গোর্খাল্যাণ্ড Gorkhaland गोर्खालैंड
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Gorkhaland
Gorkhaland
The people of Derjeeling, a district of the state of West Bengal, majority of whom are Gorkhas or of Nepali origin, are demanding a separate state "Gorkhaland". What should be the right action of the Govt of West Bengal and its people at this time ?
Please give your Comments about Gorkhaland in this page.
গোর্খাল্যাণ্ড
ভারতের অঙ্গরাজ্য পশ্চিমবঙ্গের উত্তরে অবস্থিত একটি জিলা দার্জিলিং । সেখানকার মানুষ, যার বেশীর ভাগই গোর্খা বা নেপালী সম্প্রদায়ের, একটি ভিন্ন রাজ্যের দাবীতে আন্দোলন করছেন দীর্ঘ কাল ধরে । পশ্চিমবঙ্গ সরকার তথা বাংলার মানুষের এখন কি করা উচিত ? এ বিষয়ে আপনার মতামত এই পাতায় জানিয়ে যান।
গোর্খাল্যাণ্ড সম্বন্ধে যাবতীয় আলোচনা বা বক্তব্য এই পাতায় Comment করে লিখুন ।
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Dude.. foremost it's Darjeeling and not Derjeeling as U have spelled it...
ReplyDeleteWell!! "Swarj is my birth right and I shall have it" so said a great leader long time back... even after 60 years of freedom the Gorkhalis have been fighting for this sole right of "self-rule"....
The name does not matter... it's being called Gorkhaland today.. it could be simply Darjeeling or North-Bengal... the point is that right to selection in a democratic country should rest with people...
The Gorkhalis have been fighting for a separate administrative set up since 1907 and the erstwhile undivided CPI supported the formation of "Gorkhasthan" way back in 1950s... but they did a Volta-face once they came to power.
Gorkhaland is not just for majority Gorkhalis but for all the people who live in the designated area... be it Gorkhali... Bengali.. Marwari.. Bihari.. or whatever...
We have the best resources in whole of state.. so we will develop faster and West Bengal will be better off as well, coz the WB resources will not be utilized to develop the areas designated for Gorkhaland.
I humbly and sincerely request everyone to think this issue rationally instead of thinking it emotionally... This issue is not about Gorkhalis wanting to separate this issue is about development, growth, identity, freedom and most important of all liberty.
We are not against Bengali's but we are against communist lead West Bengal government...
I request our Bengli bhadraloks to support Gorkhaland and remember...
"Joodi tor daak sunney keu naa aasey.. tobey eekla chhalo rey..."
Sorry for the misspelling! Please continue.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you all think about the stand of the political parties of the state? The IC led students Union of the Presidency College, Kolakata, has supported the Gorkhaland Movement. What do you all say about that? What dou you all think about the stand of CM Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharya?
Thanks for the reply Milan.. and thanks for stating this platform where all of us can share a view....
ReplyDeleteWe welcome the support shown by IC.. remember they have supported the democratic demand and the process.. which naturally is the right of every individual in a democratic country, and we expect every Bengali to support this democratic movement... I believe majority of people who are original inhabitant of West bengal are sympathetic towards the formation of Gorkhaland for they see the logic... but I cannot be so sure of all the illegal CPI(M) sponsored immigrants from across the border.
As for political parties in West Bengal or India, I find them too timid, and insincere. All the political parties are very scared to say that they support formation of Gorkhaland as they fear that they will loose vote in West Bengal.... Currently the Darjeeling hills only hold one MP seat and 3 MLA seats which is peanuts when compared to total MPs and MLAs.. so the major political parties will not risk loosing their seats in WB by supporting the formation of Gorkhaland.... However, parties such as SUCI, CPI(ML), KPP etc that have nothing to loose have supported Gorkhaland...So you see where the politicians stand... As for the congress lead Central government.. it is agian ruled by CPI(M) and pseudo-CPI(M) in the for m of Pranab Mukherjee and Priyaranjan Das Munshi... they will never support Gorkhaland as they fear loosing their own seats and political career... These people are selfish and self-centered... Even though they see the logic behind the formation of Gorkhaland, they will never admit it publicly. For them only their seats and privileges matter instead of greater good of the people.
Buddhadev is a misnomer.. his name should have been more like Rawanasur or Dakumangalsingh... He is one of the most incompetent Chief Minister in India... Buddhadev is the person who allowed Nandigram to happen.. he controls the home ministry and thus the police which was used as CPI(M) gestapo to support... murder.. arson... rape and killing of thousands of innocent farmers in Singur and Nandigram...
He is the person who came out in full support of police Dept.. in Rizwanur Rahaman case... the only achievement of this CM has been to create a totalitarian communist state with no freedom and rights for those who are not communists.
Thanks a lot, Upendra. A very thoughtful writeup.
ReplyDeleteWe remember the Gorkhaland movement under Mr Subhas Ghishing, in those days. What went wrong with him and the movement then? We were shocked when innocent young people, both Gurkhas and Bengalis, were brutally murdered, just on the grounds of suspicion of being informers! The violence was terrible. Ofcourse the CPIM cadres were no non-violence loving people. More over the Media was not as vigilant as it is now.
However, after formation of Darjeeling Hill Council which was only formed for the people to determine their future themselves, why the plight of the Hill people did not improve?(The plight of the rest of the people of the state havn't changed either, but that is a different issue!). Why was Mr Ghishing allowed to act as a despot? I remember a few years back he even forbade any Idol worship in the Hills during Durga Pujas and gave a Fatwa for only Shila-puja! He just sounded like the Talibans!
