|Why Gorkhaland Why Gorkhaland 9Aug-09 In any movement for a separate state, the question of WHY always arises. This booklet answers in brief the WHY of the Indian Gorkhas justified, peaceful,democratic, constitutional and Gandhian Movement for a separate state withinthe Indian Union.It may not be possible to capsule the answers of a single document. Our attemptis to produce a series of documents that will explain the demand for a separatestate of Gorkhaland. |Why Gorkhaland 3 1) HISTORY :(a) Pre Independence:- The proposed Gorkhaland area i.e. Darjeeling District and the two adjoining Dooarsarea under Jalpaiguri District were parts of two kingdoms of Sikkim and Bhutan before the advent of the British. This fact is admitted by the West BengalGovernment also in its White Pape r called “Gorkhaland Agitation -An Information Document” published on 29 -10-1986.Nowhere in the history of pre-British history of Bengal, areas under presentDarjeeling and Jalpaiguri were ever ruled or possessed by any King, Raja orRoyalties of the plains of Bengal, nor did the latter had any suzerainty over theseareas.The above mentioned areas came under British occupation in three phases. In 1835, by a Deed of Grant, where the Raja of Sikkim ceded a portion of Darjeeling Hills tothe British for setting up a Sanatorium. In 1850, the rest of Darjeeling Hills and theTerai area, west of Tista River were annexed by the British. In the third, followingthe war with Bhutan in 1864, the east of the Tista river comprising the presentKalimpong and Dooars areas were annexed.Thus after annexation of the areas, the British tagged these areas to the then Bengalpresidency. However, these areas were kept as Scheduled Districts, that is, Non-Regulation Districts which implied that the Acts and Regulations of BengalPresidency were not to come to force unless specially extended. This arrangementcontinued till 1919.The Government of India Act, 1919 constituted a Legislative Council for Bengal butDarjeeling had no representation. Darjeeling district was declared as an Excludedarea thus keeping the Darjeeling district outside the purview of the Legislature of the Bengal Presidency.Again as per the Government of India Act, 1935, the area was made PartiallyExcluded under which only with the concurrence of the Governor, Acts of the |Why Gorkhaland 4 Provincial or Central Legislature would be applicable to Darjeeling District. Thisargument continued till Independence. [The above mentioned facts show how Darjeeling and Dooars were administered separately and kept outside the influence and purview of the Provincial Governmentof Bengal.] Though the above arguments were there, the people of these areas, irrespective of the caste, tribe, race, language, jointly demanded separation from the BengalProvince.1) In 1907 , The Hillmen‟s Association submitted a memorandum to Morley-Minto Reforms demanding a separate administrative setup.2) In 1917 , The Hillmen‟s Association submitted a memorandum to the Chief Secretary, Government of Bengal, the Secretary of State of India and theViceroy for the creation for the creation of a separate administrative unitcomprising the Darjeeling District and adjoining Jalpaiguri District.3) In 1929, The Hillmen‟s Association again raised the demand before the Simon Commission.4) In 1930, a joint petition was submitted by Hillmen‟s Association, Gorkha Officers Association and the Kurseong Gorkha Library to the Secretary of theState of India, Sri Samuel Hoare for separation from the province of Bengal.5) In 1941, The Hillmen‟s Association under the Presidentship of Sri R.N. Sinha urged the Secretary of State of India Lord Petrick Lawrence to excludeDarjeeling from the province of Bengal and make it a Chief CommissionersProvince.6) In 1947, to be precise on 6-4-1947, the undivided Communist Party of Indiasubmitted a memorandum to the Constituent Assembly with copies to Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the Vice-President of the Interim Government and LiaquatAli Khan, Finance Minister, Interim Government, demanding the formationof Gorkhasthan comprising Darjeeling District, Sikkim and Nepal. In the memorandum it is written; “ in the opinion of the communist party of India, theDistrict of Darjeeling belongs to the Gorkha s and it is their Homeland”. |Why Gorkhaland 5 (b) Post Independence:- India became independent on 15-8-1947. Darjeeling and Dooars became part of West Bengal. The wishes of the people remained unfulfilled and the area once again became a colony ruled by new masters. There was greater deprivation,discrimination and exploitation. The joys and the fruits of the newly found freedom became a distant dream. But this did not deter the people from their demand for ahomeland.1) In 1952, the All India Gorkha League under the