Letter to the Editor

To,

Mr. Barun Roy,

The Editor,

Beacon Online,

Beacon Publications,

P. O. Box No. 41, H. P. O.,

Darjeeling – 734101

Dear Barun,

Herewith a rejoinder to two blogsite news (1) Fifth Column by Sumanta Sen and (2) Direct Interaction to stop all mega hydroelectric power construction projects in Dzongu by Rapden Rongkup.

(1) In the first instance, Sumanta Sen’s assertion that “it is evident that it is the Sikkimese, and not Nepalese, who can lay a rightful claim to Darjeeling itself answers to the question that Darjeeling District, historically and rightfully belongs to Sikkim, now a state of India but at the time of the British exit from India, was a foreign country under the status of a protectorate. Rightfully, as the British had acceded from Sikkim while winding up its rule in India who became a sovereign Republic, Darjeeling District should have been returned to Sikkim, morally more than under international laws, as the district was acceded under unequal terms to suit the British rulers of India. Historically, the entire district composed of three different Treaties with Bhutan and Sikkim, which is detailed after citing an important aspect of the history of Darjeeling (not the district) related to Nepal, which country conquered and ruled Western Sikkim, both the hills and the plains east of the territories along the river Teesta, after the invasion by the Gorkha rulers of Nepal in 1780-88, during which period in 1788 the Gorkha commander Jai Singh overran Darjeeling and performed a Hindu sacrifice to Kali to commemorate this victory atop Darjeeling Hill, since whence, the Observatory hill was referred as Mahakal Sthan by the Hindus. As per some sources, the hill contained a monastery founded by Dorje-Ling-Pa, after whose name the town is supposed to be named, and that the Lama happened to be the great uncle of Late Rai Bahadur S. W. Laden La. Jai Singh in process of Hinduising the conquered Sikkim territories is alleged to have destroyed the monastery and converted the place into a Hindu place of worship. All this goes to show that Nepali invasion by the troops of the King of Gorkha, was an expansionist conquest to acquire land from the weakling State of Sikkim, primarily to settle the displayed tribes of Nepal and many of whom had already migrated to Sikkim and settled with the Bhotia Lepchas, as labourers and agriculturists, besides being under the domination of Gorkha King’s troops till the foreigners were thrown out from the Sikkimese territory and all the lands conquered was ceded to the vast tracts of land ceded by Nepal included the present Terai (lowlands of the plains) which now comprises Siliguri subdivision as well as contiguous portion of Jalpaiguri (pass of Nagarcota).

East India Company in perpetuity with the territories:

i. The whole of the lowlands between the rivers Kali and Rapti

ii. The whole of the lowlands (with the exception of Bootwul Khass) lying between Rapti and the Gunduck

iii. The whole of the lowlands between the Gunduck and Coosah (Kosi).

iv. All the lowlands between the River Mechi and the Teesta

v. All the territories within the hills eastward of the River Mechi including the fort and lands of Nagree and the Pass of Nagarcote leading from Morung into the hills, together with the territory lying between the Pass and Nagree.

All the re-conquered lowlands were retained by the Company, only a portion of the fifth category of lands was returned to Sikkim – all the hilly and mountainous country situated to the eastwards of the Mechi River and to the westwards of the Teesta River only, by the Treaty of Titalia 1817. This was followed by granting to Sikkim, all the portion of land situated eastwards of the Mechi River and westwards of the Maha Nuddi (Mahananda), but under the supremacy of the British Government, agreed upon by the Sunnud Granted to the Rajah of Sikkim in 1817.

