Reflection- 5
Indian Nepali Identity
I had an opportunity to be a part of the three-day national conference on ‘Identity and Nationality of Indian Nepalis’ organised by Indian Nepali Study and Research Forum at Gangtok, Sikkim, during 20-22 April 2006. Among many other pertinent issues discussed with regard to the Nepali speakers in India, discourse on ‘Indian Nepali Identity and Nationality Issue’, ‘Nepalis in Darjeeling, Sikkim and Northeast ’, ‘Socio-economic Status of Indian Nepalis, ‘Nepali Identity in Indian Literature’, ‘Nepalis in India and Indians in Nepal’, ‘Nomenclature and Nepali Identity’, were among the notable themes that were pondered upon. Over hundred and fifty scholars from across the country and abroad participated in the conference.
One, often, does not disagree on the fact that India is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-lingual region. The societies across the spaces of the country are made up of various social elements drawn from diverse origin. The social groups with diverse ethnic and linguistic origins representing various racial stocks and social status have found places at different points of time adapting themselves to different ecological niches of the country. The waves of immigration drew the ancestors of the majority of present population from surrounding territories and across the Himalayas. Their dispersal across the geographies has led to the evolution of social mosaic with ethnic distinctiveness over the spectrum of time.
Two Sets of Nepali Speakers
Like many other communities, namely, Punjabis and Bengalis, India, at a given point of time, is characterised by two sets of Nepali speakers. The first set is the permanent inhabitants and legal citizens of the country. Their geographical distribution can be seen across the spaces of India with their major concentration in the hilly states including Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Darjeeling Hills of West Bengal, Sikkim and all other North Eastern States. They have been residing on the Indian soils for a considerable period of time and hence are bonafide subjects of the country.
The second category of Nepali speakers is those with citizenship of Nepal but residing in India on temporary basis. The feeble economy of Nepal and associated socio-cultural and political forces are the driving factors compelling them to leave their country for India. It is important to be clear at this point that Nepali speakers from Nepal have scattered across the length and breathe of the Indian Territory of late. They are majorly into the blue colour jobs notably in hotel industry, domestic helps, general canteens/dhabas and security services. Their presence on the Indian soils have gone up by leaps and bound in the last 5 decades. They are here mainly as seasonal migrant workers who would visit their country from time to time.
Impact on Indian Nepalis
Ironically, the settled Indian Nepalis have to face the wrath of the mainstream Indians on variety of occasions. Abuses both physical and oral are often inflicted to the Nepali speakers in the mainland India on every a small pretext. In this connection, one of my associates, a permanents inhabitant of Darjeeling hills, recently, complained to me of being verbally abused by a lady in New Delhi on the pretext that her sari accidentally happened to mesh with the edge of his motorcycle. She, allegedly, roared at him by means of very improper and unfounded statements as far as the Nepali speaking Indians are concerned. “You Nepalese! You foreigners! I know you people! You people do not know how to live!” etc were some of her utterances. Such offences are often meted out to the Indian Nepali speakers on the assumption that they are the citizens of Nepal and have crossed over to the Indian soils for economic reasons. Mention should be made that there are over a crore of Nepali speakers who have been the bonafide citizens of the Republic of India since historic past?
Two Factors
Two important factors need serious debate here. This becomes crucial in the context of the confusion and the resultant negative impacts on the settled Indian Nepalis. First, India and Nepal signed a ‘Treaty of Peace and Friendship’ in July 31, 1950. Among other things article 7 the treaty grants, on reciprocal basis, to the nationals of one country in the territories of the other the same privileges in the matter of residence, ownership of property, participation in trade and commerce, movement and privileges of a similar nature. The treaty is, however, silent with respect to the impact of such agreement on the already settled and bonafide Indian Nepalis. Over the years on the strength of this agreement Nepal Nepalis have been crossing the borders and spreading across the spaces of the Indian Territory. For example, over 100 fourth grade employees in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi consist of the Nepalese. They are mainly engaged in security, hostel messes, canteens and dhabas of the university. Likewise they have spread all over Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and other places of India. They have also not spared the rural ecologies of India. For instance most of the seasonal labourers for potato and pea cultivation in Lahaul-Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh consist of seasonal migrants from western Nepal.