What is the difference this time? What is the difference between Mr Ghishing and Mr Bimal Gurung? He must be given his due that he could organise such a movement within such a short span of time.
I am thankful of Milon to feel I may have some personal thoughts to share in this matter . I think , in various of my comments earlier in various topics , I made it clear I have very little faith in the entire democratic process in our country as well as the political parties who are supposed to withhold such process . To me democracy within a group of people of a country or a part of it can only come if majority , if not all ,of the people have almost same basic standard of education and availability of basic needs . Unfortunately in our country it was never earlier so and regrettably is not even so and there is no administrative process also to let it happen in even distant future . Here , the entire process as it is followed , even if called democratic , suits the needs of the political parties, who though different in names, are all the same in their basic characteristics . They are all always fighting not for the betterment of the country and its people but to have temporary kingdom and to continue keeping it as long as possible by hook or by crook behind the mukhosh of democracy . As long as we consider India as the one country for all of us i.e. a group of united people for fulfilling their basic needs of survival we must have a common interest based on a deshaprem same to all the Indians , a common language so that every Indian can express all their ideas to other Indians without any difficulty and also availability of basic social-needs to all . Unfortunately we are still far from it even after 60 years of Independence . We are possibly the only country in the world having more than 4 official languages ( we have about 16 or more ) . The democratic process that started at Independence was only some beautifully crafted political arrangements . Unfortunately this is going on and on gradually getting worse day by day . In case we are really in one country and have a common interest we must have by this time reduced the differences amongst the various sub -groups we have . The Nos. of states , languages , castes , tribes etc. should have come down . Our deshaprem ,positively guided by selfless well-meaning leaders, should have taken an upper hand in mitigating the differences that arose and still arise among individual groups . It is sad what we see is just the opposite . Regionalism has increased , No. of states and languages have increased, more importance is being given to someone's caste and tribe and more importantly deshoprem for the country has become non-existent .Only because of their convenience and lack of power the political parties are not raising the demands for different countries though from all point of view that will have been a better proposition . According to this thinking of mine , Buddhadeb , Subhash , Bimal , Pranab , Priyaranjan , Manmohan , Sonia etc. and all others of all the concerned political parties have only one goal in front of them , to mock-fight for supremacy of a region after a secret negotiation among themselves not for the betterment but for the detriment of the condition of the people in that region.Under the circumstances I have no separate opinion about acceptance or rejection of the demand for separate Gurkhaland . I can only mention one of my observation . Bimal Gurung is now talking about Gurkhaland including Siliguri and other plain-land where the inhabitants are mostly Bengali-speaking .
ReplyDeleteIt was before Subhas Ghishing's rise to fame, sometime in Feb - March 1985, I got a chance to stay in Darjeeling for more than a month! Darjeeling brought out the artist in me!
ReplyDeleteYou open your eyes any where and you see beautiful people dwelling in the beautiful nature surrounding them.
So I drew and drew and drew and sketched and sketched and sketched!
You may ckick here to see for yourself the Darjeeling that I had seen and sketched!
Thank you guys for all your comments and the art is simply mind blowing... excellent.
ReplyDeleteBua as I said before... Gorkhaland is not about Gorkhalis.. it's for all living in the region.. be it Bengali.. Gorkhali.. Marwari.. Bihari..etc etc..
See after 30 years of leftist rule West Bengal has turned to Wasted Bengal... in last 30 years the only achievement of CPI(M) in North Bengal has been a flyover in Mahabirsthan which took 7 years to construct... In Darjeleing and Doors most of the tea gardens are shutting down.. The Cinchona plantation in Mungpoo (adobe of Rabindra Nath)has been defuct for more than a decade now... No new colleges have been built since left front came to power... Sir, you tell me why should we remain with Bengal???
Sir, look at WB... south of Malda they have 13 Universities and how many do we have? Only 1.. how many Engineering colleges or Medical schools does North-Bengal has as compared to South Bengal? Why are we being deprived? Why do we have to suffer due to the incompetence of the current government?
The demand for Gorkhaland is not for Gorkhalis it's for people who are sick and tired of communist rule... sick and tired of incompetence.. sick and tired of apathy.. sick and tired of lack of development... sick and tired of indifference....
Hope our Bengali brothers will join the demand so that we will reach our goal faster and smoother..
Indefinite bandh in Hills of Darjeeling re-started from last evening. Mr. Bimal Gurung has asked every one to stock food for at least 45 days but stated to a TV channel that Bandh may continue for 100 days!
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand Mr.Subhas Chakrabarty, the transport minister was reported having told another TV channel that food supply to the hills could be stopped!
What do you all think of all that?
Mainly to Mr Upendra
ReplyDelete1. Gurkhaland may be for all Indians and not only for Gurkhalis . But the entire India is for the entire Indians . Why have a separate region or state if it is not mainly for Gurkhalis .
2. I had explained earlier I am neither against nor for Gurkhaland or for that matter any sub-states . I am all for the existing states and sub-states to gradually unite .
3. Yes ! CPM misruled the W.B. state for more than 30 years . But all political parties are misruling all parts of India and also as a whole for more than 60 years .
4. If Subhas Ghishing ( with Bimal Gurung as his able assistant most of the time ) could not bring much development for Gurkhalis in the long period , what gurantee such development will now come to Gurkhalis with this administrative change .
5. If the people , wherever it is , really want to change the existing administration and are prepared for it , French revolution can always happen anytime anywhere .
6. These are my personal comments and may or may not reflect a group of people .
Bua thank you for your comment and I appreciate your honest opinion, hope more and more people speak from experience rather than emotions...
ReplyDeleteSee that's the whole point.. why should we suffer due to incompetence of people who rule writers and frankly Gorkhaland issue goes beyond development... it's more about Identity than anything else...
