Demand for a Gorkha State

About Demand for a Gorkha State

• Demand: The Gorkhas have long demanded political self-rule, protection of their ethnic-linguistic identity, and a separate administrative unit or Gorkhaland.
  • Gorkhaland refers to the proposed separate administrative unit comprising Darjeeling and its adjoining areas, including Kalimpong, Kurseong, the Terai and the Dooars.
• Basis of Demand
  • Distinct regional identity: Gorkhaland has a predominantly Nepali-speaking population with distinct cultural, ethnic and linguistic characteristics.
  • Identity crisis: Residents often face racial profiling and are wrongly labelled as citizens of Nepal or China.
  • Assertion of Indian identity: This persistent alienation has strengthened the demand to affirm the Gorkhas’ identity as Indian citizens.
• Historical Roots
  • 1907: The Darjeeling Hillmen’s Association petitioned the Minto-Morley Reforms Committee to separate Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri from Bengal.
  • 1929 onwards: Gorkha groups presented their case to the Simon Commission and British officials for a different governance system.
  • 1947: The undivided Communist Party of India submitted a memorandum demanding “Gorkhasthan” to Jawaharlal Nehru and Liaquat Ali Khan.
  • 1980s: Subhas Ghising and the Gorkha National Liberation Front gave the movement a violent and high-profile form and popularised the term “Gorkhaland”.
• 2017 Unrest: The agitation began after Bengali was announced as a mandatory language in state-run schools and lasted 104 days.
• Institutional Attempts: Over the years, different institutional arrangements were created to provide self-governance in the region.
  • DGHC, 1988: The Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) was created as a semi-autonomous body following unrest.
  • GTA, 2011: The Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) replaced the DGHC but did not end the statehood demand.
  • Interlocutor, 2025: The Centre appointed Pankaj Kumar Singh to initiate structured tripartite negotiations.
• High-level Committee (August 2026):
  • The Union Ministry of Home Affairs constituted a high-level committee to prepare a framework for a permanent political solution to the Gorkha issue.
  • Purpose: It seeks a lasting constitutional and administrative arrangement to address the Gorkhas’ demand for political self-rule and protection of their identity.
    • The committee will also examine financial assistance for the region and a roadmap for granting Scheduled Tribe status to 11 Gorkha communities.