Clarion call for unity on birth anniv of Gorkha icon Subash Ghising
Darjeeling: On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Gorkha icon Subash Ghising, hill political parties unanimously agreed that the need of the hour is Gorkha unity for the political safeguard of the community. The day was marked with the conferring of the first “Late Subash Ghisingh Memorial Highest Civilian Honour”, by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) to veteran politician and social worker Renulina Subba.
“All hill political parties have to come together for once and decide on our demands regarding land documents (Patta). The biggest political security will be land in the name of Hill people. At present, 80 per cent of land is not in our name. Once we get ownership of our land, we are politically secure. Our land should belong to us. For once let us all come together. Let us not politicise the Patta issue,” stated Anit Thapa, Chief Executive, GTA, speaking on the occasion of the award ceremony at the Gorkha Ranga Mancha Bhawan, in Darjeeling, on Sunday.
Incidentally, the Bengal government has been handing out Pattas for 5 decimal of land for landless tea garden workers and forest village dwellers. However, this met with heavy resistance for many hill parties.
Thapa, dubbing Ghising as an iconic leader, raised the question as what new achievements have hill leaders managed after Subash Ghising. “We are just reaping the benefits of what he has left behind. Even the GTA is an upgradation of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council that he had achieved. The chair that I sit on is also his contribution. Because of Subash Ghising’s thought process we are here today. We have to all unite for the Gorkha cause and to strengthen our political parties,” added Thapa.
Thapa also announced that henceforth the auditorium of the Gorkha Rangamancha Bhawan would be known as ‘Subash Ghising Auditorium.’ Late Subash Ghisingh Memorial Highest Civilian Honour, comprising a citation and a cash award was conferred upon Renulina Subba. Later talking to media persons, the 87-year-old veteran politician of the Hills Subba stated: “We have been divided by Delhi and Bengal. Unless we unite nothing can be achieved.
The Gorkhas have to keep their egos at bay, think and act positive and unite, then only can we reach our goal.”
Renulina Subba, the first Gorkha woman MLA from Kalimpong, was elected twice — first in 1977 as a candidate of the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League, and again in 1982 as an independent. She had made headlines in 1981 for waving a toy gun in the Bengal Assembly. She played a pivotal role in the region’s development — establishing schools, colleges and health centres — and was a leading voice in the Nepali language movement, women’s empowerment and the Cinchona plantation workers’ struggle. Her relentless work won her the title “Iron Lady of Cinchona.”
