Gorkhaland
Encyclopedia
Gorkhaland is the name of the proposed state in India
demanded by the Nepali/Gorkhali
-speaking Nepali
/Gorkha
ethnic group in Darjeeling
and the Dooars in north West Bengal
.
The demand for a separate administrative unit in this region has existed since 1907, when the Hillmen's Association of Darjeeling submitted a memorandum to Minto-Morley Reforms demanding a separate administrative setup.
In Independent India, Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League
(ABGL) was the first political party from the region to demand greater identity for the Gorkha ethnic group and economic freedom for the community. In 1980, the Pranta Parishad of Darjeeling wrote to the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi
, with the need to form a state for the Gorkhas of India.
The movement for a separate state of Gorkhaland gained serious momentum during the 1980s, when a violent agitation was carried out by Gorkha National Liberation Front
(GNLF) led by Subhash Ghising. The agitation ultimately led to the establishment of a semiautonomous body in 1988 called the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council
(DGHC) to govern certain areas of Darjeeling district
. However, in 2008, a new party called the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha
(GJM) raised the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland once again. On 18 April 2011, GJM signed an agreement with the state and central governments for the formation of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration
, a semiautonomous body that would replace the DGHC in the Darjeeling hills.
of Sikkim
, who had been engaged in unsuccessful warfare against the Gorkhas of Nepal
. From 1780, the Gorkhas made several attempts to capture the entire region of Darjeeling. By the beginning of 19th century, they had overrun Sikkim as far eastward as the Teesta River
and had conquered and annexed the Terai
.
In the meantime, the British were engaged in preventing the Gorkhas from overrunning the whole of the northern frontier. The Anglo-Gorkha
war broke out in 1814, which resulted in the defeat of the Gorkhas and subsequently led to the signing of the Sugauli Treaty
in 1815. According to the treaty, Nepal had to cede all those territories which the Gorkhas had annexed from the Chogyal of Sikkim to the British East India Company (i.e. the area between Mechi River
and Teesta River
).
Later in 1817, through the Treaty of Titalia
, the British East India Company
reinstated the Chogyal of Sikkim, restored all the tracts of land between the Mechi River and the Teesta river to the Chogyal of Sikkim and guaranteed his sovereignty.
The controversy did not end there. Later, in 1835, the hill of Darjeeling, including an enclave of 138 square miles (357.4 km²), was given to the British East India Company by Sikkim, executed with a controversial Deed of Grant. In November 1864, the Treaty of Sinchula was executed, in which the Bhutan Dooars with the passes leading into the hills and Kalimpong were ceded to the British by Bhutan
. The present Darjeeling district can be said to have assumed its present shape and size in 1866 with an area of 1234 sq. miles.
Prior to 1861 and from 1870–1874, Darjeeling District was a "Non-Regulated Area" (where acts and regulations of the British Raj
did not automatically apply in the district in line with rest of the country, unless specifically extended). From 1862 to 1870, it was considered a "Regulated Area". The term "Non-Regulated Area" was changed to "Scheduled District" in 1874 and again to "Backward Tracts" in 1919. The status was known as "Partially Excluded Area" from 1935 until the independence of India.
raised the demand for the creation of a state called Gorkhaland within India to be carved out of the hills of Darjeeling and areas of Dooars and Siliguri terai contiguous to Darjeeling. The demand took a violent turn, which led to the death of over 1,200 people. This movement culminated with the formation of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council
(DGHC) in 1988. The DGHC administered the Darjeeling hills for 23 years with some degree of autonomy.