Whenever I travel to any part of India people ask me if I am from North-East, I say no... from West Bengal... then they ask are U a Bengali? I say no... a Nepali... they then say... O so U are from Nepal... Hope no one has to live through the humiliation of what we bear everyday in our life... and hope you see why we NEED Gorkhaland. There are large number of people who still think that all Nepalis are from Nepal , including many of our learned Ministers in West Bengal and prominent among them being Ashok Bhattacharjee who called us "outsiders" recently... Dude Bengal has never taken us as a part of them n they never will... no matter how much U deny it Racism exists in WB and we are being marginalised..... Please support us in our seek for Identity...
One more think... this struggle for Gorkhaland is our French Revolution
As for Subash Chakraborty...he is a goon and a murderer and he has always shown his ultra-right colours... he lives in Kolkata so he may say what he feels like... but one suggestion to him.. the more U provoke us the more strong our determination will be to achieve freedom from the likes of U...
Moreover it was the racist Attack in Siliguri that prompted national and international media to take notice... more stupid these communists act better it is for us.
Do check the following link for the Great Gorkhaland Debate...
http://ibnlive.com/videos/67263/06_2008/ftn_1606_1/state-of-affairs-politics-divides-and-rules-india.html
Milan Sagar through you I want to THANK IC Presidency college for their boldness and strength of character... if you know anyone of them please get me their email address or phone number... people in Darjeeling want to thank them...
Support Gorkhaland... Down with Communism.. Down with CPI(M)
I'm not against the gorkhaland.ButI'm not a supporter of it.I think if the Govt.of INDIA curves out a new state for the gorkha people then there is no loss for the Bengal.The Govt. must fulfil the very demand before this rival takes a more deadly & dangerous form and if we see then it is not an illegal or non- democratic demand.If jharkhand,chattishgarh,uttarakhand,manipur,etc can rise as an autonomous states,then why not gorkhaland. But as we all know that the demand of gorkhaland not only comprises the hills ,they want the terai plains also.So i must say that they are exceding their boundary.Most of the gorkha people lives in the hills of bengal.Terai plains are not an area where gorkhas are in majority,atleast not siliguri.So my request to the govt.of Bengal and govt. of India that give only the sub-divisions of darjeeling,kalimpong & kurseong.WE, THE PEOPLE OF BENGAL WANT AN IMMEDIATE SOLUTION OF THIS PROBLEM.TIS CAN ONLY BE DONE IF THE GOVT. CURVES OUT THE GORKHALAND WITH THE HILLS ONLY.
ReplyDeleteTo Mr. Upendra
ReplyDelete1. I find your main grievance is you are a gurkha without a separate state to live in or staying in a state which you do not feel yours . So , when asked you say you are a Nepali but cannot name any separate place for yourself . In my case I am a Bengali and can mention I stay in my place West Bengal . So , you feel your identity is at stake but not mine . I see it from a different but correct angle . I see you and me have both a common identity - we are both Indians . We also have a common place where we stay i.e. India . The partial identity that you are talking about should vanish as early as possible ( in fact should have been non-existent now after 60 years of independence ) if we wish to prosper as a single nation.
2. I do not consider the present struggle as French revolution . In a revolution , you do not ask or demand or beg or negotiate . You just fight and earn .
Please do not consider it as any criticism of your demand . This is only my personal observation , not only for your demand but for all such demands , past , present and future .
To Ayosa
Should we not see first what is good for India ? As you yourself say , none of these additional states are good for India . Then why support Gurkhaland , with or without plains ?
This is for Upendra
ReplyDeleteWe checked up with IC and they said that they do not have any email as of now. However they have a community in Orkut - Independent Consolidation of Presidency College community, which you may visit and contact. Please note that there is also another IC community for BESU in Orkut!
Dear Ayosha... Million thanks and your point regarding Siliguri is well taken... see the whole point is that teari were very much part of Darjeeling till 1972 when Siddharth Shankar Ray, the then Chief Minister of WB decided to divide Darjeelign and attach Terai to Jalpaiguri and Islampur and Chopra to Darjeeling.... It was a political move to marginalize and divide the Nepali speaking areas and needless to say he succeeded...
ReplyDeleteHowever, it is the same view that I hold... we should have Gorkhaland and have it democratically... let's go for a referendum and include those areas that want to separate in Gorkhaland and let those areas remain with WB that choose so... No use of forcing any one.
Thanks for your support though and we appreciate it a lot.
As for Bua... brother you will never understand how it feels... every time you travel if people called U a Bangladeshi then perhaps you'd understand...
Milansagar... million thanks for the orkut address... we appreciate your contribution towards Gorkhaland... keep up the good work.
Please support Gorkhaland
Milansagar.... Couldn't find the orkut community for IC... any how kindly thank them from our side and tell them that we are proud of IC and their contribution will not be forgotten by the people who are demanding Gorkhaland.
ReplyDeleteSupport Gorkhaland
Dear Milan kaku,
ReplyDeleteI am a colleague, a friend, and a neighbour of Saibal through whom i came to know of this blogspot.
Thank you for your initiative in raising a debate on Gorkhaland.
Being a Gorkha born and brought up in the hills of Darjeeling, I naturally support the idea of a separate state for the Gorkhas...not so much for the sake of development (grudges and discontent over which is always a key issue) but for the sake of an Indian identity, and for a severance of ties with a government that had a "devil may care" attitude not so long ago.
I often place myself in the shoes of a Bengali and wonder why they are fighting tooth and nail against the division of Bengal. Will the severance of the hills and the plains of Darjeeling and the Dooars hurt the average Bengali? Will it adversely affect the Bengali way of life or its vibrant culture and custom? Will it rob the average Bengali of his meal or of his house or of his basic amenities or of the boarding schools of Darjeeling or of the scenic beauty of the hills, as for that matter?
