Understanding the Gorkhaland Movement: A response to the state government of West Bengal

Abstract:

            The complexity of different cultures and ethnic groups has posed a challenge to Indian democracy. This has resulted in the emergence of separate administrations, calls for statehood, secessionist movements, and terrorism. One such movement is the Gorkha Movement, which originated in 1907 when the Hillman’s Association of Darjeeling submitted a memorandum to the Morley-Minto Reform Committee of the British Government, demanding a separate administrative district from Bengal. In 1980, the Gorkha National Liberation Front, led by Subhash Ghising, demanded separate statehood for Gorkhaland, which received widespread support. The areas currently demanded by the movement include Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Dooars region of Siliguri as well as other hilly areas of North Bengal. The main objective of the movement was to protect the culture, language, land, education, socio-economic status, and political identity of the Gorkha ethnic group within the Indian Union. In response to the movement's concerns, both the Government of Bengal and the Central Government took action and formed the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council in 1988, offering the status of an autonomous administration under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Finally, in 2011, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration was established under the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha to uphold democratic principles and values. This article deals with the different phases of the movements, key issues, and responses of the state government.