PRABHU - What Were You Thinking? Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu Forgets #Darjeeling Is in India

PRABHU - What Were You Thinking? Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu Forgets #Darjeeling Is in India

Writes: Vivek Chhetri

Indian Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu, made a slip massive slip yesterday, when he forgot that Darjeeling is still in INDIA, and started to talk about Indo-Nepal links, in relation to the Gorkha community.

Referring to the Gorkhas, he said: "Wherever you are in the country, Mumbai, Delhi, the people who are always with us are the Gorkha people. I have come to pay my respects. Our relation with Nepal is very deep. I always say people of Nepal are not just our brothers but we are twins. The relations between India and Nepal are very deep and we will continue to work to improve it and also work for a railway connectivity to Nepal."

The demand for Gorkhaland also stems from the fact that people of Darjeeling believe they are often perceived to be Nepali citizens and the statehood would help erase doubts about their nationality. Generally, , which is often confused with Nepal in mainstream India.

The minister seemed to be unaware of the local people's sensibilities.

Sometime after finishing the address, Prabhu again took the mike and said in his earlier speech, he had been trying to stress the need to improve rail connectivity with neighbouring countries like Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh and the Gorkhas of Darjeeling were Indians.

"Earlier in my speech, I had said we were trying to improve rail connectivity with our neighbouring countries, apart from improving connectivity in the country.......I want to pay respect to my Gorkha brothers from here who are Indians and are providing protection to our country," said Prabhu.

Morcha leaders did not want to comment on Prabhu's speech on record. A senior Morcha leader, who didn't wish to be named, however, said: "Confusion still prevails in the country. Surely, that portion of the minister's speech does bring back the issue of our identity and the general perception in the country."

The ignorance on the part of Suresh Prabhu is reflective of why we need the state of Gorkhaland... and unless we have that state, the present and future of our community will never be secure in India.