KALIMPONG
1 Nov 2013
Noted academician Dr. Mahendra P Lama,
who has announced of contesting in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls as an
independent candidate, was today in Monsong for a meeting arranged by
his fan club.
On a self-campaign mission, Lama
stressed he wants not just people’s votes, but also their hearts and
minds. “You may be thinking I have come here to ask for votes. Yes,
that’s true, but I don’t want just that. I want your hearts and mind
too,” he said, adding, “I am not a political leader, I just want to work
as your representative.”
Championing the issues of all-around
development of the hills and the formation of a separate state as his
election agenda, Lama said the right arguments have to be placed at the
right places and at the right moments if a new state is to be achieved.
He lamented the failure of all the agitations for statehood till now.
It may be mentioned that Lama has
declined on forming a political party. The IGNOU Pro-Vice Chancellor
said it is necessary to first take the statehood demand to Parliament.
“Parliament is the apex place where laws
and policies are formed,” he said. “But unfortunately, we have not been
able to witness our demand being raised in that august house.”
The academician also criticised the
state government for keeping Darjeeling away from development. “It is
only after 67 years of independence that the state government is talking
about developing the hills.” He said a separate state means vesting of
both political power and development schemes in the hands of the people
here and also the development of international trade as the Darjeeling
hills share boundaries with four nations.
Further, Lama slammed regional political
parties for failing to understand the meaning of development.
“Development does not merely mean construction of roads, tunnels and
culverts. The place needs a perennial source of income,” he remarked.
Asserting unemployment in the hills has
multiplied over the past 30 years, he claimed nearly 80,000 to 1 lakh
new employment opportunities can be generated within six months if a
separate state comes into being.
Speaking on the current political
scenario in the Darjeeling hills, Lama denounced incidents of political
violence describing them as counteractive. He also alleged leaders lack
strategy and are leading the movement as a “political business”. He
urged everyone to engage in healthy political criticisms and debate and
to come together to build up a progressive political environment. The
academician noted it is important to make the residents of the Terai and
Dooars more aware of the essence and benefits a separate state.
According to Lama, “A separate state will be incomplete without the
Terai-Dooars and Siliguri.”
He went on to say that the state
government must initiate the development of an area as a whole instead
of forming development boards for selected communities as doing so means
nothing but creating division among the hill people. Lama said the
Kolkata should form development boards for all communities of the hills
simultaneously if it is serious about development of the tribal
communities. He also demanded the transfer of the Darjeeling Tea Auction
Centre to the Dooars from Kolkata.
The Darjeeling Terai-Dooars United
Development Foundation will soon be launched officially to continue with
the poll campaigning, announced Lama. He also appealed to all to attend
his public meeting in Sukna on November 9.
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