the powers that be.

Legally and technically, the district administration is entitled to seek revision of voters list, and as per rule if a person doesn’t live at a local address for over 6 months, her/his name can be removed. The most famous such case was the removal of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's name from the Lucknow Municipal electoral list in September of 2017. However, Mr. Vajpayee had been residing in Delhi for long, and the removal of his name didn't really affect his fundamental right as a citizen of our great nation.

However, in Darjeeling region, the district administration is using this rule to target those Gorkhaland supporters against whom various cases have been filed, and who have gone or remained underground, for fear of injustice looms large.

In such a situation, the people who are missing, cannot and in all likelihood will not, file for their names to be transferred to other jurisdiction to register as voters. Removal of any name from an electoral roll means such individuals cannot exercise their basic duty as a citizen of our nation - to elect the government of its choice. In a country like India, where criminals of all hues and colours thrive, it is rare for the state government to pursue individuals in a manner which deprives them of their citizenship rights. Case in point, Vijay Mallya still features in the electoral list in Bangalore, and Sanjay Dutta - a convicted terrorist supporter/helper also features in the voter list of Mumbai.

What is worrisome in this exercise the district administration has embarked upon, is that, it cruelly curtails our 'right to protest' against a powerful government. The government, in such a case may slap severe charges (actual and fabricated) against any individual forcing him or her to go underground, and then the government may proceed to struck off the name from the electoral roll, thus barring that individual from becoming a part of the democratic process of our nation - they won't get to vote or contest in elections. Which translates to the government, if it so desires, being able to slap cases against its political opponents, cause them to run and then remove their names from the electoral roll, thereby emptying the political field.

Moreover, the government may, if it so decides, start this process of review for everyone from the micro-minority community who have lived outside their home constituency for over 6 months. Imagine, if such a scenario were to play out, almost everyone who were yelling 'Gorkhaland' at Jantar-Mantar or writing and shouting for/against it from anywhere outside Darjeeling region, may actually not retain their voting rights in Darjeeling, if the government of West Bengal decides to take a more draconian stance.

What is really worrisome, in all this is the silence of ALL THE GORKHA POLITICIANS. May be, many are secretly rejoicing at the prospect of having the names of their most detested opponents removed from the voting list, but what they seem to fail to realize is that someday, this same tool of oppression can be and will be used against them. As the Nepali adage goes, " ऊसलाई  खाने बाघले तिमिलाई पनि खान्छ है  - one cannot ride a tiger forever, the tiger will eventually get hungry and run out of other animals to devour." Their silence speaks volumes about how strongly they feel about the welfare of our community.

In comparison when BJP threatened to kick out illegal Bangladeshi refugees from Assam, the Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee went on record to challenge the BJP and threatened them with dire consequences if even a single Bangladeshi was touched - forget Indians, she fought for the rights of Bangladeshis, and here in our hills, the Gorkha politicians who are busy serving under her, are instead defending cops who allegedly threatened one of our Gorkha mother and a sister with rape.

Perhaps such is the curse of being born a Gorkha, we seem to be loyal to everyone else, but our own people.

The politics of Vendetta which had consumed a generation of our people, has today infested our community again. When Subash Ghising was removed from the hills GJM had rejoiced, today when Bimal Gurung is removed and hounded similarly, GNLF is rejoicing, so is AT-BT group of GJM. While CPRM, ABGL and JAP have maintained a seemingly dignified silence, their silence too speaks out loud about how they feel about the whole issue. In the race to play the politics of vendetta, the Gorkhas are losing big time. Today we have become so fragmented that we cannot even dare to speak against this hounding out of Gorkhas from our own lands.

It has begun with the missing GJM leaders, but I am certain, this is just the beginning. The Bengal government will use this on everyone of us, who dare to raise our voice for the welfare of our community and people. From asking for "Family tree since 1950" to those who went to seek residential certificate the Bengal government has made it abundantly clear that they view all of us with suspicion. If we are not careful today, a day may come when the Gorkhas will be rendered homeless. Much like what happened in the rest of North East could end up happening here, and we may end up being rendered homeless in our own lands.

