Do More With Reuters
Partner Services

Gorkhas recruit hundreds in Darjeeling hills

Mon Jun 23, 2008 2:23pm IST
 
Email | Print | | Single Page
[-] Text [+]

By Sujoy Dhar

KOLKATA, India (Reuters) - Hundreds of people queued up in the Darjeeling hills on Monday as the Gorkha community, pressing its demand for autonomy, began a massive recruitment drive.

Gorkhas, who are ethnic Nepalis, called an indefinite strike in the region on June 10 and are demanding a separate state of "Gorkhaland" be carved out of West Bengal to protect their culture and heritage.

The strike has badly hit the tourism and the tea industry, two mainstays of the local economy. A tea industry official has warned exports of premium Darjeeling tea could fall 20-25 percent this year.

On Sunday the Gorkhas relaxed the strike for two days to allow people to stock up rations and join the enlisting drive.

Hundreds have so far braved a steady drizzle and cold weather to throng a stadium and get their names registered.

"I have come to join the force because we want Gorkhaland," Gitika Gurung, a 23-year-old woman said.

"I am not here for money, but for a separate state which we will realise at any cost," said Gurung, who queued up with others.

At least 1,200 people died in the first Gorkhaland campaign in the 1980s, but protests ended a few years later after Gorkha leaders accepted limited autonomy.  Continued...

Russian Finance Minister Alexey Kudrin poses with his G20 colleagues and central bank leaders during the family photo at the G20 Finance Ministers meeting at a hotel in St. Andrews, Scotland. REUTERS/POOL New
Pledge to support economies

G20 financial leaders pledged to prepare strategies to end emergency support for their economies, but to keep the aid flowing until recovery was assured.  Full Article | Related Story 

Photo
Photo
Miss England gives up crown over brawl reports Friday, 6 Nov 2009 

LONDON (Reuters) - Beauty pageant winner Miss England gave up her title on Friday after reports she had been involved in a nightclub brawl with another beauty queen.  Full Article