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t the the the of for on on h an by by its o of of of in a a e f PARIPEX - INDIAN JOURNAL OF RESEARCH Volume-8 | Issue-2 | February-2019 | PRINT ISSN - 2250-1991 Gorkhaland. However, it was operating within the framework of Home department, Police, Relief, Fire, Excise etc were transferred the Indian Constitution. The party was declined mainly because of to it. There were about 26 Government Department transferred to weak organization. In early1980's, the congress was shrinking in the DGHC. The setup had a council of 28 elected and 14 the hills. Swatantra Manch is yet another political organization nominated Councilors, with the Chairman (Status of State Cabinet that promoted the idea of a separate state of the people of the Minister), a Vice-Chairman, Executive Councilors and other hills. CPI (M) demanded the “Regional Autonomy” within West Councilors holding charge of the departments. The Chairman Bengal. This needs an amendment of Article 244A of the DGHC also functioned as the Chief Executive Councilor of DGHC Constitution, which permits regional autonomy within a State in (Tamlong, 2006). The DGHC was unsuccessful in producing any case of tribal region (Chettri, 2013:16). On 2nd August 1980, concrete results for the welfare of the people. There is disapproval Subhas Ghising, the President of the newly formed GNLF (Gorkha against the despotic way of functioning of the political leadership. National Liberation Front) Party submitted a Memorandum to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It demanded a separate State within The can be pointed as a particular case the Constitution. where the Nepali ethnic identity was used for personal identification, communal anchorage and political goals. Ghisingh Again in 1981, Communists in the Legislative Assembly of West and the GNLF's demand for Indian citizenship was their main Bengal passed a “unanimous resolution” to support the formation objective for inclusion within the Indian framework. Their demand of an Autonomous District Council that comparing the District of for a separate state of Gorkhaland outside the purview of West Darjeeling and all its historically contiguous area of Dooars. The Bengal but within the federal system of India was also legitimate. It proposal was forwarded to the Central Government at Delhi for was because of this that the Centre did not consider the due consideration. Following that nothing was happened and it movement anti-national unlike the Bengal government. was stated by Basant. B. Lama (Lama, 2008:213). The movement Ultimately, it was mainly to appease the agitators that the DGHC was raised with same agenda from time to time by different was granted with limited powers in social, cultural, development political parties, but the motive behind the movement was same. and educational fields. The ethnic minority community in Darjeeling, the Nepalis had voiced their demands for a separate Quest for National and Political Identity state and the state had also accommodated their demand in the The demand for Gorkhaland raises with the question of Gorkha form of the Autonomous Council. Indian political identity as the spectre of being 'foreigners', 'alien- ness', 'debarred as bonafide citizens of India', which continues to Conclusion rummage the Indian Gorkhas even today. The words like 'Gorkha', The demand of Gorkhaland Movement is not a recent 'Bharpali', which is an acronym of 'Bharatiya Nepali' and phenomenon. It appeared as political struggle for more than 'Bhargoli', an acronym of 'Bharatiya Gorkhali' have also been hundred years. The demand has been raised considerably in pre- proposed at different points of their struggle for carving a separate independence period and is still remains unabated. The long Indian identity for themselves(Subba, 2003:4). However, none of history of the movement does not only prove its antiquity but also this nomenclature seems to have received wide acceptance in establishes the distinct history of the region. This is a protracted achieving their goal. This long demand history has been reflective movement, which has been raised by Gorkhas to preserve their of two major claims: firstly, an aspiration to govern themselves cultural identity, which has been tangled around to prove their without jeopardizing the sovereignty of the nation- state and Indian nationality and citizenship. The demand for autonomy is still secondly, the urge to recognize the collective rights and almost all in a process though different groups or associations or parties has salient cultural and social issues that earmarked their distinctions come up but their main agenda remains the same. The motives and distinctiveness from an inescapable other i.e. 