Gorkhas are Aboriginal Himalayan Community : Harka Bahadur Chetry

GACDC demands Aboriginal status and creation of Gorkha Autonomous Council (GAC) to establish indigenous identity.

GACDC Chairman 'Marathon March' man Harka Bahadur Chetry

Nanda K Dewan

Communities of Himalayan Mountain range as per studies are aborigines of the region. Gorkhas being a Himalayan community today claimed to be aboriginal community in Assam being a conglomerate of Khas and Kirats. Speaking as the Keynote Speaker at '208th Bhanu Jayanti and Bishesh Abhinandan Samaroh' Harka Bahadur Chetry, chairman of the Gorkha Autonomous Council Demand Committee (GACDC) said, 'Himalayan communities are evolution of Sivapithecus or Ramapithecus,  stages of evolution of Homo Erectus which later lead to formation of Homo Sapiens - today's human'.

Ramapithecus, fossil primate dating from the Middle and Late Miocene epochs (about 16.6 million to 5.3 million years ago). For a time in the 1960s and ’70s, Ramapithecus was thought to be a distinct genus that was the first direct ancestor of modern humans (Homo sapiens) through Homo erectus before it became regarded as that of the orangutan ancestor Sivapithecus.

Bisesh Abhinandan Sabha in progress along with 208th Bhanu Jayanti

Explaining the above matter Chetry further added, 'Himalayan communities like Mikir (Karbis), all the Naga tribes,  Mizos (Lushai), Lalungs (Tiwa) , Miri ( Mishings), Mompa, Apatani, Gorkhas ( conglomerate of Khas and Kirats) and others are descendents of Homo Erectus. The Khas Kirat communities of the Himalyan mountain range are the aborigines and direct descendents Ramapithecus or Sivapithecus found in anthropological studies.' Harka Bahadur Chhetri is a lifelong student of Anthropology, gold medalist in the subject from Dibrugarh University. He is the founder president of Gorkha Autonomous Council Demand Committee (GACDC) who had undertaken almost 650 kms Foot March ( Marathon March on Foot) from Murkungselek  Jonai in Dhemaji district to Dispur in Guwahati demanding Assamese identity and Indigenous status for Gorkhas after the community faced discrimination in the of Original Inhabitants (OI) status during NRC process.

Welcoming decision to award indigenous status to 5 Assamese Muslim communities Chetry said, 'Gorkhas are no less indigenous than any other communities in Assam so the Government of Assam should immediately declare Gorkhas as indigenous community of Assam without any delay. Government should also address the 2 decade long demand of Gorkha Autonomous Council (GAC) and create it soon'. 

GAC Demand Committe  Chetry chairman said that the 'Raithaney Sangram' (Indigenous Movement) bilateral talks with the Government of Assam is kept on hold from the government end and we will push democratically now again since Gorkhas have again been ignored. Harka Bahadur Chetry dissected Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's proclaimed historic speech at the Open Session of the 27th Trinnenial General  Conference of Assam Gorkha Sammelan where in CM tried many a times tried to dilute Gorkha community's Indian national identity calling the community Nepali which is largely understood as nationality of neighbouring independent sovereign country Nepal. He stressed on Indigenous Identity for Gorkhas and creation of Gorkha Autonomous Council (GAC).

Organised by Doyang  Sarupani Simanta Co-ordination Committee of All Assam Gorkha Students' Union at Bhanu Bhawan, Kachomari under Merapani PS in Golaghat district the Bisesh Abhinandan Sabha witnessed giving away of 'Golaghat Gorkha Gaurav 2022' and felicitation of 132 meritorious HSLC and HSSLC passed students with a Thaka shawl and citation. The session was presided by the union president Kumar Limboo and anchored by general secretary Monoj Newar which was inaugurated by its chief advisor Prem Newar. The meeting unanimously resolved to observe 14 December as GAC Martyrs Day, the day Birbol Limboo of Golaghat made supreme sacrifice participating at the Gorkha Autonomous Council (GAC) movement and is known to be the first martyr. Former president AAGSU and senior vice president GACDC Dil Bahadur Limboo too addressed the felicitated students. GACDC executive member Dambar Rai,  Joy Bahadur Limbu president of Dhansiri Private School Association and Bhim Rai, vice president GACDC too were present as guests. Chief Guest Padmashree Lil Bahadur Chhetri addressed the meeting virtually though voice message. He spoke about Life and Learning which according to him is a never ending process, hunger for knowledge will pave the path for success. He wished the meritorious students for becoming better human beings. The organisers Doyang Sarupani Simanta Co-ordination Committee AAGSU conferred him 'Shresth Sahitya Sewa Samman 2022' for his life long contribution to literature and education for which the Government of India conferred upon the 4th highest civilian award Padmashree in 2019. 

In the morning the AAGSU flag was hoisted by president Kumar Limboo followed by homage to the martyr by gen secy Manoj Newar. Literary competitions of various age group saw huge participation and prizes were given away in the evening. The open session that began at 12 noon ended at 7pm. Before the open session a career interactive session was held with speakers of various fields with all the students present for the felicitation event.