Caught in political cleft over Gorkhaland, Trinamool, BJP should know: Nepalese consider Darjeeling theirs

By Sadhan Mukherjee*
Both the TMC and BJP seem to be caught in a political cleft over Gorkhaland. Only a sincere dialogue among the three parties together – BJP, Trinamool and GJM -- can bring a solution to the vexed issue that has grown beyond the control of any one party.
It may still be possible to have a peaceful solution as the condolence marches with the three dead bodies of GJM activists showed. Government allowed the marches without any hindrance and GJM did not take any retaliatory means. Peace prevailed during the marches.
The proposed joint meeting on 22 June called by the Union Home Ministry in Siliguri should break some new ground towards an amicable solution as all three sides seem to realise the gravity of the situation. A pre-requisite for a decent and amicable settlement can only be a ‘give and take’. A rigid stand by any one party can break the talks.
The introduction of Bengali as a compulsory language in all schools of Darjeeling hills area up to 10th standard by the Mamata Banerjee government on 25 May was possibly a well-thought out plan for political one-upmanship by Mamata Banerjee over the BJP. This may have been essentially a scheme to thwart the spread of BJP in West Bengal which was supporting the smaller states concepts and had made steady inroads in West Bengal getting and lending support from and to the Hills people.
Mamata Banerjee had probably calculated that the BJP will be hard put to take a stand on Bengali language or on Gorkhaland, if it at all comes up. If BJP supports the government stand, it will alienate the non-Bengali speaking people whose support is crucial for BJP. It certainly will also not be able to openly support the demand for Gorkhaland. It will be then accused of helping the division of West Bengal and will be eliminated in the next elections from West Bengal. And Mamata Banerjee will emerge as the heroine who fought against the division of West Bengal and won.
The division of West Bengal psychologically is a very potent issue with the Bengalis. From 1905 they have fought against the division of Bengal but despite those efforts they have lost parts of united Bengal and now retain only West Bengal.
The calculations were right up to a point. Mamata perhaps did not correctly estimate the dimension of reaction of non-Bengali speaking hills people and that this would provoke the dormant demand for Gorkhaland to such an extent as is presently seen. She has since made Bengali optional but that step has not scaled down the agitation.
She possibly did not take into account the psychological impact of imposition of Bengali language among the non-Bengali speaking people though she herself takes pride in her own mother tongue – Bengali. Didn’t she march on Rome Streets singing Bengali songs with her entourage while going to take part in Mother Teresa’s canonisation?
Nepal is deemed as the only Hindu Rashtra by the RSS, the political mentor of BJP. There are many RSS followers in Nepal. Like the Akhand Bharat concept of RSS, Nepal for long has harboured the idea of something like Akhand Nepal. The National Anthem of Nepal includes the verse Paschima killa Kangra, purba ma Teesta pugetheu, Kun shaktiko sumamma, kahila kami jhukethu? The verse translates as “Kangra as the western border, Teesta in the East, Nepal has always been a country that has never bowed to any power in the world” (Quoted by Yubaraj Ghimre in Indian Express 19 June, 2017).
One is reminded of the concept of Akhand Bharat propounded by RSS Guru Golwalkar in his Bunch of Thoughts. He said: “The entire Himalayas with all their branches and sub-branches extending to the north, south, east and west, with territories included in these great branches have been ours—not merely the southern lap of the mountains ...Tibet, i.e., Trivistap – now called ‘a Chinese province’ by our leaders!—was the land of gods and the Kailash, the abode of Parameshwara, the Supreme Lord. Manasarovar was another holy centre of pilgrimage looks upon as the source of our scred rivers like Ganga, Sindhu and Brahmaputra.” (Page 82)
He added: “It was this picture of our motherland with the Himalayas dipping its arms in the two seas, at Aryan (Iran) in the west and at Sringapur (Singapore) in the east, with Lanka (Ceylon) as a lotus petal offered at her sacred feet by the southern ocean that was constantly kept radiant in people’s mind for so many thousands of Years.” (page 83)
The trouble is that Nepal under RSS ‘Bunch of Thoughts’ is rendered into a subservient country, as part of Akhand Bharat, not a sovereign entity. This the Nepalese people can never accept. Some of them still dream of “Greater Nepal”. Some not living in Nepal also find affinity with Nepal through their language.
The Nepalese have also not forgotten that Darjeeling was once theirs

and was taken away by the British. There are a large number of Nepalese speaking people not only in the Darjeeling hill areas but also in Assam, Sikkim, and several other Indian states who came there to work in the tea gardens and in other jobs. Their common link is the Nepalese language. Also for several other hill peoples, Nepalese is the link language. Why should they give up that link and opt for Bengali?
It is clear that for both Trinamool and BJP, it is a piquant situation and a solution brooks no delay.
---
*Veteran journalist

Comments

Aurangzeb’s last will recorded by his Maulvi: Allah shouldn't make anyone emperor

By Mohan Guruswamy Aurangzeb’s grave is a simple slab open to the sky lying along the roadside at Khuldabad near Aurangabad. I once stopped by to marvel at the tomb of an Emperor of India whose empire was as large as Ashoka the Great's. It was only post 1857 when Victoria's domain exceeded this. The epitaph reads: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast." (The rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave) The modest tomb of Aurangzeb is perhaps the least recognised legacies of the Mughal Emperor who ruled the land for fifty eventful years. He was not a builder having expended his long tenure in war and conquest. Towards the end of his reign and life, he realised the futility of it all. He wrote: "Allah should not make anyone an emperor. The most unfortunate person is he who becomes one." Aurangzeb’s last will was re...

