Kurseong, 2 December
Jumping into the scene in the wake of the Tamang community having demanded a development board in step with the Lepcha Development Board (LDB) recently constituted by the state government, All India Bhutia Association, espousing the cause of the Bhutia community in the Darjeeling Hills, has demanded the same. The members of the association served a memorandum to the Kalimpong sub-divisional officer, Mrs K Radhika Aiyar, demanding a Bhutia Development Council.
One senior member of the association, Dr M Dhondup said they have taken heart in the chief minister having constituted Lepcha Development Board for all-round development of the Lepcha community. “We are happy, but it must be remembered at the same time that the Bhutia is another indigenous community whose antecedents date far back in history. Ours is a ST community too on the lines of the status the Lepcha community is enjoying. It is thus in the fitness of things that we should have a similar board to cater to our needs of development,” he added. He also informed that the SDO has assured them that their demand would be forwarded to the higher authorities soon.
Importantly, two days ago, the Tamang community, dressed in their traditional attire, and grouped under the banner of the Tamang Youth Association had organised a huge rally in Kalimpong, demanding same kind of board for their community. They had also submitted a memorandum to the Kalimpong SDO and staged a seminar on the same demand. TYA leader, Mr Bishnu Golay said that they would continue fighting for a development board for the wellbeing of the community
It is to be seen how the GJMM would deal with these demands being raised from the multiplicity of the ethnic and sub-ethnic sources. “Mr Bimal Gurung has already cried foul, dubbing the state government’s decision to form LDB as a ploy to weaken the collective resolve of the people across the ethnic-sub-ethnic spectrum for Gorkhaland. Tamang community, deemed as an important and inseparable part of the generic Gorkha identity, demanding board on the lines of the Lepcha community must taste sour for the GJMM that professes by the idea of the indivisibility of the Gorkha community,” said an observer.
Jumping into the scene in the wake of the Tamang community having demanded a development board in step with the Lepcha Development Board (LDB) recently constituted by the state government, All India Bhutia Association, espousing the cause of the Bhutia community in the Darjeeling Hills, has demanded the same. The members of the association served a memorandum to the Kalimpong sub-divisional officer, Mrs K Radhika Aiyar, demanding a Bhutia Development Council.
One senior member of the association, Dr M Dhondup said they have taken heart in the chief minister having constituted Lepcha Development Board for all-round development of the Lepcha community. “We are happy, but it must be remembered at the same time that the Bhutia is another indigenous community whose antecedents date far back in history. Ours is a ST community too on the lines of the status the Lepcha community is enjoying. It is thus in the fitness of things that we should have a similar board to cater to our needs of development,” he added. He also informed that the SDO has assured them that their demand would be forwarded to the higher authorities soon.
Importantly, two days ago, the Tamang community, dressed in their traditional attire, and grouped under the banner of the Tamang Youth Association had organised a huge rally in Kalimpong, demanding same kind of board for their community. They had also submitted a memorandum to the Kalimpong SDO and staged a seminar on the same demand. TYA leader, Mr Bishnu Golay said that they would continue fighting for a development board for the wellbeing of the community
It is to be seen how the GJMM would deal with these demands being raised from the multiplicity of the ethnic and sub-ethnic sources. “Mr Bimal Gurung has already cried foul, dubbing the state government’s decision to form LDB as a ploy to weaken the collective resolve of the people across the ethnic-sub-ethnic spectrum for Gorkhaland. Tamang community, deemed as an important and inseparable part of the generic Gorkha identity, demanding board on the lines of the Lepcha community must taste sour for the GJMM that professes by the idea of the indivisibility of the Gorkha community,” said an observer.
Source: SNS