Indian Gorkhas Archives - The Darjeeling Chronicle

गोरखाको हराएको चिनारी : दूर्भाग्य कि द्वेष?

Sudarshan Limbu — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 14:39:49 +0000

“आर यू फ्रम नेपाल?”

यो प्रश्नले शायदै भारतीय गोरखाहरूलाई पिरोलेका छन् जत्तिको मलाई पिरोलेका थिए जब रोजगारको शिलशिलामा विदेशको नौलो ठाँउमा शुरूका दिनहरूमा जागिर खाई रहेको थिए म । आज सम्म नै यो प्रश्नले मेरो मन मथिंगलमा भूँइचालो ल्याउँने गर्दछ ।

दिमागको रीसको पाराले त पराकाष्ठ नाघिसकेको हुन्थ्यो तर त्यो अज्ञानी सोध्ने व्यक्तिको पनि के गल्ती हो र भनेर आफूलाई थमथमाउँन बाहेक कुनै विकल्प हुन्थेन।

विश्वको सबै महादेशहरूका थरि थरिका व्यक्तिहरूसित कामको बखत वार्तालाप औ बातचितको शिलशिलामा यस्ता आफू होचिने समस्याहरूको सामना गर्नु पर्ने स्थिति दिनहूँ चल्दथ्यो र अझै पनि जारी नै छ तर अब त बानी परेर होला रिस चै उठ्दैन तर मन अमिलो चै पक्कै हुने गर्दछ ।

” नो,आई एम फ्रम इण्डिया ” मेरो स्वभाविक र तथ्य उत्तरमा उनीहरू दंग पर्थे र फेरि प्रश्नहरू तेर्साउन शुरू गर्दथे ।

“इण्डिया व्हिच प्लेस?”

“दार्जिलिंग”

वाऊ ! दार्जिलिंग ? व्यूटिफूल प्लेस…दार्जिलिंग टी , ट्वाई ट्रेन, कोल्ड व्हेदर राईट ?”

म खुशीले फुरूंग्ग हुन्थे र मन्द मुस्कानले स्वीकृति जनाउँथे । विश्व मानचित्रमा एउटा कोदोंको दाना जत्रो दार्जिलिंग यी कुराहरूले प्रख्यात भएको सुन्दा गर्व महसुश गर्थे र नाक फुलिन्थ्यो ।

तर सबै मानिस एकै नासे त पक्कै हुँदैनन् । कोहि त “किन झुठो बोल्छस् ?” पनि भन्थे । झोक चलेर पासपोर्ट मुखैमा पो फ्याकदिम् जस्तो पनि लाग्ने । गर्वको साथ “आई एम एन इण्डियन” भन्दा शंकाको दृष्टिले हेर्दा मनमा अनेक प्रश्नहरू उब्जन्थे । आफैलाई सोद्धथे ” के विविधतामा एकताको देश भारतमा विभिन्न जात -जातिहरू मध्ये एउटा मंगोलियन अनुहार भएको भारतीय गोरखा जाति हुन सक्दैनन् र? के चिम्से आँखा भएको मानिस नेपाल, चिन, कोरियाबाट मात्र हुन्छन् ?

विडम्वना, “म भारतीय हूँ ” भनेर गर्व गर्ने अधिकार पनि खोसेको तितो महसुश हुनु त स्वभाविकै हो । तर मुटुमा नै कसैले सियोले च्वाँस्स घोचेको भान हुन्थ्यो र हुन्छ ।

विश्वभरी प्रख्यात दार्जिलिंग चिया, विश्व धरोहर दार्जिलिंगको ट्वाई ट्रेन र यहाँको सुखद मौसमसित चिरपरिचित विश्व समुदाय भारतको पश्चिम वंगाल राज्य अन्तर्गत एउटा सानो पहाड़ र तराई सम्मिलित जिल्लामा भारतीय गोरखा जातिको बसोबास छ भन्ने कुरोमा अनभिज्ञ रहेको देख्दा ती प्रश्न सोध्नेहरूलाई भन्दा आफूलाई धेरै प्रश्न तेर्साउन मन लाग्दथ्यो । फुर्सदको समयमा निम्न प्रश्नहरू मेरो मनमा उब्जन्थे –

भारतभरि छरिएर बसेका गोरखाहरूको भारतीय पहिचानमा सधैं किन प्रश्न चिन्ह खड़ा हुन्छ?
भारतीय संविधानको प्रावधान अनुरूप जातिय सांस्कृतिक औ भाषिक आधारमा गठित राज्यहरू मध्ये गोरखाहरूको अलग “गोरखा” राज्य किन गठन भएको छैन?
के राष्ट्रको सुरक्षा हेतु गोरखाको योगदान र बलिदानको उल्लेख्य मुल्यांकन अझै भएको छैन?
के राष्ट्र निर्माणमा गोरखाहरूको योगदान र बलिदानको राष्ट्रीय अभिलेखको अझैसम्म अंश औ मापदण्ड पुरा भएको छैन ।
के गोरखाहरूले राष्ट्रको हितमा भातृत्व,भाईचारा औ राष्ट्रीय अखंडता कायम गरेका छैनन्?
के गोरखा समुदायबाट कुनै एक दक्ष व्यक्ति छैन जसले राष्ट्रीय स्तरमा गोरखाको प्रतिनिधित्व गर्न सक्दछ औ कुनै राष्ट्रीय पार्टीको प्रतिनिधित्व गर्न सक्दछ?
के गोरखा समुदायमा बौधिक्ताको कमी अझै खट्किरहेको छ?
के गोरखा समुदायले व्यवस्थापन र प्रशासनमा अझै दक्षता हासिल गरेका छैनन्?
के गोरखा समुदायमा अझैसम्म एक कुशल, दक्ष र ईमान्दार नेताको जन्म भएको छैन औ भएर पनि पाखण्डतालाई शिरपेच बनाएका हुन्?
के गोरखा समुदायमा साक्षरता दरको विकाश भएको छैन ?
के हाम्रो शिक्षण प्रणाली व्यवहारिक छैन ?
के हामीमा राजनीतिक ज्ञानको कमी भएको हो औ आधारभूत अधिकारको समेत ज्ञान नभएको हो?
सदैव “बीर गोरखाको” गुथी मात्र पहिरिएर हिँड़ने कि बुद्धिमताको पनि?
के हामी सांच्चै भोलीवादी प्रथाले ग्रसित छौं?
के हाम्रा युवा पीढ़ी निष्क्रिय र शिथिल छन्? कि तिनीहरूलाई प्रेरणा र हौसलाको स्रोतको कमी भएको हो?
युवा पलायनको कारणहरू के के हुन् त?
के ग्रामीण क्षेत्र औ चिया कमानको जीवन स्तर सधैं सोचनिय अवस्थामा नै रहने हुन् त? दीर्घकालीन उपाय र समाधानहरू छैनन् त?
चिया कमानका श्रमिक औ तिनीहरूका परिवार कहिले सम्म गरिबी र कुपोषणको शिकार हुने हो?
कहिले सम्म हाम्रा गरिब श्रमिक र दिदी बहिनीहरू कमानको घण्टा नबज्दै रूझीभिझी चियाको बुटा समाउँन पुग्न पर्ने त?