The fourth DGHC elections were due in 2004. However, the government decided not to hold elections and instead made Subhash Ghisingh the sole caretaker of the DGHC till a new Sixth Schedule tribal council was established. Resentment among the former councillors of DGHC grew rapidly. Among them, Bimal Gurung
, once the trusted aide of Ghising, decided to break away from the GNLF. Riding on a mass support for Prashant Tamang
, an Indian Idol
contestant from Darjeeling, Bimal quickly capitalized on the public support he received for supporting Prashant, and was able to overthrow Ghisingh from the seat of power. He went on to found the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha raising the demand a state of Gorkhaland.
and Gorkhaland, if they won the general election. GJM supported the candidature of Jaswant Singh
of BJP, who won the Darjeeling Lok Sabha
seat with 51.5% votes in his favour. In the July 2009 budget session of Parliament, three Parliamentarians—Rajiv Pratap Rudi, Sushma Swaraj and Jaswant Singh—strongly pleaded for creating a state of Gorkhaland.
The demand for Gorkhaland took a new turn with the assassination of Madan Tamang
, leader of Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League. He was stabbed to death allegedly by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters on May 21, 2010, in Darjeeling, which led to a spontaneous shutdown in the three Darjeeling hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong
.
After the murder of Madan Tamang, the West Bengal government threatened action against Gorkha Janmukti Morcha
, whose senior leaders are named in the FIR, meanwhile hinting discontinuation of ongoing talks over interim arrangement with the Gorkha party, saying it had "lost popular support following the assassination".
On 8 February 2011, three GJM activists were shot dead (one of whom succumbed to her injuries later) by the police as they tried to enter Jalpaiguri district on a padyatra led by Bimal Gurung from Gorubathan
to Jaigaon
. This led to violence in the Darjeeling hills and an indefinite strike was called by GJM that lasted 9 days.
In the West Bengal state assembly election, 2011
held on 18 April 2011, GJM candidates won three Darjeeling hill assembly seats, proving that the demand for Gorkhaland was still strong in Darjeeling. GJM candidates Trilok Dewan won from Darjeeling constituency
, Harka Bahadur Chhetri from Kalimpong constituency
, and Rohit Sharma from Kurseong constituency
. Wilson Champramari, an independent candidate supported by GJM, also won from Kalchini constituency
in the Dooars.
had promised that the issue of Gorkhaland would be resolved. While Mamata implied that this would be the end of the Gorkhaland movement, Bimal Gurung
reiterated that this was just another step towards statehood. Both spoke publicly at the same venue in Pintail Village near Siliguri
, where the tripartite agreement was signed.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
demanded by the Nepali/Gorkhali
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
-speaking Nepali
Nepali
Nepali and Nepalese may refer to something of, from, or related to Nepal, such as* Nepali language, a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family* Nepali literature* Nepali Congress, a Nepalese political party...
/Gorkha
Gorkha
Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the 8th century Hindu warrior-saint Guru Gorakhnath.Gurkha, Ghurkha, or Gorkha may also refer to:-People:...
ethnic group in Darjeeling
Darjeeling district
Darjeeling District is the northernmost district of the state of West Bengal in eastern India in the foothills of the Himalayas. The district is famous for its beautiful hill stations and Darjeeling tea. Darjeeling is the district headquarters...
and the Dooars in north West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
.
The demand for a separate administrative unit in this region has existed since 1907, when the Hillmen's Association of Darjeeling submitted a memorandum to Minto-Morley Reforms demanding a separate administrative setup.
Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League
Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League is a political party working amongst the Nepali-speaking population in Darjeeling District, West Bengal, India. The party was founded in 1943 by Damber Singh Gurung. The current president is Bharati Tamang, widow of late Madan Tamang, a former president of ABGL...
(ABGL) was the first political party from the region to demand greater identity for the Gorkha ethnic group and economic freedom for the community. In 1980, the Pranta Parishad of Darjeeling wrote to the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
, with the need to form a state for the Gorkhas of India.
The movement for a separate state of Gorkhaland gained serious momentum during the 1980s, when a violent agitation was carried out by Gorkha National Liberation Front
Gorkha National Liberation Front
Gorkha National Liberation Front is a political party in the Darjeeling District of West Bengal, India...
(GNLF) led by Subhash Ghising. The agitation ultimately led to the establishment of a semiautonomous body in 1988 called the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council
Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council
Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council , also once known for a short period of time as Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council , is a semi-autonomous body that looks after the administration of the Darjeeling District in the state of West Bengal, India...
