Original inhabitants seek quota

A Lepcha tribal in traditional attire

Kalimpong, July 17: The Lepchas, acknowledged as the original inhabitants of the Darjeeling hills, have demanded reservation of seats in the proposed Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) to ensure that the community remains an integral part of the political system in their homeland.

Speaking for the community, the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Forum, which is the political arm of the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association (ILTA), said reservation was necessary given that since Independence, the political, cultural and social issues of the tribe had not been addressed at all levels of government — local, state and central.

“All these issues are very vital to the existence of the Lepcha tribe and the preservation of the historic background of the region as a whole,” said Paul Simick, the forum president.

He said the Lepchas constituted about 20 per cent of the nearly nine-lakh hill population and they should be made an integral part of any political settlement.

“During the chaotic political agitation in the 1980s, the indigenous Lepchas were totally ignored in the overall development process. The indigenous Lepchas have felt left out for nearly a quarter of a century because of the apathetic attitude of the DGHC and the state government. There was no thought of their well-being and no attempts whatsoever to conserve their culture, customs and traditions,” said Simick.

The forum also demanded that the Lepchas be officially declared the indigenous tribe of the hills and certain exclusive provisions like quotas in jobs, colleges and universities be provided for them.

“As the indigenous tribe of the Darjeeling hills, the Lepchas deserve space to breathe,” said Simick.

He also reiterated the long-standing demand for inclusion of the Lepcha language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and said it should also be immediately introduced in schools and colleges in the hills.

“During British rule, Lepcha was one of the official languages of the region. Sadly, in our very own Bengal, successive governments have not taken any step to teach this old language in schools and colleges in the hills where there are enough Lepcha tribal students,” Simick said.

In an effort to preserve the rich cultural heritage of the Lepchas, the forum also demanded the setting up of a Lepcha cultural institute.

“The rich cultural heritage of the Lepchas is being sustained only through verbal and written communication by the Lepchas themselves, some interested individuals, scholars and the Kalimpong-headquartered ILTA. The Lepcha cultural heritage, however, may not be able to withstand the onslaught of multi-cultural invasion in the 21st century if immediate steps are not taken to preserve and advance it,” added Simick.

TT