आदि ईत्यादि…

Gorkhaland Movement

लहरा तान्दा पहरा गर्जन्छ भने जस्तै प्रश्नहरू माथि प्रश्न थपिएला तर अन्त भने पक्कै हुने छैनन् प्रश्नहरूको लहर।

१९०७ देखि छुट्टै राज्य गोरखास्थान औ गोरखाल्याण्डको मांग गर्दै आएका गोरखाहरूका अवस्था शताब्दी बित्दा सम्म “ओरोको सिन्का पर” सम्म नभएको बिडाम्वनात्मक कुरो देखेर संसारले “कठैबरी !” मात्र भनीरहेका छन् ।

भारतीय राजनितीको कयौं उतार चड़ाऊ देखे होलान् तर गोरखाहरूको अवस्थामा न उतार आयो न चड़ाऊ नै मेरो व्यक्तिगत अनुभवमा । बदलन्दो समयको अनुसरण गर्दै गोरखाहरूको जीवन शैलीमा परिवर्तन आयो होला तर अरूको हैकमवादी हुकुममा टाऊको निहुराएर “हजुर हुन्छ” भन्ने मानसिकता भने जहींको तहीं छ । आफ्नो जातियता, विविधता र संस्कृति हामी आफैसित मात्र सिमित छन् । कसैले सरहना र गुणगान गरिएको राष्ट्रको पाठशाला र बिध्यालयको पाठ्यक्रममा पढ़न त परै जाओस कसैले सम्मिलित गर्ने जमर्को सम्म गरिएको पाईएको छैन । तर विविधतामा एकताको देश औ विश्वकै विशाल लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र देश भारतमा अरू जातिको भाषा-भेषभूषा, संस्कृति ,सांस्कृतिक खाना र जीवनशैलीको बखान पाठ्यपुस्तकमा प्रशस्तै पढ़न पाईन्छ ।

आफ्नो जातियता र संस्कृतिको गर्व गर्दै शिर ठाड़ो गरेर हिड़ने त्यो उज्यालो बिहानीको पर्खाईमा गोरखाहरूको कति पीढ़ी बितेर गए तर कसैलाई चिलाई न कनाई छ । “ए भैहाल्छ जीन्दगी चलीरहेको छ ” भन्ने मानसिकतामा कुंजिएका हामी पिंजड़ा भित्रको सुंगा सरह बिवस जीन्दगी जिउँदैछौं भन्ने समेत आभास भएको छैन । चेतनाको त कुरै नगरौं ।

तत्कालिन भारतीय शासक ब्रिटिश र नेपाल माझको सन् १८१६ को सुगौली सन्धि हुन अगावै भारतमा अधिकतम संख्यामा गोरखाहरूको बसोबास थियो अर्थात गोरखाहरू माटोसंगैको भारतीय रैथाने हुन् भन्ने एतिहासिक तस्तावेजहरूको प्रस्तुतीकरण पनि नभएको होइन तर भारतीय सरकार औ भारतीय नागरिकहरूको बुझ पचाईको पाखण्डता जगजाहेर छन् औ कानमा तेल हालेर बसेका छन् जो तितो सत्य हो।

हालैमा अधिकारिक दार्जीलिंग भ्रमणमा आएका रेलवे मंन्त्री श्री सुरेश प्रभुको बयान कत्तिको विवादास्पद रूपमा लिए हाम्रा मानिसले र पत्रपत्रिका र पत्रकारहरूको कति ध्यान आकर्षण गर्यो थाहा लागेन तर अन्य ठाँऊ र जाति प्रति यस्तो पाखण्डपूर्ण,मिथ्यात्मक औ ढोंगपूर्ण बयान दिएको भए कति हंगामा मच्चिने थियो होला । कोलकताबाट प्रकाशित प्रख्यात दैनिकी “टेलीग्राफले” ट्यूटर मार्फत दार्जीलिंगको एक चिया कमानको तस्बीर साँझ्दै मकैबारी नेपाल लेखेर गोरखाहरूको घाऊमा नुन छर्किने दूर्भावपूर्ण भनौं या दूेषपूर्ण कार्य गरे तर हाम्रा मानिसले शिष्टाचारपूर्ण प्रतिरोध पनि गर्न भ्याए कि भ्याएनन् ।

छिमेकी देश नेपालसंग भारतीय गोरखाहरूको जातियता, संस्कृति ,भाषा औ जीवन शैलीको समानतालाई आधार बनाएर भारतीय गोरखाहरू नेपालबाट पलायन भएका अप्रवासि भारतीय हुन् भन्न कुन मुखले दिएको होला जब कि देशको मूल नागरिकको पहिचान औ हक अधिकारको रूपमा सरकारले नै भोटर आई कार्ड, राशनकार्ड ,आधार कार्ड, प्यान कार्ड औ पासपोर्ट जस्ता आधारभूत आवश्यक कागज पत्र औ प्रमाण पत्र हामीलाई थम्याई दिएको छ ।

के यी कागज पत्र र प्रमाण पत्रहरूले प्रमाणित गर्दैनन् कि हामी भारतीय मूल नागरिक हौं भनेर? कि यी प्रमाण पत्रहरू सरकारको राजनीतिक स्वर्थपूर्तिको निम्ति प्रयोगमा ल्याईने भोट ब्यांकका आधारहरू मात्र हुन्? जुन भोट हाल्ने अधिकार हामीलाई प्राप्त छन् त्यसैले पनि हामीलाई देशको नागरिक हुनमाु पनि अधिकार प्राप्त गराउँदछ । तर फेरि स्वभाविक प्रश्न -के भोट हालेर मात्र हाम्रो पहिचान हुँदछ?

कदापि हुँदैनन् । हुने भए त किन हाम्रा गोरखा दाज्यु दिदी भाईहरू जातिय भेदभावको शिकार बन्दछन्? किन चिम्से आँखा भएका चाईनिस भनेर खिसीटिउरीको पात्र बन्दछन्? किन हाम्रा चेली बेटी लाञ्छनाको शिकार बन्दछन् ? के यी विभिन्न शहरमा आफ्नो कर्मथलो बनाएका गोरखालीहरूकोमा आफ्नो देशको नागरिकताको प्रमाण पत्रहरू छैनन् होला?