(DGHC) to govern certain areas of Darjeeling district
Darjeeling district
Darjeeling District is the northernmost district of the state of West Bengal in eastern India in the foothills of the Himalayas. The district is famous for its beautiful hill stations and Darjeeling tea. Darjeeling is the district headquarters...
. However, in 2008, a new party called the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is a registered political party which campaigns for the creation of a separate state within India, out of districts in the north of West Bengal...
(GJM) raised the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland once again. On 18 April 2011, GJM signed an agreement with the state and central governments for the formation of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration
Gorkhaland Territorial Administration
Gorkhaland Territorial Administration is a semi-autonomous administrative body for the Darjeeling hills in West Bengal, India. The GTA will replace the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, which was formed in 1988 and administered the Darjeeling hills for 23 years...
, a semiautonomous body that would replace the DGHC in the Darjeeling hills.
History of the area
Before the 1780s, the area of Darjeeling formed a part of dominions of the ChogyalChogyal
The Chogyal were the monarchs of the former kingdoms of Sikkim and Ladakh, which were ruled by separate branches of the Namgyal family. The Chogyal, or divine ruler, was the absolute potentate of Sikkim from 1642 to 1975, when its monarchy was abrogated and its people voted to make Sikkim India's...
of Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
, who had been engaged in unsuccessful warfare against the Gorkhas of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. From 1780, the Gorkhas made several attempts to capture the entire region of Darjeeling. By the beginning of 19th century, they had overrun Sikkim as far eastward as the Teesta River
Teesta River
River Teesta or Tista is said to be the lifeline of the Indian state of Sikkim, flowing for almost the entire length of the state and carving out verdant Himalayan temperate and tropical river valleys. The emerald-coloured river then forms the border between Sikkim and West Bengal before joining...
and had conquered and annexed the Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
.
In the meantime, the British were engaged in preventing the Gorkhas from overrunning the whole of the northern frontier. The Anglo-Gorkha
Gurkha War
The Gurkha War , sometimes called the Gorkha War or the Anglo–Nepalese War, was fought between the Kingdom of Nepal and the British East India Company as a result of border tensions and ambitious expansionism...
war broke out in 1814, which resulted in the defeat of the Gorkhas and subsequently led to the signing of the Sugauli Treaty
Sugauli Treaty
The Sugauli Treaty was signed on December 2, 1815 and ratified by March 4, 1816, between the British East India Company and Nepal, which was a kingdom during that era. This ended the second British invasion of the Himalayan kingdom during the Anglo-Nepalese War...
in 1815. According to the treaty, Nepal had to cede all those territories which the Gorkhas had annexed from the Chogyal of Sikkim to the British East India Company (i.e. the area between Mechi River
Mechi River
The Mechi River is a trans-boundary river flowing through Nepal and India. It is a tributary of the Mahananda River.-Course:The Mechi originates in the Mahabharat Range in Nepal...
and Teesta River
Teesta River
River Teesta or Tista is said to be the lifeline of the Indian state of Sikkim, flowing for almost the entire length of the state and carving out verdant Himalayan temperate and tropical river valleys. The emerald-coloured river then forms the border between Sikkim and West Bengal before joining...
).
Later in 1817, through the Treaty of Titalia
Treaty of Titalia
The Treaty of Titalia was signed between the Chogyal of Sikkim and the British East India Company. The treaty, which was negotiated by Captain Barre Latter in February 1817, guaranteed security of Sikkim by the British and returned Sikkimese land annexed by the Nepalese over the centuries. It...
, the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
reinstated the Chogyal of Sikkim, restored all the tracts of land between the Mechi River and the Teesta river to the Chogyal of Sikkim and guaranteed his sovereignty.
