The second thing he saw in the name of development was the occurrence of massive devastation. Ridiculing the statehood struggles led by the GNLF and the GJM, Lama said, “Ghisingle macha macha vanera vyaguta laye, Bimal Gurung le macha macha vanera chepegada laye” (Ghising enticed us with a fish but gave a frog, while Bimal Gurung gifted us a tadpole).
Lama said he has heard complaints from people that parties threatening them to take away their 100 days and other work opportunities if they deny support. He said under the current situation, the youths have a dim future in the hills. The educated youths have no use of their degrees in hills. Urging people to seek better times, the independent candidate requested them to “move ahead” with him. “Walk with me for a better future. Do not turn back. Think what has to be done today so as to make our tomorrow better,” Lama said. He said the first job for him after entering Parliament will be to win separate statehood. Targeting the BJP-GJM tie-up, Lama said, “Everyone is talking about statehood but they don’t have it in their manifestos. They have sold out the agenda and now the struggle will be the final one that has already started with the parliamentary elections.”
Speaking on his preparedness Dr. Lama said, “This time we will go fully prepared. The documents are ready; history, geography, culture, science whatever is required to be produced as evidence, we are equipped with.” Lama also claimed to bring 82 government schemes to the region instead of the eight that are implemented here. He stressed on the necessity of implementing three-tier panchayat elections in the hills while pledging to successfully fight for it if elected. Demanding that tea and cinchona plantations must be granted world heritage status Lama also championed inclusion of Darjeeling in the North East Council.(EOIC)