So, please speak out against what's happening in Darjeeling today. Because if we let this trend continue, soon a day may come, when you may want to speak out, but your tongues may have been cut without you even realizing it.

Remember, "if you are afraid to speak out against tyranny, you are already a slave"

Via TheDC

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How Indian Gorkhas came with their land

4:53 PM

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History

In an attempt to put into perspective the history of Indian Ghorkhas for the benefit of all  of us  residing in various parts of India here is an excerpt adapted and abridged from Salil Gewali's article on Indian Ghorkhas which is as follows :-

It is quite apparent that West Bengal is steadily eyeing Darjeeling and its adjoining areas as it's private fiefdom.  It seems a bunch of good scholars are now urgently required to wise  up to history. The West Bengal government probably does not know about the fact that the Nepal Kingdom in 1815-16  under the Treaty of Sugauli was prudent enough to come to an agreement with the then rapaciously imperialist ‘East India Company’. So, “Nepal Kingdom’’,  in order to  avoid continuous unpleasant conflicts, surrendered about one-fourth of its land to the British.  This "surrendered land'' included the major chunk of the mountainous, hilly and plain terrains of areas like Darjeeling, Sikkim, Nainital, Kumaon, and Garhwal which was handed over to the East India Company. Rationally speaking, if all this vast area of land, its mountains, its pristine hills, rivers, flora and fauna can be regarded as Indian then why can’t the human inhabitants who lived therein ?? Why is there so much skepticism and callousness? Well, if our nation's leaders are still confused and desist from resolving the identity crises of the Ghorkha natives of this land then they should  meet and consult the bio-scientists and geoscientists. It's utterly regrettable to see Ghorkhas treated so poorly in their own land...

Hence The Gorkhas came with their land, not  like other invaders or infiltrators who have been posing serious threats to the NATION. Gorkhas are the stout walls of security and integrity for the country. It is time for The Indian government to pay back their dues and enough of it with gratitude. They can’t be expected to bite the bullet all the time under oppressive and exploitative regimes

Abridged  and adapted from an excerpt from the writer

Salil Gewali

(A Shillong-based writer and researcher who has to his credit a landmark publication of his research-based book of over 25 years entitled ‘Great minds on India?’ which has earned worldwide appreciations. Translated into eleven languages his ‘Great Minds on India’ has recently been prefaced by a world-acclaimed NASA Chief scientist – Dr. Kamlesh Lulla of Houston.

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Has BJP fallen out of favour with Gorkhas in Darjeeling?

2:52 PM

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S. S. Ahluwalia

Writes: Arkamoy Dutta Majumdar [for LiveMint]

After enjoying its support for almost a decade, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may have fallen out of favour with the Gorkha community in West Bengal’s Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency.

Following the visit of S.S. Ahluwalia, the BJP’s current member of Parliament (MP_ from Darjeeling, two key Gorkha parties said over the weekend that the party had failed the Gorkha community.

Ahluwalia, who is visiting his constituency for the first time since last year’s unrest over the demand for Gorkhaland, said on Saturday that he would protect fugitive Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung from “extra-judicial” persecution, pledging support for him and his movement. But the statement drew a sharp reaction from the GJM faction opposed to Gurung.

Binoy Tamang, the rebel GJM leader who is now in control of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, said it was “surprising” that Ahluwalia had committed to protect Gurung, a fugitive leader facing sedition charges, whereas he did nothing to fulfil the “long pending demands” of the community.

The BJP has “fooled” the Gorkhas twice to get elected to the Lok Sabha from Darjeeling—in 2009 and 2014—but has given nothing in return, Tamang said, ruling out any possibility of allying with the BJP in the next general election.

Echoing him, Niraj Zimba, spokesperson for Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), said that the BJP had not fulfilled its promises to the community, but didn’t immediately rule out the possibility of backing it going forward.

