REPORTS PRASHANT SHARMA
Darjeeling, 21 April, 2018: The National Gorkhaland Committee (NGC) released its Vision Document today at the GDNS Hall, Darjeeling. Present among the gathering were Heads of all Hill Political Parties, NGOs, sizeable number of ex-servicemen and locals. The document was released by Shri ———-, Shri —— , Shri ——, and Shri —-, all eminent personalities of the four major communities – the Gorkhas, Adivasis, Rajbongshis and Bengali in a show of solidarity for the proposed state of Gorkhaland.
The NGC was established on 14 September 2017 in New Delhi as a non political organisation set up at the national level as a Think Tank. It consists of Gorkha citizens from across the country who have excelled in their respective fields. The main mandate of the NGC was to examine all options through peaceful dialogue and come up with viable solutions for the trouble torn Darjeeling Hills region.
The Vision Document is essentially a ‘People’s Document’ arrived at through intensive research, and after discussions and interaction with grassroots, legal, constitutional, and security experts, as well as economists and academicians. It looks at all aspects to validate the claim for statehood.
Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen Shakti Gurung (retd), Chairman NGC, said that the Vision Document brought out in four languages – English, Hindi, Nepali and Bangla, was aimed at reaching a wide audience across the ountry and abroad. The document stresses the need for dialogue through peaceful means calling for unity of thought, expression and action among all communities of the region.
The Vision Document is divided into five sections – while Part I deals with the history of the Gorkhas and their contribution to nation building, Part II brings to the forefront the sensitive Siliguri Corridor vital for national security being the start point of India’s Look East and Act East Policy – unless that is secured and sealed, the country will always be vulnerable to intrusion. Part III of the document deals with legal and constitutional issues wherein all relevant provisions are discussed with their pros and cons. Part IV deals with the economic viability of the proposed state and how it can contribute and add to the revenue of the country to become a ‘smart state’ like Sikkim. Part V deals with the present situation that exists in the region
The document also recommends the profile of the proposed state based on contiguity and homogeneity, which keeps in mind the aspirations of all minorities in the region.
The NGC intends to work in coordination with the authorities in the State and Central Governments to progress ahead with their demands stressing on the need for negotiations and discussions
