Noted academician Mahendra P Lama, a
consensual candidate from Darjeeling constituency for the 2014 general
elections, today kick-started his campaign with the promise of striving
towards achieving statehood if the people send him to Parliament.
Without naming any political parties,
the former Sikkim University vice-chancellor said the demand for a
separate state has not been taken up in earnest even as he vowed to make
every possible effort towards fulfilling the more than 100 years old
aspiration of the hills if he gets elected MP.
“I don’t want to dwell on the past or on
what went wrong. But it is true the demand for statehood has not been
taken up in the right way and to the right places. The Darjeeling hills
had to suffer prolonged bloodshed and strikes in the name of statehood.
Even so, the statehood demand has not cropped up in Parliament except
for five to six occasions,” claimed Lama, while addressing the public at
the Chowk Bazaar here today.
To pursue his agenda further, the
academician formally launched the Darjeeling Dooars United Development
Foundation (DDUDF) a week ago which has apolitical bodies and a
political support group as its constituents.
According to Lama, a separate state can
only be achieved if demand for it is pursued in Parliament through
proper channels, and in order to make inroads into the august House,
there is need for a member.
He explained, “An MP can go on to become
the prime minister; policies and development issues are outlined in
Parliament. It was in Parliament where the existing 28 states of the
country were formed and one more is on the verge of being created. The
‘Sansad’ is a powerful body and we must place our demand there in the
right manner to emerge successful in our endeavour.”
Lama also cautioned DDUDF members
against making comments on political parties and their policies and to
instead work sincerely towards achieving statehood.
“The DDUDF has not been formed to
comment on political parties or to make enemies. We want to move forward
for a separate state together,” he said.
Lama’s organisation has a 25-point
charter that it aspires to follow to reach its ultimate goal. “The
Foundation stands for the people’s thoughts, hopes and beliefs and as
such, its objectives are in line with what they desire to realise,” said
the academician.
To ensure far-reaching and sustained
development of the region, big investors and companies will be wooed to
come to the hills and measures taken to make sure central government
schemes implemented properly, said the former VC.
“It is not the people who develop a
region but ‘sansthas’ (companies),” he told the crowd that had begun to
swell up. “Therefore, we must be able to establish institutes of
management, technology, medicine and fashion in the hills. We must
convince global financial institutions such as the World Bank and Asian
Development Bank to enter the region and also pave the way for foreign
direct investments. Their entry means the presence of technology, job
opportunities and a proper future for our children.”
Further, Lama pointed out the need to
open the Jelepla Pass in Kalimpong not just for trade and commerce, but
for establishing friendly relations with China.
“After Nathu la in Sikkim was opened,
our ties with China have become much warmer and the border has become a
‘soft’ one unlike earlier days when either side could not look at the
other in the eye. In the same way, if Jelelpa is opened, trade and
bilateral relations with China will flourish and this should be noted by
the central government,” said Lama, who had earlier headed the Centre
for South, Central, Southeast Asia and South West Pacific Studies at the
School of International Studies in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New
Delhi.
Lama, who is also a member of the
National Security Advisory Board, dwelled on the benefits of bringing
the Darjeeling hills under the North East Council (NEC), a move he
alleged was being opposed by the state government. Other topics he
touched upon were establishing a tea auction centre for Darjeeling tea,
according the popular commodity World Heritage Status and re-introducing
the three-tier Panchayat system in the hills.