Tamang has worked for Ahluwalia ahead of the 2014 general election, Zimba said, adding that his stand has now changed because he is himself fighting for survival. Asked about future alliance, Zimba said the GNLF will back any national party that supports its demand for greater autonomy under the sixth schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Since 1957, when the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency was created, the Gorkhas have almost always voted for a national party. For three consecutive terms till 2004, they even voted for the Communist Party of India (Marxist). In 2004, they elected a Congress candidate before allying with the BJP in the past two general elections.

Also, until now, the community has almost always been led by one dominant local party. But that is changing: amid shifting sands, the GNLF is staging a comeback following the division within the GJM. The GJM had a complete stranglehold on Darjeeling’s politics for a decade until the violent agitation last year split the party between Gurung and Tamang.

Following the 104-day strike, a lot of Gorkhas who had started to lean towards the Trinamool Congress joined GNLF, said key district officials, who asked not to be named.

A large number of GJM supporters too have quietly shifted allegiance to the GNLF, giving up on both Tamang and Gurung, they added.

“It is not immediately clear how the community will vote in the next general election, but there is no doubt that the BJP has to deliver something substantive during the current term to earn the trust of this constituency,” one of the officials said.

[Via: Live Mint, originally posted at: http://bit.ly/2FZdaXS]

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बिमल गुरूङ एक ब्यक्ति मात्र होइन, गोर्खाहरूका प्रतिक हुन

12:34 PM

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Politics

*बिमल गुरूङ एक ब्यक्ति मात्र होइन। विश्वभरी छरिएर बसेका गोर्खाहरूका प्रतिक हुन।

*आँफ्नै जन्मभूमि भारतमा विदेशीको लाल्छना सहदै भारत भरी छरिएर बसेका डेर कडोर गोर्खाहरूका आशा हुन् बिमल गुरूङ।

*गोर्खाल्याण्ड आन्दोलनमा कसैले आँफ्ना छोरा, कसैले आँफ्ना आमा, कसैले आँफ्ना परिवारका कुनै पनी हिस्सा गुमाएका छन् भने तिँ सहिदका परिवारका लागी बल, आत्मबल हुन बिमल गुरूङ।

*गोर्खा जातिलाई टुक्रा-टुक्रामा विभाजित गरेर, विभिन्न सड्यन्त्र र दमन निती अपनाएर गोर्खाल्याण्डलाई सधैंको निम्ती दबाउन खोज्ने बैरीहरूका लागी  गोर्खाल्याण्ड हुन्छैहुन्छ भन्ने गहिरो विश्वास हुन् विमल गुरूङ।

*गोर्खाले हारेको इतिहास छैन, गोर्खा कहिले झुकेको इतिहास छैन। भारत देशको गनतन्त्र र आचार सहिंतालाई सिरोपर गरेर सम्विधानको धारा 3क अनुसार भारत देशको 30औं राज्यको रूपमा  गोर्खाल्याण्डको मानचित्र कोरेरै छोड्छौं भन्ने एउटा दृड् संकल्प हुन बिमल गुरूङ।

*आँफ्नो जातिलाई लाल्छना लाग्दा, मात्री भाषाको जिब्रो काटिन लाग्दा, आँफ्नो घुरेन समेत लिलाम हुन लाग्दा सडकमा उत्रेर सरकारलाई लाखेस भन्दै सदैव विक्षोभ गर्ने जन्ताका आवाज हुन विमल गुरूङ।

* गोर्खाल्याण्ड हिज भएन, गोर्खाल्याण्ड आज भएन तर छिटो होस वा ढिलो आँफ्नो खुन पसिना बगाएर, घर-बार आफ्नो परिवार सबैकुरो त्यागेर भए पनी बगांलको औपनिवेशिक साशन बाट गोर्खाहरूलाई उन्मुक्ति दिलाएर छोड्ने। त्यसको लागी जगंलमा पत्करको उछ्यानमा किन सुत्नु नपरोस, त्यसका लागी खोलामा ढुगांको सिरानी लाएर सुत्न किन नपरोस।  आधा पेट किन खानु नपरोस आँफ्नो सरिरमा एक मुट्ठी स्वाँस रहुन्जेल सघंर्ष गरिनै रहने छु भन्ने एउटा लामो तपश्या हुन विमल गुरूङ।

