Do We Really Want Gorkhaland?

Mairead Maguire once said, “We frail humans are at one time capable of the greatest good and, at the same time, capable of the greatest evil…” I feel ashamed to say that my community is slowly transforming into the “greatest evil”, devoid of any feelings, humanity, compassion and forgiveness.

I feel ashamed today that my people have become emotionless, machine like. There is no sympathy to be seen anywhere, people are becoming brutal by the day and it makes me wonder do we really want Gorkhaland at the cost losing our soul to the devil? Do we really want Gorkhaland at the cost our people being devoid of any emotion or human values? Do we really want Gorkhaland if our people loose what makes us stand out amongst the billions – our compassion? Do we really want Gorkhaland at the cost of becoming heartless zombies?

A name that is not tolerated today in the hills at all is that of Mr. Subash Ghishing, and he deserves to be hated. But what is the fault of Mrs. Dhan Maya (Dhan Kumari) Ghishing? Why was her dead body not allowed to enter the hills? Who are those heartless people who could not even accord her the privilege of a decent cremation/burial in her own motherland? The same motherland for which every Gorkhali is currently fighting for and has been fighting for the past 107 years. Why is GJMM being so paranoid, what threat does a dead body pose to Gorkhaland?

What is the use of having our own land, if our own people have to take permission from a political party just to provide a decent funeral to the departed? People world over desire to breathe their last in their own land; Mrs. Ghishing could not afford the luxury of this simple privilege, yet she has the right to 6 feet of her own land. This is an inalienable right and it would be very unfortunate if GJMM leaders do not show compassion at this moment. History is watching and it is watching our actions closely, please do not allow your egos and emotions to overtake your humanity. Even countries that are at war allow the enemy to collect the body of their fallen soldiers or provide a decent burial, not because it stops war, but because it is the right thing to do, it is the honorable thing to do.  By preventing Mrs. Ghishings body to be cremated/buried in Darjeeling GJMM is slurring the honor of Gokhali’s world over.

I don’t know about others, but I have this feeling that the cost of Gorkhaland should never exceed basic decency and human values. GJMM should not forget that we are fighting for a land to call our own and what use will be such a land if our own people are banished and driven out and not allowed to come back to that very same land even after they are dead? If the people of Darjeeling can unite against Mr. Ghishing today, they can unite against GJMM tomorrow. I wonder if the same treatment is meted out against the present day GJMM leaders tomorrow, how will they react? As the popular saying goes “Daiba ko Latthi Sabai Maathi”.

Let us not forget that Gorkhaland is a very pious and religious goal for all Gorkhalis, please do not make a mockery of our emotions. We want Gorkhaland but we do not want a dead body being stopped from entering Gorkhaland. We do not want political parties making a mockery of the departed should. We do not want our people to become heartless, feelingless and emotionless. We have lived through such an era for past 20 years, what is the use of demanding Gorkhaland if we have to live through the same suffering all over again for another 20 more years?

I hope, GJM leaders have not lost their honor and decency and I appeal to them to show compassion if not towards Mr. Ghishing then at least towards Late Mrs. Dhanmaya.

Finally, I leave you with immortal lines from the poem “Utsarg Gara”…. “Dekhos Na Dekhos Yo Bartamaan… Bhawi Pidi Ley Dekhney Chha… Kasailey Chadma Bhesh Ma Timro Itihaas Lekhdai Chha…”.


Hope! I made some sense.