Call for joint effort to raise peaceful Gorkhaland claim Activists say leaders must make Bengal CM 'properly understand' issue

ASHISH PRADHAN, SNS, SAINIKPURI, SILIGURI. 20 MARCH 2022 : After a lull that began ever since the agitation in the Hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong ended in 2017, the 115-yearold demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland has yet again started doing the rounds of the Hills as well as the plains.

However, this time around, intellectuals and small groups of "Gorkhaland lovers" have said they would not resort to agitations or bloodshed, often the hallmark of the demand pursued by political parties, but would rather go ahead at the national level, in a peaceful and democratic manner, and with concerted effort from Gorkhas and community groups living across the country.

Leaders of apolitical groups like the Gorkhaland Activist Samuha and individual activists today went a step and said there was also a need for Gorkha leaders to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Bengal's bureaucrats and "make them properly understand" why the Gorkhas have been demanding a separate state.

"We, Gorkhas, have not met Mamata Banerjee and make her understand what the matter actually is. I have told the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh and also the National Gorkhaland Committee to meet Mamata Banerjee. Let us meet her at least once and try and make her understand that this is not a matter of 'Banga Bhanga', but what we are doing is a matter that would help make a stranger India. We are demanding Gorkhaland not because we are Gorkhas, but we are Indian Gorkhas...and l am sure we will get at least some help from there," said Joel Rai, a senior journalist based in Delhi.

Mr Rai was the main speaker in a seminar on 'Gorkha Jatiya Astitwa Ra Asmita Ko Sawaal Ma' organised by the Gorkhaland Activist Samithi at the Sainikpuri Gram Sudhar Samiti Bhawan at Khaprail near Siliguri today.

According to Mr Rai, lobbying for Gorkhaland only with politicians would not help, but that leaders, with a "coalition of ideas," should approach the country's and the state's top officials/ bureaucrats too, who remain in their positions even if politicians change. He said lobbying with political leaders only was one of the mistakes Gorkha leaders have made in the past in their pursuit for statehood.

According to the Convenor of the Gorkhaland Activist Samuha, Kishore Pradhan, their movement for Gorkhaland would be Constitutional and democratic.

"We maybe a handful now but the experience we have gathered and the zeal with which we have entered the field now, we are certainly headed towards our goal," said Mr Pradhan, a former Kalimpong leader of the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxist (CPRM).

Supporting the idea of a peaceful movement for statehood, former leader of the Bimal Gurung-led Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha, Prakash Gurung, came down heavily on political parties in the Hills that he said were advocating for and talking about elections to the semi-autonomous body, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

"Politics for GTA is wrong. If parties take part in elections to it, they would be deceiving people in the Terai and the Dooars," said Mr Gurung, referring to the two areas in the region where Gorkhas form a good chunk of the population and which has remained out of the GTA's jurisdiction.

Further stating that there was no alternative to Gorkhaland, he said that there was a need for taking ahead the demand by holding meaningful discussions with governments and making them understand the gravity of the issue.

He also spoke on the 'permanent political solution' promised by the BJP as well as the state government, but rued that both the government swore not clear as to what it actually was.

"It is time for the Centre and the state to leave aside their differences and begin tripartite talks. Only this will ensure peace and stability in the Hills, Terai and the Dooars. What we need is a peaceful settlement so that Gorkhas across India can walk with their heads held high," said Mr Gurung, who quit the GJMM only a few weeks ago.

Agreeing that those demanding Gorkhaland had gone back to square one, when the first demand was raised in 1907, all the other speakers, including Abhay Adhikari, Deepa Rani Thakuri, Topden Bhutia, and Sudha Pasi, spoke for the need to start from scratch and take ahead the issue in a concerted manner and to the national level.

"Different Gorkha groups should be formed in different states of the country, and one good platform should lead them all. It is a tough thing to do, but it is a must," summed up Mr Rai.