Former Rajya Sabha MP Shanta Chhetri urges Suvendu to address long-pending Gorkhaland aspirations

Former Rajya Sabha MP and three-time Kurseong MLA Shanta Chhetri has appealed to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to take meaningful steps towards addressing the long-standing aspirations of the Gorkha community from north Bengal, particularly the demand for Gorkhaland and other hill-related issues.

In an open letter to the Chief Minister, Chhetri said the demand for Gorkhaland remains a deeply rooted aspiration of the people of the Darjeeling Hills, reflecting their quest for recognition, dignity, identity and political empowerment within the framework of the Indian Constitution.

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Recalling her political journey under the leadership of late Subhash Ghising, the founder of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), Chhetri said an entire generation of Indian Gorkhas found a voice through the democratic movement he spearheaded.

She noted that while various accords, committees and institutions have emerged over the decades, the core aspirations of the Gorkha people remain unresolved.

Chhetri highlighted several issues she had consistently raised during her tenure as a legislator, including constitutional safeguards for Indian Gorkhas, land rights, welfare of tea garden workers, drinking water shortages, road connectivity, healthcare, education, employment opportunities for youth, and the preservation of Nepali language and Gorkha culture.

“The people of the hills are watching your tenure with hope. This is a moment to demonstrate that democratic aspirations, however old, should never be ignored,” she stated.

The former MP emphasised that the question of Gorkhaland is not merely territorial but is closely linked to identity, belonging and the fulfillment of a long-cherished aspiration. She urged the Chief Minister to engage sincerely with the emotional, historical and constitutional dimensions of the issue.

Calling for peace, progress and prosperity in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, the Terai and the Dooars, Chhetri expressed hope that the government would respond to the aspirations of the hill people with “wisdom, compassion and courage.”