From the average Bengali's shoes, the answers that i always arrive at is NO. Apropos the areas under discussion, i would be more concerned about the return of peace there...be it with the creation of a separate state...so that i would be able to visit Darjeeling and Sikkim with my family without any 'hang-ups'. In fact, as some have suggested, why pamper and lure the Gorkhas with more money when it is better spent on the welfare of Bengal?
Therefore, i am perplexed at the opposition from so many of the average citizens of Bengal. The only conclusions that i can arrive at are that this has something to do with the Bengali ego (of which i desperately hope that i am wrong) OR that the entire issue of opposition to the creation of Gorkhaland is merely political one-upmanship engaged in by people who fear for the loss of or hope for a gain of their votes.
To Mr. Upendra
ReplyDeleteIn case I am asked by any unknown people I reply I am an Indian and see no reason to be sorry about this fact . In case you do not have the same feeling then somehow you and me do not go together .
Excuse me Bua.. how Indian are you??? What am I stupid??? Within my own country if some one asks me where I am from and I say Darjeeling, who is ignorant me or the person who knowingly shakes his head and says... "O! Nepal... Giye Chilam... 89ey"...
ReplyDeleteTell me how Indian are U?? and how patriotic are you???
Please don't challenge my patriotism.. see this is why we want a separate state, because people like you will never understand what we live through every day.. and when you can't argue with us anymore, you label us as being foreigners.... like that jerk Subash Chakraborty....
Tumra Kono Din Bujhtey Chhao Na... Kono Din Jaantey Chhao Na... Ulta Aamakey Bolo..."Khetey Diyechi.. Sutey Chai??"
Support Gorkhaland - Say no to Racism
Resently a lot of developments are taking place. The Gorkhaland movement leaders have started dialogs across the table. That is good news.
ReplyDeleteThe indefinite bandh call has been or will be lifted till 5th July as reported by some of the media.
The CM of Sikkim has approached the Centre for removing the blockade of NH 31, the life line of Sikkim. Secretary level talks have taken place today.
In this regard we would like to point out that practically the whole of West Bengal(minus the ruling party!) had voiced their concern and protested openly against the actions taken by so called Amra Bangali and Co(!?) in Siliguri with the sole intention of stopping food and essential commodities to the Hills after their initial Bandh was lifted during the 2nd week of June 2008.
By the same logic the leaders of Gorkhaland should give free access to any and all movements to and from Sikkim. The people of Sikkim are not a party to this whole affair. We urge the Leaders of the Gorkhaland movement not to block the supplies to Sikkim.
To Milan kaku,
ReplyDeleteWe, in Darjeeling, are also happily relieved that a dialogue seems to be opening up amongst the concerned parties to resolve our crisis. However, the dialogue needs to be fruitful i.e. it should be a stepping stone to solving our grievances which, at the moment or later, can be fulfilled only through our separation from Bengal...which leaves us with a 'Hobson's choice', i guess.
As regards Sikkim, unless it is affected by the turmoil in Darjeeling, neither the State govt. nor the Central govt. will take cognizance of our agitation. Therefore, i am for the blockade to Sikkim (though I sympathise with the citizens there for the harrassment received in the process).
Another point in your comment that i would like to say something upon is 'Amra Bangali and Co.'. You have noted that "practically the whole of West Bengal(minus the ruling party!) had voiced their concern and protested openly against the actions taken by so called Amra Bangali and Co(!?) in Siliguri." I follow the media closely - and i do understand Bengali to a good degree - but i have come across only a very few who have protested to the blockade in Siliguri.
This, above all, unfortunately and sadly, supports my previous comment in your blog on the Bengali psyche. This view shall be reinforced by Mr Jaideep Mazumdar's article in the 'Outlook" which you can read in 'darjeelingtimes.com', 21st, June, 2008.
The fact that you, and other readers, are silent on my previous blog has only strengthened my belief regarding Bengali parochialism and one-upmanship.
Thanks Rajalama for taking part in this open discussion. It is indeed heartening to see young people like yourself taking interest in the social and political happenings that are going on around us.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the Media, if you do not know already, in West Bengal it is divided sharply, right through the middle! It is either pro-Buddha or anti-Buddha (I say pro-Buddha or pro-People) since Singur & Nandigram fiasco! Much of the pro-people media is blacked out at many places!
So your perception of whether people of Bengal protested against "Amra Bangali & Co" or not depends upon which all media you were viewing or reading. Even leaders of Left Front parties other than CPIM had voiced their concern.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteBasic question is why question of Grkhaland land comes in the minds of the people of hills.
Definitely they have not been taken care of their basic needs in last 60 years.
When people feel that they are deprived and people of plains can not understand the needs of the people living in Hills - then all sorts agitation & disturbances start.
As per Maslow's law, food, clothing & shelter are the minimum basic needs of human being and to support that each family should have minimum basic earmimg.
Apart from the above, education and health are required for further progress in the society.
I think considering the above mentioned items if basic requirements of hills are largely met, the agitations will definitely come down.
But before that we shall have to understand what are the needs the people of hills which they are talking about and then draw an action plan to support them.
Regards,
Robin
To Milan kaku,
ReplyDeleteThank you for trying to dispel my prejudice. Perhaps, the media, as you say, is presenting a biased picture. I would love to agree with you especially since I have spent a year at Kolkata and I have had a mixed bag of experiences with the Bengalis there i.e. to say my impressions of Bengalis as humans have been good as well as bad. I would like to cherish only the good experiences and frame my opinion accordingly. Sadly, that is not the case. But, perhaps, being bad is human nature everywhere, not just in Kolkata or in Siliguri or in Darjeeling. In any case, I agree with your view regarding the media.