Second, the crux of the problem has been the ill reputation carried by a major chunk of Nepal Nepalis across the Indian spaces. And the situation is becoming worse with time. The following points that appeared in the leading news daily in the Capital becomes important to quote here: “A Nepalese servant strangles 60 year old woman”, “A Nepalese servant killed 62 year old businessman”, “A retired lieutenant colonel and his wife were murdered by their Nepalese servant”. The media further cautions the citizens of Delhi “Avoid employing servants from areas like Nepal as Nepalese servant is fraught with danger”. These mobile migrants come and go depending upon the economic situation of the region where they work and also their own economic health. They look identical to their Indian counterparts, speak almost the same language with some dialectical variations, and bear similar names. Hence, the consequences of their deeds and misdeeds have to be borne by the settled Indian Nepalis.
Rewriting History!
Although the conference concluded with the need to rewrite the history of Indian Nepalis so as to clear the popular mis-perception in mainstream India and also to remove some perceived misconceptions about the community prevalent in the historical archives of the country one should not overlook other equally pertinent issues. The statements of Mr. Pawan Chamling, Chief Minister of Sikkim, in his inaugural speech of the conference deserve mention here, “Indian Nepalis should think big, think positive and work towards that end in order to be recognised in mainstream India. They must recognise their weaknesses and know how to act positively while striving to get into the national mainstream”. Beyond doubt, Indian Nepalis cannot afford to live in their past laurels as a martial freedom fighter. They need to come out from their colonial mind-set and walk in tandem with the present socio-economic and political reality of the country. The need of the hour is to work for the social, economic and political development of the country and make a difference. Identity issue is a problem of a weak and insecure social group that has done nothing for the advancement of the country. Thinking big, positive and contributing to the advancement of the country can only solve it. Sindhi is a small minority but a very powerful social group in India. Who can question their identity and nationality in the country?
I had an opportunity to be a part of the three-day national conference on ‘Identity and Nationality of Indian Nepalis’ organised by Indian Nepali Study and Research Forum at Gangtok, Sikkim, during 20-22 April 2006. Among many other pertinent issues discussed with regard to the Nepali speakers in India, discourse on ‘Indian Nepali Identity and Nationality Issue’, ‘Nepalis in Darjeeling, Sikkim and Northeast ’, ‘Socio-economic Status of Indian Nepalis, ‘Nepali Identity in Indian Literature’, ‘Nepalis in India and Indians in Nepal’, ‘Nomenclature and Nepali Identity’, were among the notable themes that were pondered upon. Over hundred and fifty scholars from across the country and abroad participated in the conference.
One, often, does not disagree on the fact that India is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-lingual region. The societies across the spaces of the country are made up of various social elements drawn from diverse origin. The social groups with diverse ethnic and linguistic origins representing various racial stocks and social status have found places at different points of time adapting themselves to different ecological niches of the country. The waves of immigration drew the ancestors of the majority of present population from surrounding territories and across the Himalayas. Their dispersal across the geographies has led to the evolution of social mosaic with ethnic distinctiveness over the spectrum of time.
Two Sets of Nepali Speakers
Like many other communities, namely, Punjabis and Bengalis, India, at a given point of time, is characterised by two sets of Nepali speakers. The first set is the permanent inhabitants and legal citizens of the country. Their geographical distribution can be seen across the spaces of India with their major concentration in the hilly states including Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Darjeeling Hills of West Bengal, Sikkim and all other North Eastern States. They have been residing on the Indian soils for a considerable period of time and hence are bonafide subjects of the country.
The second category of Nepali speakers is those with citizenship of Nepal but residing in India on temporary basis. The feeble economy of Nepal and associated socio-cultural and political forces are the driving factors compelling them to leave their country for India. It is important to be clear at this point that Nepali speakers from Nepal have scattered across the length and breathe of the Indian Territory of late. They are majorly into the blue colour jobs notably in hotel industry, domestic helps, general canteens/dhabas and security services. Their presence on the Indian soils have gone up by leaps and bound in the last 5 decades. They are here mainly as seasonal migrant workers who would visit their country from time to time.
