The
recent clarification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on the
citizenship status of the Gorkhas living in Northeast India will go a
long way in removing the long-drawn confusion among people and would,
once for all, put a stop to the social and political harassment they are
often subjected to undergo branding them as foreigners. On many
occasions the Gorkhas are equated with Bangladeshis, called as illegal
infiltrators, harassed in many ways and even booked under the Foreigners
Act, 1946.
Recently, the Home Ministry, by its letter dated 24
September 2018, addressed to the Government of Assam, clarified that any
member of the Gorkha community holding Nepalese nationality who has
arrived in India from Nepal even without a passport or visa and staying
in India for any length of time shall not be treated as an illegal
migrant. For, they are under the protection of the bilateral terms and
condition of the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, 1950.
Article No. 7 of the above treaty “grants on a reciprocal basis to the
nationals of one country, in the territories of the other, the same
privileges in the matter of residence, ownership of property,
participation in trade and commerce, movement and other privileges of
similar nature”. Thus a Gorkha, even if fresh from Nepal, is free to
move anywhere in India (except the areas declared as Restricted Areas),
live any length of time as a Nepali citizen, carry out any trade or
occupation and own any property.
As regards the Gorkhas who have
been living permanently in India, the Home Ministry clarified that the
members of Gorkha community who were Indian citizens at the time of the
commencement of the Constitution ( that is, 26 January 1950), or those
who are Indian citizens by birth, or those who have acquired Indian
citizenship by registration or naturalization in accordance with the
provisions of the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955, are not foreigners in
terms of Section 2(a) of the Foreigners Act, 1946 as well as the
Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939. They will enjoy all the legal and
political rights and privileges as citizens of India. It is hoped that
the above clarification would also help the Government of Assam to take
appropriate steps in the processing of the NRC update.
The Gorkhas
came to Assam nearly two 200 years ago as recruits in the Army and
subsequently as civilian immigrants and settled down permanently in
Assam. They are multi-cultural and multi-lingual like the people of
Assam. Historically speaking, a large section of them, those belonging
to Tibeto-Burman linguistic group, had their original homeland in Assam.
They were the descendants of Kirata race and their king Ghataka who
ruled over Kamrupa with his capital at Pragjyotisa.
Eminent
historians have confirmed that the Kiratas entered Northeast India
during the pre-historic time through various passes from the Southeast
Asiatic countries. Tripura was also their homeland, and, therefore, the
Tipperas and the aborigines of the Northeast like Boros, Garos,
Cacharis, Koches, Hajongs, Miris, Mikirs, Kukis, Karbis etc are all the
consanguinities of the ancient Kiratas. Thus the Gorkhas’ immigration
from Nepal to Northeast India is like their homecoming (ghar waapsi).
In
Assam, the Gorkhas have fitted themselves well with the larger Assamese
society, most of whom were their ancestral cousins. They have forgotten
their erstwhile country Nepal and cut off all political interests with
it. A vast majority of them have never seen Nepal. They have loved their
newfound land, its people, surroundings, hills and valleys, and made it
their permanent home. They have adapted themselves well with the local
people and their culture and language, and fully integrated themselves
with the national mainstream. The people of the Northeast too found the
Gorkhas to be simple and amiable, and welcomed them with their open
heart. “They were largely well-accepted and well-treated in larger
Assamese society” was the opinion of Manirul Hussain.
Eminent
historian Amalendu Guha writes: “In course of time the Nepalis became
acultured with Assamese in respect of language, culture, tradition, but
the Muslim immigrants remained as before even to this day. They even did
not mix up with the Assamese Muslims who speak Assamese, follow
Assamese culture except profess Islam.”
The Gorkhas participate in
local festivals and cultural activities of the Assamese people like
Bihu, Raslilaa, Sankardeva or Madhabdeva tithi, etc. The Gorkhas do not
send their children to Nepali-medium schools. They study in
Assamese-medium schools right from pre-primary standard to
matriculation.
Trailokya Bhattarcharya wrote in the Khadiniya Khangbad dated 23 January 1992 thus: “…these people (Gorkhas) who can speak Assamese so fluently as to put an Asamiya to shame, are writing in Assamese. One of them who secured the highest marks in Assamese language in his Degree examination is publishing his Assamese translation of the Act (drama) Mukhyamantri.”
Many Gorkha litterateurs like Hari Prasad Gorkha Rai, Hari Bhakta Katwal, Puspalal Upadhyaya, Bishnulal Upadhyaya, Gitadevi Upadhyaya, Lil Bahadur Chhetri etc have written novels, articles, poems and dramas in the Assamese language and enriched Assamese literature.
Trailokya Bhattarcharya wrote in the Khadiniya Khangbad dated 23 January 1992 thus: “…these people (Gorkhas) who can speak Assamese so fluently as to put an Asamiya to shame, are writing in Assamese. One of them who secured the highest marks in Assamese language in his Degree examination is publishing his Assamese translation of the Act (drama) Mukhyamantri.”
Many Gorkha litterateurs like Hari Prasad Gorkha Rai, Hari Bhakta Katwal, Puspalal Upadhyaya, Bishnulal Upadhyaya, Gitadevi Upadhyaya, Lil Bahadur Chhetri etc have written novels, articles, poems and dramas in the Assamese language and enriched Assamese literature.
The noted journalist
and social activist of Assam, Homen Bargohain, wrote the following
lines: “During the last 100 years, the Nepalis living in Assam have
played a significant and historic role in the formation of a new Asamiya
race by integration with various tribes and communities of Assam. The
Nepali community, being itself a peaceful and culturally conscious race,
has not only preserved and protected its own culture and language but
also has greatly contributed to the development of Assamese language,
culture and national pride.“
Mahim Bara, who was president of the
Asom Sahitya Sabha, appreciated the Gorkhas of Assam, and described them
as those who can be truly considered as Asamiyas. He wrote the
following words: “…those who remain close to Assamese society both
during their national festivities as well as their adversities, are the
real children of mother Assam ; they are the Asamiyas.
We have
seen from the foregoing paragraphs that the Gorkhas living in Assam have
already achieved a considerable amount of integration with the greater
Assamese conglomerate (Brihat Asamiya Janagosthi) by adopting Assamese
culture, language and customs. The Gorkhas have proved their integration
with Assamese race not only by adopting their culture, language and
tradition, but also by actively involving themselves in their
socio-political aspirations and problems which is well known to
everybody and needs no mention here.
KK Muktan
(The writer is a former Meghalaya Civil Service officer and can
be reached at muktankk@yahoo.co.in)
(The writer is a former Meghalaya Civil Service officer and can
be reached at muktankk@yahoo.co.in)
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