MOVEMENTS FOR AUTONOMY IN DARJEELING 67 movements also took place on the urgent economic demands on several occasions during the long period from 1919 to 1985. But, before the onset of the GNLF movement in 1986, the earlier agitations had never affected the economic base of the district and the hill subdivisions had hardly experienced any protracted armed confrontation, so much so that 'curfew' was never imposed in the hills in pre-1985 period. Secondly, the fraternal relationship which has historically developed between the educated Nepali middle class and the intelligentsia of West Bengal on the issues of Nepali language and literary movements should be strengthened further with the possibility of rejuvenation of the All-India Nepali Bhasa Samiti. The cultural aspects of the Nepali ethnic identity should be reasserted which suffered a setback during the GNLF movement for Gorkhaland. Thirdly, the solidarity between the Nepali workers and the toiling masses belonging to non-Nepali communities of the Terai plains which has been nourished in the tea gardens of Darjeeling through the tradition of heroic trade union movements should not be allowed to disintegrate by any kind of separatist movement in future. It should be realised that the working class solidarity does not hinder the blossoming of ethnic identity provided such ethnic thrust is not directed against the democratic movements of the toiling masses. Fourthly, an enduring solution of the ethnic problems of Darjeeling should take into account the symbiotic relationship which has developed over the years between the Siliguri plains and the Darjeeling hills. This intimate relationship is unfolded through the timber industry, tourism tea auction centre and road-rail linkages. The economies of the plains and the hills are closely integrated also in terms of the provisions supplied through Siliguri to the hills. In 1985, 24,000 tons of rice, 25,000 tons of wheat, 4,500 tons of sugar, 11,000 kilolitres of kerosene and 15,000 tons of soft and hard coke reached the hills by way of Siliguri, which met some of the basic requirements of the hill population. Fifthly, the process of democratic decentralisation of power, which has started with the functioning of the elected and autonomous Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, sliould be nourished further to include all relevant aspects of Nepali ethnic aspirations. This process can be more comprehensively enriched if not only the urban middle class of the towns of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong but also the plantation workers and the poor peasants of the hills are allowed to be actively involved in the grass-root decentralisation of power.