Gorkhas campaign for new state in Darjeeling
Posted by barunroy on July 10, 2008
FROM THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS
DARJEELING, India: Leaders of the ethnic Nepali-speaking minority in India’s mountainous and tea-rich northeast have started month-long prayers to press for their own federal state.
Ethnic Gorkhas - who number more than a million in the eastern state of West Bengal - have been demanding a separate state within India for decades, and renewed their movement last year under a new leader. More than a thousand people poured into the main square in the tea-producing and scenic town of Darjeeling, where the Gorkhas are concentrated, to join in the prayers on the first day on Monday.
“We want a peaceful protest. These prayers will give power to our movement,” said Bimal Gurung, the chief of the Gorkha People’s Liberation Front, who floated the idea. Separate prayers will be held for various castes among the Gorkhas and for other communities in the region, wedged between Nepal and Bhutan and overlooked by Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain.
Many locals believe the gods will fulfil their wishes after the West Bengal government rejected demands for a separate Gorkhaland state last month.
“We don’t want any violence. That’s why we pray to our gods for our Gorkhaland,” said NK Kumai, one of the organisers of the prayers.
Last month, an indefinite strike in Darjeeling hills hit tourism and its famous tea industry — the mainstays of the local economy — as activists ratcheted up the pressure. The strike was called off temporarily and has now been postponed to August to facilitate school exams and the prayers. The fresh impetus for a new state comes almost two decades after an insurgency — in which more than 1,000 people died — ended with the government granting limited autonomy to the Gorkhas.
But people soon grew disenchanted with the hill council that was formed as a result, as its leaders were seen to be corrupt.
The Gorkhas, considered fierce warriors who have fought for the British and Indian armies, say they deserve a separate state within India as they have a distinct culture and speak a different language.
“We have made so many sacrifices in the Indian army. We consider ourselves Indians but for long we have been treated as second-class citizens of this country,” said a government official who did not want to be named.
The feeling of hurt and neglect erupted into protests and strikes last year when a Gorkha youth, Prashant Tamang, won the Indian Idol reality TV contest only to be mocked by an Indian radio presenter as a chowkidar, or watchman, as Gorkhas are often referred to. Several people were injured before the radio station apologised.
“Our fight is for our identity. We don’t want any money, any freebies. If the Punjabis can have their Punjab and the Biharis have Bihar, why can’t we have our Gorkhaland?” Gurung said, referring to other Indian states.
July 19, 2008 at 1:12 pm
BIMAL GURUNG IS DIVULGING IN
ANTI-SOCIAL/CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES
FROM THE STATESMAN
DARJEELING, July 16: The GJMM chief Mr Bimal Gurung today said that he would go underground for six months to carry out his “non-violent” activities. “I will go underground for six months but not to perpetrate violence. Some elements are posing a hurdle to the Gorkhaland movement. I shall keep these people away in an undisclosed location during my stay underground. They would be released only after Gorkhaland is achieved,” Mr Gurung said. Mr Gurung, however, did not specify when he would go underground or how he would get hold of those proving an impediment to the Gorkhaland struggle. He neither mentioned who all figured in his list as “hurdles” or if his act would be read as kidnap or not by the law. Although he said that the persons he would “keep away,” would be treated well, he did not divulge where he would confine them. The leader’s declaration has caused a stir in the political circle of the Hills. .
July 24, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Utterbanga Mosai,
You are in illusion saying Bimal Gurung in anti-social/criminal activities.Every movement in self determination is regarded as anti-social by the ruler but it would be a movement for good cause later. Look at the history of free India movement. Look how Jammu and Kashmir was forced merged into India.Think carefully before you put it in black and white.We Gorkha leaving in New Zealand strongly support this movement and wish all the best.
September 24, 2008 at 6:44 pm
No question of separate Gorkhaland: Pranab
Sun, Jun 15 12:40 AM
The Centre stated clearly on Friday that it is against the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state, as put forth by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). “We are not in favour of a separate state,” External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said.
Speaking to reporters after the conclusion of the annual general meeting of the Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce, Mukherjee, however, added that the government was willing to hold talks with the GJM provided there were no pre-conditions. Mukherjee also met with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee for about 10 minutes, during which the latter reportedly convinced Mukherjee that the Centre should neither agree to the Gorkhaland demand nor push Sixth Schedule status for Darjeeling in the Lok Sabha.
With his back to the wall following the GJM’s refusal to talk with the state and its insistence on direct discussions with the Centre, Bhattacharjee is desperate to have the Congress-led UPA government on his side. He explained to Mukherjee that the GJM and its chief, Bimal Gurung, have not been invited to the all-party meet on June 17 since theirs was not a registered political outfit.
The CM however said he was open to have talks with the outfit. Mukherjee mirrored the state’s stand : “The Centre is ready to hold talks with the GJM, but without any preconditions.
And there is no question of a separate state.” Bandh loss Rs 15 cr daily With the GJM calling an indefinite bandh, industry insiders estimate trade and tourism in the region have been hit by losses of Rs15 crore per day.
According to Biswajit Das, general secretary of Federation of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, North Bengal (Focin), the strike in the hills is taking a huge toll on Siliguri’s business community, which is losing nearly Rs 4.5 crore every day. “Darjeeling traders are suffering a loss of Rs 1.5 crore per day.
And Bhutan, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri district are losing another Rs 3 crore of revenue because of the frequent bandhs in Bengal,” he said. The frequent bandhs in West Bengal have forced the Sikkim government to carry out a survey into their financial losses, which works out to an estimated Rs 5.9 crore per day.
“The survey done in February 2008 helped us compute the daily loss Sikkim suffered every time NH 31 became out of bounds for Sikkim traffic,” Sikkim tourism secretary, S B S Baduria told Hindustan Times from Gangtok. Highlighting its problems, the Sikkim government has asked the Bengal and Union governments for immediate action.