presidentship of Sri N.B.Gurung, met Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India inKalimpong and submitted a memorandum demanding separation fromBengal.2) In 1955, the President of District Shamik Sangh, Sri Daulat Das Bokhim,submitted a memorandum to the chairman, State ReorganizationCommittee, camp Raj Bhawan, Darjeeling, demanding formation of anew state comprising Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Coochbihar Districts.3) In 1968, Darjeeling District Congress Committee passed a resolution toform an Autonomous Administrative set-up FOR Darjeeling and thesame was adopted by the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee inCalcutta.4) In 1981, Pranta Parishad under the Presidentship of Sri Indra Bahadur Raisubmitted a memorandum to Smt. Indira Gandhi, the then PrimeMinister of India demanding a separate state for Darjeeling and thecontiguous areas.5) In 1977 and 1981, the West Bengal Legislative Assembly passed aunanimous resolution supporting the formation of an AutonomousDistrict Council comprising Darjeeling District and contiguous areas andthe same was forwarded to the Central Government with a request forconsideration.6) In 1983, CPI(M) MPs, Sri Ananda Pathak, Sri Somnat Chatterjee and Sri Samar Mukherjee moved a “Private Members Bill” in the Lok Sabha where it was rejected. | 7) In 1986, Sri Subash Gishing launched a violent agitation demanding astate of Gorkhaland which culminated in the formation of Gorkha HillCouncil as per the Tripartite Agreement.8) In the wake of strong public opinion for separation from Bengal, theDarjeeling District Congress Committee submitted a memorandum to SriRajiv Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India for a separate state.9) In 1998 and 1999, delegations comprising different political partiessubmitted memoranda to the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpaye aswell as Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi for creation of a separatestate of Gorkhaland.10) In 2005, a fresh Tripartite Agreement was signed to grant Sixth Schedulestatus to the existing DGHC with more powers, funds and areas. Thiswas however, rejected vehemently by the people of Darjeeling. A freshagitation, under the leadership of Sri Bimal Gurung was launched by theGorkha Jan Mukti Morcha. [All the above facts amply prove without doubt that the demand made by different social and political organizations at different times of Pre and PostIndependence History of India for the last 102 years was separation fromBengal. Formation of Gorkhaland will undo years of injustice committed by British Imperialism in incorporating Darjeeling and Dooars to the Province of Bengal.] 2) Misrepresentation before the SRC:- The State Re-organization Commission in 1956 recommended creation of 14 stateson linguistic lines. The census of 1951 for Darjeeling District was mischievouslymanipulated by the Government of West Bengal to project the Nepali speakingpopulation as a miniscule minority and thereby deny them state, on linguistic lines.The Nepali speaking population was shown as only 17% though the Census OfficerSri A Mitra, ICS, had clearly stated that the number of Nepali/Gorkhas was 2.90Lakhs i.e. 66%. The People of Darjeeling then were too naïve and gullible tounderstand the implications when the dialects were being mentioned as their mother tongue. The Government of West Bengal played this card before the SRC when theyvisited Darjeeling in 1955 to drive home the point that the Nepali‟s‟/Gorkha s werein minority.Today, however, states have been created on considerations other than Linguistic.The observation of Nehru Commission, 1928 has been so prophetic that there is aneed to look into the demand for statehood on principles other that linguistic.Geographic, Economic, Financial, Administrative Efficiency are considerations butthe main considerations should be the wishes of the people linguistically subjected to by a linguistic minority. 3) IDENTITY:- The demand for Gorkhaland is basically a question of the Gorkha Indian politicalidentity---- as the specter of “alien - ness”, “foreigners” and “evictions” cont inues tohunt the Indian Gorkhas even today. Why is there this “identity crisis” for the Gorkha s despite their being Indian citizensfor centuries, having either come with the territory that became British India undervarious treaties or as part of the population movement over the centuries? [Why is Gorkha Indian-ness so loosely received across the country that they have toemphasize their nationality by compounding their identity with their nationality?Why do Gorkhas have to identi fy themselves as “Indian Gorkhas”? Other communities do not need to do this!] Why did leaders in the past like Deputy Prime Minister Vallabhbhai Patel doubt