Beyond his riding skill, Karl Umrigar was admired for his radiance, sportsmanship, and affability

By Harsh Thakor* Karl Umrigar's name remains etched in the annals of Indian horse racing, a testament to a talent tragically cut short. An accident on the racetrack at the tender age of nineteen robbed India of a rider on the cusp of greatness. Had he survived, there's little doubt he would have ascended to international stature, possibly becoming the greatest Indian jockey ever. Even 46 years after his death, his name shines brightly, reminiscent of an inextinguishable star. His cousin, Pesi Shroff, himself blossomed into one of the most celebrated jockeys in Indian horse racing.

PUCL files complaint with SC against Gujarat police, municipal authorities for 'unlawful' demolitions, custodial 'violence'

By A Representative The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has lodged a formal complaint with the Chief Justice of India, urging the Supreme Court to initiate suo-moto contempt proceedings against the police and municipal authorities in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The complaint alleges that these officials have engaged in unlawful demolitions and custodial violence, in direct violation of a Supreme Court order issued in November 2024.

How the slogan Jai Bhim gained momentum as movement of popularity and revolution

By Dr Kapilendra Das* India is an incomprehensible plural country loaded with diversities of religions, castes, cultures, languages, dialects, tribes, societies, costumes, etc. The Indians have good manners/etiquette (decent social conduct, gesture, courtesy, politeness) that build healthy relationships and take them ahead to life. In many parts of India, in many situations, and on formal occasions, it is common for people of India to express and exchange respect, greetings, and salutation for which we people usually use words and phrases like- Namaskar, Namaste, Pranam, Ram Ram, Jai Ram ji, Jai Sriram, Good morning, shubha sakal, Radhe Radhe, Jai Bajarangabali, Jai Gopal, Jai Jai, Supravat, Good night, Shuvaratri, Jai Bhole, Salaam walekam, Walekam salaam, Radhaswami, Namo Buddhaya, Jai Bhim, Hello, and so on. A soft attitude always creates strong relationships. A relationship should not depend only on spoken words. They should rely on understanding the unspoken feeling too. So w...

Haven't done a good deed, inner soul is cursing me as sinner: Aurangzeb's last 'will'

Counterview Desk The Tomb of Aurangzeb, the last of the strong Mughal emperors, located in Khuldabad, Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, has this epitaph inscribed on it: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e maa ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast" (the rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave).

CPM’s evaluation of BJP reflects its political character and its reluctance to take on battle against neo-fascism

By Harsh Thakor* A controversial debate has emerged in the revolutionary camp regarding the Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s categorization of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Many Communists criticize the CPM’s reluctance to label the BJP as a fascist party and India as a fascist state. Various factors must be considered to arrive at an accurate assessment. Understanding the original meaning and historical development of fascism is essential, as well as analyzing how it manifests in the present global and national context.

State Human Rights Commission directs authorities to uphold environmental rights in Vadodara's Vishwamitri River Project

By A Representative The Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) has ordered state and Vadodara municipal authorities to strictly comply with environmental and human rights safeguards during the Vishwamitri River Rejuvenation Project, stressing that the river’s degradation disproportionately affects marginalized communities and violates citizens’ rights to a healthy environment. The Commission mandated an immediate halt to ecologically destructive practices, rehabilitation of affected communities, transparent adherence to National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, and public consultations with experts and residents. The order follows the Concerned Citizens of Vadodara coalition—environmentalists, ecologists, and urban planners—submitting a detailed letter to authorities, amplifying calls for accountability. The group warned that current plans to “re-section” and “desilt” the river contradict the NGT’s 2021 Vishwamitri River Action Plan, which prioritizes floodpla...

How polarization between different ideological trends within the communist movement sharpened in India

By Harsh Thakor* This article is a rejoinder to A Note on Slogans of “Left Unity,” “Unity of the Communist Revolutionaries” and “Mass Line” by Umair Ahmed, published on the Nazariya blog .

Vadodara citizens urge authorities to adhere to environmental mandates in Vishwamitri River Rejuvenation Project

By A Representative A coalition of environmental activists, ecologists, and urban planners in Vadodara has issued an urgent appeal to state and municipal authorities, demanding strict compliance with court-mandated guidelines for the upcoming Vishwamitri River rejuvenation project. Scheduled to commence in March 2025, the initiative aims to mitigate flooding and restore the river, but citizens warn that current plans risk violating National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders and jeopardizing the river’s fragile ecosystem, home to endangered species like crocodiles and Indian Softshell Turtles.

Implications of deaths of Maoist leaders G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya in Chhattisgarh

By Harsh Thakor* In the wake of recent security operations in southern Chhattisgarh, two senior Maoist leaders, G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya, were killed. These operations, which took place amidst a historically significant Maoist presence, resulted in the deaths of 31 individuals on March 20th and 16 more three days prior.

Search This Blog