The ongoing agitation in Darjeeling for the creation of a separate state called Gorkhaland and, what is more important, its open support by chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling of the adjoining state of Sikkim need to be seen in a different perspective than the ones associated with similar demands, both in the past and at present, for statehood in other parts of the country. In Darjeeling Hills, the core issue behind the demand to break away from West Bengal is identity, not development.
Of course, most of the new states that have been carved out of the bigger states in recent years have not conclusively settled the debate as to what the ideal criteria on the basis of which a state should be formed are. Presently, India has 29 states and seven union territories. Independent India in 1947 had 16 states and some 10 union territories. The number of states has increased over time due to the splitting of some big states and the conversion of some union territories into states. The last time cartographers were sent scurrying to redraw India's boundaries was in 2014, when Telengana was created out of Andhra Pradesh.
It may be noted that states such as undivided Andhra Pradesh, part of the original Madras state; Haryana, part of the original Punjab state; and Maharashtra and Gujarat, originally of the undivided Bombay province, were the creations of protests and hunger strikes by important national leaders. But many of the new states were formed on the basis of recommendations by the States Reorganisation Commission set up in 1955. Formed in the wake of agitation for the creation of a Telugu language-speaking Andhra Pradesh by breaking up Madras province — where Tamil was the other major language — the commission devised in 1956 the highly dubious criterion of linguistic commonality as the basis for new states.
It may be mentioned here that the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was not exactly happy with the recommendations of the Commission, which essentially favoured the creation of new states on the basis of the language spoken by its people. Importantly, BR Ambedkar, who played a vital role in drafting the Indian Constitution, also was not in tune with the commission’s recommendations. Ambedkar pointed out, “The commission evidently thinks that the size of a state is a matter of no consequence and that the equality in the size of the status constituting a federation is a matter of no moment. This is the first and the most terrible error cost which the commission has committed. If not rectified in time, it will indeed be a great deal.”
History of partition of Bengal
Bengal has a rather unusual history of partition. The first partition of Bengal happened in 1905 when the British rulers, afraid of growing pace of freedom struggle, divided the huge province along religious line. Though, officially, Bengal was divided for administrative ease. The Muslim majority region of East Bengal was placed under a separate administration. The remaining part got its name as West Bengal.
In 1911, West Bengal was divided along linguistic lines. Bihar - which was divided to create Jharkhand decades later - and Odisha were carved out of Bengal as they were regions dominated by Hindi and Oriya respectively.
Agitation for a separate Gorkhaland has a 110-year-old history. It can be traced back to 1907. But, before a timeline of the agitation for Gorkhaland, it is pertinent to have a look as the recent history and geography of Gorkhaland. Where is Gorkhaland placed?
The proposed Gorkhaland comprises the hills of Darjeeling, areas of Dooars and Siliguri terai regions in West Bengal. Present autonomous GTA covers three hill subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Mirik, and some areas of Siliguri subdivision and the whole of Kalimpong district. The claim for a separate Gorkhaland lies in the history and perceived distinct identity of Nepali speaking people living in the area. Before the British stamped their authority over the region, the Gorkhas were the ruling power in the region.
After the capture of Sikkim by the Gorkhas in 1780, their empire extended from Teesta in the east to Sutlej in the west along the Himalayas. Their empire included Sikkim, Darjeeling, Siliguri, Shimla, Nainital, Garhwal, Kumaon and Sutlej. But, in early 19th century, the British engaged the Gorkhas in war and forced them surrender a big chunk of their empire including Darjeeling, which was initially handed over to the kingdom of Sikkim only to be taken back in 1835.
Darjeeling survived the partition of Bengal first in 1905 and also in 1911-12. But, by then the movement for a separate Gorkhaland with Darjeeling as its centre had begun.
Timeline of Gorkhaland movement
The first demand for a separate Gorkhaland was submitted to the British rulers in 1907, when the Morley-Minto panel was touring various parts of the country to introduce some political reform under the supremacy of the UK parliament.
The first such demand was submitted after Independence to the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1952. Pt Nehru did not pay much heed to the demand.
Three years later a delegation of the District Shamik Sangh submitted a memorandum to the State Reorganisation Committee (SRC) formed by the Nehru government. A separate Gorkhaland was proposed comprising the areas of Darjeeling, Siliguri and Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. While, some other states were carved out on the basis of language and culture, the SRC did not consider demand for Gorkhaland strong enough.
During 1980s: Over 1,200 killed
In 1981, a similar demand was made to the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Pending a decision by the Centre, Subhas Ghising of Gorkha National Liberation Front launched a massive agitation for separate state of Gorkhaland.
The Gorkhaland agitation passed through a very violent phase during Rajiv Gandhi government at the Centre. It is estimated that around 1,200 people were killed between 1986 and 1988, when the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) was formed.
The movement continued through 1990s. In the first decade of the present century, dialogue entered meaningful stage as the authority of Subhash Ghising weakened and a new leader in GJM chief Bimal Gurung emerged.
The Gorkhaland movement is essentially a case for identity. The cause is legitimate and it cannot be subject to a veto by Kolkata. If the central government, then led by the Congress, could create Telengana without the consent of the Assembly and the government of then undivided Andhra Pradesh, there is no reason why a BJP-led central government can create a separate state of Gorkhaland without the approval of the West Bengal government and Assembly. The Indian constitution fully empowers the central government to undertake such a step. Unlike the United States of America, which is “an indestructible union of indestructible states”, India is only an “indestructible union”.
Source: FIRSTPOST, Indiatoday