I wants not just people’s votes,but also their hearts and minds - Mahendra Lama

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.(EOIC)