Continuation of part 1….
On 5 January 1945, Dambarsingh Gurung addressed a large assembly of Gorkhas at the Tezpur Town Hall, where a collection of Rs. 132 was raised in support of the movement.
The delegation reached Singri on 11 January, where an impressive public meeting was organized. During this event, the Singri branch of the Gorkha League was officially formed. Narayan Upadhyay contributed Rs. 101 and pledged to become a lifetime member of the League. Education emerged as the central theme of the gathering. Dambarsingh expressed concern that the Nepali community in Singri had yet to grasp the true value of education, and in his speech he strongly emphasized its importance. Mahajan Bahadur Khadga Chettri was appointed as the president of the newly formed Singri branch.
On 14 January, the Behali branch of the Gorkha League came into existence, with Mahajan Chabilal chosen as its president.
On 17 January 1945, the delegation met the former “Prime Minister” of Assam—the title then used for the Chief Minister—at the Grazing Reserves to discuss ongoing issues affecting the Nepali settlers.
Between 21 and 23 January, the Nara Bil branch of the League was also established.
The sabha held at Teligaon drew prominent community members such as Mahajan Prajapati Rijal, Ditta Balbhadra Chudal, Pandit Puspalal Upadhyay, and many others. During this meeting, 52 individuals joined the Gorkha League, and a total of Rs. 134 and four annas was collected.
Another significant milestone was participation in the Graziers Association’s Annual Session in Assam. The event, conducted entirely in Assamese, brought together key figures from Tezpur, including MLAs, lawyers, the Grazing Superintendent, and several other dignitaries. Five attendees expressed interest in becoming lifetime members of the Gorkha League and contributed Rs. 101 each.
On 30 January 1945, the Solong branch of the Gorkha League was formed.
After an extensive and productive tour, the delegation returned to Kalimpong on 3 February 1945. In total, a little over Rs. 300 had been collected during their Assam visit, which was subsequently deposited into the League’s bank account.
By,
S. K. Ghising
References
- Narbahadur Dahal, Gorkha Mahanayak – Dambersingh Gurung (Jiwan Yatra), Kalimpong, Charitra Prakashan, 2015.
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