Vivek Chhetri
Darjeeling, Aug. 7: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha formed the Janmukti Lepcha Organisation yesterday in an attempt to woo members of the indigenous hill community and counter an association which the party believes has leanings towards Mamata Banerjee.
Dawa Lepcha, an elected GTA Sabha member from Algara-Pedong constituency in Kalimpong, was made the president of the new organisation at a meeting attended by around 100 members of the Lepcha community.
"We have formed the organisation as our community members cannot remain aloof and we need to work in tune with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration for better development of our community," Dawa said today.
"A development board (Mayel Lyang Development Board) has been formed and certain community leaders seem to be functioning as if they do not need the GTA or are not staying in the GTA area. The GTA is for everyone. MLDB is being run as if it has been formed to challenge the GTA and ILTA (Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association) leaders seem to be working with a Bengal-centric agenda," Dawa added.
Kalimpong subdivision has the highest concentration of Lepchas in the hills and Kalimpong-based Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association has the strongest support in the community.
The community also has the All India Lepcha Association based in Darjeeling and it is believed to be close to the Morcha leadership.
Asked about the need to form the front when AILA was existing, Dawa said: "Both ILTA and AILA are social organisations. We thought of forming Janmukti Lepcha Organisation so that there is a political guardian for the community."
The relationship between the ILTA and the Morcha hit a rough note after the organisation welcomed Mamata Banerjee to Kalimpong for a programme on September 3, 2013, while the Morcha was agitating for Gorkhaland following the announcement on Telangana.
Despite the Morcha's appeal to the people to stay indoors (under the party's ghar bhitra janta agitation programme), thousands of Lepchas attended the ILTA programme at the Mela Grounds in Kalimpong.
Mamata was felicitated and given the title Kingchoom Daarmit (goddess of good fortune) for setting up the Lepcha development board.
The cabinet gave its nod to form the board in 2013.
The Morcha was against the formation of the board and when the government decided to go ahead despite Morcha's reservation, the hill party demanded that the board be brought under the GTA. The board is under the backward classes welfare department.
Today, Dorji Lepcha, the president of the ILTA, said: "I would not like to comment on the issue immediately because I am not aware of the details of the development."
Dawa said although the 2011 census shows that there are 48,000 Lepchas in the hills, the figure could be around 80,000.
Source- Telegtaph
Darjeeling, Aug. 7: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha formed the Janmukti Lepcha Organisation yesterday in an attempt to woo members of the indigenous hill community and counter an association which the party believes has leanings towards Mamata Banerjee.
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| Lepcha Demonstration in the past |
"We have formed the organisation as our community members cannot remain aloof and we need to work in tune with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration for better development of our community," Dawa said today.
"A development board (Mayel Lyang Development Board) has been formed and certain community leaders seem to be functioning as if they do not need the GTA or are not staying in the GTA area. The GTA is for everyone. MLDB is being run as if it has been formed to challenge the GTA and ILTA (Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association) leaders seem to be working with a Bengal-centric agenda," Dawa added.
Kalimpong subdivision has the highest concentration of Lepchas in the hills and Kalimpong-based Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association has the strongest support in the community.
The community also has the All India Lepcha Association based in Darjeeling and it is believed to be close to the Morcha leadership.
Asked about the need to form the front when AILA was existing, Dawa said: "Both ILTA and AILA are social organisations. We thought of forming Janmukti Lepcha Organisation so that there is a political guardian for the community."
The relationship between the ILTA and the Morcha hit a rough note after the organisation welcomed Mamata Banerjee to Kalimpong for a programme on September 3, 2013, while the Morcha was agitating for Gorkhaland following the announcement on Telangana.
Despite the Morcha's appeal to the people to stay indoors (under the party's ghar bhitra janta agitation programme), thousands of Lepchas attended the ILTA programme at the Mela Grounds in Kalimpong.
Mamata was felicitated and given the title Kingchoom Daarmit (goddess of good fortune) for setting up the Lepcha development board.
The cabinet gave its nod to form the board in 2013.
The Morcha was against the formation of the board and when the government decided to go ahead despite Morcha's reservation, the hill party demanded that the board be brought under the GTA. The board is under the backward classes welfare department.
Today, Dorji Lepcha, the president of the ILTA, said: "I would not like to comment on the issue immediately because I am not aware of the details of the development."
Dawa said although the 2011 census shows that there are 48,000 Lepchas in the hills, the figure could be around 80,000.
Source- Telegtaph
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