oursincerity and patriotism or for that matter Prime Minister Moraji Desia call our language a “foreign language”? Even to -day, responsible leaders in Bengal like SriAshoke Bhattacharjee and writers like Sri Sumanta Sen irresponsibly label us “outsiders”. The solution to the “identity crisis” urgently requires that the Gorkhas be treated onthe basis of equality and trust just as other citizens of this country. The Gorkhas search for their “identity” mus t not be misconstrued or misinterpreted.The Gorkhas must be recognized as equal stake-holders in the governance of thecountry and its future. Recognition of Gorkha “identity” will signify their assimilation into the mainstream of Indian Life and thereby further the process of nation-building. A separate state will reiterate their “Indian Political Identity” and their Indian -ness. 4) DEPRIVATION/DISCRIMINATION:- [The politically awakened Gorkhas have now realized how, for the past sixty plus years they have been deprived and discriminated against in all the spheres by theWest Bengal Government. Indian Gorkhas feel like second-class citizens. Their self-respect, pride and dignity have been hurt; there is a feeling of neglect and frustration at being wronged.] (a) Socio-Cultural Entity: The Indian Gorkhas having a distinct socio-cultural entity and concentrated incontiguous districts of North Bengal are fighting for the formation of a separate statewithin the Indian Union in order to preserve, protect and promote their distinctidentity. The Gorkha s, Lepcha‟s and the Bhutias have a social, cultural and linguisticaffinity with the tribal‟s of the Dooars region i.e. Santhals, Uraons, Mundas, Totos, Rabhas, Mechey and Raj bangshis. Nepali is their Lingua-franca and is spokenthroughout the length and breadth of Dooars. Instances of cross-culturalinterconnection and inter-racial marriages are aplenty.There are remarkable affinities too in respect of their rites and rituals. Among theSanthals there is no dowry system similar to that of the Gorkhas. Their familypattern and their gastronomic habits are also akin. Animism or Shamanism is the cultof the inhabitants of Dooars as of a great bulk of the Gorkha people. All theirfestivals are related to the worship of nature. The demand, when fulfilled will ensure the protection of the Gorkhas distinct socio-cultural identity. It will bring minority communities like ours into the mainstreamand inculcate a sense of belonging.(b) Linguistic: The West Bengal Government imposed Bengali language compulsorily as theofficial language all over Bengal including Darjeeling District. All political partieslaunched an agitation against this imposition in 1961. Finally, the Governmentrelented and made Nepali the second Official Language in the Hill of Darjeeling.Even now, Officers from the Hills are required to pass Bengali language test forconfirmation of services whereas officers from the plains are awarded Rs.1500/- forpassing in Nepali language test.Despite Nepali being the official language in the Hills, many important documentsare still published in Bengali.Barring North Bengal University and Calcutta University, other Universities inBengal have not introduced Nepali as a language at the Under-Graduate or Post-Graduate levels.(c) Administrative: Immediately after the independence, the West Bengal Government headed by Dr.B.C. Roy abolished the system of nomination of members to Districts Boards andMunicipalities except Darjeeling. Despite the representation made by the people tothe Chief Minister, the system of nomination ensured the control by a certaincommunity, thereby depriving the local majority community direct participation fora long time.Unlike in other Districts where the Government appoints the District Magistrate, inDarjeeling District the Government appointed a Deputy Commissioner whowielded more powers and authority over Khas lands, Bazars, District Boards,Municipalities etc. Special Central Assistance given by the Central Government for the accelerateddevelopment of Hill Areas are always released at the far end of the financial yearafter being utilized by the State Government for its own purpose. Many times thesehave been diverted to Siliguri for setting up the Himul Milk Factory and even theKanchanjunga Stadium, thus depriving the Hills.(d) Economic: Darjeeling and Dooars have been economically exploited and neglected. The twomajor sources of sustenance- Tea and Tourism are marked by deplorable conditions.Whatever resources that are accrued are transferred. Forest are depleted. Cinchonais in shambles. The Toy Train-a Heritage has no stake holders.The Government has made no concerted effort to reopen the large number of sickand closed Tea garden in the Dooars and Darjeeling. Tourism, on which so manyfamilies depend for their livelihood is in a state of neglect due to lack of infrastructure and proper planning. The rulers and Bureaucrats in Kolkata havenever understood and appreciated the disposition of the people in the Hills andDooars the dynamics of the region.