Despite GJMM qualms, GNLF marks ‘Citizenship Day

SNS, Kurseong, 24 August: Not giving two hoots to an appeal made by the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM), the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) yesterday marked the ‘Gorkha Citizenship Day’ at different places in the Darjeeling Hills.

In Kurseong, GNLF supporters observed the day by organising a programme in a community hall at Springside Tea Estate. Addressing the programme, GNLF leaders said the appeal made by GJMM leader Binay Tamang against celebrating the day was ‘wrong.’

GNLF spokesperson Daya Dewan explained that by celebrating the day, “we do not mean that we became citizens of the country in 1988, as we have come with the land itself since time immemorial.”

“When we were termed foreigners and driven away from different places in the North Eastern states in the 1980’s, our leader Subash Ghisingh had then thought about doing something for the Gorkhas living in various parts of the country.

Accordingly, he started the Gorkhaland agitation and pressured the Central government to issue citizenship certificates to the entire Gorkha race in the country,” he said.

“On 23 August 1988, the Central government issued a notification to clear the misconception and said that from the commencement of the constitution (26-01-1950) every Gorkha who had his domicile in India shall be called a citizen of the country as provided by Article 5 of the Indian Constitution,” Mr Dewan added.

Another party leader, Mahendra Chettri, said such publication of the gazette is an important achievement for the Gorkha community. The GJMM leader, Mr Tamang, had earlier said that observing the day would mean that the Gorkhas, and even Subash Ghisingh, have become citizens of the country in 1988.