GNLF , GJM , BGPM , IGJF The TRUE IDENTITY CRISIS TILL DATE

GNLF , GJM , BGPM , IGJF The TRUE IDENTITY CRISIS TILL DATE

S.Lama

The States Recognition Act 1956 was a major landmark legislation passed by the Parliament of India that radically reformed the boundaries of states and territories along linguistic line .

If we trace out to the history it happened when Potti Sreeramulu took fasting for continuous fifity eight days for the separation of a distinct statehood for Telegu speaking population positively forming Andhra Pradesh on October 1 , 1953 . But if we trace into the politics of Darjeeling and the demand of statehood similar as demand of Andhra Pradesh there is a deep back history of Darjeeling which cannot be together in one frame . Darjeeling located in the northern region of West Bengal is a hill station where there is no trace of Bengali speaking population even though it is located within the West Bengal where only Bengali speaking people emerge however the birth of Darjeeling is different where all of the population living there are Nepali and speak Nepali .

" Nepali , Bhutia , Lepcha Hami Sabai Gorkhali " NeBuLa was a slogan raised during 1907 for the expression of Nepali unity to represent collective , harmony and regional rights in the terms of ethnic basis in the hills of Darjeeling . Hillmen's Association of Darjeeling founded in 1907 was the first political organisation in the Darjeeling hills to formally demand a separate administrative setup for the Darjeeling hills free from the province of Bengal . This Association formally submitted petitions and memorandums to British authorities asking for administrative separation. However the petition and memorandum were rejected and ignored by the British government. The transition from these early efforts lead to the formation of the Gorkha National Liberation Front during 1980s headed by Subhash Ghisingh . The GNLF launched an intense and massive political agitation from 1986 to 1988 demanding a separate state called "Gorkhaland" for the ethnic Nepali speaking population in the Darjeeling hills . In its tenure, the GNLF dropped its hardline separate state demand in favor of securing greater tribal and administrative autonomy by pushing for the inclusion of the Darjeeling hills under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution . However , due to public anger over the six schedule issue in 2007 Bimal Gurung broke away from the GNLF and formed the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to restart the agitation for Gorkhaland and GNLF was no more in power and Subash Ghisingh was forced out of Darjeeling in 2008 due to political tensions as huge masses were in support of Bimal Gurung and his regional party GJM . During , Gurung's rule over Darjeeling in his GJM emerged a person called Anit Thapa who also acted as an active idol for promoting GJM . In 2017, during the Gorkhaland agitation performed by Bimal Gurung then Anit Thapa broke away to form GJM - 2 lead by Anit Thapa and Benoy Tamang however both of them parted away from GJM -2 and on September 2021, Anit Thapa founded the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), his formed party also had the same ideology of other party that is formation of separated statehood of Darjeeling . Again on 2024 an emerging leader Ajoy Edwars game up with his new party Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front in short IGJF with the same processed goal that is formation of Gorkhaland for people of Darjeeling. IGJF and BGPM they competed against each other as political rivals during the arrival of West Bengal Assembly elections . This year in 2026 General Election to Assembly Constituencies both of the parties IGJF and BGPM did not make out . Anit Thapa, the chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration also the leader of the BGPM, resigned from his post after the new constituency was formed whereas IGJF still is on stand and continuing their progress , IGJF did not resign because it is an opposition regional party, whereas the resignation in question involved BGPMleader Anit Thapa stepping down from his executive position . Till date these were the emerging story of demand of statehood of Darjeeling . With all these progress , changes and emergence of parties the question is what did it do for demand of separate state hood ? . I think the more evolvement the more trace of ideology is being forgotten for the hills . I could recall the short poem which I wrote for the college newsletter the poem goes like this

तिथि

सेल्जा लामा

तेस्रो सत्र

Political science department

South Field College Darjeeling

भ अब अति भ ,

अती भ , अनी मेरो प्रीय मनलाई अझै भिजाउन मन लागेन ।

मलाई लाग्छ मेरो देश र मेरो जाती प्यारो

तर छ्यासी को आन्दोलनले खोसायो मेरो जाती प्यारो ।

घृणा को सोच उत्पन्न हुन्छ जब ती दृष्य मेरो आँखा को सामु धेरै नाच्छ जब दाज्यू भाइहरूले एक अर्का प्रति हाम्रो विर गोर्खालीहरू को खुकुरी प्रयोग गरी मार्न खोज्यो आफ्नौ जाती ।

भन्न यहिँ छ कि " लाज लाग्छ मलाई तिमीहरूलाई विर गोर्खालीहरू को छोरा भन्नु "

कारण तिमीहरूले

ति ठुला - ठुला शब्द प्रयोग गरी शासन र्गने मानिन्छे को कथा सुनी व्यार्थै मा मार्न खोज्यो आफ्नौ जाती ।

तिमीले आफी आफूलाई लाज बनायौ कारण किन मार्‍यौ आफ्नौ जाती प्यारो ?

आनी यो सब देखी , बुझि मेरो मनले भन्दछ

भ अब अति भ ,

अती भ , अनी मेरो प्रीय मनलाई अझै भिजाउन मन लागेन।

For the demand of different statehood, yes, the political parties did made promises to youths , publics which are must needed for the progress of Darjeeling but however for fullfillment of promises what is needed ? There is a great Greek philosopher named plato he said " people who care about the nation never join politics, people who are in politics never care about nation " in nepali it goes like this " देशको चिन्ता गर्ने मानिसहरू कहिल्यै राजनीतिमा लाग्दैनन्, र राजनीतिमा लाग्नेहरूले कहिल्यै देशको चिन्ता गर्दैनन्।" I believe this is too far but I want to express this of Plato In his book The Republic Plato warned that democratic societies are easily exploited by demagogue politicians who flatter the masses and manipulate public emotions rather than appealing to reason. The danger of people-pleasers ,Plato warned that in a democracy, politicians can easily trick the public. Instead of being honest or making smart choices, these politicians simply tell people exactly what they want to hear to gain power. He argued that these politicians don't try to use facts or reason. Instead, they stir up people's feelings like anger, fear, or pride to manipulate them because of this, Plato believed that the general public is often not well-informed and can be easily pushed in any direction by whoever is the best at giving a convincing speech. Are these things not happening since the beginning of the journey of demand of separate statehood ? The people of Darjeeling are support of each emerging regional parties just in hope of security and for a better future and these are their actual goals but what about GORKHALAND ? Is Gorkhaland not what we need ? Of course the parties have stood for various elections but what is the main motive is it just winning or working to get on achieve Gorkhaland ? I end with asking to the masses " Are we working for demand of GORKHALAND or just to fullfill our needs and problems ? "

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