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West Bengal, Gurkha tea growers get autonomy
by Kalpit Parajuli
The new Christian-majority autonomous region will have a parliament of 50 members and will manage the agricultural and industrial policies related to tea. Communists and Hindus protest.
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - The ethnic Gurkhas tea planters of Darjeeling (West Bengal) are celebrating their independence, obtained a few days ago after decades of struggle. The new majority autonomous region of Nepal, the Gurkhaland Territorial Adiministration (GTA), will be entitled to a parliament composed of 50 members. Among its powers, the ability to define and administer the industrial policies of the region, world famous for the production of tea, which amounts to approximately 10 thousand tons per year.
Predominantly Christian, the Gurkhas have been fighting for independence for the region since 1980. The granting of the new government of West Bengal, elected last May, has sparked controversy among the communist opposition, which fears the creation of a new independent state. The Communist Party Revolutionary Marxist has administered the state for 34 years and together with the Hindu party Akhil Bharatiya Gurkhas, has always opposed the demands for autonomy of the Gurkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) formed mostly by Christians.
According to tradition the Gurkhas are the first ethnic Nepalese to be evangelized by missionaries. To date, approximately 50% of Christians in Nepal come from or originated in the Darjeeling region.