एक गोर्खाल्याण्ड प्रेमी

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Kolkata treats Darjeeling as a colony

9:42 AM

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West Bengal

Writes: Brig. C. S. Thapa

The Gorkha community has umbilical links with soldiering, hard work, honesty, dedication and national service. As a veteran I see two events occurring simultaneously – firstly the assault on the Army and secondly, the perils of the Gorkha community. Suddenly a section of intellectuals are passing most untenable remarks at the Army and its chief.  Spiritual Guru Vasudev Jaggi was sought to be dragged into controversy seeking his opinion on the action of a young officer taken in the heat of the moment on the battlefield in Kashmir.

The reply is now viral on the Fauzi circuit. Was there a sinister motive to link the action to religion, or else why seek opinion of a Guru? When one adds the fact that the questioner also wrote on the so called coup attempt by the Indian Army, one wonders, whats wrong with our intellectuals, why are they behaving like their Army’s enemy? 

Historian Partha Chatterjee should look within, the Bengal government is violating human rights in Darjeeling, the actions and historical perspective that he describes are being enacted in his own state. He needs to put the house in his state in order.

There is violence all over the hills, and it has travelled all the way down to the Dooars region.

The Gorkhas are indigenous people. The Indian subcontinent houses a large number of nationalities. The same stock of people has different nationality thus there is “unity in diversity”. It’s another matter that citizens of Pakistan are trying to find a Saudi connect which never existed.

Gorkhas are Hindus thus inhabit the subcontinent region, thus are indigenous people.  Upendra Mani Pradhan writing for merinews.com has exhaustively covered these issues in “Why Gorkhaland: A Guide for Starters.” [Details: http://bit.ly/1m1K4b4]

The Gorkha is an Indian citizen who does not wish to be identified with the citizen of Nepal who wishes to be called a Nepali. The 1950 treaty between India and Nepal clause 7 allows people with similar names and mannerism to migrate with open borders thus there is a mix up on the identity, a book written by this author “Gorkha: Society and Politics” explains it all. The open borders will remain as there is a special relationship with Nepal.

The political leadership must examine the security fallout of the on-going agitation as the Gorkhas contribute the maximum regiments to the Indian army.

If the identity problem remains and 1.25 crore Indian citizens identity is questioned, does it demand a lathicharge or the desire to solve the problem. Why is the intelligentsia silent on the burning issue? Gorkha Regiments were numbered from one to ten. They were numbered based on what one can call sub identities, which is now being exploited by the Bengal government by setting up Tamang or Lepcha development boards.

The Gorkha in India stands for an umbrella organization, multi faith, multi cultural, multi religious, and there are a fair prominent sprinkling of Christians and Muslims as well in addition to  Gurung, Magar, Chhetri, Thapa to name a few.
Why creation of a state? Bengal is not a viable state, it is backward and it does not grant funds for the development of the hills. A lot of our friends are hurt on the name of Gorkhaland but doesn’t development matter? Are smaller states not more viable? The government needs to create a viable state, which is in the forefront of three national boundaries.

It has to be economically viable, well administrated and fit into the scheme of look east policy of modern India. This geographical land mass which has no commonality with the rest of Bengal needs to be freed from the apron strings of Kolkata based Writers’ Building, the state secretariat. A new state needs to be created.

Darjeeling till 1935 was a non regulated area; it joined Bengal for administrative connivance. The current situation demands unity at all levels. This is the time to be united and those in and around Delhi need to take the cause closer to the national main stream. There are healthy signs the all party meeting at Darjeeling has expressed solidarity for the cause of Gorkhaland.

