NEW DELHI, Jan 8: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), on Friday, urged the Centre for a separate state for the people of the Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars areas of West Bengal as given to the people of the eight Northeastern states.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, GJM leader Binoy Tamang reiterated his demand.
Incidentally, Gorkhas, who are known as Nepalis, have substantial presence in North East too including Meghalaya.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had also supported the GJM’s demand for separate state comprising areas in North of West Bengal. He is the second chief minister after former Chief Minister of Sikkim, Pawan Chamling, to support this demand. “You are aware that before independence, India had 36 partially excluded areas and after independence, 35 of those areas (mostly Northeastern states) were granted constitutional justice. Unfortunately, Darjeeling hills, Siliguri, Terai and Dooars were left out from receiving constitutional justice. It remained as a partially excluded area,” his letter said.
Tamang further pointed out that these areas were absorbed in West Bengal in 1954 through Absorbed Area Act, 1954. “These areas are not included, legally and constitutionally in India till now,” he added.
Tamang also requested the prime minister to review and scrap the country’s treaties with Nepal and Bhutan that have caused trouble for the community in the region. “India-Bhutan Treaty of 1949 and Indo-Nepal Treaty of 1950 are the basis of issues of the general public and Gorkhas of this area. We appeal to the government of India to review these treaties and repeal/scrap them for the security of the Gorkhas and other people of the area. These treaties are products of bipartite talks between nations which have created a negative influence on our nationality and identity,” he wrote.
Tamang pointed out that Darjeeling hills, Siliguri Terai and Dooar region, are the only areas in the region which are separate from the North East but form a part of eastern Himalaya. “It is necessary to include Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Terai Dooar region with North East region (under DoNER Ministry) under the North-East Council Act, 1971,” he said.
All the states of North East fall under DoNER but Gorkhaland Territorial Area, Terai and Dooar region are left out, Tamang said. “The people of Darjeeling, Terai and Dooar region are economically backward, and hence, I urge you to share the benefits of the Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region with these areas too,” he added.
Tamang said that a copy of the letter has been sent to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “We have expectation from the Centre and state that they will look into our issues very seriously for the better cause of the people of Darjeeling, Kalimpong hills, Terai and Dooars,” he added.
Incidentally, the Indian Gorkhas are faced with a unique identity crisis with regard to their Indian citizenship. This is because of the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1950) that permits “on a reciprocal basis, the nationals of one country in the territories of the other the same privileges in the matter of residence, ownership of property, participation in trade and commerce, movement and other privileges of a similar nature”.
Conrad had written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah batting for Gorkhaland and reminding the Centre that “the Gorkhas too are rightful Indian citizens who deserve to have their own identity and ‘Bas Bhoomi’ (homeland)”.
The move comes at a time when the National People’s Party (NPP) is looking at expanding its support base in north Bengal after having opened its unit there.
Sangma has requested the Centre to “offer an honourable and lasting political solution” to the Gorkhas. The letter was made public when the monsoon session of Parliament was in progress and there were growing demands by NDA allies in Darjeeling for finding a “permanent political solution”.
Even though the BJP has promised a “permanent political solution” in its election manifesto, the party has not spelt out the details till date. The saffron party also has to tread its path carefully given its ambition in Bengal and bitter experience from the past during the regime of late Chief Minister Jyoti Basu when there was widespread violence in Gorkha-inhabited areas for months.