The Final Strategy For Separate Statehood- Gorkhaland

BIJAY BANTAWA

Multi-ethnicity, multiculturalism, different languages, and diverse people are the characteristic beauty and great traditional heritage of the heterogeneous nation-like India, the largest democracy in the world, a glaring example. Despite diversity, Indian people live in unity; maintain complete communal harmony, which is the core of the country's preamble, the natural habitat and demography that keeps the most important aspects and characteristic features. Her constitution was well drafted by the constituent assembly under the chairmanship of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and implemented in words and deeds.

The main motive as enshrined in the constitution is to give proper representation and have some say to all communities of the country, keeping no room for communalism, discrimination among the citizens of the country, disparity, suppression by the majority over the minority community, and also setting the provision for creation or re-organization of the states, so that all the citizens can shoulder the responsibility to promote national interest and participate in the developmental process of the nation on equal footing, enjoy the democracy, illuminating the communal barriers and rejuvenating and celebrating the fruits of democracy equally. Under this provision, many new states have already been created in India, and the voices of many others are yet to be addressed. With this objective under the provision, the hill people of Darjeeling and Dooars raised the demand for separate statehood as their homeland, not only in their interest but for the integrity and sovereignty, internal and external security of the country.

Thus, since 1980, the Gurkhas of Darjeeling have been raising awareness among the people of the provincial government and the separate state through open and clear voices, beginning with the street struggles from the mountains, plains, and Dooars peacefully, pleading with the union government to look into the matter in time. However, the then state government termed the democratic movement as a movement of divisive force, extremists, and therefore an anti-nationalist movement; thus started police action to allegedly suppress the voice of the people. The then Government even went to the extent of saying that the alleged support of the foreign country, instigated by Nepal, for the greater Nepal cause. In reality, the protagonists of the movement stated that it was the movement of the Indian Gorkhas and the hill and dooars people who sacrificed their lives during the freedom struggle and are still working for the security of the nation. Their brevity and sacrifices are already depicted well by Mahatma Gandhi in the struggle moment in young India and other newspapers; likewise, Subash Chandra Bose also praised their loyalty and services when they joined the Azad Hind Fauj, keeping aside the exception of some Nepali soldiers who sided with the British during the struggle, then shadowing the Indian Gorkhas’ glory and role. During the agitation of 1986, thousands of people were allegedly killed in police firing brutally and in an inhuman manner, the most shocking incident being the murder of a woman torching forehead by the bullet allegedly by police and CRPF at Sipsu, Darjeeling. Human rights organizations too couldn’t take on the issue at that moment because of alleged apathy and atrocity by the state police. Then the union government called a tripartite meeting and politically tried to settle the issue, but nothing has been achieved so far except the accord and some temporary arrangements.

BJP, despite political assurance, could not fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the people so far, except for the initiative of tripartite meeting again and appointed an interlocutor on the issue to find out the political solution, while after winning all five assembly seats, the people are optimistic that some political solution will come out this time, as PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had promised. Initially, the BJP manifesto also highlighted the burning issue once.

Time and again, the peaceful and patriotic citizens of the country have been misled by various false promises by incompetent leaders over the years. Not only the hill, but in the present political scenario in India, the uneducated, semi-educated people are being misled by the so-called leaders and being exploited, and the goal of the issue and the aspirations of the people have not been fulfilled due to the fact that the so-called leaders are only interested in personal profit in the name of the issue. The main reason for the situation remaining in stagnation even after 40 years is the lack of a solid strategy, proper leadership, political will of the union government, and the absence of the public’s seriousness towards the issue. Since the beginning of the movement, columnists and many journalists have repeatedly tried to raise awareness of the people by writing and publishing numerous reports and articles over the past forty years.

It is all clear what happened to the issue, what political games the leaders played, but now the truth of waiting for so long with the faith of the Bharatiya Janata Party and not failing to make the BJP win by continuously giving the mandate is evident that the national leadership and the BJP must find out the solution this time before it is too late.

After the leadership of the late Subash Ghising, there was a decade-long Satyagraha movement from 1990 to 2000 for a separate state by teachers, students, the general public, and well-wishers from nook and corner of the hill and from all levels. But the most historic mistake in the Satyagraha movement was, after the assassination of the leader Madan Tamang in broad daylight, what a great stupidity it was! At that time, a big eclipse was made in the Satyagraha movement, which was earlier, being appreciated by the leaders of the nation, but then the fate of the people was sealed and kept in the dark. Due to this unpleasant incident, the place of so much worshipped and vigorous efforts of Satyagraha suddenly reduced to zero level.

The journey of Satyagraha now must be lifted again from zero ground where it was left two decades ago, and the current Satyagraha should be a Satyagraha movement carried out with wisdom and patriotism without any violence, and to achieve success. The Satyagraha movement does not organize bandhs, does not engage in violence, but the representatives of the people will peacefully carry out the Satyagraha movement, worship, and demonstration here, in Kolkata, and Delhi. This is a democratic way to remind and put democratic pressure on the government. The weapon of Satyagraha will create an environment for positive dialogue with the government. The power of Satyagraha will give the answers to those who protest the peaceful movement, and the leaders must be able to present intellectual arguments, a fitting reply, and present legal facts. Everyone should consider silent and peaceful processions and all democratic ways and means. Even if some opponents make a bad comment, they must be ready at all times to respond in polite and civilized language. Wherever the need arises, in the courts, assemblies, streets, meeting places, and parliament, the leaders should be able to fight the Satyagraha struggle, and the people should be able to do it. It is necessary to meet all the leaders and MPs who support issues like the language movement and plead with them, and do it with proper courtesy.