(e) Education: [Higher Education] In comparison to the plains, the Government has not been encouraging enough interms of establishing new Colleges. Starting new Colleges in Bijanbari, Sonada andMirik were politically motivated. The demand to start a new college in Darjeelingtown has gone unheeded.The colleges, which are affiliated to the University of North Bengal, have noautonomy to function on lines that are suitable to the Hills because of Universitynorms, directives and interferences. Appointments are politically based. NET/SLETqualified Hill candidates have little chance of selection if they do not have the blessing of a particular party. No permanent principle has been appointed to Darjeeling Government College and Southfield Women‟s College in Darjeeling. The large number of vacancies has not been filled by the College ServiceCommission and the Public Service Commission. Post-Graduate courses in varioussubjects have not been introduced. The government has established two newuniversities in Malda and Midnapore, but despite the long-standing demand for aHill University, our plea has gone to deaf ears. Secondary/Primary: The condition in Primary, Secondary Schools are not conducive for impartingquality education. Though the DGHC was handed over the responsibility toadminister these schools, the Government cannot absolve its responsibility inensuring proper functioning of the Education Department. As a result, to-day thereis a major problem of contractual teachers.To carter to drop-out students, the Education Ministry setup Rabindra MuktaVidhalaya where the medium of instruction is Bengali. This is gross injustice toNepali and Hindi speaking students. Technical/Medical/Vocational: The Government has never been favorable towards our need for TechnicalInstitutions. There is neither Medical Colleges nor any Vocational Institution tocarter to the need of our student community. For these our students have to gooutside. Why this denial?Are our students incapable of being doctors or engineers? This neglect has been the root cause for our youth going astray and the “brain drain”. Besides there is no reservation for Hill students in Medical, Engineering, Management and TechnicalColleges. Similarly there are no reservations in the State Civil Services.(f) Health: The State Health Services in Darjeeling and Dooars is nothing to write home about.It is marked by total neglect. Darjeeling being the District Headquarters does notcarter to the emergency health needs. There a re no ICU‟s. For any major health problem, patients have to be rushed down to Siliguri. The Sardar Hospital has no provision for CT-Scans. Darjeeling has no trauma centre, Neuro Surgeons, Psychiatry Department, Research Centers, specialists MRI‟s etc. The people of Hills have been denied these basic health amenities. The HealthCenters in the villages and remote places are non-functional due to lack of medicineor the non-availability of compounders and Doctors. 5) OPPRESSED AND MARGINALIZED:- The Gorkhas and the Adivasis have been subjected to “the tyranny of the majority” in West Bengal. The West Bengals policy has always been of gross neglect, lack of concern, oppression and studied marginalization. This disrespect for the Gorkhasand the Adivasis has caused a deep sense of alienation and frustration. (a) Delimitation: The desire and the hopes of the people of the Hill people to elect their representative to the Lokh Sabha and increase the number of MLA‟s in the State Assembly were belied when their plea before the Delimitation Commission, 2002that the Chopra MLA Constituency, where there is a substantial number of Nepalispeaking population, was rejected at the behest of the Marxists. The Commissionalso ignored the demand for more representation in the State Assembly forDarjeeling Hills. (b) Grants: [One wanders why Siliguri, a sub-division of the Darjeeling receives more grantsand financial assistance than Darjeeling, a District with a separate administrativesetup?] (c) North Bengal Development Council: Darjeeling, being a part of North Bengal, is not included in the North Bengal Council. Why this discrimination? (d) Siliguri-Jalpaiguri Development Authority: What is the rationality of constituting the Siliguri-Jalpaiguri Developmen Instead of restoring the three tier Panchayats in the District of Darjeeling, the WestBengal Government is keen on resurrection of the DGHC with more powers andfunds so that its fiefdom in the Hills is protected. It is interesting to note that thepresent DGHC has no elected representatives of the people as elections to theDGHC have not been held since 2004.The people of the Darjeeling want the DGHC Act to be repealed and this demandwas raised by the GJMM in writing to the State Governor and the UnionGovernment. This issue was also raised at the two Tripartite Meetings in NewDelhi. The GJMM has also demanded the restoration of the Three-tier PanchayatSystem as envisaged in the Constitution. 