The very recent statement of the foreign minister of Nepal saying that the 1947 tripartite agreement regarding the right of the“Gorkha” fighters recruitment as an elite fighting force to work in India and Britain needs overhauling has rippled the military circles of the three countries and other.
Does it really need aserious discussion?Or should it be continued on as it is basis given the present scenario of the economics in Nepal andthe worked minister’s suggeststhat there should be a separate redrawn frame work between each country individually regarding the gorkha needed?
Come to think of it, has the minister done research and enough homework to tackle this issue or is it an instinctive populistvoice to garner attention and roles or is it appeasement policy speaking? It is a well-known fact that the Nepali diaspora has gone through a huge revolutionary change and transformation, vis-a vis the political scenario to give rights of choice to the people of Nepal. This has been visibly apparent since the advent of the multiparty democracy of 1990. Though to it down (Gorkha recruitment) has been unsuccessful in the past despite recommendation of the Nepali parliament in 2012.
The Nepali hills are full of stories of joining the Army from the early 1800.It has been a matter of pride and honor for the” Gorkhas” to join the Army in Nepaleven before we started getting recruited by the British .The Gorkhas as the fiercest fighting force has been recognized by all who have witnessed the wrath, fightingprowess and the sheercourage in the battle field needs no description. Valued “pound for pound”, there is nobody on this planet who would like to mess with a “Gorkha” in the heat of the battle?
This culture of valourhas been passed on is in the blood of the Gorkhas for generations and this has resulted them to become the steel that this. “Brigade” has finally become in the modern times. Sojoining the army/ defense forces is automatic when this type of DNA exists in your system.
Perhaps this intrinsic value of a Gorkha was identified a few hundred years ago and groomed and utilized to the fullest by the ruling elite of the then prevailing(including) the ruling elite in Nepal.
“The government of Nepal and the concerned politiciansshould keep one very important aspect in mind regarding “Gorkha”recruitment from Nepal into the British Army” and Indian Army is that it is absolutely “voluntary”. Nobody forces these young lads to join at the point of a “khukuri”.All the young boys and now even girls voluntarily show up for recruitment as per their own free will. This act of choosing a career in the “Army” has been a matter of choice before and it is so today too.
It is a matter of utmost pride, respect and dignity for the boys and girls to dawn a uniform to this tradition that binds soldieringalmost to an act of being unified as a single identify-Gorkha. It adds unity and connects the “Gorkhas”together as a unit and symbol of courage and duty before see.
The Gorkhas should be looked and promoted as the pride of Nepal for what they do for the sake of their country around the wored. The “Gorkha”have a history of pride and dignity since their fighting qualities were recognized. Let’s nottamper will it. Let’s not fight over the “Gorkha”for petty politically gains. This will also project the image of Nepal and its people as a positive and sensible people all around the wored.
We should learn to respect certain factors and traditions and agreements of the past will the future in mind. Let’s not forget the space it has created for us.Let’srespect it for the overall benefit of all. Remember it was a “give and take “situation that started the “Gorkha”tradition more than 200 years ago.So basically remember Rome was not built in a day as the Gorkha reputation. .
Of course the one factor that has come in very prominently, not that it was not therebefore, it is the economic, financial and the future security aspect of the “Gorkha”.This future security is perhaps now a major factor to the considered in the recruitment of the “Gorkhas”.This matter of security is something not only forthe Gorkhas per-say but for the government of Nepal as a whole. So this factor has to be tackled sensibly, tactfully and diplomatically. Impulsive, rash and decision made instinctively could not hurt only the lives of so many “Gorkhas” of Nepal but the government could itself loose a huge chunk of revenge in terms of foreign exchange which is vital for a nation’s growth.
Out of the boxthinking that is prevailing regarding the Gorkhahas to keep in mind that the literally of portraying the Gorkha identity should not be left to the politicians and the political parties whose mindset undermines the Gorkha ability, grit and lethality that has taken generations to be at the position they are in.
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