Development versus Gorkha identity

The recent signing of the peace agreement for the formation of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration GTA has evoked strong and moderate reactions from the various quarters. The issue of Gorkha and Bengali identity has once again surfaced which needs to be dealt in a constructive and democratic  manner.  The liberal approach of the new government of West Bengal has not gone well  with some of the regional outfits of North Bengal who are also feeling much insecure about their Bengali identity whereas in the hills too several  political parties of regional nature have questioned the approach of GJM whom they believe to have sold out the issue of the Gorkha identity. What I have felt in most of the identity questions is the socio-economic  factors are responsible for the identity questions. Actually the question of identity of any particular region or community is proportionately related to the economic and political empowerment which is the basic factor. If the people of hills are given development facilities and employment opportunities that in itself is going to solve the identity problem. Political identity bereft of economic and social upliftment is meaningless in the same  way that the right to vote is meaningless if somebody is not provided with bare sustenance of life. The central legislation by which the Darjeeling Gorkha Hills Council was established in 1988 has clearly spelt identity of the Indian Gorkhas as distinct from the Nepali Gorkhas. This distinction is sufficient to establish the Gorkha identity. Merely establishment of a separate state is not a guarantee for the socio-economic growth as  seen from our experience of Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh. If the Gorkhas are provided with full development potential and political autonomy to run the administration of the hills which is the motto of the recent agreement for GTA then there will not be any grouse for further separation. In the same manner, the cry of the Bengali sentiment against the autonomy for the hills is nothing but a regional chauvinistic approach  which looks more to the past sentiments  than to the future of the state. Being the citizens of India and permanent residents of Bengal the Gorkhas and the hill people have full right to get their due share of development. The Chief Minister Mamta Bannerjee has rightly pointed out on 18the July  2011 at Pintail village that the lives of hills and the plain are intertwined and the separation is of any type is not a progressive attitude. I think both the communities should see the problem in the broader perspective and look forward to prosperity and all round happiness.