The controversy did not end there. Later, in 1835, the hill of Darjeeling, including an enclave of 138 square miles (357.4 km²), was given to the British East India Company by Sikkim, executed with a controversial Deed of Grant. In November 1864, the Treaty of Sinchula was executed, in which the Bhutan Dooars with the passes leading into the hills and Kalimpong were ceded to the British by Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
. The present Darjeeling district can be said to have assumed its present shape and size in 1866 with an area of 1234 sq. miles.
Prior to 1861 and from 1870–1874, Darjeeling District was a "Non-Regulated Area" (where acts and regulations of the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
did not automatically apply in the district in line with rest of the country, unless specifically extended). From 1862 to 1870, it was considered a "Regulated Area". The term "Non-Regulated Area" was changed to "Scheduled District" in 1874 and again to "Backward Tracts" in 1919. The status was known as "Partially Excluded Area" from 1935 until the independence of India.
Agitation under GNLF and formation of DGHC
In the 1980s, Subhash GhisinghSubhash Ghisingh
Subhash Ghisingh is the leader of Gorkhaland National Liberation Front which he founded in 1980. He was the chairman of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council in West Bengal, India from 1988 to 2008...
raised the demand for the creation of a state called Gorkhaland within India to be carved out of the hills of Darjeeling and areas of Dooars and Siliguri terai contiguous to Darjeeling. The demand took a violent turn, which led to the death of over 1,200 people. This movement culminated with the formation of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council
Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council
Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council , also once known for a short period of time as Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council , is a semi-autonomous body that looks after the administration of the Darjeeling District in the state of West Bengal, India...
(DGHC) in 1988. The DGHC administered the Darjeeling hills for 23 years with some degree of autonomy.
The fourth DGHC elections were due in 2004. However, the government decided not to hold elections and instead made Subhash Ghisingh the sole caretaker of the DGHC till a new Sixth Schedule tribal council was established. Resentment among the former councillors of DGHC grew rapidly. Among them, Bimal Gurung
Bimal Gurung
Bimal Gurung is the leader of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha , a party that is demanding the formation of a Gorkhaland state in India.-DGHC:...
, once the trusted aide of Ghising, decided to break away from the GNLF. Riding on a mass support for Prashant Tamang
Prashant Tamang
Prashant Tamang is a Darjeeling-based singer and actor. He was the winner of Indian Idol Season 3 in 2007. He is the first Indian from Nepali community to make it to the final rounds of Indian Idol and win it...
, an Indian Idol
Indian Idol
Indian Idol is an adaptation of the Pop Idol format. It started airing in India with the first season in 2004-2005 and followed that with second , third and fourth seasons...
contestant from Darjeeling, Bimal quickly capitalized on the public support he received for supporting Prashant, and was able to overthrow Ghisingh from the seat of power. He went on to found the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha raising the demand a state of Gorkhaland.
Agitation under GJM
Ahead of the 2009 general elections in India, the BJP again announced its policy of having smaller states and to create two more states, TelanganaTelangana
Telangana is a region in the present state of Andhra Pradesh, India and formerly was part of Hyderabad state which was ruled by Nizam. It is bordered with the states of Maharashtra on the north and north-west, Karnataka on the west, Chattisgarh on the north-east and Orissa to the east...
and Gorkhaland, if they won the general election. GJM supported the candidature of Jaswant Singh
Jaswant Singh
- Career :He is one of the few Indian politicians to have been the Minister for Defence, Finance and External Affairs.He started the new government of Vajpayee, which lasted its full term, as the External Affairs Minister and later on switched his ministry to Finance with Yashwant Sinha...
of BJP, who won the Darjeeling Lok Sabha
Darjeeling (Lok Sabha Constituency)
Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India. The constituency centres on Darjeeling in West Bengal.-Election results:-1951-1971:The winners are shown below. -1977-2004:-See also:...
seat with 51.5% votes in his favour. In the July 2009 budget session of Parliament, three Parliamentarians—Rajiv Pratap Rudi, Sushma Swaraj and Jaswant Singh—strongly pleaded for creating a state of Gorkhaland.