Let’s hope the various Gorkha stake holders stay united, but our hearts go out to those in the hills of Darjeeling who are getting the stick of the state, when asking for their rights to be ruled effectively. Is this what democracy is all about? 

[Via: capitalkhabar.in]

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The Butterfly Effect

1:05 PM

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Opinion

//The Butterfly Effect// by Merab Wangchuk

The last time I verified my identity as an Indian Nepali was a month back while traveling back to my hometown. She was a sweet kid, somebody I'm never going to meet again but I hope I got my point across that I'm an Indian as much as she is.
As a resident of West Bengal and studying in Kolkata, I have always had to clarify myself on my physical structure.

" Are you Assamese?"
           -"No, no, I'm a Nepali!"
"Oh! From Nepal?"
           -" No, from Bengal. Darjeeling. Kalimpong, to be exact.."
"Aaah..Lovely place!"

Yes, to you it is a beautiful place. To my people its their lifeline, a land forged to what it is now with their blood, sweat and tears. British overseers lorded over our ancestors as they slaved away, laying foundations for the very same places you come to see, the very same places before where you take pictures and store it in albums as cherished memories, a cheap gateaway, a summer destination, a place where for a while you forget your daily hectic days and lose yourself to the blowing of cool winds, blue hills, orange sunsets and the sparkling mirror of Khangchendzonga.

No, I have nothing against you. Infact, we have always been welcoming and happy to have you here. But what bothers me are the hateful comments being spewed out in social media and news channels. So much of hatred and racism being spread about not only from other communities but from my community as well. Do you know how saddening that is? To see our stance degrading, to have to stoop so low.

History has it that this land had always been contested between the Chogyal of Sikkim, the kingdom of Bhutan, the kingdom of Nepal and the British East India Company. Wars have been fought for this land, treaties have been signed for this land, annexation is a word this land understands all too well. It all shows that we have existed here since long, saw it being destroyed and rebuilt, my people have lived their lives in oppression and poverty and still managed to build a home for themselves here.
So, why do we have to hear echoes of "GO BACK! GO BACK!"

And I ask you, "Where?"
You see, I've been asked to go back either to Nepal or to China but I know nothing of the two countries. What I call home is here. India. I have sung the National Anthem with as much pride as any other fellow countrymen, celebrated Independence Day with as much pomp and splendour as the rest of the country, I have believed in the Brotherhood of Men too strongly and fiercely and yet, sadly, as I walk the busy streets of a city I've called home for the past two years, along with the warm humid gust of wind, sprinkles of 'Chinese' , 'Momo', 'Ching Chong', 'Nepal challey jao' still follows my shadow.

However, I can't be despicable for there's always been somebody kind enough to give directions when I've gotten lost a few many times, friends so sweet and supportive, people who've made me believe in humanity again and again. So, tell me how can I detest an entire community? For you see, this is not a war between two communities, between ethnic groups, between the Nepalese and Bengalis, this is a war for an identity. The plea to be heard, to be given a place, a fight put up by a race of smothered people only asking to be recognized, to be able to live with heads held up high.

We have been branded foreigners, anti-nationals amd terrorists. We stand for peace but now, it seems a far thought. We know enough of tear gases, rubber bullets, gaping wounds and sacrifices. We are a race who have compromised enough so much so that the Teesta now lies dead and there is still no electricity in our homes.

I hope this ends now. I hope we stand in solidarity and unity, forsaking the so called concept of development boards, I hope we learn not to lean unto the so called leaders but learn to lean unto ourselves, unto each other. I hope we understand where our power lies.

Who isn't petrified of what is to come? There is an ominous foreboding in the air, maybe this will be our last effort, maybe if this fails, my people won't have the strength to rise gain but today, the wings are in motion now. Will we answer the call? Will we blow up a tornado or are we going to let it fizzle away from our grasp, yet again?

