“It is unfortunate that our people are being deprived of their democratic rights. I am getting reports from Calcutta that at this moment our members are being threatened with arrest while taking out a march to the Assembly. Why aren’t we allowed to stage peaceful protest?” asked L.S. Tamsang, the president of the Lepchas Rights Movement.
He told The Telegraph that similar rallies were being held in Darjeeling and Kurseong as well.
The Lepchas have been holding dharnas and rallies in Calcutta to demand the setting up of a development council or board to preserve and promote the community’s culture and language.
The rally in Kalimpong was taken out under the aegis of the movement. Attired in their traditional dresses, the marchers walked through streets before gathering in front of the subdivisional officer’s office. The protesters presented a memorandum to SDO L.N. Sherpa, listing their demands — introduction of Lepcha language in the formal education system and representation in the Assembly and Parliament, besides the development council.
Tamsang said the Lepchas would continue with their protest in Calcutta till chief minister Mamata Banerjee agreed to meet them. “We demand the chief minister’s positive intervention,” he said.
Samden Lepcha, the movement’s public relations officer, said from Calcutta that although around 50 agitators were suffering from various ailments, they were determined to continue the protest till the demand for the development council was met.
The Lepchas are one of the original inhabitants of the Darjeeling hills.
-RAJEEV RAVIDAS(TT)
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