The demand for Gorkhaland took a new turn with the assassination of Madan Tamang
Madan Tamang
Madan Tamang was an Indian politician of Nepali descent, a Gorkha leader, and the president of Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League , a moderate faction of the Gorkhaland movement...
, leader of Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League. He was stabbed to death allegedly by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters on May 21, 2010, in Darjeeling, which led to a spontaneous shutdown in the three Darjeeling hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong
Kurseong
Kurseong is a hill station situated in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India.Located at an altitude of 1458 metres , Kurseong is just 30 km from Darjeeling...
.
After the murder of Madan Tamang, the West Bengal government threatened action against Gorkha Janmukti Morcha
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is a registered political party which campaigns for the creation of a separate state within India, out of districts in the north of West Bengal...
, whose senior leaders are named in the FIR, meanwhile hinting discontinuation of ongoing talks over interim arrangement with the Gorkha party, saying it had "lost popular support following the assassination".
On 8 February 2011, three GJM activists were shot dead (one of whom succumbed to her injuries later) by the police as they tried to enter Jalpaiguri district on a padyatra led by Bimal Gurung from Gorubathan
Gorubathan
Gorubathan is a small town in the Kalimpong subdivision of Darjeeling district of the Indian state of West Bengal.-Description:Among the locals the place is also known as Sombare. The name has it origin in the weekly village market which is organized here every Monday . Gorubathan is situated on...
to Jaigaon
Jaigaon
Jaigaon is a small town in Jalpaiguri district in the Indian state of West Bengal, near the Bhutan border. The town lies at the gateway to Bhutan - Phuentsholing, and is thus a very thriving place of trade...
. This led to violence in the Darjeeling hills and an indefinite strike was called by GJM that lasted 9 days.
In the West Bengal state assembly election, 2011
West Bengal state assembly election, 2011
The West Bengal state assembly election, 2011 was held in six phases between 18 April and 10 May 2011 for all the 294 seats of the Vidhan Sabha in the state of West Bengal in India. The Trinamool Congress won an absolute majority of seats. Swami Ramdev backed Mamta and actively campaigned with his...
held on 18 April 2011, GJM candidates won three Darjeeling hill assembly seats, proving that the demand for Gorkhaland was still strong in Darjeeling. GJM candidates Trilok Dewan won from Darjeeling constituency
Darjeeling (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Darjeeling is an assembly constituency in Darjeeling district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
, Harka Bahadur Chhetri from Kalimpong constituency
Kalimpong (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Kalimpong is an assembly constituency in Darjeeling district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
, and Rohit Sharma from Kurseong constituency
Kurseong (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Kurseong is an assembly constituency in Darjeeling district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
. Wilson Champramari, an independent candidate supported by GJM, also won from Kalchini constituency
Kalchini (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Kalchini is an assembly constituency in Jalpaiguri district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The seat is reserved for scheduled tribes.-Extent:As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, No...
in the Dooars.
Gorkhaland Territorial Administration
The memorandum of agreement for the formation of a Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), a semi-autonomous administrative body for the Darjeeling hills, was signed on 18 July, 2011. Earlier, during the West Bengal assembly election (2011) campaign, Mamata BanerjeeMamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee is the 11th and current chief minister of the Indian state of West Bengal. She is the first woman to hold the office. Banerjee founded All India Trinamool Congress in 1997 and became chairperson, after separating from the Indian National Congress...
had promised that the issue of Gorkhaland would be resolved. While Mamata implied that this would be the end of the Gorkhaland movement, Bimal Gurung
Bimal Gurung
Bimal Gurung is the leader of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha , a party that is demanding the formation of a Gorkhaland state in India.-DGHC:...
reiterated that this was just another step towards statehood. Both spoke publicly at the same venue in Pintail Village near Siliguri
Siliguri
Siliguri is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck - a very narrow strip of land linking mainland India to its north-eastern states. It is also the transit point for air, road and rail traffic to the neighbouring countries of Nepal,...
, where the tripartite agreement was signed.