Writes: Upendra for The DC
When the Gurgaon incident happened, initially other than those Gorkhalis who were assisting the three victims – Ashish, Sagar and Dev Kumar, there was only one person of note who stood by us. Jt. Commissioner Robin Hibu IPS, In-Charge of the Delhi Police for North East Folks.
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| Jt. Commissioner Robin Hibu IPS, In-Charge of the Delhi Police for North East Folks. |
This was not the 1st Darjeeling related issue he was dealing with.
In fact, Com. Hibu was instrumental in getting the Darjeeling people and the Gorkhalis of India included to be protected under the DPNEF initiative. When the DPNEF was started it was meant for the 8 NE states – Arunachal, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim. Darjeeling and its people by the virtue of being a part of West Bengal were left out.
Other than in Sikkim and Mizoram, the Gorkhalis from rest of the states are treated like 2nd class citizens and because of which our inclusion to be protected under this initiative was not considered.
However, after repeated request from Darjeeling people, and the Gorkhalis from others parts of India, Mr. Hibu lobbied very hard with the powers that be to make us included in the DPNEF initiative. He got four officers from Darjeeling police transferred to Delhi so that our issues would be dealt with sensitively and on time, and inducted Mr. Lobsang Tamang as the community representative for the Gorkhas, who has since day one of his inclusion worked very hard to provide the necessary support to our people.
Providing police protection is however just the beginning of providing a secure environment for the people of NE. Other issues need to be looked into, and this requires support from the state governments. Sadly for Darjeeling and Gorkhalis, we don’t have a state of our own. Hence the responsibility of providing back up support rested with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.
May be it is their incompetence, or their complete lack of concern, GTA failed to take any action on developing the back-channel measures suggested by Jt. Commissioner Hibu. But blame doesn’t lie on GTA alone, our people – and our lack of unity – are to be equally blamed.
After the recent Gurgaon incident, Commissioner Hibu lamented to me, “Other than Lobsang Tamang, hardly you see Gorkhas in any platform… Though they are not amidst the 8 NE states, but I virtually begged and lobbied for their inclusion in DPNE initiative… Many Gorkha organizations came to meet me, I constantly reminded them to have some Gorkha Umbrella Organization, so that they can be with us in our struggle for justice.”
Sadly that was not to be, he added, “But I am sorry to disclose that most of them [Gorkhas] who come to meet me are complaining against each other… and they seem to be hopelessly divided on many fronts.”
Commenting on the utter lack of response from GTA he said, “I even wrote to the In-Charge of Gorkha Bhavan in Delhi, requesting them to appoint a Nodal Officer and Gorkha Community Representatives…. But I am yet to hear from them.”
That is how we have let ourselves down, time and again. We fight, bicker, complain, crib, pull each others legs – but we refuse to become united.
10 days ago, on May 17th, 2015 almost a week before the Gurgaon incident we had requested Gorkhas from Darjeeling and Sikkim to volunteer to become community representatives for the Gorkhas in Delhi, as no one had turned up to volunteer but despite that appeal no one stepped up to volunteer.
But when the Gurgaon incident happened, many of our people questioned – Where are the police? Where is the support for Gorkhas? Why is no one speaking?
As bitter as the truth may be, the answer is simple: Because We- the Gorkhas have been abysmally nonchalant, relaxed and uninvolved ourselves… why should anyone bother to show support for us?
Pointing faults is easy, especially in Darjeeling, everyone and their grandmother is an expert in doing so. Both our public and politicians are busy to point out “Yo garena – Yo vayena – Yo pugena”… but very few who have highlighted – what can be done, how it can be done, and when it needs to be done.
ACTION PLAN FOR GORKHAS AT DELHI & NCR.
So, I asked Mr. Hibu, some pointers on how things can be changed…. He was kind enough to make a complete LIST, which I am sharing below. Please read it, reflect on it, and if you agree please force our politicians, society elders, wanna’b leaders and social activists to kindly act on the following suggestions.
Mr. Hibu writes, “Many Gorkhas Students, NGOs, Activists, Employees came and met me for different reasons, but everybody was seeking my advice for viable ACTION PLAN FOR GORKHAS AT DELHI & NCR.
After the unfortunate brutal attacks on 3 Gorkhas youth at Gurgaon, I am deeply concerned about the lack of proper forum, organisation, initiatives by Gorkhas. Though no doubt they are trying in their own ways, unaware of what fellows Gorkhas are doing for the welfare and betterment of their own people in cities like Delhi, where Lakhs of them are either doing jobs, studies, visiting or about migrate to other countries for better living etc…
During the course of my serving at Delhi as SHO, ACP, DCP and now Joint CP as Nodal Officer for 8 North East states… I came across thousand of Gorkhas having all kind of problems. Be it crimes, exploitation, cheating, harassment, eve teasing, lack of awareness, with now where to go during such crisis they came to us.
