On Sunday, Gorkhas across the nation observed Balidan Divas to commemorate the death anniversary of Major Durga Malla, a martyr of the Indian National Army, who was executed by the British on 25 August 1944 at Lal Kila.
Major Durga Malla holds the distinction of being the first martyr from the Gorkha community to be executed by the British during India’s freedom struggle. In honour of his 80th death anniversary, the Golaghat District Committee of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP), a national social organisation representing Gorkhas in India, organised the 80th Balidan Divas at Bhanu Ismirti ‘Gorkha’ Bhawan in Barpathar, Golaghat. The event also marked the 6th Triennial Special Session, aimed at reorganising the district committee.
The day commenced with the hoisting of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh flag by BGP District President Dhan Prasad Limboo, followed by a tribute to the martyrs by Secretary Ganesh Giri. Vice President Bhakta Limboo, alongside veteran community leader Biswanath Chetri, planted saplings as part of the commemoration. Tributes were paid to Martyr Major Malla by eight community leaders, including All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union (AAGSU) Golaghat District General Secretary Karna Limboo, and other prominent leaders from the Assam Nepali Sahitya Sabha (ANSS), Assam Gorkha Sammelan (AGS), and Gorkha Autonomous Council Demand Committee (GACDC).
Yuvaraj Gurung, a National Council Member of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, who was unable to attend the session due to illness, addressed the 6th Triennial Special Session through a recorded message. Gurung was honoured with the Golaghat Gorkha Gaurav Award 2024 for over four decades of community service. Other honourees included Ganesh Kumar Dewan, who was recognised for his three decades of social work in areas such as rural financial inclusion and scientific farming. Veteran leader Biswanath Chetri, who has been active in community service for 50 years, also received the Golaghat Gorkha Gaurav Award. At 77 years old, Chetri remains engaged in community activities and shared his insights about Golaghat Gorkha Parisangh, recalling his days with the Akhil Bhartiya Gorkha League as an Executive Member from the Golaghat region in the mid-1960s. Chetri addressed the special session, reflecting on the achievements of the Parisangh in India, with a particular focus on Assam and Golaghat’s contributions. Additionally, Sunita Limboo, a teenage athlete from Padumpathar, Golaghat district, who won a bronze medal at the recently concluded National Games in Goa, was accorded a Special Felicitation, received on her behalf by her father, Amar Limboo.
In his keynote address, Nanda Kirati Dewan, General Secretary of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, Assam, provided a detailed account of the organisation’s efforts regarding the NRC case in the Supreme Court of India. He discussed a white paper on the High-Level Committee Report on Assam Accord Clause VI, highlighting the exclusion of Gorkhas from the definition of “indigenous” communities. This white paper was later submitted to the Government of Assam and the members of the High-Level Committee (HLC). The Parisangh also engaged with the Chairman of the 125th Constitution Amendment Committee, making a representation that was reflected in the report tabled in the Indian Parliament.
Furthermore, the Parisangh reopened the “D Voters” file with the Government of India, following tripartite talks involving the All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union (AAGSU) under the leadership of then-president Prem Tamang. In pursuit of justice for Gorkha “D Voters,” the Parisangh actively followed up with multiple agencies, including the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Registrar General of India (RGI), and officials within the Government of Assam. They held bilateral talks with the Principal Secretary of Home & Political Affairs, Assam, followed by the Chief Secretary and the Chief Election Officer (CEO) of Assam, to create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and an application form for the correction of Gorkha D Voters’ status, following a decision by the Assam Government Cabinet. As a result of these efforts, approximately 22,000 D Voters are being cleared after thorough physical and document verification, thereby avoiding trials at the Foreigners Tribunal (FT). Dewan also highlighted the efforts made by the Parisangh to address the D Voter issue and secure relief for the Gorkhas who had been arbitrarily categorised as D Voters.
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Dewan emphasised that Balidan Divas honours the Gorkhas’ contributions to India’s freedom, with Major Durga Malla’s recognition being symbolic. He noted that a 12-foot statue of Durga Malla, unveiled by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in 2004, stands in Parliament as a tribute to the Gorkhas’ sacrifices, erected by the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh.
During the 6th Triennial Special Session of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP), the Golaghat district committee, the Dhan Prasad Limboo-led district committee, which was elected at the Uriamghat Conference in 2020, was dissolved. A new committee for the 2024-2027 session was elected, with Genindra Chetry, the immediate past Central Executive Member of the All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union from Uriamghat, assuming the role of District President. Ganesh Giri, former Secretary of the Gorkha Autonomous Council Demand Committee (GACDC), Golaghat District Committee, was elected as General Secretary. Rup Narayan Rai from Barpathar, Shiva Shrestha from Abhongpathar, and Jibon Limboo from Duboroni were unanimously elected as Working President, Vice President, and Assistant General Secretary, respectively, while Bhuntu Limboo from Sarupathar was elected as Secretary. The reshuffling of the committee and the oath-taking for new inductees will take place within six months, following the golden jubilee celebration of the Assam Nepali Sahitya Sabha, scheduled to be held in Sarupathar in November.
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