To Robin,
Of course, this and all preceding agitations for autonomy and for separate statehood have arisen because our basic requirements were not met.
The State Government has intelligent politicians and bureaucrats...a hundred times more intelligent than you and me...to
understand and take care of these problems. However, the problem is that unless there is unrest in the hills, the Government chooses to turn a blind eye to our requirements...One reason for this may be that the Left Front is non-existent in the hills for a long time now.
As you can see for yourself, suddenly the State Government is talking of more money and more powers for the hills. The question is why didn't they do something earlier? Why did they wait for the present agitation to begin?
I needn't give you (for us, in the hills) the very obvious answers since it is apparent that you do not understand the core of the problem which the basic requirements and the needs that you speak of cannot fulfil within the bounds of West Bengal...be it under Buddha or Mamata or Das Munshi or what have you.
Like always, I see the Bengalis appeasing the Gorkhas here in this website. Just to be called as the universal intellectual and all that! The truth is:
ReplyDelete1. The Gorkhas want a separate homeland because they do not like to stay with the Bengalis any more!
2. The Gorkhas want a separate homeland Not because of economic step-motherly attitude of the Bengali Politicians. They are much well off than all other districts except Kolkata(Check up datas). They think they will be much better off with out the Bengalis. So they began the ethnic cleansing of Bengalis from the hills at least 2 decades ago. Subhas Ghising successfully started and finished this job with the help of his henchmen like the kinds of Bimal Gurung! They even told other religious communities how they should go about worshipping according to their own sweet will! Now Bimal Gurung is preaching Gandhigiri? "900 chuha khakey billi huj ko chali!". They should be first prosecuted for embezzlement of Hill Council funds and for instigating communal violence that led to thousands of deaths during the eighties!. All dissident voices in the Hills have been silenced! The way I see men and women in Darjeeling praising and worshipping Bimal Gurung as their leader in front of the eletronic media, confirms my doubts that these helpless people, who are not Gorkhas are desparete to show their allegiance to ensure their survival in the hills ! We have seen the same behaviour of the ordinary North Korean people towards their leader Kim Jong Il, even when they are devoid of any liberties in the world! They do so only to save their lives from tyranny and oppression of their Communist Govt.
3. The CPI(M) managed to purchase Ghishing, by giving him Darjeeling Hill Councill and looking the other way when he and his henchmen like Bimal Gurung, were blowing up the money for the development of the Hills! Today Ghising is removed because he was trying to have all that alone. They split up only because they were having a problem in shareing the booty! I see Bengali Buddhijibis giving long lecturers on TV channels about how hills are being deprived and how their problems are not being solved! My question is that - Who is responsible for that? Bengalis? Certainly not. Why the HIll council did nothing to solve problems like say the Water Shortage in Darjeeling? The Gorkhas are themselves to blame. Now Bimal Gurung is only useing this sentiment to spread hatred against Bengalis. Why was he with Ghising for so many years?
4. The process of ethnic cleansing from the hills was supplimented by the CPI(M)'s indiscriminate issue of ration and voter cards to Migrants from Nepal and Nepali speaking people who were forced out of Sikkim & Bhutan to settle in the terrai region, Dooars, Siliguri etc. All this, only so that they would vote for CPI(M) in all elections!(They did that with refugees from East Pakstan and Bangladesh too!)! Alas! Now these same people will vote for Gorkhaland if there is a referendum(the Bimal Gurung rally of a lakh in Siliguri points to that)! Repeated requests and suggestions to regulate the Borders of Nepal and Bhutan and Sikkim fell on deaf ears of Jyoti Basu, who was only interested in increasing his vote bank and spreading his party tentacles in to every nook and crany of the state!
5. CPI(M) IS 100% RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE OF THE AREA !
4. The Bengalis are the scape goats of History! While they took the lead along with the Punjabis in the Freedom Struggle of India, these two provinces were partitioned, as penalty, people forced to leave their home of a 1000 years in matter of minutes with what ever they could carry on them, millions killed & butchered! Only so that Nehru & Jinnah could become 1st Heads of their respective states!
5. What were the Gorkhas doing when the Bengalis were fighting for India's freedom? They were following orders from their British masters to shoot civilian Indians in Jallianwallah Bagh. They were killing Indian freedom fighters under Masterda Surya Sen in the hills of Jalalabad near Chittagong(All documented history).
6. And about the Gorkha regiment! There are probably more Bengalis in the Armed Forces than the Gorkhas. Thanks to the British and Lord Curzon for srapping the Bengal Regiment because of their vindictive attitude, and successive Indian Govts who always saw India through the eyes of the British . That did not deter the Bengalis from joining the Armed forces. If Gorkhas can parade Ex-service men, Bengalis will be able to arrange for a much larger contingent, even without a Bengal Regiment!
7. Bengalis have been driven out of many provinces by well planned and organised movements, such as in Assam, Bihar & Orissa at various periods of recent history. But Bengalis have not retaliated. (Ofcourse I must mention about the fate of Nepali speaking population in Assam who went through a similar ordeal during the AGPs movement). So Gorkhaland is not a new occurence in Bengali history. Now the Bengalis are tired of getting uprooted again and again. Another partition of Bengal is something a Bengali will not like to swallow easily.
8. Milansagar and Mr Milan may feel dam happy that the so called Buddhijibis and leaders protested against the anti Gorkhaland movement in Siliguri, but that is the truth! The Bengalis living in the area of Gorkhaland, shown in Bimal Gurung's map, are not going to take it lying down. The Bandh call in Siliguri, given by who ever it was, was whole heartedly supported by the people of Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Bagdogra, Naxalbari areas.