Impact on Indian Nepalis
Ironically, the settled Indian Nepalis have to face the wrath of the mainstream Indians on variety of occasions. Abuses both physical and oral are often inflicted to the Nepali speakers in the mainland India on every a small pretext. In this connection, one of my associates, a permanents inhabitant of Darjeeling hills, recently, complained to me of being verbally abused by a lady in New Delhi on the pretext that her sari accidentally happened to mesh with the edge of his motorcycle. She, allegedly, roared at him by means of very improper and unfounded statements as far as the Nepali speaking Indians are concerned. “You Nepalese! You foreigners! I know you people! You people do not know how to live!” etc were some of her utterances. Such offences are often meted out to the Indian Nepali speakers on the assumption that they are the citizens of Nepal and have crossed over to the Indian soils for economic reasons. Mention should be made that there are over a crore of Nepali speakers who have been the bonafide citizens of the Republic of India since historic past?
Two Factors
Two important factors need serious debate here. This becomes crucial in the context of the confusion and the resultant negative impacts on the settled Indian Nepalis. First, India and Nepal signed a ‘Treaty of Peace and Friendship’ in July 31, 1950. Among other things article 7 the treaty grants, on reciprocal basis, to the nationals of one country in the territories of the other the same privileges in the matter of residence, ownership of property, participation in trade and commerce, movement and privileges of a similar nature. The treaty is, however, silent with respect to the impact of such agreement on the already settled and bonafide Indian Nepalis. Over the years on the strength of this agreement Nepal Nepalis have been crossing the borders and spreading across the spaces of the Indian Territory. For example, over 100 fourth grade employees in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi consist of the Nepalese. They are mainly engaged in security, hostel messes, canteens and dhabas of the university. Likewise they have spread all over Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and other places of India. They have also not spared the rural ecologies of India. For instance most of the seasonal labourers for potato and pea cultivation in Lahaul-Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh consist of seasonal migrants from western Nepal.
Second, the crux of the problem has been the ill reputation carried by a major chunk of Nepal Nepalis across the Indian spaces. And the situation is becoming worse with time. The following points that appeared in the leading news daily in the Capital becomes important to quote here: “A Nepalese servant strangles 60 year old woman”, “A Nepalese servant killed 62 year old businessman”, “A retired lieutenant colonel and his wife were murdered by their Nepalese servant”. The media further cautions the citizens of Delhi “Avoid employing servants from areas like Nepal as Nepalese servant is fraught with danger”. These mobile migrants come and go depending upon the economic situation of the region where they work and also their own economic health. They look identical to their Indian counterparts, speak almost the same language with some dialectical variations, and bear similar names. Hence, the consequences of their deeds and misdeeds have to be borne by the settled Indian Nepalis.
Rewriting History!
Although the conference concluded with the need to rewrite the history of Indian Nepalis so as to clear the popular mis-perception in mainstream India and also to remove some perceived misconceptions about the community prevalent in the historical archives of the country one should not overlook other equally pertinent issues. The statements of Mr. Pawan Chamling, Chief Minister of Sikkim, in his inaugural speech of the conference deserve mention here, “Indian Nepalis should think big, think positive and work towards that end in order to be recognised in mainstream India. They must recognise their weaknesses and know how to act positively while striving to get into the national mainstream”. Beyond doubt, Indian Nepalis cannot afford to live in their past laurels as a martial freedom fighter. They need to come out from their colonial mind-set and walk in tandem with the present socio-economic and political reality of the country. The need of the hour is to work for the social, economic and political development of the country and make a difference. Identity issue is a problem of a weak and insecure social group that has done nothing for the advancement of the country. Thinking big, positive and contributing to the advancement of the country can only solve it. Sindhi is a small minority but a very powerful social group in India. Who can question their identity and nationality in the country?
posted by Vimal Khawas at 4:10 AM
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