जब सम्म हामी बंगाल देखि अलग एक पृथक संस्कृति भाषा,भेषभूषा, खानपान र जीवनशैली भएका गोरखा जातिको संवैधानिक प्रावधान अनुरूप छुट्टै राज्य गोरखाल्याण्ड गठन हुँदैन तबसम्म यी प्रमाण पत्रहरूको पनि कुनै औचित्य रहने छैन भन्दा अत्युक्ति नहोला ।

अर्को बिडम्वनाको कुरो हाम्रा केहि पहाड़े “थिकट्याँक” औ महाबुद्धिमानी नेताहरूले पहिचान संकट (Identity Crisis) र बिकाश (Developement) मा फरक छैनन् भन्छन् । पहाड़को बिकाश भए जातिय पहिचान भैहाल्छ भन्ने मुर्ख कुरो गर्छन् । त्यसैले पनि होला हाम्रा बुद्धिमानी नेताहरूको बुद्धिमानी कुराले बिश्वस्त जनता बंगाल सरकारले दिएको जातिय बिकाश बोर्ड थाप्न ब्यस्त छन्। राज्य सरकारलाई नै बिश्वास दिलाए की हाम्रा मानिसलाई पहिचान हैन बिकाश चाहिएका छन् भनेर । “के खोज्छस काना आँखा” भने जस्तो ममताले सबलाई विकाश बोर्ड भटाभट् दिन थाली ।

बंगाल भित्र मानिस कति जातिका र कति थर भएका होलान् ? ममताले किन सबैलाई बिकाश बोर्ड दिदैनन् त र किन पहाड़े मानिसलाई मात्र जातिय विभाजन गरेर बिकाश बोर्ड दिइन् त ? यो गहिरो प्रश्नको उत्तर शायद ममतासंग मात्र होला तर हाम्रा मानिसले एकपल्ट पनि आफैलाई गहिरिएर सोधेका छैनन् होला ।

The only scourge to our Identity crisis is a state called Gorkhaland

जातिय बिकाश बोर्ड थमाएर गोरखाको साझा आकांक्षा गोरखाल्याण्डलाई पूर्ण विराम लगाउने चलखेलको शिकार हाम्रै मानिस भएको हाम्रा बुद्धिजीवीहरूलाई थाहा नभएको हैन तर स्वर्थ र पाखण्डको ताला मुखमा झुण्डाएर जातियता र पहिचानलाई कुल्चिएर हिँड़ी रहेका छन् । जात-जातको संस्कृतिको जगेरना गर्नु आफ्नै ठाँऊमा छ तर के हाम्रा विविन्न जातिय उत्थानको निम्ति गाँऊको बाटो, कमिनिटी हल औ अन्य सिमित बिकाशको निम्ति बंगाल सरकारद्वारा सिमित रूपको आर्थिक कोष भावी पीढ़ी सम्मको निम्ति पर्याप्त छ?

यसको सट्टा रोजगारको द्वार खुला गरी युवा पलायनको रोकथाम गर्न उचित हैन र? युवा नै देशको कर्णधार भन्छन् तर हाम्रा समुदाय र समाजका युवाहरूको बढ़दो पलायनले मेरूदण्ड भाँचिएको विकलांग समाज भएको आभास कसैलाई भएको जस्तो लाग्दैन ।

त्यसर्थ, एक शताब्दी भन्दा पुरानो हाम्रो पुर्खाहरूले गोरखा जातिको अलग राज्य गोरखाल्याण्ड हुनु पर्छ भन्ने पहिचानको मांगलाई सानोतिनो बिकाश औ विकाश बोर्डहरूसित सम्झौता गर्यौं भने म जस्ता कयौं अरू भारतीय गोरखाहरू विदेशमा मात्र नभएर आफ्नै देशमा पनि त्यही प्रश्न “आर यू फ्रम नेपाल?” सुनेर सदैव तर्सिनु पर्नेछ र आफ्नो अस्तित्व र पहिचानबाट वंञ्चित संसारको अगाड़ी होंचिनु बाध्य भई गोरखा जाति हुनुमा आफ्नो अभिश्राप र दूर्भाग्य भएको ठान्नु बाहेक अरू कुनै उयाय रहने छैन र अरूको हेलचेक्र्याई र द्वेशको चोटको आँशु बोकेर आँउदो भावी पीढ़ीलाई गोरखाको अस्तित्व र पहिचानको दुखदायी कथा दोहोर्याउँन बाहेक कुनै विकल्प रहने छैन ।

The post गोरखाको हराएको चिनारी : दूर्भाग्य कि द्वेष? appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

NRC Issue: The Indian Gorkha Perspective

Dinesh Sharma — Sat, 16 Nov 2019 16:13:19 +0000

As the push for a nation-wide National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise gets stronger, there are growing concerns among the Indian Gorkha community settled in various pockets across the country. The discussions are gaining more ground after Assam published its final NRC list on August 31, 2019, the process which was monitored by the Supreme Court of India. As reported by different media organisations, of the estimated 25 lakh Gorkhas living in Assam, about 1 lakh were excluded from the final list.

The reasons for the exclusion could be anything; from clerical mistakes, not able to furnish documents as per the cut-off year of 1971, or inability to establish relationship and family continuity. Meanwhile, the issue has provided enough fodder for the political leaders who see it as an opportunity to display their badge of political allegiance.

Organisations and leaders aligned to the ruling parties are promising that Gorkhas need not worry, while those in opposition are claiming that Gorkhas are the target in the whole exercise. Whatever their political compulsions are, it is time that the community comes together to discuss and find a way forward for the future of the Indian Gorkhas as a whole. The bigger concern is not about supporting or opposing NRC, but ensuring that the authorities in power understand the deep-rooted history of the Gorkhas in India.

The NRC exercise, in essence, is for the benefit of our nation; to identify illegal infiltrators so that the country is secured. To dismiss the NRC exercise undertaken under the watch of the Supreme Court as a political agenda is naive, and to blindly support it because of any political compulsion is dangerous, especially for the Gorkha community.

The Gorkhas need to be wary of the exercise because we have always been seen as the ‘outsiders’ in the larger Indian context. For most people, it is easier to assume that the Gorkhas have come to India from Nepal, because we speak the same language, rather than try to understand the deep-rooted and complex history of the community. Although identified by their language and ethnicity, the Gorkhas living in different parts of India have their own unique history and its sense of identity with respect to the place they reside.

