Gorkhaland Demand Reignites as Talks with Centre Yield No ConsensusDarjeeling

April 14, 2025 — The long-simmering demand for a separate Gorkhaland state has once again taken center stage, with recent developments underscoring the complexity of the issue. A high-level meeting convened by the Union Home Ministry in early April with Gorkha leaders from West Bengal’s Darjeeling hills ended in frustration, as no representatives from the state government attended, leaving stakeholders without a clear path forward.

The Gorkhaland movement, rooted in decades of calls for a distinct state for the Gorkha community, seeks to address grievances over cultural identity, economic marginalization, and political autonomy. Proposals discussed in the meeting ranged from full statehood to Union Territory status or constitutional protections for the region’s land and people. However, Gorkha leaders, including Darjeeling’s BJP MP Raju Bista, rejected half-measures like a Union Territory without a legislature, pointing to Ladakh’s post-2019 challenges as a cautionary tale. “The Gorkha community will only accept a solution that fulfills our legitimate aspiration for statehood,” Bista said, echoing sentiments shared by many in the hills.

The absence of West Bengal’s Trinamool Congress-led government, which staunchly opposes any division of the state, was a major sticking point. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly dismissed the Gorkhaland demand, prioritizing development initiatives in the hills over territorial concessions. Her administration argues that the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), established in 2012, sufficiently addresses local governance needs. Critics, however, call the GTA a “toothless” body, incapable of delivering true autonomy.

Adding to the momentum, the newly formed Indian Gorkha Janashakti Front (IGJF) has intensified calls for statehood since its launch in December 2024. The party accuses established hill factions like the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) of diluting the movement for political gain. “The Gorkhaland issue has been sidelined for too long,” said IGJF spokesperson Anupam Gurung. “We will not compromise on our demand for a separate state.

Tensions in the region are steeped in history. The violent 2017 protests, which left 11 dead during a 104-day shutdown, remain a stark reminder of the issue’s volatility. Cultural grievances, particularly over attempts to impose Bengali in hill schools, have deepened the divide between the Gorkha-dominated hills and the state’s plains. The demand for Scheduled Tribe status for 11 Gorkha communities, raised again in the April meeting, further underscores the community’s push for recognition and rights.

In March 2025, Darjeeling MLA Neeraj Zimba appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resume tripartite talks, warning of growing disillusionment among Gorkhas and citing geopolitical risks near India’s sensitive borders with Nepal and China. “The Centre must act decisively to restore trust,” Zimba wrote in an open letter. Yet, with West Bengal’s opposition unwavering and no new talks scheduled, the path to resolution remains uncertain.Local residents express mixed sentiments. “We want peace, but we also want our identity respected,” said Priya Thapa, a tea garden worker in Darjeeling. Others fear renewed unrest if demands go unmet. For now, the Gorkhaland issue continues to simmer, a potent mix of aspiration and frustration in the shadow of the Himalayas.