Gorkha National Liberation Front
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Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) is a political party in northern West Bengal, India, formed in 1980. It is led by Subash Ghising.
During the 1980s the GNLF led an intensive and often violent campaign for the creation of a separate Gorkha state in the Nepali-speaking areas in northern West Bengal. The movement reached its peak aroud 1985-1986. The political violence in the area took thousands of lives during these years.
Ghising has also been accused of being a RAW agent in the Illustrated Weekly to keep the Southeast Asian-looking peoples in the hills at a check.
On the 22 August 1988 GNLF signed the Darjeeling Hill Accord. The treaty meant the creation of a Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, whilst GNLF would give up the demand for Gorkhaland.
In the year 2000 GNLF revived the demand for Gorkhaland in their political agitation.
In the state assembly elections in West Bengal in 2001 GNLF had put up five candidates, out of whom three got elected. In total the party received 190 057 votes.
GNLF boycotted the Lok Sabha elections 1996, 1998 and 1999. Ahead of the 2004 Lok Sabha elections GNLF supported Congress candidate Dawa Narbula, who won with large margin in the Darjeeling constituency.
GNLF runs the Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council and Ghising is the chairman of the council.
The 6th schedule has been signed between the central government, the state government and Subash Ghising as an individual (no longer an elected representative but in an appointed post) which according to the Constitution of India is illegal.
GNLF also has a branch in Sikkim.