Darjeeling Municipality notice asking for ” proof of residence of ancestors since 1950, with family tree map,” from those seeking “Gorkha certificate”

The Gorkhas of Darjeeling Hills, Terai, and Dooars

The history of Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars are complex, with multiple treaties between British India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, and Tibet defining its pre-Independence status. This region was governed under various administrative regimens such as – Non-Regulated Areas, Scheduled District, Backward Tract and Partially Excluded Area. The Gorkhas of North Bengal are indigenous to the region and became part of the Indian Union along with the land, people, customs, and traditions.

The Gorkhas of North India

The Gorkhas of North India, namely Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and parts of Uttar Pradesh are as indigenous to the land as any other community there. As history speaks, the erstwhile Gorkha Kingdom extended up to Kangra in Himachal Pradesh. It was only after the Treaty of Sigauli 1816 that the borders were drawn between British India and the Nepalese Kingdom. There was no repatriation and the Gorkhas living in the territories were automatically absorbed in the land, the same way people of Indian ethnicity were absorbed in the Terai regions of Nepal.

The Gorkhas of North East

In documented history, the Gorkhas entered the North East as the British began to expand and penetrate into the resource-rich Northeast frontiers. The discovery of oil in Digboi, the coal mines of Meghalaya, the Anglo-Burmese Wars brought waves of Gorkha soldiers, agriculture workers, and labourers into the area. During the Anglo-Burmese war (1824-1826) the Gorkha soldiers formed an integral part of the British forces fighting to push back the Burmese troops advancing from the Northeast. The history of Gorkha settlement in the Northeast is well beyond 200 years and have contributed immensely in the socio-economic sphere of the region.

Soldiers who settled in India

Across the country, there are pockets of Gorkha people, especially the soldiers who chose to settle in India after retiring from their services. There are sizeable chunks of Gorkha people settled in UP, Jharkhand, Kashmir, Punjab, and even in southern Indian states. For the children of ex-servicemen, India provides good schooling, healthcare and better opportunities for the future.

Nepalese citizens who come in search of work

By virtue of the free borders and movement agreement between India and Nepal, many Nepalese citizens who come to India for work have also settled down in various cities across India. While many still hold their Nepali citizenships, there are others who have adopted India and have lived here for over two generations. Under the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016, they are today Indians like any other citizen.

The NRC process poses a huge challenge to the entire community as there is very little understanding of the socio-political history of the Gorkhas in the power corridors of Delhi. There is a story about a national leader who had visited Darjeeling some years ago and after seeing so many people with the trademark Dhaka Topi, speaking in Nepali, he supposedly remarked to his aide “Itney saarey Nepali kahaan se aa gaye yahaan” (where did so many Nepalese come from). Such is the tragedy of the Gorkhas and we must accept it as our collective failure that even after 72 years of independence, our fellow citizens and the country’s leaders do not know who we are.

It shows that we have not been able to tell our story to the people in power and the nation at large. The NRC process could be a chance to make sure that the Gorkhas are given their due as one of the original inhabitants of the nation. Given the history and contribution of the Gorkhas in the process of nation-building, it is pertinent to demand that the Gorkhas are not denied their right to belong and identity as proud citizens of India.

Together, we must approach the government to ensure that the Gorkha community, irrespective of where they live, are protected under the NRC process.

This article was originally published here.

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Darjeeling: The Land of Thunder

TheDC News Desk — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 03:16:37 +0000

When it comes to Gorkhaland, every person living in the towns or the far off countryside desperately needs it. But where are we are lacking behind? In general, as our people say- “Bengali ko Bengal, Rajasthani ko Rajasthan, Gujju ko Gujarat tah Mizo ko Mizoram, Naga ko Nagaland and goes on.” Yeah, exactly, Khai tah Gorkhey ko Gorkhaland?

“Gorkhey nai ho tah? British army ko bharti hudaina tah Darjeeling ma!” There are so many questions that have started to pop in my mind regarding the statehood and my own identity. Am I a Nepali or an Indian Gorkha, I don’t understand how that has really made a difference in my life.

This is the incident that happened a few years back at Kolkata. Once a year, they have a north-eastern festival where all the north-eastern states meet and compete with each other in sports and other curricular activities. Darjeeling in this festival is aalu (Potato). They fit in wherever they can. I had a junior sister who loved playing Basketball.

The team was full everywhere, she couldn`t fit in. She was sad for she couldn’t play in the tournament. Do you know what she said to me then? – “Da Mamata lai bhanera yo northeast festival bhari chai Gorkhaland mangnu parcha holau. Feri yo sakera toi laija bhannu parcha ni hai da?” Then a friend mine replied, “Dinay bhayo ni, NE is ma ka gapcha hola, Sikkim lai tah brother banayo, hami lai chai bro-in-law?” We all laughed and spent the rest of the day hanging out, forgetful of cussing our leaders. Those words of her still echo in my head and I wonder when. Before, it was DSA at Calcutta (Darjeeling Students Association). As my elder brother says- “Dasai ma naya luga hos na hos DSA ko freshers ra farewell ma chai hunui parthyo. Imagine the intensity of flirting.

Except for Solti Sikkim, the rest of the part of north-eastern India was hidden to me. I came across many tribes that I had never heard of before. On the contrary, I met many more who thought I was from Nepal. Everywhere else in India, they ask-which state are you from? For me, the question has changed since the very day I was here- “which tribe are you?” And the questions that persist with the uneducated in India is – “You from Nepal? China? What is your religion?” I mean, why would they want to know about my religion? I don`t know, it might be normal to some but I have never experienced anyone from other parts of the country asking me that. It doesn`t matter to me at all. It is like asking which author do you like the most? I don`t like authors, I like some of their works.

After coming here at North East, the most interesting thing that has happened to me is, I came across Nepalese people from Assam. They talked different as if they were from Nepal. They say, they celebrate Bihu and also talk in Hindi with me. “Aafu chai afnu bhasa bolnu na payera frustu vaisakyo, teskii hindi bolcha! Afnoi bhasa bolda ni feri k boldincha boldincha… Amam irri !”. So what exactly am I? Am I like these Indian Gorkhas who have a different culture, language and need statehood for identity? Or am I the immigrant from Nepal? “Mero bajay chai Madan, boju chai Muna po hola. Testai lagcha bhanayyy chai. Auuu.. Bhaat khayeu?”
I have heard our people from Darjeeling, tagging themselves as “North-Easterners”, I don`t know how. The scenario here is that they don`t know us as “Darjeeling”. The scenario of Nepali speaking community in these states is “Dakhar/Khardai” in Khasi, “Bai” in Mizoram and many. As it is like “Dhoti” in Nepal for all Indians. Nepalese are treated as immigrants here and it is because they are. But why do we Darjeelingey have to be tagged along with them? Aren’t we different than Indian Gorkhas or Nepali now?

