Assam MP Gaurav Gogoi opposes Indian Army proposal to induct non-Gorkhas into Gorkha Rifles

Guwahati: Gaurav Gogoi, the Congress MP who represents Kaliabor Lok Sabha Constituency in Assam, has written to India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over recent reports in the media over an Indian Army proposal to induct non-Gorkhas into the Gorkha Rifles regiment.

"I am writing to express my concern regarding a media report on the Indian army's proposal to induct non-Gorkhas from Uttarakhand into the Gorkha Rifles (GR)," Gogoi wrote to Singh. "O0wing to regiment's traditional process, only Gorkha soldiers are inducted in the regiment. The inclusion of non-Gorkha soldiers will be a departure from the guiding philosophy of the Gorkha Rifles, 'naam, manak, and nishaan.'

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Gogoi also pointed to the "pivotal role played by the Gorkha Rifles in the history of India." "Among other wars, the regiment has played a crucial role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war and the Kargil War of 1999. As the long tradition of an army regiment hangs in the balance, it is essential for the Government of India to reconsider the proposal," he added. Gogoi urged the Government of India to induct more Gorkha soldiers into the regiment.

The Indian Army is “in final stages of approval” of a proposal for the recruitment of non-Gorkha personnel from Uttarakhand into select Gorkha Rifles regiments. It will initially be a pilot project for two years for the youths of Uttarakhand. The proposal is also an unprecedented one in the over two-century long history of the Gorkha regiment.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned for more developments.

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