'Chicken needs strict Centre control': MP's demand falls short of "strategic vision."

Lt Gen Shakti Gurung (Retd)

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, SILIGURI, 25 JUNE 2021: BJP MP from Alipurduar John Barla's recent demand on bifurcation of West Bengal and creation of a separate state or Union Territory has sparked speculations, with the three identity groups in the region Gorkhas, Kamptapuris and Cooch Beharis - all wanting their share of the pie.

As members of the National Gorkhaland Committee (NGC), a pan-India apolitical organisation taking ahead the demand for Gorkhaland met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar in Darjeeling yesterday, the organisation's chairman, Lt Gen Shakti Gurung (Retd), today said that while Mr Barb's statement can be attributed to the pattern of voting in the recent Assembly elections, national security and underdevelopment cited by him as the prime movers, the MP's demand falls short of "strategic vision."

"While Mr Barla is not far from the truth, his proposal for a state/UT of North Bengal falls short of its strategic vision. The area proposed by him includes the extremely sensitive strip from Chopra Galgalia in the north to Malda in the south, were maximum 'illegal migration' has taken place from across the border. Moreover, North Bengal is also the area in which the sensitive 'Chicken Neck' is located. This is the area that links the Indian mainland to the Northeast states and is very critical to the country for its Act East policy and affiliated initiatives like the Neighbourhood First and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) to fructify' Lt Gen Gurung said.

According to him, the 'Chicken Neck' area must be brought under strict central governance.

"Leaving the 'Chicken Neck' area as a pan of the larger North Bengal state/UT if it comes about, would be detrimental to national security and will be synonymous with what is in present times. This is where John Barla's statement falls short. An overflow of illegal migration front the central region of North and South Dinajpur has the potential to threaten this extremely sensitive area and would not play well for national security. Security imperatives demand that the 'Chicken Neck' area be brought under strict central governance," he added.

According to him, as the 'Chicken Neck' falls in Siliguri sub-division and has always been part of Darjeeling district, it is inhabited by a mixed population with Gorkhas being the dominant group. "The sub-division was taken off from the responsibility of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) through a constitutional amendment and brought under the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad in 1988. This has remained that way ever since. The demand of the Gorkhas for a separate home state/ UT in the erstwhile Darjeeling district that includes Siliguri, promises to take care of the security requirements of the 'Chicken Neck' area," Lt Gen Gurung told The Statesman.

"Another reason for their demand for a separate state/UT is for purposes of identity. While an open border with Nepal is a strategic necessity, what it does for the Gorkha's identity is unique and does not affect any other community in the region. Being looked down upon as second class citizens in the very country they treat their own, the Gorkhas face an identity dilemma pan India. This is not the case for other communities that reside in North Bengal, which is the reason why a permanent political solution (PPS) has been promised only to the Gorkhas by both the Centre and state. The ruling party at the Centre has promised this for the third time in a row because of which alone the community has demonstrated full loyalty to it as seen from the last three general elections," Lt Gen Gurung pointed out.

According to him, the reasons put forth before the Governor by the NGC delegation takes care of both the identity and national security issues.

"A separate UT for the erstwhile Darjeeling district to include the 'Chicken Neck' area, Terai and Dooars where Gorkhas reside is widely accepted to the community apart from the state/ UT of North Bengal. This could be on similar lines as the J&K - Ladakh model. The NGC has now embarked on a mission to start a Peoples Forum that will peacefully pursue and project the need for a separate state/UT for the Gorkha community to address these extremely sensitive issues," he said, adding, "Though the Centre and state have made promises of a PPS for the community, the corona pandemic has overshadowed any such effort to move in this direction so far. A vacuum created in this period has led to uncertainty and anxiety giving impetus to the formation of the Peoples Forum. Still nascent it may well be the call of the people that may force the government to relook at their long silence."