An Appeal
After the declaration by the UPA Government to carve out the state of Telangana as the 29th State of India, the century old demand for a separate state comprising of Darjeeling and Dooars has become an imminent possibility. The long cherished aspirations of the people of Darjeeling district and Dooars including that of the people in the hills like the Gorkhas, Bhutias, Lepchas and others and people in the plains like the Adivasis, Bengalese, Rajbongshis, Biharis, Marwaris and others and all religious groups like the Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jains and Sikhs are now likely to be fulfilled.
A separate state will bring identity to its people; massive development for all in the hills and plains; ensure and strengthen national security in this region with four international boundaries; safeguard the cultures, history and heritage of our region; conserve natural resources and environment and connect our youths and institutions with national and global world. It will bring large number of national and global educational, heath, environmental and professional institutions to this region. It will also correct the historical injustices done to the people and the region.
All our children and youths will have huge and diverse career opportunities. All the professionals and tea and cinchona workers and NGO activists will reach their professional heights. Huge public, private and foreign investments will flow and business-industrial ventures will thrive. It will be a tax free state like Sikkim and the North East region. And this new state will be one of the best states in the country. Bengal and the North East states and all other neighbouring states will gain. India will benefit.
Today the situation in the hills is deteriorating which requires instant attention and the state government has to come above its usual role of maintaining law and order and governance. The State Government has to rise above its parochial thinking and accept this long pending demand. This is where the political sagacity and inclusive democratic values of the present Government will be tested. At the moment, the critical priority is to bring the hills back to peaceful normalcy.
It is against this backdrop we propose a delegation of all political parties from Darjeeling district and Dooars to meet the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. The likely date of the meeting will exclusively depend on the office of the Hon’ble Prime Minister. Depending upon the response of the political parties an effort would be made to seek the audience with the Hon’ble Prime Minister during 20-30 August 2013.
It is a very critical moment for all of us to stand united both in the interest of our region and the country. We urge all the national and regional political parties and their esteemed leadership in Darjeeling district and Dooars to rise above the usual political bickering, parochial thinking, partisan actions and one-up-manship attitude. We appeal them to show that when it comes to a common cause like the Statehood demand we all are one and one only. We ought to respect a united platform. We also appeal to all the political parties, social and community organisations to maintain peace, tranquillity and stability for which we the people of Darjeeling district and Dooars are traditionally known for.
In this proposed delegation, all the political parties will be represented by their distinguished Presidents and Secretaries. We would also appeal to all the present and former Members of Parliament and all the present and former Members of Legislative Assembly of Bengal to join this delegation. Political parties may kindly contact the following civil society members for their participation in the delegation.
A comprehensive memorandum is being prepared for presentation before the Hon’ble Prime Minister. This will be circulated before hand to all the political parties to read and ratify. We also propose that this delegation is led by two senior most retired Army Officers, one from the hills and the other from the plains. This far reaching initiative would certainly bear fruits.
BK Pradhan, Darjeeling : Ph 9434045521
Bishnu Chettri, Kalimpong : Ph 9332044626 E mail : < [email protected]>
Bharat Prakash Rai, Darjeeling Ph 9832031234 E mail : < [email protected]>
Jiwan Nath Adhikari, Siliguri, Ph 9832388092 E mail : < [email protected]>
Mahendra P Lama, New Delhi , Ph 09818686637 : < [email protected]>
Proposed ALL Party Delegation to New Delhi
Dear All,
Warm greetings from New Delhi !
Let us start working on the modalities of organising and sending the delegation. Since it is a high level delegation only the heads of the political parties are included in the same. This is besides the MLAs and MPs both sitting and former.
The following are the basic norms :
i) we shall not provide any air/train/taxi fare
ii) we shall not provide any accommodation. However we could arrange reasonably priced accommodations on payment basis.
iii) we shall send the memorandum to be submitted to the Prime Minister much ahead of the meeting so that the parties could give their comments.
iv) since the PMO may give appointment at a very short notice, all the political parties should be ready to reach Delhi at a very short notice.
v) political parties from both the hills and the plains and also MPs and MLAs of all the parties from the hills and the plains.
I hope there will be adequate response to our initiative. Please circulate this APPEAL NOTE to as many political parties as possible.
Warm regards
Mahendra P Lama
Source : Darjeelingtimes