9. I fully agree with Ayosa when he(or she!) tells that West Bengal will not loose anything if Gorkhaland is given, but it must be confined to the hills only. In fact it is now a burden on the state! To appease the likes of Ghising & Gurung we have diverted money to the Hill Council, who were well off any way, at the cost of ordinary people of Bengal. The emergence of Maoist in Purulia, Bankura and elsewhere is a clear indication of economic disparity, despair and desparation.
10. Bengalis! Do not think your problem will be over by creation of Gorkhaland! The Kamtapuri Liberation Movement, Greater Coochbehar movement and so on are just waiting in the wings!
11. Similarly dear Gorkhaland friends! Your problems will also not be over if you can create Gorkhaland! There is surely a "Lepchaland Movement" to follow! Remember this land originally was inhabited, not by Gorkhas, but by Lepchas! Dont try to prove otherwise. Because that is the historical truth! Gorkhas arrived Darjeeling after Tea Gardens were started by the British.
12. DEAR FRIENDS! GORKHALAND IS FOR REAL NOW. LET US ACCEPT IT. GORKHAS AND BENGALIS CAN NOT STAY UNDER SAME ROOF ANY MORE. LET GORKHAS BE HAPPY BUT LET THE BENGALIS TOO BE LEFT IN PEACE! SO DONT ASK FOR TOO MUCH!
To gyanbuddho,
ReplyDeleteThe following is a pt. by pt. response to your
indignantly-written, and "intellectually" analysed comment;
Yes Bengalis are appeasing the Gorkhas as you put it, starting from Buddhobabu at the helm of the CPM govt. who is offering more money and powers. The rest are trying to appease since Bengalis are a very civilised race and they are outraged at the communal violence perpetrated by their brothers in Siliguri, just as they were outraged by what happened at Singur and Nandigram.
1. I agree with you = The Gorkhas do not want to stay with the Bengalis. We are too emotional and not as intelligent as most Bengalis are and, so, we have been taken for a ride for far too long.
2. Among the districts, we rank 2nd after Kolkata in most respects as you correctly point out but you are not taking into consideration that these are Govt. findings liable to be tampered with. Even if the data is not doctored, I'm sure it is mainly because of Siliguri (which is the 2nd largest city in Bengal and which falls within the dist. of Darjeeling) with its excellent infrastructure, employment opportunities and economic prosperity that we rank the way we do. Therefore, I still firmly believe in the "economic step-motherly attitude."
You speak of communal violence and ethnic cleansing of the eighties. I strongly disagree. If credit is to be given to Ghising for his extremely violent movement, it is for the fact that not even one non-Gorkha was forcibly thrown out of Darjeeling unlike in Kashmir or in the North-East. Those non-Gorkhas who are supporting the present agitation are doing it out of their own volition, and many of them, along with their families, were very much in Darjeeling during the violent 80's.
Hence, they may not be prosecuted "for instigating communal violence" but they should have been prosecuted "for embezzlement of Hill Council funds." When your Govt., for reasons only they know, did not even conduct a single audit of the DGHC, do you think they have the face left to prosecute the hapless Ghising or the teeth left to prosecute Bimal Gurung?
Also, shouldn't you be comparing the Communist rulers of North Korea with the Communist rulers of Bengal, rather than with the leader of a non-violent Gandhian movement whom you have, wrongly, tried to paint as tyrannical and oppressive? I say "wrongly" because everyone here is aligned with Bimal Gurung's party because of its non-violent stand, be they the Gorkhas of all hues, classes and categories or the non-Gorkhas on whose faces, in the media, you must have missed or chosen to miss the obvious emotions of genuine support for the cause.
3. You are correct when you say that the CPIM purchased Ghising, and that Ghising and his cronies blew up our money. But when you say that Ghising and Gurung "split up" because of differences over the "booty", you are being a bit fanciful. Or, perhaps, you have the 'Inside Story' which nobody in the hills nor the media nor the govt. or its spies have, do you?
The Bengalis don't have to blame themselves for the mess in Darjeeling nor are we blaming the Bengalis for our mess. To some extent, we are to blame ourselves, as you say, for we did not have the courage to take on the collective might of Ghising and his bosses in the CPIM-ruled Govt. However, if the bosses had desired our welfare, they would not have allowed Ghising to mess up our lives as thoroughly as he did. Therefore, logically, We are pointing our fingers at Ghising's bosses who, because of demographic factors, happen to be Bengalis, and if you take this as a personal insult upon Bengalis in general, that is your misconception and your personal problem.
When you say that Bimal Gurung is spreading hatred against the Bengalis, you are uttering your biased thoughts because of your problem enumerated in the para above. Give me one instance of Bimal Gurung's speech or action to prove that he is spreading hatred and I shall readily apologise to you through this forum. And, while we are at it, why haven't you mentioned Ashok Bhattaharya and what he has been trying to perpetrate in Siliguri time and again?
4. "Ethnic cleansing" is a very strong word to use for, as already discussed in pt. no. 2 above, something that neither Ghising nor Gurung did or has done. You could get into trouble for slander. Thankfully for you, I'm not a lawyer(!) but an ordinary blogger trying to correct the wrongs that you have presented, and in the process, educate you about us and our demand.
The issue of ration and voter cards is rampant not just in Siliguri but throughout Bengal and the border areas of the entire country. Do you sincerely believe that these immigrants from Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim, if they have settled in the Siliguri and Dooars areas, as you say, vote for Gorkhaland? I do not think they will go against the party that has given them food and shelter for the simple reason that Gorkhas are as fiercely faithful as they are brave. This was amply proved by video footage and eye-witness accounts of the violence perpetrated over the peaceful GJMM rallies in Siliguri and in Bagdogra by the CPIM Gorkhas.