If we look at the history, most of the places occupied by Nepalese people around India is by the Indian soldiers from Nepal except some of the areas i.e. Himachal, Lucknow, Bihar and Assam which was captured by Prithvi Narayan Shah. Nepalese are mostly populated in the north-eastern belt of India, Jammu-Arunachal. But we are always from Darjeeling. How come the fight of statehood or birthright of the soil inside India is connected with the people who actually migrated to India? Ringa bell? Are we different enough to not be tagged as Gorkha or Nepali

They try to talk about Gorkhaland issue but they are like rest. There’s no difference. They all say identity. Gorkha and Nepali already have an identity, they are famous worldwide. Everyone knows. So, why identity? What I think is this is more about “Sons of soils” not as Gorkha or Nepali. This is about being Darjeeling! I have already started calling myself Darjeelingey here, no more Gorkha, no more Nepali. It is because I am not too brave nor too dumb to be a Gorkha nor so aalu to be a Nepali. I am wise enough to know it is for the land which is rightfully ours, the very residents of Darjeeling who were here before British. Let Darjeeling be my religion, my tribe, my language, my culture. And not the queen of hills please, there are more beautiful hills than Darjeeling to be honest. Let it be the Land of Thunder, and we the children of mighty Thor. “Loki Kaks jasto chai na hunu bhayena ni mamz, rack huncha!”

f we look at the history, most of the places occupied by Nepalese people around India is by the Indian soldiers from Nepal except some of the areas i.e. Himachal, Lucknow, Bihar and Assam which was captured by Prithvi Narayan Shah. Nepalese are mostly populated in the north-eastern belt of India, Jammu-Arunachal. But we are always from Darjeeling. How come the fight of statehood or birthright of the soil inside India is connected with the people who actually migrated to India? Ringa bell? Are we different enough to not be tagged as Gorkha or Nepali

“Darjeeling – the world’s nicest place”

This is about being Darjeeling! I have already started calling myself Darjeelingey here, no more Gorkha, no more Nepali. It is because I am not too brave nor too dumb to be a Gorkha nor so aalu to be a Nepali. I am wise enough to know it is for the land which is rightfully ours, the very residents of Darjeeling who were here before British. Let Darjeeling be my religion, my tribe, my language, my culture. And not the queen of hills please, there are more beautiful hills than Darjeeling to be honest. Let it be the Land of Thunder, and we the children of mighty Thor. “Loki Kaks jasto chai na hunu bhayena ni mamz, rack huncha!”

Writes : Aditya Mangar

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Understanding NRC: A Politically Neutral Perspective

TheDC News Desk — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 15:19:25 +0000

Writing is not just a form of divertissement but a healing process that soothes a perturbed and stressful mind, rejuvenates your spirit, and brings you back to life

An atmosphere of dubiety seems to have taken over the hills ever since the announcement that once BJP forms government at the center it will Implement National Register of Citizens (NRC) throughout India. People are muddled about how NRC will affect the Indian Gorkhas in real time. Contrary to the popular belief, NRC will have a definite impact on the Indian Gorkhas unless certain conditions and safeguards are met. Here in this small write up I will try and dissect NRC from a political neutral viewpoint bringing out only those facts that are related to NRC along with its implications on the Indian Gorkhas once implemented.

What is NRC?

The National Register of Citizens is a register containing the names of all the genuine Indian citizens, it was first prepared in 1951 for Assam. NRC draws its power from the Citizenship Act of 1955 and the Rules framed therein. The main objective of preparing the register is to identify illegal immigrants as foreigners and deport them back to their countries.

Issues Related with NRC

(1) The Question of Immunity

After the publication of the first draft of NRC in Assam last year about 40 lakh people were identified as illegal migrants and were excluded from NRC for various reasons, including some 1,50,000 Gorkhas, despite the fact that BJP had promised that Gorkhas living in Assam would not be excluded. Amit Shah recently made a similar promise from Kalimpong that the Gorkhas living in Darjeeling Hills will not be excluded from NRC. With BJPs protracted and strained history of breaking the Gorkhas trust and faith, only time will tell if he is really going to walk the talk this time.

Once excluded from NRC, the person ceases to be a citizen of India. He will no longer be entitled to the rights guaranteed to an Indian Citizen under the constitution and law including the right to vote. The implementation of NRC should not be taken daintily, it is an issue of profound importance with far-reaching consequence as the fate and citizenship rights of lakh of India Gorkhas is at stake here. Immunity, therefore, becomes a matter of paramount concern for all the Indian Gorkhas.

The question now arises as to why about 1,50,000 Indian Gorkhas were excluded from the register in Assam (similar exclusion can happen in Darjeeling) despite the fact that NDA government had assured them that Gorkhas living in Assam will not be touched by NRC. The answer to this question lies in the Citizenship Act of 1955.

It should be noted that NRC draws its power and authority from the Citizenship Act of 1955, therefore, any question of Immunity can only be granted through an act of Parliament by amending the Citizenship Act . Verbal assurances given at the time of the election in the election manifesto, which itself has no legal support is inutile.

The NDA Government had brought a Bill i.e. Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 which had granted immunity from being declared an illegal immigrant to persons belonging to Hindus, Buddhist, Jains, and Sikhs coming from Bangladesh and Pakistan, however, the said Bill did not mention Indian Gorkhas. To add insult to injury the Bill did not see the light of the day and died its natural death in the Rajya Sabha. For an Ordinary Bill to be passed into a law it has to be passed by both the houses of the parliament with a simple majority. BJP led NDA still does not have the required numbers in the Rajya Sabha. Although it commands an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha it is still a minority in the Rajya Sabha. Rajya Sabha is BJPs Achilles Heel. This is the reason why the names of thousands of Indian Gorkhas living in Assam were struck of the National Register on some flimsy grounds. Despite lofty promises being made the promises were not backed by law. As the commitment lacked legal support it could not be implemented therefore the fate and citizenship rights of thousands of Indian Gorkhas living in Assam still hangs in limbo.

A similar situation is brewing up in Darjeeling, only verbal assurances have been given by the party president. The Bill as it stands today, still does not specifically mention ” Indian Gorkhas”. Even if somehow the party manages to include Indian Gorkhas in the Citizenship Amendment Bill, there is no guarantee that the Bill will pass as BJP is a minority in Rajya Sabha and does not command enough support to pass an Ordinary Bill in one go. Therefore implementing NRC in Darjeeling without specific legal immunity to the INDIAN GORKHAS is suicidal.

(2) Documentation and related matters

It has been found that the names of many persons in Assam were dropped from the draft NRC only because of minor differences in the spellings of Bengali names into English in different documents. Several instances were encountered where a single letter variation, for example, “Omar” and “Onar”, was enough to rule that a person was a foreigner. I now ask how many of us in Darjeeling are not facing similar problems? How many of us have all their and the names of their family members correctly spelled in all their documents? To be honest I don’t. If that be the case my name along with the names of my family members will be struck off the NRC if implemented.

