Nepali's are now asking land,after getting huge indulgance,is it not East India co. style?

Question

Nepali's are now asking land,after getting huge indulgance,is it not East India co. style?

Answer 1

If you are referring to the Gorkhas of Darjeeling who are demanding Gorkhaland, then first ask as to who is responsible for giving them 'huge indulgence' in the first place.

When the issue of the separate state of Gorkhaland was first raised by Subaas Ghising in the late 1980s, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal, Jyoti Basu went into appeasement by handing Ghising the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), instead of firmly turning down the unjustified demand.

That compromise worked for a considerable length of time simply because the Left Front government of West Bengal turned a blind eye as Ghising plundered the DGHC coffers. In return, he caused no major trouble to the state government and also ensured the victory of the Left Front candidate from the Darjeeling constituency during elections.

The people of Darjeeling were finally fed up with this game which gave them neither any special economic or other benefit nor statehood. The only beneficiary of the unholy alliance was Ghising, who became richer at the expense of Darjeeling's development. There were a few revolts against him earlier which was put down by the crafty Ghising.

But finally his one time lieutenant Bimal Gurung, blessed with the sympathy of the common man from Darjeeling, upstaged Ghising in his own game. Ghising was unceremoniously thrown out of the DGHC and also Darjeeling. The old demand for Gorkhaland was raised again.

If anybody is the East India Company in this sordid dramma, it is the Left Front government of West Bengal. Ghising's offensive in the form of lengthy bandhs should have been used against him by choking tourists and essential supplies to Darjeeling. If more stringent action was necessary, the services of the armed forces should have been sought for. Instead, the government purchased peace and territory by appeasement of the worst kind. And the move is extracting its price even now.

Gorkhas are welcome to live in Darjeeling in the state of West Bengal. They are free to leave it if they are dissatisfied and go to Nepal. But their demand for Gorkhaland will not be tolerated. And any move to disrupt public life and peace will be severly dealtwith. That should be the right response from the West Bengal government to the Gorkhaland demand.