GRC RTI seeks whether Sikkim Govt has any information on Darjeeling cession

VoiceofSikkim ; Sep 12, 2010 ;

11 Sep, Gangtok: The Gorkha Rashtriya Congress GRC President , DK Bomzan has filed RTI application with the Sikkim Information Commission on the issue of Cession of Sikkim’s erstwhile territories of Darjeeling region to British Raj which subsequently became the part of Independent India.

“My Question is that is there any information with the Government of Sikkim how and when this territory was ceded to India and became the West Bengal for which who was the recipient of compensation of this territory under Requisition of Land (Apportionment of Compensation) Act 1949”, stated the GRC president in his RTI.

The RTI was submitted to the commissioner, Sikkim information Commission yesterday.

In his RTI Bomzan has stated that what is known as Darjeeling district today was parts of the kingdom of Sikkim historically. Following wars and treaties between the Raja of Sikkim and East India Company, this territory came under British Rule in India till independence of India in 1947, he pointed out.

The GRC president has also presented in his RTI that the Ministry of Home Affairs has failed to provide any information to when asked how Darjeeling region became a part of independent India.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had written back to Bomzan on August 13 that the information asked by him on incorporation of areas of Darjeeling and Dooars in the Union of India was not available with the Ministry.

It may be added here that the GRC, a political outfit based in Darjeeling has a single point agenda, Unification of Sikkim with its lost territories of Darjeeling district in West Bengal. The party has been contending that as per historical documents, the territories of Darjeeling and Dooars belong to Sikkim which even, the party said, the Bengal governemnt has admitted in its white paper issued on October 9, 1986 at the height of Gorkhaland agitation. Speaking to media today here at Gangtok, Bomzan reiterated that the restoration of lost territories of Darjeeling with Sikkim will emancipate Darjeeling people from Bengal hold. The aspirations of Darjeeling people to break free from Bengal is through restoration of the lost territories with Sikkim, he said.