6) STRATEGIC LOCATON: (a) Siliguri Corridor- The Siliguri corridor known as the “Chicken‟s Neck” is astrategic gateway to the North East. The “corridor” extends length wise 200 kilometers approximately with the width between 10 to 50 kilometers. Thispeculiar geographical configuration places the North Eastern states of thecountry at a disadvantage for the lack of strategic depth. The only road link toNorth East i.e. NH-31 and 31C and the North Eastern railways runs throughthis corridor connecting the mainland with the Northeastern region. Some of the vital installations like Bagdora Airport, Hasimara airfield and oil pipelinesare also located in this strategic area. Siliguri shares international borders withBangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.It is observed that a large number of Bangladeshis are settling in Siliguri area since1947. They are treated as vote banks by the ruling party in Bengal. All of themprocure ration cards easily and enter their names in the voter lists in collusion withthe ruling party. In the process, the Gorkha community which used to be in majorityearlier have been gradually reduced to a minority. This demographic soft assaultfrom a neighboring country is a direct security threat to the sovereignty andintegrity if the Nation.By creating a separate border state of Gorkhaland, this demographic soft assault byillegal immigrants and extremist from neighboring countries can be effectively |Why Gorkhaland 15 checked as the Gorkhas of India have always proved their unstinting loyalty to theNation.(b) Implementation of the East-West National Highway Corridor RoutProject by the Nhai in North Bengal-Dooars Area- In the Golden Quadrilateral National Highway Project sanctioned by theGovernment of India, 366 Kms of East-West corridor falls in North Bengal areastarting from Dalkhola in Bihar and ending at Sankosh river bridge near Assam border. The project originally approved is for widening of the NH 31 and NH 31Cpasses through strategically important Siliguri corridor which is the gateway to theNorth East.It is learnt that the Government of West Bengal arbitrarily changed the Highway to anew alignment from Goshpukur via Fulbari to Falakata in the South JalpaiguriDistrict on the pretext that the East-West corridor will be shorter by 24 kms. Thisnew alignment proposal of the West Bengal Government is too close to theBangladesh border whereas the original alignment proposal to widen the existing NH31 and 31C passing through the “chicken neck” i.e. Siliguri and Dooars corridor is considered strategically more secure. Former members of the Parliament fromDarjeeling, Sikkim, Dooars and Bodoland have strongly objected to this newalignment as proposed by the West Bengal Government. They have requested tostick to the originally approved alignment of NHAI.It is learnt that the ministry of Shipping and Highway approved/sanctioned the newalignment starting from Goshpukur joining SH12A via Fulbari, Mainaguri,Dhupguri, Falakata and Sonapore as arbitrarily proposed by the West BengalGovernment in its letter DO No.244-CS/2006 dated 8.8.2006 addressed to theChairman NHAI. It is observed that the new alignment is closer to Bangladesh border which will further facilitate easier illegal immigration from Bangladesh toDooars area in North Bengal, which would adversely impact the demographicprofile of the Gorkha and Adivasi people of Dooars. It is suggested that the entire issue should be re-examined by the highest authoritiesof the Government of India as it has significant implications in terms of Nationalsecurity. [Only a separate state of Gorkhaland can act as a check against communist neo-colonial expansionist politics and prevent the North East from being carved out as a client state. Only Gorkhaland can be a “buffer” in relation to the neighboring states.] Disaster Management:- The recent cyclone Aila clearly exposed the poor preparedness of the StateGovernment and the District Administration in taking preventative measures tominimize the loss of human lives and properties. The Governments lack of understanding of the physical terrain of the Hills or its casual attitude needs to berectified. The disaster management plan of Darjeeling should be recast andstreamlined. 