Likewise the rural unlettered are typically vague about their date of birth. A person could be excluded from the register if he/she told the NRC tribunal 40 when the documents recorded to be 42.

Rural uneducated women are especially in danger of exclusion from the citizenship register. Most of them have no birth certificates, are not sent to schools and are married before they become adults, therefore, by the time their names first appear in the voters list these are in a different village where they live after marriage, which is different from those of their parents. They are told by the NRC tribunal that they have no documents to prove that they are indeed the children of the people they claim are their parents. There were cases in ASSAM of being excluded from the citizenship register on this ground alone.

(3) Opaque Process

NRC empowers the Assam police to identify anyone it suspects as foreigners and illegal migrants. How many of us can repose 100% faith and vouch that the police force works with impeccable integrity? If the police are granted such wide powers don’t you think that such power can be abused? Anyone can be picked up by the police on flimsy ground and be declared a foreigner anytime.

The police have also been empowered to refer the cases to a Foreigners Tribunal(FT). It has been alleged that the Tribunals are not presided by judges but by lawyers and in some cases by persons with no legal knowledge, who were appointed by the party.

Moreover, it has also been alleged that the police and the presiding officers in FTs( foreigners tribunal ) work just to fulfill the targets that are set by the party and not to dispense justice.

Not to mention the enormous amount of money one needs to spend fighting these legal cases in the Tribunals proving ones citizenship once declared a foreigner or an illegal migrant under NRC.

(4) The Question of Double Jeopardy

Article 20(2) of the constitution guarantees to every citizen the right not to be prosecuted and punished for the same offense more than once as a fundamental Right. But this principle has been waived off for Foreigners Tribunals(FT). It has been found that even after an FT had confirmed a citizen of India another FT and at times the same FT can again send notice to the same person to prove his citizenship once again. This is a direct violation of Article 20(2) as guaranteed by the constitution of India.

With the entire burden of proving citizenship on one’s shoulders and the arbitrary and opaque multiple forums to which one will be summoned, people deprived of education and resource will be caught in a maze of bureaucratic red tape from which they will find it hard to emerge. There are indeed few parallels in the world where the state itself produces statelessness on the scale and manner that it is doing in Assam and soon in the Hill areas of Darjeeling. Political parties advocating NRC in Darjeeling should exercise caution and do so only after an in-depth analysis of ground realities, after taking into confidence all the stakeholder without which the future and Citizenship Rights of thousands of Indian Gorkhas living in the area could be jeopardized once and for all.

Minority Youth Federation protest against BJP lead central and Assam state government against NRC in Kolkata on July 31, 2018. (Photo credit: DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images)

Writes: Phinjo Wangyal Gurung

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Legendary Singer Aruna Lama Conferred Nepal Ratna Award

TheDC News Desk — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 10:29:37 +0000

April 14, 2019: Legendary Nepali singer Smt. Aruna Lama (Pradhan), born in Darjeeling, was conferred the prestigious Nepal Ratna, Mahaujjwal Rashtradeep Award (Suprabal Janasewa Shree Tritiya) for her contribution to promoting Nepali music around the world. The President of Nepal, Bidya Devi Bhandari conferred the award at a special ceremony held at the Office of the President, Maharajgunj.

Born on the 9th of September, 1945 at Ghoom Pahar, Darjeeling, Aruna Lama is popularly known as the “Nightingale of the Hills”. She has rendered hundreds of Nepali songs and left an indelible mark as one of the finest Nepali singers.

The illustrious title by the Nepal government is conferred on Nepali citizens and foreigners who make outstanding contributions to the welfare of Nepal and Nepali language and art.

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Political Impasse and a New Beginning

Guest Author — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 04:41:25 +0000

Darjeeling is going to the Loksabha Polls on May 18 2019. The election fever has seriously hit the floors of Darjeeling Hills. All the major political parties have set their own blitzkrieg. This election is going to be very different than the other elections which Darjeeling has witnessed till to date. In the past elections, the contest used to be one sided and the results were predictable.

The national party with whom the ruling party of the hills forge an alliance used to defeat the other party candidates with a huge margin. 105 days of illogical strike, economic slowdown, fragmentation of G.J.M.M (Gorkha Janmukti Morcha) and identity crisis are the parameters that will decide the the elections output.

Gorkha Nationalism and The Power Paradox

The anti-incumbency factor of G.N.L.F (Gorkha National Liberation Front) and the identity crisis sentiments dethroned the G.N.L.F supremo Subhash Ghising resulting the emergence of Bimal Gurung as the undisputed leader of the Gorkhas. People of the hills overwhelmingly supported his ideas and his apple polished rhetoric. The Gorkhaland movement spearheaded by him touched the pinnacle in a very short span of time. The pomposity of the movement cannot be simply measured in terms of engineered vocabulary (Gorkhaland vayena vane goli nidhar MA Thokchu) and artificial sentence instead is measured by the output.

The formation of GTA (Gorkhaland Territorial Administration) or can be said as the output of the statehood movement (led by Gurung) dwindled down the aspiration of the Common people. The GTA agreement signed at the cost of martyrs (sibchu Incident) and the post of Chief Executive of GTA projected him as a man of questionable character. No sooner or later he became the victim of Power Paradox. The opposition parties also had to follow his diktats. The right to freedom of expression (Art.19) was seriously violated even not allowing the media to criticise his idea (shutdown of HPC kalimpong). It is often said that Democracy does not thrives in a small place.,in the form of democracy autocracy will prevail. To criticise him was not only an offence but used to be treated as the horrendous act. Gorkha Nationalism ,the feelings and the sentiments that bind all the Indian Gorkhas was misinterpreted and falsely propagated just for his political gains. To criticise him was to be an anti-Gorkha(some still thinks) and a traitor. The concept of Gorkhaland has emerged from the feeling of oneness and the Gorkha nationalism, rather than by the head to head collision of power paradox and egocentric desires.

Directionless Movement

The Movement that started due to the forceful imposition of the Bengali language again turned into a massive statehood Movement. Strikes were declared and The leader who was spearheading the movement (however the cause is not statehood but the auditing of GTA funds) absconded. The innocent people of the hill who protesting on the roads have had to face the wrath of the State Govt. The movement got a different shape due to the emancipation of the Gorkhas residing in every corner of the world. The reality is very hard to digest, the people who were providing an impetus to the people of Darjeeling hills from outside knew very less about the ground realities. Disorderness and tranquility destroyed the livelihood of the common people . Tea Garden workers whose economic status is very low suffered very badly. The Central Govt. refrained from the main scene and allowed it to become a rigmarole. Split of GJMM. In the absence of Gurung ,Binay Tamang (Asst.General Secretary) took the leadership and spearheaded the movement.

