Gorkhas shake Delhi demanding Gorkhaland

New Delhi, December 17, 2013

Gorkha Janmuti Morcha (GJMM) organised a strong protest here in Jantar Mantar on December 14-6, 2013. Thousands of Gorkhas voiced their demand of creating Gorkhaland. Supporters of Gorkhaland from Darjeeling hills, Delhi NCR, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Dehradun, Chandigarh and from north eastern states turned up in the protest.

GJMM leaders Mr Roshan Giri, Mrs Asha Gurung, Mr Dawa Lama and Mr Swaraj were present during the event. Gorkhaland supporters enchanted “We Want Gorkhaland, We Want Gorkhland”, “We Want Justice… We Want Justice”.

According to GJMM, the idea was to lead the protest up to Parliament complex so that the message and voice of Gorkhas reaches the legislators of Parliament but protesters were stopped midway by Delhi police personnel owing to security concerns and protocol in the capital city. However, a rally from Rajghat to Jantar Mnantar was scheduled the following day and protesters marched up to the premises of Parliament chanting slogans for Gorkhaland.

The GJMM leaders submitted memorandum to Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, President and Mrs Sonia Gandhi.

According to GJMM leaders, Gorkha is a competent, deserving but deprived minority community fighting in a peaceful manner for their justified demand.

“We have also elaborated on the fact that having only three Assembly seats in the state Assembly and one Member of Parliament in Loksabha is no criteria for keeping our statehood demand in cold storage. Nowhere in the Constitution of India or any other law of land has it been mentioned that a minority community having limited seats in the state Assembly as well as Loksabha cannot be granted statehood. The proposition of creation of small states have been tried and tested in Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Chattisgarh and other smaller states and the writing is on the wall.  It makes administration easier and effective, improvement in the economic growth of the region; therefore Gorkhaland is not only a political demand but also an economically and administratively justified demand,” GJMM stated.

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“GJMM is ready and the stage is set, we are hopeful that in the ongoing Parliament session our voice reaches the ears of the Legislators.  The rational is very simple; demand of separate state of Gorkhaland is an age-old demand. If Bill for creation of Telangana is likely to be discussed, despite severe oppositions and disruptions in the Parliament, then why not Gorkhaland?” asked Mr Ranjan Sharma, General Secretary, Delhi GJM Unit.

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During the three-day long protests around 10,000 supporters of Gorkhaland arrived from Darjeeling hills and 15,000 from Delhi, Haryana and adjoining areas.

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The Gorkhaland Demand is said to be one of the oldest state demands in India, however the central government has not fulfill the dreams of Gorkhas, who were demanding Gorkhaland within India.