Demand for Gorkhaland is not new but dated back to 1907 that was initiated with an objective of giving identity to Gorkhas by the people belonging to Darjeeling Hills and Dooars in northern West Bengal. Later on, the matter of development was also added to the same. Many social as well as political organizations have participated in the mass movements in both pre as well as post independence era and recently the movement for Gorkhaland has intensified to a great extent. Apart from this, history has seen two more mass movements – the Gorkha National Liberation Front (1986–1988) and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (2007 till date).
The demand for a separate administrative unit in Darjeeling has existed since 1907, when the Hillmen’s Association of Darjeeling submitted a memorandum to Minto-Morley Reforms demanding a separate administrative setup. In 1917, the Hillmen’s Association submitted a memorandum to the Chief Secretary, Government of Bengal, the Secretary of State of India and the Viceroy for the creation of a separate administrative unit comprising the Darjeeling district and adjoining Jalpaiguri district.
In 1929, the Hillmen’s Association again raised the same demand before the Simon Commission. In 1930, a joint petition was submitted by Hillmen’s Association, Gorkha Officers Association and the Kurseong Gorkha Library to the Secretary of the State of India, Samuel Hoare for separation from the province of Bengal. In 1941, the Hillmen’s Association under the presidency of Rup Narayan Sinha urged the Secretary of State of India, Lord Pethick Lawrence, to exclude Darjeeling from the province of Bengal and make it a Chief Commissioners Province.
In 1947, the undivided Communist Party of India (CPI) submitted a memorandum to the Constituent Assembly with copies to Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the Vice President of the Interim Government, and Liaquat Ali Khan, Finance Minister of the Interim Government, demanding the formation of Gorkhasthan comprising Darjeeling District, Sikkim and Nepal.
Sorry was not my desire to give history class but this is the truth my dear Gorkha brothers and sisters.
Hamro zamin hamro adhikar…. Jai Gorkha.
By John Thakuri on Facebook