The sufferings of the people, deviation of the central Govt. Rate of increase of the martyrs mounted enormous pressure on the leadership of Tamang. The State Govt. on a plea submitted by the G.N.L.F party for the reinstoration of peace in the hills called an all party meeting (hills). The state Govt. is very rigid and adamant regarding the division of Bengal. Binay Tamang led the delegation as Gurung was still under the hibernation and was slapped with many non-bailable charges including Ant-national or waging war against the state. The outcome of the meeting with the state executive was prudent. On the advice of Gurung ,Binay Tamang called off the strike. People were against this decision. The wrath of the common people were visible in the social media, electronic media,etc. Bimal Gurung in accordance of the people’s deviation from his orientation bounced back of his statement and shifted the onus on Tamang. The State Govt. In order to bring normalcy in the hills resumed GTA with some changes. Binay Tamang was chosen as the administrator to carry on the developmental activities in the hills and bring back peace and prosperity .

Pseudo-chauvinism: Binay Tamang led GJMM received the support of the people. All the major leaders who were close to Gurung also equivocally supported his candidature. The political sense of the common people in the hills has been hypnotised by the so called pseudo-chauvinists. People should understand and believe in the pragmatic sequence. It should not make any difference whom so ever will administrate G.T.A Gorkhaland resides in the heart of every Indian Gurkha’s, it doesn’t change with the colour of the flags. In order to grasp the power and fulfil self-desires Gorkhaland should not be used.

The addition equation of the GJMM(Bimal) and GNLF Who were the political rivals once has really exposed the underbelly of both leaders(Bimal G and Man G). Again same rhetoric is reverberating in the eardrums of the people. Now it is up-to the people to decide. The upcoming election is not a war between the gorkha and antigorkha forces, instead it’s a well planned strategy to fool the common people in the name of Gorkhaland and regain the power from Tamang’s led GJMM.

Jai Gorkha

Vande Mataram

Writes: Binam Ranapaheli

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What Gorkha Youth Thinks

Guest Author — Sat, 23 Mar 2019 03:20:18 +0000

Gorkhaland has again become the most popular topic for discussion with the upcoming Elections in April. At every corner, you can hear people discussing whose fault was it the last time and who is to be blamed. Having failed so many times, we have even stopped learning lessons from the past mistakes. We always find an excuse to blame someone and continue repeating the same mistakes time and again.

However we may want to believe, it has always been our lack of unity and integrity that is to blame. It is us who split out because of petty differences and aspirations compromising the larger cause of the community. The sacrifices of the martyrs who died believing in Gorkhaland have been reduced to mere stories today. Blaming ‘THEM’ has become our culture today simply because it is easy. ’THEY did this to US’ is easier than saying ‘WE did it ourselves and rectify our actions.

Our refusal to introspect our actions have made it difficult for us to learn from the mistakes and take corrective measures. I certainly don’t believe that only protests and shutdowns Darjeeling or Delhi should be the first and easy alternative for us use. What we lack is honest people to represent our voice at all levels, a vision for the youth, and a willingness to change for better.

Let us look around us for a while, the youths are leaving the place for a better life outside in bigger cities. Hundreds others are neck-deep in alcohol and drug addiction. Those who want to work, don’t have the knowledge or resources to start something. With such situation at home, the only option we have left is to work in service of others. Perhaps we are happy doing the *ji saabji* and even used to it now. Of course, we sometimes get sentimental and cry victim when something unfortunate happens; but happy to narrate our glorious history when all other excuses fail.

Dear Gorkhas ,
Make sure people will know you by your present action and not by your history .
Be the sun that shines everywhere
Be it education, entertainment, sports, or politics
Business or social services
From dash to dash

Writes: Dibya Chhetri

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Meghalaya MLA threatens local Gorkhas after tension erupts in Langpih

TheDC News Desk — Sat, 16 Feb 2019 09:37:23 +0000

Curfew has been imposed and Section 144, CrPC has been invoked by the local administration in Langpih, close to the disputed border area between Meghalaya and Assam. Tensions erupted over allegations of brutality and lathi-charge by Assam Police and escalated after the visit of Meghalaya MLA Kimfa Marbañiang to the village.

As per the reports, problems started when workers of a local firm M/S Dhar Construction began erecting electric poles in Umlai, near Langpih in preparation for a Church even next month. Assam Police, on receiving the information went to stop the construction in the dispute area and arrested two workers, following which the villagers started protesting and pelted stones at the police personnel. The police force in retaliation resorted to lathi-charge injuring several villagers.

In a complaint lodged with the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC), the Congress legislature, Kimfa Marbañiang and a local organization Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC) alleged violation of human rights and grievous assaults by Assam police. “Assam police have violated human rights by hitting the villagers including women, and there were no women police at the place of occurrence,” the MLA said.

Image source: Shillongmail.com

Marbañiang, the MLA said that he visited the area after hearing of the incident on Thursday, but as he went to discuss the matter with the Assam police personnel at the location, he was confronted by residents of the area from the Gorkha (Nepali) community, who he alleged disrupted his discussion with the police. “I had a heated argument with them (Nepalee residents) because they were interrupting my discussion with the Assam police,” Marbañiang alleged.

In a video that surfaced over the social media, the MLA is seen threatening some Gorkha youths to leave the place and “Go to Nepal.” Langpih, a picturesque village bordering West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya and Kamrup (rural) district of Assam has historically been a bone of contention between Meghalaya and Assam, with both the states staking claim over the area.

In the widely circulated video, the local youths can be heard protesting against the MLA calling them Nepali and threatening them with ‘go to Nepal.’ The agitated youths can be heard reminding the MLA about some earlier exodus of Gorkha settlers and questioning the MLA where was he at the time. Strongly protesting against the MLA calling them Nepali, the youths can be heard saying “we are Indian Gorkhas and not Nepali and this part of Langpih is Assam. You cannot threaten us to leave Langpih, we are not Nepali but Gorkha. Why did you call us Nepali? This is Assam, and we are Gorkhas.”

The Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad K Sangma said that he has received information of the clash. “There were some arguments and then some stone pelting took place, then Assam police resorted to lathi-charge,” He said the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP) of West Khasi Hills district have spoken to their counterparts in Assam and requested the release of the two arrested persons.

The bigger question that arises after the incident is “How could the MLA, a public representative who had gone to hold discussions with Assam Police end up in a verbal dual with local residents using unparliamentary language and derogatory remarks against a community? Whether by accident or intentionally, the MLA seems to have flared up communal tension with his caustic remarks. Such unchecked temperament and remarks can only create a sense of mistrust and of insecurity among the residents who live in the area.

