The Politics of Mapping and Remapping India

As the new state of Telangana takes shape, Darjeeling sees a revival of calls for Gorkhaland

MUMBAI ~ Now that the UPA has announced the formation of Telangana, tremors of the development are being felt not just in Andhra Pradesh and Delhi, but also in one of the easternmost corners of India. Darjeeling, home to Gorkhas and a part of West Bengal, is currently besieged with a 72-hour strike.

The leading political party in the region, Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), is demanding a separate state called Gorkhaland. The strike, which began on 29 July, has brought life in this region to a standstill. All schools, shops and offices are shut. Vehicles have mostly kept off streets. And one unidentified local tried to immolate himself. The strike also momentarily cut off the nearby state of Sikkim. NH31A, the highway that leads to Sikkim, passes through the Darjeeling hills. Although the GJM promised it won’t block the highway, a motorcycle and jeep from Sikkim were torched on the first day of the strike. Most vehicles from Sikkim stayed off the highway after this, although later a few started to ply under police escort.

According to Roshan Giri, general secretary of the GJM, “Our demand for a separate state is from long before India even got independence. It is as justified and meaningful as the demand for Telangana. The Centre and state governments have cared little about us.” The party has sent a letter making its case to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi. The demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland intensified in the 1980s and led to a violent agitation in the region. Over the years, the proponents of Gorkhaland were appeased with the creation of councils with administrative powers.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is adamant she will not allow a new state. After the recent strike was announced, she wrote on her Facebook account, ‘Darjeeling is a part and parcel of our state. We are united and we will remain united.’ Giri claims the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration is a failure and the GJM is not going to be content with anything less than statehood.

About The Author

Lhendup G Bhutia

•