The ultimate aim of the British Government was to create a buffer wedge amongst the common and contiguous boundaries of the neighbouring Himalayan Kingdoms of Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan, and further north of Sikkim to Tibet, which was seen as a possible future area of Russian influence more than the Chinese, which at the time was a country depleted by the effect of opium exported by the British. Along the above lines the British surreptously made Sikkim cede under pretext of establishing as sanitarium, on account of its cool climate and absorbed it by the Deed of Grant in 1835. The remaining portion of Darjeeling District was ceded by Bhutan to the British Government by the Treaty of Sinchula 1865, the tract known as the eighteen Dooars (the doors leading to the mountain country of Bhutan), bordering on the district of Rungpoor (presently territory on the left bank of the River Teesta (up to such a point as may be laid down by the British Commissioner appointed for the purpose). The cession was forever. This territory now comprises partly Kalimpong subdivision of Darjeeling District, and the Dooars plains extending to the borders of Assam from Jalpaiguri District.

From the above, Sumanta Sen may be advised to connect al the past rulers of Darjeeling and also Jalpaiguri Districts for a final solution. That is, if he feels that it should be Sikkim who can lay a claim on Darjeeling. If one looks at history, then should it not follow from the historical context, that, Bhutan should lay a claim to Jalpaiguri District. This brings to the point that although Gorkhaland may be a wrong terminology to seek a separate union state from the rest of Bengal, it should also be looked from a historical context, as the hill people have been asking for the separation on very strong ethical, geopolitical and most of all the acute differences in the peoples from the plains seen to become rulers over the hill people. This is the most important aspect of the statehood demand, which other states have realized as democratic aspirations and allowed the creation of the Statehood demand, which other states have realized as democratic aspirations and allowed the creation of three new states, Jharkhand, Chttisgarh and Uttarkhand without much ado. If people like Laloo Prasad who intiailly refused to divide the state agreed to the decision as a true democrat and also a national leader of repute, he has justified by the acclaim. This is not seen in the represent leadership of Bengal, which in due course will wither away if the Bengali attitude still remains chauvinistic.

The second but more important question raised by Sumanta Sen is the high rate of influx of Nepali origins hinting this being the cause for the demand for a new state. He might be reminded again and maybe again that the demand for a separate unit from Bengal goes back to 1917 onwards, the same has been repeated at various times since then, the justification, not only of the influx but many other factors which supports the new statehood provided within the framework of the Indian Constitution and no more.

In reference to influx, it is not the Nepali factor which requires investigation and action, but the more critical issue of the illegal Bengali (Hindus and Muslims) migration from across the border which the CPM cadres as well as the Government are hand in gloves to promote their party agenda, which everybody in Bengal knows as well as the Centre, the number of immigrants are just too much to address this problem. The West Bengal must ask how long will this exodus be tolerated. It is stated in some newspaper that an estimate derived by an intelligence agency, the Bangladeshi migrants (illegal via CPM cadres help in securing a ration card to the point of registration in the electoral roll to Indian citizenship) amounts not only to illegality in law but anti-national in relation to the country and Constitution. The day is not far when West Bengal will join with Bangladesh in course of history like many countries divided and partitioned for the conflicting parties, and finally to unite under peaceful environments. This is not a figment of imagination but demographically the process is already in operation, engineered for the benefit of foreign powers to destabilize India for the opportune moment in time in history. That is the time to see the real patriotism of the Bengalis as Indians. It is seen that with this picture in mind, the hill peoples, would like to see Darjeeling as a state not with a foreign country with West Bengal, but as a Union of India.

2. As regards mega hydroelectricity dam construction in Dzongu reference by Rabden Rongup, his statement regarding the Seven Dam projects requires correction. Pawan k. Chamling CM of Sikkim has already, unilaterally made a statement in the newspaper some while back that he has stopped the construction of six dams out of the seven planned in Dzongu. The only remaining dam under construction is Penang which is for all practical purposes already near completion.

As it is regrettable to note that the Lepchas of Kalimpong and Darjeeling were disallowed from entering the Dzongu restricted area allegedly by the Lepcha inhabitants of Dzongu, who are suspected to be organized by the ruling party with indirect support from the administration and the police. It is advised the Affected Citizens of the Teesta (ACT) and Lepcha organization from Kalimpong and Darjeeling must plan a joint representation to the State Government as well as the Centre for dialogue and discussion to resolve the issue for the benefit of all.

The Patriot