Gorkha’s to support candidate who will raise Gorkhaland demand in Himachal Assembly

TOI

Yudhvir Rana

BAKLOH : Demand for Gorkhaland is palpable in the politically charged atmosphere of Bakloh, a small hamlet in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh (HP) whose Gorkha community , fighting their identity battle, have decided to vote for the candidate who will raise Gorkhaland demand in Himachal Pradesh assembly.

Vice president Gorkha Sabha, Krishan Singh Thapa told TOI on Saturday that Gorkhaland symbolizes their identity and the election time was an apt opportunity for the Gorkha's to raise their issue before the candidates contesting assembly elections. "Ours is nearly 170 years old demand and it needs to be fulfilled to restore pride among Gorkha community" he said.

In recent past the Gorkha community of HP especially those living in Bakloh, former home town of 4 Gorkha Rifles, had thrown their weight behind the Gorkhaland movement in West Bengal Hills of Darjeeling and had supported the demand of separate state for Gorkha's.

Thapa informed that Gorkha's here had decided to support the 'Parliament Gherao' on November 24th. "After election results, it will be another attempt to raise our voice at national level" he said.

An active member of Shakti Mahila Mandal, Meera Rana justified the Gorkhaland demand and raising the same during assembly elections. "We held a meeting in recent past and decided to take up the issue with every candidate visiting them seeking our votes" said she adding that at least they could expect from them to raise the issue in assembly to make it a legitimate voice.

Echoing with Meera, president of Gorkha Kalyan Samiti, Sagar Kumar Gurung said "We feel humiliated when people still call us Nepali's, so Gorkhaland is nothing but a movement of Indian Gorkha's identity". Gurung was of view that their representative should at least be able to stand behind them. He informed that Gorkha's in HP were given various facilities under OBC category yet, he said identity issue had still not been resolved. He said that in past several new states had come into existence on the demand of their natives.

Founder member of Gorkha Social Welfare Committee Jatinder Singh Rana said they were in a significant number in HP and couldn't be ignored by the political parties. "All we expect from our elected representative is to raise Gorkhaland demand" he said.

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