Gorkhaland demand train passes Nagaland

 

Mokokchung | September 7 : The Gurkha’s demand for a separate state under the framework of the Indian Constitution has been gaining momentum after the formation of the Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha (GJMM) under the leadership of Bimal Gurung. Beginning June 23, this year, the GJMM as part of its campaign for a separate state for the Gurkhas is conducting a nation-wide signature campaign, which started from Delhi. The GJMM believes in the Gandhian principle of non-violence.
Three young GJMM activists today arrived in Mokokchung and conducted the ‘signature campaign’. They were welcomed by the Gurkhas residing in the town on behalf of the Gurkha Association of Nagaland. The convener of the signature campaign, Bishal Rai (23) is assisted by two aides, Gaynendra Aryal (24) and Pravashkar Mainali (24).
The three Gorkha youths expressed satisfaction at the turnout of signatories to the campaign. The same group has been touring entire India, organizing the signature campaign in support of a separate Gorkhaland state. The proposed Gorkhaland will be formed of Darjeeling and contiguous Gorkha territories including Siliguri, Terai and the Doars. This would mean redrawing the map of the Indian state of West Bengal.
The trio told this correspondent that communal leaders of West Bengal have termed the Indian Gorkhas as foreigners. “So to remove the label of foreigners, the Indian Gorkhas need an identity; an identity to denote that we are Indians just like any other fellow citizens. And this is possible through the formation of a separate state of Gorkhaland under Article 3(A) of the Indian Constitution,” they said. The Gorkhas maintain to have been claiming a separate Gorkhaland since 1907, when for the first time the Indian Gorkhas demanded the formation of a separate administrative setup in the district of Darjeeling. They allege that the government has never taken their claim seriously “even after India in 1947 gained freedom from the bondage of foreign regime.”
Specifically queried about the signature campaign, the three young Gorkhaland proponents said the campaign is to make ‘people aware of their demand for a separate state’, which they claim is their birthright. The youths said that the campaign has been receiving good response and that various communities, the activists claimed, are supporting their cause. They also claimed that they have all the necessary documents and historical proof to substantiate their claims. They Gorkhas maintain that they were never a part of West Bengal, which the latter under the regime of the Communist Party of India has been denying. It was also informed that Nagaland is the 15th state the trio has visited since their signature campaign started. They have visited Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram in the NE region, and from Mokokchung, they will leave for Bodoland, Monday.
When queried about their sustenance as a separate state from the economic point of view, the three young men said that tea, tourism and timber will earn them enough income.
It was also disclosed that the ‘demand’ signed during the signature campaign by the Gorkhas from across India will be submitted to the government of India. The signature campaign has appealed to the President of India, the Prime Minister of India, the members of Cabinet and the Chief Minister of West Bengal to “look into the matter seriously and fulfill our demand for the separate state of Gorkhaland.”
The GJMM was formed on October 7, 2007 by Gorkha leader, Bimal Gurung. There are about 1.3 crore Gorkhas scattered across India. According to unconfirmed sources, there are not less than 40,000 Gorkhas in Nagaland. If the demand for the separate state of Gorkhaland is fulfilled, West Bengal would become smaller by about 5,000 square kilometers, and the state’s revenue generation adversely affected.
Bishal Rai, the 24 year old signature campaigner for a separate state for the Gorkhas said that the members of the community have hope in their leader and that the “whole country is coming to support us.” He also requested the people of Nagaland to support their cause. Meanwhile, a tripartite meeting involving the Centre, the State of West Bengal and the leadership of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) to resolve the political stalemate is scheduled to be held on 9th September, 2008, New Delhi.