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Independence Day Special: Netaji and Capt. Ram Singh Thakuri – Muddled Legacies

Upendra M Pradhan — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 19:14:01 +0000

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Whom Shall We Remember Today?

TheDC News Desk — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 18:31:22 +0000

“A nation’s culture resides in the heart and soul of its people” -Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi 1869-1948

For the last two years, I have been penning Independence Day articles for TheDC, hailing heroes and heroines from the Indian Gorkha community who fought for India’s freedom. This year I feel a vacuum. Because I feel we are still struggling more than ever before.

Recently, I attended a panel discussion on ‘In today’s globalised world, what role does nationalism play in India’s context?’ A mouthful of words, but essentially I think, it was about how nationalistic we are in this global age. One panellist said that nationalism is about the national bird, animal, dress, anthem and khichri. Another said it was about remembering our freedom struggle against the ‘other’, meaning the British rule. And what a costly affair it was, as freedom came with a big rider—the division of India and Pakistan based on religion. A criterion, which after seventy-two years, appears as so very wrong. Millions were rendered homeless as they staggered across the borders by foot, on bullock carts, in trains and buses under the onslaught of massive violence and suffering. Lives, families and belongings were lost in the mayhem to reach a new homeland as per their religious identity. The governments in their hurry failed at maintaining a peaceful exchange.

After the British ‘other’, new ‘others’ took its place. Many Indians are still struggling for their identity. Some inside before 1947 are still crying for recognition. On the other hand, millions of refugees continue to pour into India. Some intellectuals say India is a huge tent where everyone can be accommodated. Others say sorry there is no more space in the tent. Some expostulate that India stands for compassion. Clearly, idealism and reality knock heads in many ways and no one sees the middle path. Power and money appear to be the new nationalism. Nobody talks about the need to strengthen nationalism in terms of the Indian citizens feeling at home.

Millions of Indians born and raised in India go abroad and take oaths such as “I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America”. Where does the Indian nationalism go then?

Either, there are those living in the world of ‘global opportunity-nationalism’ or clinging to archaic forms of racial insularity by dominating the minority. Dirty words like fascism are still surviving under new names. Leaders try hard to convince that we are a multinational and multicultural state because it sounds so good and upwardly mobile. But murky waters lie deep beneath. Nationalism has different connotations for everyone and ironically the government has to force Indians to stand for the anthem in movie halls. Terms like the nation, nation-state, state, global citizen are weighing down or buoying up mindsets.

How nationalistic do we Indian Gorkhas feel? We are the country’s sterling defence force, but socially we are still perceived as immigrants from Nepal, foreigners on Indian soil. Despite the fact, that we have been citizens of this land for more than two hundred years. Our Indian identity on the face of it is as vague as a peel-off beauty mask. Funny thing is that while millions of Indians are migrating to the west, we are still here struggling to be accepted as Indians. Its been a year now since the last agitation for Gorkhaland in the Darjeeling Hills witnessed yet another saga of dead bodies, persecution, humiliation and forceful crackdown. The Gorkhas of Darjeeling Hills are still fighting for independence from the ‘other’ being West Bengal government. Ironical, because the same government allows foreign nationals from Bangladesh to pour in millions and work without even a work permit. Bangladesh and India have no such treaty facilitating this.

So whom shall we remember today?

Shall we remember the 1947 era Gorkha freedom fighters for India’s Independence? They include patriots such as Amar Singh Thapa, Agam Singh Giri, Bhagat Bir Lama, Bhim Singh Rana, Balbhadra Chhetri, Bairagi Baba, Bhairav Singh Lama, Buddhiman, Bir Bahadur Gurung, Bishan Singh Khatri, Bishan Singh Rana, Bishnu Lal Upadhayay, Bhakta Bahadur Pradhan, Bhagwan Singh Thapa, Bhim Bahadur Khadka, Bhim Lal Sharma, Chandra Kumar Sharma, Chabilal Upadhyay, Dal Bahadur Giri, Dig Bir Singh Ramudamu, Dalbir Singh Lohar, Dhruba Singh Thapa, Devi Prasad Sharma, Dharmananda Upadhyay Mishra, Damber Singh Hingman, Gorey Khan, Gaga Tshering Dukpa, Gopal Singh Rana, Gopal Singh Shahi, Hari Prashad Upadhayay, Harish Chhetri, Hoshiyar Singh Karki, Hari Prashad, Hira Singh Khatri, Ishwarananda Gorkha, Indrani Thapa, Jung Bir Sapkota, Jai Narayan Upadhayay, Kumud Chandra Gorkha, Krishna Bahadur Sunwar, Khadga Bahadur Singh Bista, Laxman Limbu, Lal Bahadur Basnet, Man Bahadur Thapa , Mohan Singh Thapa , Mahabir Giri, Man Bahadur Rai, Maya Devi Chhetri, Niranjan Singh Chettri, Norbu Lama, Neetanand Tim Sinha, Pratiman Singh Lama, Parash Ram Thapa, Putlimaya Devi, Pushpa Kumar Ghisingh, Punna Singh Thakur, Padam Prasad Dhungel, Prem Singh Bista, Ratan Singh Lama, Ram Lal Upadhyay, Ram Singh Gurung, Shyam Bahadur Thapa, Samsher Singh Bhandari, Shyam Singh Shahi, Shiv Singh Thapa, Sher Bahadur Thapa, Sher Bahadur Allay, Shanker Dev Sharma, Savitri Devi, Thakur Prasad Kumai, Tej Bahadur Thapa (1), Tej Bahadur Thapa (2) and Tej Bahadur Subba.

Or shall we remember the INA freedom fighters from the 2/1 Gorkha Rifles? Including, the zealous INA Major Durga Malla, INA Captain Dal Bahadur Thapa, INA Captain Ram Singh Thakur, Bhim Singh Rana, Man Bahadur Thapa, Mohan Singh Thapa, Gopal Singh Shahi, Shaheed Shiam Bahadur Thapa and about forty-six more names.

Post 1947, do we remember the one thousand two hundred and one (1201) martyrs of the Gorkhaland agitation? They include the thirteen unfortunate people killed by police firing in 1986 in Kalimpong and so many more with bullets shot straight to the head by WB police forces.

Or do we remember in recent times those killed in the 2017 Strike for Gorkhaland? They include amongst many, the names of Bimal Sashankar of Goke, Mahesh Gurung of Relling, Sunil Rai of Kaijaley, Tashi Bhutia of Sonada, Suraj Bhushal of Tung Sung, Samir Gurung of Singamari, Ashok Tamang of Lewis Jubilee, Asish Tamang of Sukhiapokhri and Dawa Tshering Bhutia of Pedong.

Writes – Jyoti Thapa Mani

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