Zamyang has beautifully described the plight of the gorkhas (and other hill communities) living in the Darjeeling hills. I totally agree with him. There is not a single commendable development done by the West Bengal Govt. be it community wise or other physical developments. There is chaos in the hills under the WB govt. rule and too much of politics conferred by the ruling govt. has ruined everything. In the initial phase WB govt. even warned tourists not to got to Darjeeling when there was nothing violent happening. Till now there are no occurrences of any violence in the hills and its just a media hype that has been created. Protest rallies have been held mostly comprising of women and children.

Yes, some violence did occur, but not in Darjeeling, but in Siliguri that is 75 km away from Darjeeling. The hill people were sitting on a hunger strike when the ruling govt. affiated CPIM cadres attacked them physically. I guess this is not simply justified to attack a bunch of men and women on hunger strike. Its a democratic country and one has the right to fight for ones democratic rights.

As regards the indefinite strike, its still open, was closed for a few days, but the media is still clinging on to the indefinite strike agenda.

Now pertaining to the tea and the non-violent agitation for Gorkhaland - Even during the strike, the tea gardens were operating and talking of second flush, all of the teas have been sent to the auctions. So there is no real "bad bad tea effect" on the second flush as it is focussed by the media. Now pertaining to the tea laborers, its a sad life - the WB govt. has never tried to uplift their living conditions and all they are interested is in sucking the juice out of Darjeeling's resources. If we ponder over the economy of the hills pertaining to the tea industry, leaving aside the daily pathetic wages, not a single penny is reversed back to Darjeeling when all the tea owners are based in Calcutta. It is believed some private owners have never visited their own tea garden - so just imagine - how can he know about the condition of his tea garden workers when he himself have never visited and faced the garden workers. If you ask any of the tea garden laborer from any tea garden - "Do you know how much per kg your tea garden tea is being sold for?" - You will have a blank screen in front of them. While the owners are making huge bucks, poor tea garden workers remain the same. These are some basic reasons for frequent confrontation between the management and the tea garden workers.

Despite of all its heavy resources, Darjeeling is highly faced with unemployment problems and inconveniences to a huge huge extent. We have our own electricity hub from where electricity is produced but Darjeeling faces power failures like no other city or town. The main control center has been diverted to the plains and then supllied to the hills. Its very inconvenient even with the very thought of it. The oppression faced by the hill people is beyond recognition and Gorkhaland is the only solution to the problems of the hill people.

Maybe it will be possible to buy Darjeeling teas at a much cheaper rate : ) because most of the tea gardens send their teas to Calcutta for auctions which is overnight journey by road. Just imagine, Darjeeling hills don't even have one auction house!! Isn't this a thing to be thought about. Yes, tea catches moisture fast and needs huge storage houses and for this we have ample spaces in the foothills of the Darjeeling hills.

There are numerous other factors and since this post focuses on tea I highlighted some aspects of it, when there are several others that need a mention.

Darjeeling hills would be one of the richest states of India with its resources. Not one of its resource is under direct control and the total economy is sucked and drained down to the plains depriving the citizens of Darjeeling to the last penny. We have our own power generation, tea, tourism, timber etc. etc. and we need no ones support in making ourselves economically viable taking in perspective of the resources we have. The only reason why WB govt. doesn't want to part with Darjeeling is the economy. They cannot imagine laying off their hands from such a great resource. Darjeeling hills wouldn't have clamoured if they had been given equal justice in comparison to the resources the WB govt have been using it for years. Its a one side story here when the other side is not justified at all. What would the state of West Bengal be, if it is separated from the Darjeeling hills - The answer - It would be a mere skeleton ripped off of every source of economy. If they had done justice they wouldn't have faced the aprising or protest. Building ones economy is the headache of its ruling govt. We have our resources in abundance and since we were always deprived of our own hometown products, we demand to get it back. And this can only be got with Gorkhaland.

Recently, the WB govt. called us foreigners from Nepal and told us that we should go back to Nepal. How would you feel when you are called a foreigner in your own country when hundreds of Gorkha soldiers are dying protecting the frontiers of India.
This is what we get for being patriotic.

Hope Chan understands this.