Leaders should now stop making vociferous speeches, blaming and tarnishing each other's image in the public domain and on social media; this stereotypical pattern must be abandoned forthwith. All the leaders whose main focus and goal is now a separate state and issue, they should come forward and stand for the issue together as a single movement beyond political lines.  To move forward together and take a united stand, a high-level coordination committee must be formed or re-established on the demand for a separate state (Gorkhaland), which has already failed in the past due to some political wobbles. Those who betrayed the issues must be removed now, or they must be explained in clear-cut words to pursue their vested interest, and an environment must be created where everyone should work in the interest of their demands first. The voices of all political parties and leaders and the people must be heard in Delhi only on a single agenda first. Everyone should reach a consensus on the issue, and no more confrontation or political vendetta should be played out to stop the smooth process and passage of the issue. There are other regions also that are demanding separate statehood, and those genuine ones must be put forth together in the parliament and work for the interest of the nation.

This is a major issue for the national interest rather than for the people; it is more important for external and internal security. The leaders of the country must understand that tension should not be created in this sensitive border area where China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar, the five international countries, are located around the region. On that issue, the formation of a separate state for the national interest must be in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. A strong argument must be presented to the leaders of the country that recognizing and establishing an identity for the Gorkhas is also necessary for the country’s interest. The Gorkhas want to stand and work just like a stronger wall and mountain on the border, performing  national security at the forefront, and want to contribute to the external and internal security of India as well.

In the past, responsible leaders and administrators tried to dismiss this demand as undemocratic and the demand for a separate state for Darjeeling as anti-national, and began the dark chapter of police brutality that started there. At that time, Subash Ghising reiterated that if anyone compares Nepalese or Gurkhas with Nepal or thinks that they are foreign because of their similar façade,, then the 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty should be annulled. The leaders also challenged that if the demand for a separate state cannot be met, then the provision of Article 1(a) of the Constitution should be annulled, which is not possible in reality, as the power to repeal and amend rests with parliament.

Before coming to power and during the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the BJP was in favor of creating smaller states and had already created three states, like Uttaranchal, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand. Due to the lack of political awareness of the intellectuals and Gorkha leaders at that time, they took the opposite step when they should have supported the BJP and ruined their fate by supporting the enemy. The people of the hills are also suffering from the historical mistake of taking the opposite step and throwing that possibility, axing their own knees. The lack of visionary leaders who could not take the right steps at the right time was a historical blunder. However, now the iron is hot once again; at this time, they must be able to raise political weapons at the right place. Those who miss this opportunity will miss it forever. Some scholars have explained the current situation - during the Ramayana period, Ram succeeded in rescuing Sita by going to Lanka with simple people like Sugriva and Hanuman, animals and birds. If there were people and leaders like today, seeing the gold of Lanka, they would have supported Ravana instead of Ram and defeated him. Similarly, some so-called leaders, being greedy for money or wealth, have defeated this issue many times by looking only at their own family interests. Now, whether they will be able to overcome this lost and defeated issue this time or not, time will tell. But now, BJP leaders Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and others are thinking of fulfilling the dream of the Gorkhas, but how to transform it, those possibilities are (1) separate state, (2) union territory, and (3) capable governance (tribal provinces, states within states?) if the centre will take the matter in the form of bill and table it on the floor of parliament and pass it unanimously. Sikkim is the first state to have passed a resolution in the assembly in favour of a separate state and  place it to the union government in the past.

There is every possibility that a government with a BJP government at the Centre and a BJP government in the state will be able to provide justice to the people of Darjeeling and Dooars, but if the BJP government in Bengal takes the opposite approach or takes a different approach, obstacles may arise, then the Centre will have to use its capabilities. This is a complex situation, but everything is possible in a democracy and according to the provisions of the Constitution, no party should do injustice to the people by resorting to caste discrimination. The creation of a separate state of the region not only consists of the Gorkha community, maybe they are the majority in number, but in Darjeeling, Siliguri, and Dooars, apart from Gorkhas, there are Rajbashi, Kochey Meche, Indian Bengali,Adhivasi, and business communities too, and it will serve the purpose of all the people residing there.

At this time, all political leaders, including those who consider themselves intellectuals of the hills, need to pay attention and take steps to discuss and deliberate on the issue intelligently, without any bias or ego, and how a separate state (Gorkhaland) can be brought about. Perhaps this is the last article on this topic, but this opportunity will also be the last for the people of the hills and Dooars. It is not about who will take the credit here; there is a golden opportunity for everyone to come together to resolve the issue. This is an important issue, and once again, they must catch the fish but not the frog. They must not miss the bus this time, because this is a now-or-never situation. Hit now, as the iron is hot. All is well that ends well.

(The writer is a senior journalist from Sikkim. Views are personal. Email: bbantawa@gmail.com)