That’s the reason why I lobbied, requested, and took up the case very strongly for the inclusion of Gorkhas in the Delhi Police for North East representatives initiative… who will act as special police officers and as ambassadors for their community… Saldy, even then I found that it is very difficult to get young, social service oriented Gorkhas as Gorkhas representatives.
Therefore, allow me to suggest following points/strategy for Gorkhas at cities, these are my personal ideas:
1. Activate and galvanise Gorkhas Bhavan as referral centre of crisis.
2. Appointment of Nodal Officer to liaise with police related problems.
3. Nominations of genuine youth as Delhi police representatives.
4. Monthly meeting by Gorkhas Bhavan with Gorkhas NGOs, Students leaders, Activists, Employees Unions irrespective of political parties. Minute should be drawn and comply with immediately.
5. Forming of some apex Gorkhas body by representatives of various existing Gorkhas Unions of Delhi and NCR.
6. Form WhatsApp group of Gorkha think-tanks for sharing ideas.
7. Close liaison with NGOs, Nodal Officers for NE states, anti-trafficking unit of Delhi, NCR etc for immediate response.
8. Start “Intellectuals” group like advocates, officers and top business men for support and idea.
9. Have annual Gorkhas meet or festival where all Gorkhas should participate and honour genuine people or NGOs doing good works for Gorkhas.
10. To have an awareness campaign with NGOs on education, competitive examinations, human trafficking, legal awareness etc.
11. Have emergency 24×7 helpline at Gorkha Bhavan, existing reception office landline can be turned into helpline.
I volunteer to give training to staff of Gorkha Bhavan on how to manage emergency helpline to help any Gorkhas in trouble at Delhi and NCR.
12. Identified bright Gorkha students and give them scholarship from different fund available either with govt/leaders, philanthropists – to prepare Gorkhas for IAS, IPS, IIT, Medicals Entrance Examinations etc.
13. Eastablish “Emergency Contingency Fund” to help the helpless crime victims, or destitute Gorkhas, road accidents victims, addicts of drugs and alcohol.
14. Directory of Gorkhas for Delhi & NCR with detailed name, ranks, occupation, email, organisations, area of experts like lawyers, doctors, journalists, etc.
15. Divide whole Delhi & NCR into zones, thereby making In-Charge of Gorkhas, who will promptly respond immediately.
16. Identify Gorkhas at different courts, hospitals, police department both at Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and seek their help in the hour of crisis.
17. Gorkhas students help desks and social media during admissions time at Delhi university, JNU, JAMIA etc.
18. Gorkhas Cultural Centre at Delhi, where govt or any organisations can requisite Gorkhas songs & dances for performing at prestigious cultural events, so that whole India know about the rich cultural heritages of brave and loyal Gorkhas.
19. Regular meeting between intellectuals and educated Gorkhas and leaders at both Darjeeling and at parliament for churning out best ideas for better future of Grokhas.
20. Hostels for Gorkhas students especially for girls at Delhi and NCR.
21. Explore for the Construction of Gorkhas working hostels on the pattern of YMCA or North East working hostels.
22. Exploration for special recruitment encouragement for Gorkhas youth for Armed Forces and Central Police Organisations as they are most loved and preferred candidates for uniforms services.
These are my some of personal ideas for better Gorkhas of tomorrow.
Robin Hibu IPS
Nodal Officer for North East People
Delhi”
We are lucky and blessed to have someone so caring, batting for us in Delhi. Personally, I am most THANKFUL to Robin Hibu sir, who has gone out of his way to accommodate us, and made us feel that we are the part of the greater NE Community. Sir, we the Gorkhas never forget our friends, especially those who have stood by us when we needed it the most. You are our guardian angel… and we thank you for all your efforts, not only for Gorkhas, but the entire NE people.
Following the suggestions, currently efforts are on, under the initiative of All Manipur Gorkha Students’ Union, NCR Unit (AMGSU-NCR) region to unite All Indian Gorkha youths under one apex body – the Gorkha Youth and Students’ Association of India [GYSA].
We request all the Gorkhalis living in Delhi, NCR and Haryana to join this unit, and help to make it a strong, purely non-Political Association which will represent all the Gorkhalis across India.
Please remember, we are as strong as our weakest link… and to strengthen our weakness should be our main goal. Let us all remove our greatest weakness – i.e. LACK OF UNITY… forever…
Let us become one solid unity, which will always remain united irrespective of our personal issues and causes.
In the success of GYSA could lie the success of our community… if we can unite for this good cause… we can unite for every other cause, including Gorkhaland… and if we fail to unite for this cause… you will have your answer to “why Gorkhaland will never be formed.”
So let’s join hands, and UNITE…
Billy Nye recently said, “You all can do this, you call can be the NEXT GREAT GENERATION… You can, dare I say it, Change the World.”
Time has come for us to become the part of “Next Great Generation”, which will change the fate of our community and our nation for the better, forever.
#Gorkhalism – United we are invincible.
Source: The DC