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Dear Gorkhas, Please Beware of the Bengal State Machinery

1:13 PM

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West Bengal

Writes Dushyant Chettri

A recent Facebook update by a dear friend from Calcutta got me thinking. I shall begin this article by quoting him. Mr. Ranabir Lahiri, for whose intellect I have a great deal of respect had this to say today as his status:

“The decision to hold the cabinet meeting in Darjeeling is power gone mad, arrogating to itself the right to hegemonize the spaces historically contested by the three major actors - the Chogyal of Sikkim, the Gorkhas of Nepal, and the British East India Company. Bengal and Bengalees had never been in the picture. The decision betrays an insensitive use of political authority, a poor mimicry of our colonial administration that used the hill stations [Darjeeling, Simla, Ooty] as summer capitals.
Didi's Darj policies are symptomatic of the average Bengali mindset about the hills, marked by a sense of entitlement and ownership over a landscape, without ever being a part of its history and geography. How can you lose something when you never had it! Honestly speaking, as I head straight north from Siliguri, within half an hour of my drive I distinctly perceive a change - the weather, the food, the features of men and women who pass by, and the language they speak.”
Drawing upon Ranabir Sir’s argument, I would like to add that this isn’t just an example of “power gone mad,” rather it is part of a very well though-out and much larger game-plan. What the Bengal Government is now attempting to do, in a way perhaps the CPIM too never dreamt, is an eventual colonization of the Darjeeling hills. As much as we would like to believe not, the CM is an extremely clever strategist, and all her decisions aren’t impulsive at all, but clearly motivated. Let me enlist a few examples here:

1) As mentioned in Mr. Lahiri’s status, the decision to hold a Cabinet Meeting in Darjeeling, something which has not happened since British times.

2) Attempting to impose the Bengali language, successfully resisted, on the predominantly Nepali-speaking populace here (even then the fact that it may be retained as fourth optional is worrisome!)

3) Very slyly pumping in money into various development boards and effectively fracturing the Gorkha identity along the lines of caste and ethnicity.

4) Creation of Kalimpong district and splitting of Jalpaiguri district into Cooch Behar district, in effect, actually re-distributing the Nepali speaking and other adivasi areas of the Dooars, rendering them a minority, and by extension, increasing and ensuring the dominance of the Bengali populace.

5) Most importantly, rendering the GTA completely ineffective and powerless. The recent audit that she has announced for the GTA funds is also part of the same game plan. By refusing to divest powers and give full constitutional autonomy to the GTA, she has already rendered it pretty much dysfunctional. The timing of the audit, too, is telling, as it is clearly designed to once and for all, nullify whatever little power rests with the GTA.

These signs, read together, present an extremely ominous future. The Bengal government is very slowly and very slyly putting the age-old colonial machinery into place, by creating gradual in-roads into Darjeeling and Dooars. Dooars has already fallen within that trap. Following the exact British modality of establishing colonial supremacy over predominantly tribal areas, the Bengal government is splitting places into separate administrative districts and re-shuffling of the populace.  In Darj, it is deploying the local people to achieve its cunning, nefarious design. Please be extremely careful, as none of this is a sudden, impulsive move! It is part of a much larger, much more nefarious attempt of eventual and complete colonization of Darjeeling by Bengal and shifting the control of power entirely to Calcutta.

Mirik, too, has unfortunately fallen within this trap. Choose anyone, GJMM or otherwise, but by giving an in-road to TMC, what people are actually doing is becoming pawns, chess pieces, within this larger game plan.

The CM has more or less control over the rest of Bengal, apart from the Darjeeling hills, and she is well aware that for the next ten years at least, nothing can dethrone her. The only place left to gain control over is the Darjeeling hills, a move for which she seems utterly and entirely desperate, as proven by her recurring visits.

Do not be fooled by her artificial empathy, do not be fooled by the Bhanu Jayanti celebrations (for which the posters where in Bengali!), read the ominous signs and think for yourselves! Unless Bengal’s larger game plan is understood and checked now, thirty years down the line, this will have serious repercussions and render your own Gorkhali people as mere puppets, or worse still, as minority in your own land!!!

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