Demands of Gorkhas: Expectations may be high, but PM has limitations

It is not possible, however, for the Centre to announce the creation of a separate state in a public meeting

Editorial, EOI, 9 March 2024 : With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to address a public meeting in Siliguri on Saturday, expectations are naturally running high in the hills. It needs to be appreciated, however, that the Prime Minister may have limitations. 

The first agenda a section in the hills wants to be on the table is understood to be a separate state of Gorkhaland. 

It is not possible, however, for the Centre to announce the creation of a separate state in a public meeting. To begin with, according to healthy parliamentary practices, the recommendation should come from the West Bengal assembly. 

The instance of reorganization of the state of Jammu and Kashmir has been raised, but Kashmir and Darjeeling are not the same as far as the political issues are concerned; though in natural beauty they are comparable. In Kashmir issues of national security were at stake, with a hostile Pakistan helping in cross-border terrorism to spread unrest; and omnipresent Beijing there to encore Islamabad. 

People of Darjeeling do have genuine grievances, but there are several options on table for the Centre to address them.

The other demand that has gained prominence in recent years is the granting of tribal status to 11 left-out communities in the hills. This will surely pave the way for bringing the hill council under the ambit of the sixth schedule of the Constitution and ensure for it more power and funds to enable it to work better for the welfare of the people of the hills. 

Delhi will also, however, have to keep in mind that there are similar demands from several other regions and communities in this vast country. If the demand from one region is accepted, it will be all the more difficult to turn down similar demands from other regions. 

Ladakh, for instance, is already restive that the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council be brought under the ambit of the sixth schedule and entire Ladakh be declared a tribal area. With the Chinese army illegally occupying large tracts of Ladakh and Beijing making the baseless claim that Ladakh is a part Chinese territory, Delhi will have to be circumspect in taking decisions on Ladakh.

To help the people of the Darjeeling hills and alleviate their problems, the Centre and the West Bengal Government have been exploring ways of developing the hills economically. This is a prudent move and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration has extended full help to Delhi and Kolkata in this effort. 

GTA is now having more freedom of operation and presumably more access to funds which are being put to good use as Lal Kothi has taken up several developmental projects all over the districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong: roads, bridges, schools, promotion of tourism facilities and the like. 

The Centre has empowered the GTA to function as the zilla parishad in the two districts. This will help the GTA with more funds and power.

Besides, the Centre is laying a major national highway passing through the district of Kalimpong, the NH 717A. True, the road is being built for strategic reasons but this will surely develop the adjoining areas in the Kalimpong district and help promote tourism through home-stay and other facilities. It is time for the people of the hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong to have patience and take advantage of the facilities that are coming up.

Courtesy & source: http://echoofindia.com/ePaper/index.aspx?page=VEVPSQ==