West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced that the historic Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) will soon be revived, with more than 1,000 Gorkha youths to be recruited into the force. While addressing a public rally in Kurseong under Darjeeling district to accord a grand welcome to the newly elected Chief Minister in the Darjeeling Hills, Adhikari paid tribute to the valour and sacrifices of Gorkha soldiers in defending the nation.
He alleged that the earlier state government led by Mamata Banerjee had frozen recruitment into the Eastern Frontier Rifles and said that the EFR, once regarded as a historic force, had been reduced to only two battalions during the previous regime.
What is Eastern Frontier Rifles?
The Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR), known as the crown jewel of the Darjeeling Hills' Gorkha community that served in the World Wars and the 1971 War against Pakistan, is set to be infused with fresh blood.
The Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) is a historic armed police force that operatedΒ under the West Bengal Police. Deeply tied to the Gorkha community, the force is primarily known for assisting with internal security, counter-insurgency, and border protection.
Know all about West Bengal Gorkha gorce
Suvendu Adhikari's announcement has political, historical and emotional importance in the North Bengal region, where the EFR is seen more than a force. The pre-Independence colonial-era force is associated with the Gorkha community and it has long occupied a unique place in the hills of northern Bengal. The specialised force that fought the Naxals, Chinese and Pakistanis, historically provided employment and status to generations of Gorkha families in Uttar Banga.
It should be noted that the BJP, especially MP Raju Bista, was for years voiced for its revival. He in January alleged that then-Bengal CM "Mamata Banerjee was trying to kill it [EFR]". Now, after CM Suvendu Adhikari's promise, Bista has framed the move as the revival of a force, which he said was neglected under Mamata's Trinamool Congress government.
Suvendu announces to revive West Bengal's Gorkha force
During his address to a gathering in West Bengal's Kurseong on Tuesday, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the recruitment of more than 1,000 Gorkha youths into the EFR. "In the coming months, 1,000 youths will be recruited into the Eastern Frontier Rifles, and 30 per cent of the jobs will go to women," the Bengal CM said.
The announcement was immediately welcomed by BJP leaders in the hills. Most grateful to Honourable Chief Minister Sh Suvendu ji for announcing the recruitment of over 1000 Gorkha youths in Eastern Frontier Rifles and West Bengal Police," BJP's Darjeeling MP Raju Bista wrote on X on Tuesday.
Why Mamata tried to kill eastern frontier rifles
Unlike the demand for Gorkhaland, the issue of the Eastern Frontier Rifles remained a quieter but significant political issue in the hills ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. In January 2026, Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista met representatives of the force and alleged that the then TMC government had neglected the institution. "There has been no fresh recruitment conducted since 2010, despite over 2,000 Riflemen vacancies remaining unfilled," Bista wrote on X.
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