Lama backs Gurung’s decision to quit
SNS, Siliguri, 1 August 2013: Noted academic from the Darjeeling Hills and former Vice-Chancellor of Sikkim University, Prof Mahendra P Lama, who expressed his desire to contest the general elections of 2014 from the Darjeeling constituency, lauded the GJMM president Mr Bimal Gurung’s decision to step down from the post in the GTA to plunge headlong in the movement for Gorkhaland.
In a written press release, Prof Lama, who is presently the pro Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Delhi, said: “We must appreciate Mr Bimal Gurung's decision. He has been leading the movement for the separate state for the past six years and he knows the complexities involved in the negotiation process.”
Paying tribute to the other leaders from the Hills, Ratanlal Brahmin, Dambar Singh Gurung, Subash Ghising, Madan Tamang, Ananda Pathak, R B Rai and
others for their contribution for the development of the Hills, he said: "All of them played monumental roles."
“After the formation of Telangana, it is our turn to have our own separate state. This is the aspiration of our people in the Hills and the plains of Darjeeling district and the Dooars,” the release said.
Prof Lama added: “A separate state in this region is going to be a reality and GJMM with a strong support base, needs to formulate strategies methodically.”
He suggested all the political parties and socio-cultural organisations from the Hills and the plains should be brought on board to encourage the ongoing movement for Gorkhaland.
A strong team should come up in Kolkata and Delhi to take the collective aspirations of the people to the Parliament and the Assembly, he wrote, adding that the need of the hour is to formulate a clear roadmap to achieve the goal.
He further said the movement requires a comprehensive and a long-term vision to take things forward.
"West Bengal will benefit from the formation of the new state.
The Telangana experience shows ultimately it is Delhi which decides the creation of a new state,” he added.
The most urgent need of the hour in Darjeeling is the facilitation of dialogue between various different political groups, the civil society as well as individuals who have been living under the shadow of threat and intimidation for the past twenty seven years. This platform has to allow discussions of the most transparent kind to win back the trust that is lacking among the populace. If Gorkhaland is indeed the target, then there has to begin a culture of respect and the freedom of speech and expression for every individual in the district. Unity may sound good on paper but if it does not comprise of the vital element of fairness and equality, it will crumple down like a house of cards. The Gurkhas need to do their homework first and create a stable and strong base before anything else. It is one thing to jump up and down when the fire is still hot (the Telengana news) but quite another to actually getting the hands dirty and begin the process of truth and reconciliation. There is a high amount of trauma that the people of the district is suffering from and this has to be overcome gradually. I do not see any effort in that direction yet.
ReplyDelete