'politics of was the same but the ways of their procedure remain dynamic. culture', identity and recognition (Sarkar, 2013:3). Note Gorkhas of India are struggling for their survival and identity. They 1. The word Gorkha was originally the name of the principality demand their own distinct Indian Identity, concrete and stable. The located on the west of Katmandu valley. Prithivinarayan Shah who identities of the Gorkhas are intertwined with instrumental credited to have unified the present Nepal in late 18th century was perspective. The Gorkha identity is more of a constructed identity from this principality known as Gorkha King and his force Gorkhali woven by the internal force of colonialism. They have struggled to fought with the British in Anglo- Nepal War and won the praise of forge their identity in terms of its relationship with other British. Many of them served the British India and finally settled in communities. Thought out this century, they distinguish various parts of India mostly in North east India (Subba, 2002) themselves across the borders; it is difficult to distinguish between the two identities, Indian Nepalis and Nepalese from Nepal. The 2. Indo-Nepal Peace Treaty signed in 1950 allows the nationals of treaty has however been criticized by Nepalis living on the both Nepal and India to cross the border freely without any difficulty sides of the borders. Nepalese of Nepal considered that the treaty and privileges in matters of residence, ownership of property, as symbolizing India's hegemony and infringement of their employment, trade and commerce etc. political sovereignty. On the other hand, Indian Nepalis remain resentful of the treaty as it entitles Indian Nepalis to all the rights REFERENCES 1. Bomjan, D.S. (2008). Darjeeling-Dooars People and Place under Bengal's Neo- like Indian citizen and not as Indian citizen (Chettri, 2013:16). The Colonial Rule. Darjeeling: Bikash Jana Sahitya Kendra. most disturbing part of Indian Nepalis is the fear and insecurity of 2. Chakravarti, Dyutis. (1988). “Gorkhaland: Evolution of Politics of their own nationality, even though being the bonafide citizen of Segregation.”Special Lecture No. X. Centre for Himalayan Studies. University of North Bengal. Darjeeling. Indian like other communities where they also have their relatives 3. Chettri, Mona. (2013). Chossing the Gorkha: At the Crossroads of Class and across national boundaries of India (Subba, 2003:43). Ethnicity in the Darjeeling Hills. London: University of London. 4. Dasgupta, Atis. (1999).“Ethnic Problem and Movement for Autonomy in Darjeeling.”Social Scientist 27, no. 11/12.Darjeeling. Another Ethno Political Dynamic in Darjeeling Hill 5. Lama, Basant B. (2004) The Story of Darjeeling. Kurseong: Nilima Yonzone Lama As per the triangular discussion held between Sri Subhas Ghising, Publications, 2008. Moktan, R. Sikkim: Darjeeling Compendium of Documents. President GNLF, the Chief Secretary on behalf of Kalimpong: Gopal Press. 6. Rais, Rasul Baksh. (2002). “Politics of Ethnicity and Domestics Process in Pakistan'' Government and the Union Home Secretary on behalf of the in Gumam Singh (ed), Ethno-Nationalism and the Emerging world (Dis) order, New Central Government at New Delhi on 22nd August 1988, that Delhi: Kanishka Publisher. resulted in the working agreement of the DGHC (Darjeeling 7. Sarkar, Swatahsiddha. (2013). Gorkhaland Movement; Ethnic Conflict and State Response. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. Gorkha Hill Council) administration(Tamlong, 2006:93). The 8. Subba, T.B. (1992) Ethnicity, State and Development: A case study of the Council elections held on 13th December 1988 and the Office was Gorkhaland Movement in Darjeeling. Delhi: Har-Anand Publications. opened on 17th January 1989. The DGHC replaced the existing 9. Subba, T.B. (2003). Being a Nepali in North East India; Predicaments of a Privileged Nation. New Delhi: Indus Publishing Company. Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samitis and Municipal came the 10. Tamlong, D.T. (2006). Darjeeling and North Bengal From An Administrator's super-visionary powers over the Darjeeling hill sub-divisions. Perspective. Darjeeling : Mani Printing House Darjeeling. DGHC came as into existence as a model Autonomous 11. (1986) Why Gorkhaland? A case for the Formation of a Separate State. Kalimpong: Ajambari Press. Administrative unit and almost all the departments except the www.worldwidejournals.com 53