New Delhi: Gorkhaland Task Force, an
alliance of political parties and social organisations, on Monday
held a demonstration here to press for their demand of a
separate Gorkhaland.
"We are demanding creation of a separate Gorkhaland state
under the Union of India since a long time. We have organised
a two-day dharna to assert our demand," Enos Das Pradhan,
Chairman of Gorkhaland Task Force, said.
The activists demanded the creation of a separate state
for Gorkha community as they feel that this will meet their
aspiration for political identity.
"Our national identity is confused. We resemble the
Gorkhas of Nepal and that`s why many people in India think we
are foreigners. The creation of Gorkhaland will establish our
national identity in India," Pradhan said.
He alleged that consecutive governments in the Centre and
and state (West Bengal) have not done much to fulfill the
demands of the community.
"The government created Gorkhaland Territorial
Administration (GTA) and said they have solved our problem.
GTA does not have any legislative powers. It does not meet our
aspirations," Pradhan said.
"In 1988 they created Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, we
only suffered under it," he alleged. "Only the creation of
Gorkhaland will solve our problem."
The Gorkhaland Task Force has units in 22 states of India
and comprises political parties like the Bharatiya Gorkha
Parisangh, the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists, the
All India Gorkha League and Gorkha Rajya Nirman Manch.
PTI