For your info, the rally in Siliguri that easily numbered over 3 lakh people consisted of large contingents from other communities as well and was addressed also by people of other communities who live permanently in Siliguri and the Dooars.
5. I would like to add to what you have stated in block letters regarding the CPIM's hand in the demographic change of the area. I presume, this refers to Siliguri and the Dooars. Though I do not have the exact facts and figures which can be easily accessed from the Internet, the density of Bengali (definitely immigrant from Bangladesh) population has dramatically and exponentially increased, in the last decade or so, in previously sparsely-populated and Gorkha or Adivasi dominated areas. Compared to this change, that of immigrant population discussed in 4 above would be a droplet in a sea of Bangladeshi immigration.
N.B.You've messed up your numbering.
4*. Bengalis may be the scape-goats of history, and I sympathise with them for the wrongs that Jinnah and Nehru committed against them, but they aren't being made scape-goats here. This must be clarified. 'Gorkhaland is for everyone, not just for the Gorkhas'...These are not my words, these are Bimal Gurung's. In any case, you should not be giving us importance or causing alarm among your brethren by comparing our small agitation for a small parcel of land to the freedom struggle.
5*. Your documented history is correct. But you fail to mention post-independence Gorkha fighters. Who fought and is fighting insurgency in the North-East and in Kashmir, laying their lives down for India? Who fought and laid down their lives in the major wars that India has fought against Pakistan and China, including the bungled LTTE affair in Sri Lanka and the recent Kargil War? Whom did Sam Bahadur Manekshaw, the recently deceased Field Marshal, love the most and why? The simple answer is GORKHAS.
I'm not insinuating that only Gorkhas are doing the dirty work and getting martyred in the process but your biased reasoning forces me to raise these questions, and I am obliged to let our readers know the fact.
6. The British, by the simple fact that they ruled over India and much of the world, were and are intelligent and discerning people. They must have had strong reasons to scrap the Bengal Regiment, and not just a "vindictive attitude", as you put it. On why this regiment was not reinstated by successive Indian Govts., again I must say that the reasons against must have been very strong.
You have given me a research topic...I must find out the reason behind scrapping of the Bengal Regiment.
7. Questions that this point of yours raises are 'Why didn't the Bengalis retaliate when they were being uprooted?' and
'Who is talking about uprooting the Bengalis?' As far as my knowledge goes, which I have shared with you in some preceding pt., Bengalis have never been and will not be uprooted by the present agitation, even after the partition of Bengal into Gorkhaland.
8. Yes, people like Mr. Milansagar, because they can discern between civilized behaviour and barbarism, will always protest against the kind of partisan and communal politics that is being practised in Siliguri.
Why won't the Bengalis in Siliguri support Gorkhaland? You must read my first comment in this blog to understand my explanation. Siliguri, with or without the Bengalis, will be better off in Gorkhaland than in a State that is reeling under heavy debts and borrowings. Please keep in mind that Siliguri exists because of the hills surrounding it, not because of Jalpaiguri or Cooch Behar.
Also, when you express solidarity with the enforcers of the bandh in Siliguri and their reason for the bandh call- whom you choose not to name but call them "whoever it was"- I begin to suspect that you are one of them...a breed of people, if one can call them that, who are worse than animals since they have a brain that does not tell them the difference between right and wrong, and who fear not the consequences of their present actions in the after-life.
9. I agree and disagree for Siliguri and the Dooars need to be included within the bounds of Gorkhaland. A great injustice has been done regarding these lands and, to use your words, there is enough documented history to support my claim. Let it be known that we are reclaiming what rightfully belongs to us, not trying to snatch away what is not ours...Such an attitude is alien to the Gorkha psyche.
10. Bengalis do not have to worry about the fragmentation of Bengal. It is for the politicians to do the worrying. The common Bengali shall be as happy and contented in whichever State he lives in since India is a democratic country with a Constitution that respects each individual's Fundamental Rights. That is why Bengalis reside in all corners of India without making the kind of irrational complaints that you are.
11. I know that Gorkhaland is not the answer to all our problems. The creation of Gorkhaland will give birth to other problems...maybe, as you say, the Lepchas may want something of their own. We are not agitating because Gorkhaland will be some kind of Utopia for us.
We are agitating because we want what rightfully belongs to us, we want an identity of our own within the union of India, we are sick and tired of the step-motherly attitude of the Bengal Govt.,...and so on and on.
12. If not today, some day Gorkhaland will be for real. No amount of bullying or appeasing will prevent it from happening.
Again, to correct you, it is not a matter of the Gorkhas and the Bengalis not being able to live under one roof. They shall happily co-exist as they have been. It is only a matter of the supporters of Gorkhaland, on the one hand, and the opposers i.e. the CPIM govt., and suspicious and insidious politicians of Bengal,on the other, who cannot live under one roof in peace.
And, finally, when you say, "Don't ask for too much", I repeat, we are only asking back for what has always been ours...all documented history(!), which you should find and read before making the kind of comments you have.
Hey Gyanbuddho.... Every point you have made has a skewed side to it... I will simply quote what one Bong wrote in Outlook magazine....
ReplyDelete"First of all, I am Bengali and not one of those self-hating types either. I am quite aware of all the positive contributions of Bengalis to India and the world.