7) CONTRIBUTION OF THE GORKHAS: It is high time that the contribution of the Indian Gorkhas in the nation-building beacknowledged by all. Their identity must be recognized. They fought for the BritishIndia for 200 years and have fought many wars in defense of India‟s sovereignty. The track record of Indian Gorkhas, when comes to preservation and strengthening of theunity and integrity of the country, is second to none. [How else can one explain the fact that the statehood demand, with over 100 years of history, has ever mutated itself into a secessionist movement, in spite of anenvironment that can be described as very conducive for such a venture.] The answer lies in the patriotic spirit of the Indian Gorkhas who fought alongside theirIndian brothers and sisters to secure the freedom of the country. From Shahid DurgaMalla, whose awe inspiring statue stands in the premises of the Parliament, to otherfreedom fighters like Dal Bahadur Giri, Lal Bahadur Basnet, Lachuman Limbu, Bhim It is suggested that the entire issue should be re-examined by the highest authoritiesof the Government of India as it has significant implications in terms of Nationalsecurity. [Only a separate state of Gorkhaland can act as a check against communist neo-colonial expansionist politics and prevent the North East from being carved out as a client state. Only Gorkhaland can be a “buffer” in relation to the neighboring states.] Disaster Management:- The recent cyclone Aila clearly exposed the poor preparedness of the StateGovernment and the District Administration in taking preventative measures tominimize the loss of human lives and properties. The Governments lack of understanding of the physical terrain of the Hills or its casual attitude needs to berectified. The disaster management plan of Darjeeling should be recast andstreamlined. 7) CONTRIBUTION OF THE GORKHAS: It is high time that the contribution of the Indian Gorkhas in the nation-building beacknowledged by all. Their identity must be recognized. They fought for the BritishIndia for 200 years and have fought many wars in defense of India‟s sovereignty. The track record of Indian Gorkhas, when comes to preservation and strengthening of theunity and integrity of the country, is second to none. [How else can one explain the fact that the statehood demand, with over 100 years of history, has ever mutated itself into a secessionist movement, in spite of anenvironment that can be described as very conducive for such a venture.] The answer lies in the patriotic spirit of the Indian Gorkhas who fought alongside theirIndian brothers and sisters to secure the freedom of the country. From Shahid DurgaMalla, whose awe inspiring statue stands in the premises of the Parliament, to otherfreedom fighters like Dal Bahadur Giri, Lal Bahadur Basnet, Lachuman Limbu, Bhim Bahadur Khadka, Narbir Lama, Tej Bahadur Subba, Digbir Singh Ramudamu, JangbirSapkota, Ganga Tsering, Bhakta Bahadur Pradhan, Pushpa Kumari Ghising, PutaliMaya Devi, Pratiman Singh Lama, Harish Chettri and Helen Lepcha.This spirit of nationalism over time has been tempered by years and years of service byIndian Gorkhas in the Indian Army. From the 1962 Chinese aggression to the Indo-Pak war in 1971 to the Kargil ingression, Gorkhas have been in the forefront to fightfor the country and safeguard its border. Indian Gorkhas have left no stone unturnedto fulfill their responsibilities. A separate state will boost the morale of the Gorkhatroops. 8) SMALLER STATES :Smaller states will bring about administrative efficiency. A separate state of Gorkhaland can be a corrective against disparities and imbalances in the region. 9) ARTICLE 3 OF THE CONSTITUTION: The provisions in the Article-3 clearly implies that the boundaries of states are notimmutable. This was seen in the creation of 3 new states in the year 2000. Also in itthere is an explicit recognition of the fact that every community with different cultureand linguistic background has the inherent and inalienable right to determine itself as astate; to develop itself according to its own ethos and pace, give the people theopportunity to taste and experience the delicacy of democratic process, thereby helpenrich the cultural heritage of the community.Therefore the demand is an expression of the belief in the best democratic traditionthat the right to a state of our own within the Indian Union is an inherent andinalienable right. It is therefore not a matter of acceding to the demandcondescendingly but giving what is rightfully ours. 10) MARXIST CONSPIRACY: All these years, the Marxists have conspired to dilute the Gorkha population in theDooars and Siliguri region. Under the patronage of the CPI(M) illegal immigrantsfrom Bangladesh have settled comfortably in Siliguri and other parts of North Bengal. To-day, it is they that pose as patriots and defenders of India‟s territorial integrity. All should remember that Gorkhas