Gorkhas welcome Assam cabinet's decision notifying them as 'indigenous community'

GUWAHATI: Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) has welcomed the Assam cabinet's decision to notify Nepali Graziers and Cultivators' of Assam Land and Revenue Regulation Act 1886 as 'Indigenous Gorkha Community' in respect to Tribal Belt and Block of BTR.

Besides several Gorkha Civil Society Organisation (CSO)s the Assam State unit of national social organisation of Indian Gorkhas the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) has welcomed the cabinet decision and thanked Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma.

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'Change of Nepali nomenclature in Assam to Gorkha with respect to indigenous Gorkhas was a long pending demand spearheaded by All Assam Gorkha Students Union (AAGSU) and Gorkha Autonomous Council Demand Committee (GACDC) since 2003 with the demand of creation of satelite Gorkha Autonomous Council. The BGP welcomes cabinet decision to notify Nepali Graziers and Cultivators' of Assam Land and Revenue Regulation Act 1886 as 'Indigenous Gorkha Community' in respect to Tribal Belt and Block of BTR", said Assam State BGP Secretary & Spokesperson Nanda Kirati Dewan.

Press statement of Dr. Ranoj Pegu, Minister Education and WPT (excluding BTC) says it would be notified for Sadiya also along with other indigenous communities namely Moran , Mottock, Tai Ahom and Chutias.

"On behalf of the Gorkhas of the state and the nation Parisangh thanked Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and Government of Assam for this historic decision. We place it on record that this notification should be extended to other existing tribal belt and blocks being reviewed by the government and also to those which the government is proposing to create like one in Majuli other one in Dhakuwakhana.', Dewan who is also the President of BGP's youth wing Bharatiya Gorkha Yuva Parisangh (BhaGoYuP) added.

The Gorkha leader further added that,'It is historic for Gorkhas battling identity crisis being labelled as foreigner for using Nepali as community nomenclature since ages though vide Gazzeted Notification on 23rd Aug 1988 Government of India had cleared this misconceptions. However it exists in several parts of the country. Henceforth through notification in Assam all Nepali nomenclature with respect to indigenous Gorkhas shall be known as Gorkhas. Creation of Gorkha Development Council (GDC) in 2003 under the Welfare of the Plain Tribes (WPT) Department, Government of Assam was the first baby step to recognize Nepali/Gorkha Bhasa speaking community as indigenous Gorkhas in Assam.

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