Solidarity Meeting for Gorkhaland Movement

The meeting in solidarity with the Gorkhaland movement was held in high spirits at the Theosophical Society Hall near College Square, Kolkata, on August 28th, 2013. Representatives from different organizations in solidarity with the demand of the Gorkhas, including KNS, RYFI, APDR, India-Pakistan-Bangladesh Solidarity Forum voiced their opinions.

Sumendra Tamang, a student-activist from Jadavpur University, and Kapil Tamang started off with the song 'Maato ko Maya' (the poem was by Agam Singh Giri).

Parag of KNS touched on several points,especially those concerning the misconceptions regarding the Gorkhaland movement. He stressed that the movement of Gorkhaland is not essentially a movement for “development” but rather one of identity. He also expressed concern over the way both the history and the present have been misrepresented both by the media as well as the vulgar ultra nationalist sections among the Bengali populace. Right at the onset, he said that although the history in the mainstream is deliberately distorted, it must also be borne in mind that the question of self determination cannot be decided just on the question of history and who the “original” inhabitants of the land were. Here, he also drew the examples of similar movements of identity and nationality like those of Telengana, Jharkhand, Kamtapur etc. He further stated that in general, by supporting the Gorkhaland movement, the working masses of the Bengali and Gorkha populace will indeed be only brought closer rather than pushed further away. Besides, we must never fail to acknowledge the right of self determination of any other peoples even after formation of Gorkhaland. This was in the context of the voices within the progressive and left sections of the society which suggest that using identity issues instead of direct class struggles maybe tantamount to creating an unwanted fissure. Parag was cautious to point out that we cannot rule out temporary crises and tensions related to identity but this should not deter us from the general goal of supporting democratic movements and people’s aspirations of self determination. Parag also touched upon the fact that there is no need to go overboard in stressing the “Indian”-ness of the Gorkhas, by repeatedly pointing out the sacrifice of the Gorkhas in the Gorkha regiment, which after all was an instrument of oppression by the ruling classes. Rather, there are many more glorious histories of class struggle of the toiling masses, whether of the struggling tea plantation workers or those fighting against the British as part of the anti imperialist onslaught.

APDR’s Amitdyuti Kumar highlighted how deploying CRPF battalions and using the pawns of the state machinery to crush a popular democratic people’s movement, that of identity in this case, is clearly a violation of basic human and democratic rights. Besides, he also pointed out that the state government itself is violating not only the constitutional provision by making a political demand of identity and right to self determination a matter of law and order which needs to be dealt with force, but the state is also violating all regulations by arresting democratically elected members of GTA, and preventing them from doing their duties. The GTA agreement, in its clause 29, mentioned that all the past charges will be dropped, but now these charges are being used to arrest the GTA councillors. Freedom of Speech has been curbed by stopping the local nepali news channels. He also added that the voice of protest should be spread far and wide across the state.

Prashant Tamang, a policeman by profession but well known to many because of his performance in the national television song show, Indian Idol, also expressed his views, that the right of demanding the separate state of Gorkhaland is a popular one and not spearheaded by any one political party. He urged everyone to inform others about any such upcoming events, whether through social networking or any other means possible.

Others like Adwitiya and Ashish also put forward their views strongly, stressing on the question of identity rather than just development and that it was a long struggle needs to be taken to the streets everywhere.

Raju Singh of RYFI also expressed solidarity to the Gorkhaland movement and other movements of self determination. He elucidated on the hypocrisy by many on the question of who the “original inhabitants” of the land are, since the adivasis and by no means the Bengalis would probably be called “original inhabitants” in that sense, and yet they claim that the Gorkhas cannot ask for a separate state, on the grounds that they don’t “originally” belong there. 

Solidarity was also expressed by Mr. Manik Samajdar of Bangladesh Bharat Pakistan People's Forum.

Youth activist Thendup Lama added that it was not just a question of asking for Gorkhaland, but that of the entire North East peoples who were being discriminated against in numerous ways, especially in terms of identity. As an example, he pointed out that those with so-called Mongoloid features would be referred to as Chinese, Korean, Japanese and whatnot. This same point was earlier stressed by most speakers, including Aditya.Thendup also stressed that one should also consider the political and economic dimensions of the movement, by analyzing the nature of wealth distribution. To cite an example, Thendup mentioned that most of the workers in the tea gardens only get about Rs. 90 a day, which is far less than even the minimum wage as prescribed by the government. But this naturally suits the capitalists, in their dens of exploitation named SEZs [or Special Economic Zones]. He also reminded of the history of glorious participation of the Gorkhas in the struggle against the British, from Prithiman Thapa to the contributions and sacrifices of those in Azad Hind Fauz, and those arrested in the Quit India Movement. And mentioned that while going ahead with a movement against domination, one should remember the sayings of Bhagat Singh that the real freedom comes if the toiling mass gets freed only.

Samik Chakraborty at the very end added that KNS was not supporting the Gorkhaland movement as an isolated or standalone case,but as one of the numerous struggles for self determination and other movements for democratic rights. He also said that KNS looked upon these struggles of right to self determination not as an end but only as a means to an end, that of a society based on the mutual respect and dignity of all peoples, of all identities and without any exploitative relations existing among them.

The program concluded on a jovial note as Prashant Tamang treated us to a delightful song on Gorkhaland.

Source: Facebook - /krantikari-naujawan-sabha