THE NEED FOR GORKHALAND

The demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland dates back to 1907 when the leaders of the Hill People of India submitted a memorandum to the British Government demanding a separate administrative set up on grounds of a distinctive history, language, culture, tradition, way of life, mindset and of course residence in a completely different topography with different climatic conditions.

A separate state has been the political aspiration of the Gorkhas for more than 100 years. Rather, this is the oldest demand for a separate state under the Indian Union. However, demands of a separate state in other parts of India are of recent origin and are not as a solution to the problem of ‘Identity Crisis’.

The Indian Gorkhas face an ‘Identity Crisis’ inspite of being Indian citizens and having contributed to the security ( in the police, para military and the armed forces of the country) and development of the country. In case of the Gorkhas the ‘Identity Crisis’ is a very serious issue. The most glaring example of the ‘foreigners’ label is the one put forth by Shri Morarji Desai, former Prime Minister of India, who called the Indian Gorkhas demanding inclusion of the Nepali language in the 8th schedule of the Indian constitution, as being Nepalese citizens.
Grant of a separate state of Gorkhaland within the Indian Union would  not only remove the identity crisis faced by the Gorkhas living in Darjeeling district and neighbouring areas, but also do the same for the Gorkhas living in other parts of India including The Quest for Identity in
Assam, the North-Eastern states, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

The West Bengal government has not been able to realise that what ails Darjeeling Hills today has spread over half of Bengal. Bengal is the only state today where people are demanding for the formation of 3 separate states. The West Bengal Government believes that the demand for ‘Gorkhaland’ is a racist demand and against the Constitution. If that is really the case, then why is there existing states like Punjab, Gujarat, Assam, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal itself? If the name Gorkhaland seems like a racist demand meant only for Gorkhas , doesn’t that suggest that state with the name Punjab is only meant for Punjabis, Gujarat only meant for Gujaratis, Tamil Nadu only  for Tamils and West Bengal only for Bengalis?! But if there are people of different communities scattered all over the country then  how can one term the demand for Gorkhaland as a racist demand? Gorkhaland is not just the demand of the Gorkhas. It is a collective demand of the people living in Darjeeling and Dooars. These people come from different communities yet, their demand is the same because, the formation of Gorkhaland will not just solve the identity crisis of the Gorkhas  but at the same time shall show unprecedented development in the hills, lead to good economy and stabilized political conditions. It’s time that the Central and the West Bengal Government realise the seriousness and importance of this demand which they have ridiculed at for more than a hundred years.