Indegenous Lepcha Tribal Association
(ILTA) today made a formal announcement of support for TMC in the
upcoming LS election at a public meeting held here at the Mela Ground.
Representatives of Tamang Youth Association and Mangar Samaj, who shared
the dais in today’s meeting, also announced their support to TMC
candidate Bhaichung Bhutia. ILTA president Dorjee Tshiring Lepcha,
Lepcha Development Board chairman Langsong Tamsang, NBDD minister Gautam
dev, TMC LS candidate Bhaichung Bhutia, TMC Minority Cell vice
president Maria Fernandez, Hill TMC President Rajen Mukhia and TYA
convener Sanjay Moktan were present in the meeting among others.
Dorjee Tshiring Lepcha stated he owes a
debt to CM Mamata Banerjee as she has justified the Lepcha community by
granting it the LDB. DT Lepcha said “Lepchas are also experiencing
Democracy now. The credit goes to CM Mamata Banerjee. She loves the
hills and the Lepchas. Many years after the establishment of Democracy
the Lepchas has got justice and we are gratified towards the CM.” He
also said the BJP has not stated anything about granting a primitive
tribe status to the Lepchas in its election manifesto and as such will
not fall in the trap of the saffron party. He also rubbished the
allegations against ILTA that it hires Lepchas from Sikkim in its public
meetings. Appealing other communities to follow them the ILTA president
said, “You too must support (TMC). She (Mamata Banerjee) has thought
many things to the hills and is really concerned about development of
the communities here.”
Addressing the meeting TMC leader Gautam
Deb claimed the BJP and GJM have no support base in the hills and that
Bhaichung Bhutia will emerge victorious with a huge margin bagging “2
lakh votes from the plains and 3 lakh from the hills”. He also said the
administration will maintain a strict vigil during the polls and no
capturing of poll booths will be allowed. TMC candidate Bhaichung Bhutia
also addressed the gathering today accusing GJM leaders of being
antagonistic towards the development of hill communities. “Morcha is
fuming because after Lepchas, the Tamangs are also getting a development
board. It shows that GJM does not want development for all” Bhutia
alleged. He also said besides himself, candidates from no other parties
cared to visit rural and remote places to take stock of the situation
there. He went on to say the candidates from other parties are using
their money power to gather supporters in huge sizes in the meetings
being held only in urban areas.
Bhutia said, “Our party is a party of
the poor. The GJM decided against supporting us as it understood that it
is not going to get anything from us. Thus it supported the rich party,
BJP. They must have had some hidden deal between them.” The former
footballer also alleged the MP fund that was not utilized for public
purposes are now being put into election campaigning by GJM. He
reiterated his reason for joining politics is to establish peace,
democracy and development and pledged to maintain honesty and
transparency in activities if elected as MP. Today’s meeting was also
addressed by hill TMC leaders including Rajen Mukhia, Sikha Rai,
Bhupendra Lepcha, TYA leaders Sanjay Moktan and Kamal Gurung, Maria
Fernandez and Nayan Lepcha among others.(EOIC)