Himalayan Times (1954)

May 9, 1954

Five

Ll'TrTEUS TO 1'IIK KDITOK

Tht ViUtor it not reipontiMe fur viewt eiprei'itd in thit column Ed. II, Timet

DEMAND FOR GORKHASTHAN

Sir; my attention has been drawn to
a news column which appeared in the
Hindusthan Standard of the 4th May '54
under a monstrously mischievous bead-
ing of "DEMAND FOR CREATION OF
GORKHA >TII AN '. I, being the Secre-
tary of the Darjeeling District Commit-
tee of the All India Gorkha League,
d«em it to be my b'ounden duty to let
the people at large know why and where
we stand.

Sooii -afier the ■' Kalimpong . Session of
the All India Gorkha League, held in
I) 'comber 19"3 a m-ws of like nature
wis allowed t) occupy a very prominent
place in that pvp^r. We did uot attach
much important1-' to it then in the be-
lief that the piper, in future, would
endeavour to assuage tho pain of the
people of this region—caused by such
irresponsible and faUe news—by under-
standing and appreciating the true mean-
ing of their struggle for existence.

Tho subtle mention of the Communist
Party together with name of my orga-
nisation is an ample clue to the designs
of tho Staff Reporter. So far the Gorkha
League is concerned, the'news ia.wronc
in taying that the public opinion is being;
mobilised. One need not worry about it
for, it has already boen done. The people
are already waiting for the bugle-call—
not for the creation of any 'Sthan'.but
for the onward march in the struggle
for survival as equal human beings.

This struggle for survival dates back
as long ago as before the Morley-Minto
Reforms. I would, for the interest of
all and sincere understanding amongst
the people al largo, summarise hereunder
tile demands' made fiom time time by

• :' .v. .. ••• •"•'•;'* ■'. vS

the Lepchag, Bhutias and the Giiruhas
of this district during the'last 50 years.-

1. The leaders of; the Hill people sub-
mjtted to the British Govt, in l!)i)7
demanding a separate administrative set-
up for the District of Darjeeling.

2. In 1917, a. deputation- of llillnifn
of the Darjeeling district waited o ••.Mr,,'
Montague, the then Secretary of Sl'atfl
for India, and Lord Chelmsford, t'he.,ili£n •
Viceroy, and pressed, tho demand .that',
"in laying down plana for the -future!,
the Govt should aim. at the creation of
a separate 'Unit comprising the.present;
Darjeeling D'strict with the portion . of
Ja'.p&iguri District .whiph was annexed-
from Bhutan, in 185.?;" The possibilty -
of. thg". creation of .a still wider- North
ICvstorn Frontier Province'-to..include, in
addition to 'his, the Assam, Daoars and

territories which lie to th" east
of Bh itan ' w"ioso . people 'have • affinity
with tho Mil! people of Darjeeling' was
smugly emphasised .by the. deputation
as not. b"ing 'bevond the scope of prac-
ticle'polities and urged for its'explora'ions.

• 3 This demand . was. l iter r»ilerated
when th-' slmoh Commission visited India
in 1929; . . - ' • " .

4. Bjfore the Govt of India Act of
1935 was ipassed..'on' (> Aucnist 1934. the
iI iIImen's Association, of Darjeeling, sub-
mitted under the signature of late 'Sariiar
Bahadur S \V. Laden La. its President,
a Memorial to Sir Simue! Hoare, -tho
then S'cretary of Statd for India demand-
ing 'that the District.of Darjeeling should
be 'totally excluded from Bengal and an
independent administrative unit, created
with an administrator at the head • of'
the area, assisted by the Executive Coun-
cil " Memorial making a demand of the
same nature were submitted at that time
and later, on too. by. Rai Sahib Hari
Prasad Pradhan on'behalf of the people
.of-the District -of Darjeeling.
.-■ . {Continued, on page 9)