However having said that, I would like to respond to concerns about Bengalis losing land. Just because we have lost land to the Muslims, does not mean we oppress others. Darjeeling et all have never been Bengali land. They have always belonged to the Gorkhas. They are merely part of West Bengal for administrative purposes. If we cannot look after them well, they perfectly have the right to ask for a separate state.
I would like to ask my fellow Bengalis where all this rage was when Muslims were killing and driving out Bengalis during Partition or where all this rage is when the Communist government encourages illegal settlers from the other side to come over and demographics of entire districts of WB are changing. It is always easy to oppress the weak, true courage comes from standing up to someone as big as you.
PRADIPTO BISWAS TAMPA, US"
Hope you get the point now...
Rajalama, this is in reference to Item 1 of your detailed and well analysed reply to Gyanbuddho, where you have said...We are too emotional and not as intelligent as most Bengalis ...
ReplyDeleteI cant help but point out that you should not under estimate the Gorkha Intellect. I had the chance to meet some of them long back such as Dr Pradhan, Dr Yonzone just to mention a few names, when they were teaching in the Darjeeling Govt. College. They are leaders in their respective fields and are well respected and acclaimed.
I cant help but mention the name of Dr Moni Chhetri. He was the most sought after doctor in Kolkata at one time.
Hi Gyanbuddho! You have been contributing to these pages for long time. Your previous comments used to be laced with satire and humour. This topic must have affected you a lot!
Hey Gyanbuddo... EXPLAIN TO ME...
ReplyDeleteExplain to me.....
1. Explain me the reasons for Bengali support to Communists(they are bengalis too) who called Subhash Chandra a dog.
2. Explain me reasons behind support of Bengalis to Communists who favored the idea creation of seperate home land for Muslims, much before partition actually happened.
3. Explain me the reasons behind Bengali support to Communists who opposed 'Quit India movement' and spyed on freedom fighters for the British.
4. Explain me the reasons behind the Bengali support to Communists who sides with China in 1962.
5. Why do Bengalis support Communists who don't consider India a nation and don't believe in the concept of nation state.
6. Explain me the reasons behind Bengali youth marching in streets chanting "China's chairman is our chairman."
7. Explain me why do Bengalis support communist thugs which facilitate Bangladeshi infiltration and helps in their settlement by providing them with ration cards and voters id cards.
8. Why do Bengalis support Communists, who more concerned with China's security than India's.
9. Why do Bengalis support Communists, who have no problem with China's nuclear weapons, but are opposed to India's nuclear weapons.
10. Why do Bengalis support communists, who have not said a single word on the China's intrusions in Arunachal and Sikkim.
I am also attaching one link, please read and reflect on it.
http://greatthinker.sul...-disaster-for-india.htm
We are happy that the West Bengal Govt and the representatives of the Gorkhaland movement have started talks in a very cordial atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteThe new govt of Smt Mamata Banerjee has started her talks with a positive attitude. The Gorkhaland leaders have reciprocated by starting their talks, giving quite a breathing space to the newly elected Govt by setting aside, for now, their main demand, which is the Formation of Gorkhaland.
We wish all the Best Wishes to Sri Bimal Gurung, the Chief Executive and to the people who will come under the GTA or Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.
ReplyDeleteWe also apllaud the efforts of Smt Mamata Banerjee for making this happen. A few years back, breakup up of West Bengal seemed imminent.
We appeal to the people to move ahead from now and live happily and co-exist with those who are not Gorkhas, in the true spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood.
Let us remember those and pray for them whose lives were lost during the prolonged agitation. We also hope justice will prevail and all those responsible for the deaths will be brought to book.
Dear Milan Sagar....
ReplyDeleteGTA is a mere stop-gap measure and the relationship between Darjeeling and Bengal has always been that of a group of tourists and their favourite holiday spot... or a plunderers favourite plundering grounds... what the British did to India... Bengal is doing it to the Darjeeling Hills and Terai... other than that the people have nothing in common... What is more preferable is a permanent solution in the form of Gorkhaland.
So I am requoting what I had quoted some years back... " I would like to respond to concerns about Bengalis losing land. Just because we have lost land to the Muslims, does not mean we oppress others. Darjeeling et all have never been Bengali land. They have always belonged to the Gorkhas. They are merely part of West Bengal for administrative purposes. If we cannot look after them well, they perfectly have the right to ask for a separate state."
We shall wait and see which direction this administration takes... and we will take our own directions...
Gorkhaland Lives
Jai Gorkhaland
I agree with Mystic Mountain Man. GTA is merely a stop-gap arrangement arrived at through the pressure faced by the GJMM over the broad-daylight and cold-blooded murder of Madan Tamang which, I believe, had the blessings of the State and the Central Governments. It (GTA) will last as long as Mamta didi can prop it up by black-mailing and/or feeding Bimal Gurung with enough cash to keep him amused.
DeleteBut a day will come when people will be tired of Bimal Gurung's misrule as had happened with Subash Ghising's and they will resort to another agitation. The GTA cannot but end up becoming a misrule when its very formation was the culmination of God-only-knows how many lies.
And, I cannot help but comment on the irony of milansagar's closing line - We also hope justice will prevail and all those responsible for the deaths will be brought to book. If justice were to prevail, some of those elected to the GTA Sabha will be behind bars!
Not to sound too intransigent, I must end on a more optimistic or rather, a more hopeful note and say - Let us all hope that there is sufficient socio-economic development of the Hills and that the step-motherly attitude adopted by the WB Govt. in the past becomes a more sisterly or motherly approach and that there is transparency in the functioning of the GTA with annual Audit of its funds (which the DGHC never had...just imagine that)so that peace prevails and 'We want Gorkhaland' chants don't reverberate in the Hills again. Only time will tell...till then congratulations and best wishes to Bimal G and Mamata Di.