Mahasweta Devi lends support to Lepcha community

SILIGURI/KOLKATA, 1 SEPT: The people belonging to the Lepcha community, historically acknowledged as the autochthones of the Darjeeling Hills, are feeling enthused by the empathy the noted writer and social activist, Mahasweta Devi (see sns photo), has shown to the community’s cause.  Over 250 Lepchas clad in their traditional attire have been staging a sit-in at Subodh Mullick Square in Kolkata for the past 21 days, demanding fulfilment of three demands linked to their struggle for cultural existence in the Hills.
“We have received no official response from the Mamata Banerjee-led government as yet. The same is the case with the Union home ministry to which we served a deputation in April last year. We are being subjected to the same apathy. But we have confidence in the new chief minister of the state. She would mete out justice, we are convinced,” said the chief coordinator, the Lepcha Rights Movement, Mr NT Lepcha.
Mahasweta Devi, whose contribution to the Adivasi welfare has turned into a legend, today turned up at the Lepchas’ sit-in and expressed empathy for the three demands the community has been striving for.
The demands include constitution of a Lepcha Development Council under the state government, recognition of the Lepcha script, known as the oldest one in the Mongoloid fringe of India, as a medium of instruction for the schools located in the Hills and the reservation of seats for the community in Parliament and West Bengal Assembly.
“The writer has not just empathised with our cause but regaled us by rendering Tagore songs at the sit-in congregation. We also presented her with a translation of Tagore’s Gitanjali done by one member of the Lepcha Association, based in the Darjeeling Hills. We are grateful to her who has become a living embodiment of the aspirations of the long forlorn people all over the country,” Mr Lepcha said.
“The writer has assured us that she would take up the issue with the chief minister. We are relieved by the assurance. We are now looking forward to the chief minister showing sympathy for the cause involving the fast-dwindling ethnic community which has been struggling for the preservation of its culture without any intention to dabble in the turbulence of politics,” he added.
-statesman news service