have shed more blood for India than most other communities. As victims of centuries-old oppression, inequality and injustice, theGorkhas struggle for recognition, freedom, dignity and justice must be looked intodispassionately. Te Gorkhas must be given greater space and share in the decisionmaking process. So, for how long are the Indian Gorkhas to suffer in the hands of exploiters and oppressors? The Gorkhas have, with all humility, accepted what was doled out by the Government of West Bengal. All the so called “development” that the Government has undertaken in the Hills and Dooars have invariably taken on the character of colonial exploitation in the interest of Bengal. The search for our identity will onlyend in a separate state for all Gorkhas. July 2009. |Why Gorkhaland 19 PROFILE OF THE PROPOSED STATE OF GORKHALAND The total area of the proposed State of Gorkhaland comprising the present DarjeelingDistrict and the contiguous area of Dooars in the North Jalpaiguri District isapproximately 6450 square kilometers .The total population of the proposed State of Gorkhaland is approximately 30 Lakhsas per 2001 census.The three sub-divisions of Darjeeling District i.e. Darjeeling, Kurseong andKalimpong are hilly areas whereas Siliguri sub-division is in the plains. The districtof Darjeeling lies between 26º13 ´ and 27º13 ´ North latitude and between 87º89 ´ and 88º53 ´ East longitude.Similarly the contiguous areas of Dooars fall in the Terai. The entire tract of Darjeeling and Dooars are primarily tea producing areas with very rich reserveforests.Darjeeling is popularly known as “Queen of Hills”, a tourist paradise. Darjeelingproduces world famous tea, known as the “Champagne of Tea”, which fetches sizable foreign exchange for the country.Darjeeling has got a huge power generation potential. Darjeeling is also famous for its “Toy Train” which has been accorded the status of International Heritage by the UNSECO. Darjeeling is strategically located in the North East corner of the countrysharing international boundaries with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet as shownin the map enclosed. The majority community in Darjeeling are Gorkhas. Otherminority communities are Bhutias, Lepchas and others.Dooars, which is contiguous to Darjeeling area is in the foothills of easternHimalayas bordering Bhutan. Tea gardens form the backbone of economy of Dooars. The vast region of Dooars is the nerve to a large number of ethnic |Why Gorkhaland 20 communities. The colourful rituals and unique lifestyles of the Nepalis, Uraons,Totos, Rabhas, Mechey, Santhals and Rajbangshis make it a vertable paradise forlovers of ethnic and eco-tourism. t Authority when Jalpaiguri is a separate District and Siliguri is a sub-division of Darjeeling? The Development Authority should have been with Darjeeling! (e) Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council- “A Trojan Horse” The Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council was setup by the West Bengal Government in1988 under a State Act, in its 20 years of existence has proved beyond doubt that it was a “Trojan Horse” of the Leftist Government of West Bengal. The DGHS failed miserably “to satisfy the aspirations of the easily identifiablepeople”. Despite its long tenure, the DGHC did not provide regional autonomy tothe Hills. Its total failure is evident in the fact that the West Bengal Governmenttried desperately to replace it with an institution under the Sixth Schedule of theConstitution.Despite the assurances that “the Government will make all out efforts to implement the agreement both in letter and spirit/the DGHC was formed structurally weak and financially crippled.” It is totally dependent on the State which itself is heavily in debt and has no independence to raise and mobilize its own resources.At the same time, the West Bengal Government truncated the Darjeeling District by creating an institution known as the „Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad”, an intermediate tire of the Panchayat but elevated it to the status of “Zilla Parishad”. Such an institution is found nowhere in India as “Article 243(B)” does not provide for an intermediate tier to be given the status, power and responsibility of a Zilla Parishad.It is against the letter and spirit of the Constitution.Besides this, the Government of West Bengal has not conducted elections since1989 to constitute Panchayat Samitis, the intermediate tier, in the Hills. This is aviolation of Article 243(E) of the Constitution. The West Bengal Government hasalso not held elections since 2004 to the Gram Panchayats in the Hills. jai gorka jai gorkhaland
Posted on: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 10:09:06 +0000
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