Showing posts with label Dr. M P Lama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dr. M P Lama. Show all posts

JNU students protest against Mahendra P Lama leveling allegations of sexual harassment

6:47 AM

JNU students protest against 2 other professors alleging sexual harassment

ANI | New Delhi Students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) staged a protest against professors Mahendra P Lama, and Rajesh Kharat leveling allegations of sexual harassment against them. The students demanded that they should be arrested.

Recently, JNU's another professor Atul Johri was arrested in a sexual harassment case and was later granted bail.
JNU students protest against professors Mahendra P Lama leveling allegations of sexual harassment

A student of JNU filed a case against Lama and Kharat, who work in the Centre of South Asian Studies of JNU. The professors allegedly took the student to China for work and tried to harass her sexually.

She asked the Internal Complaint Committee of JNU to suspend the professor. However, no step been taken against him as yet.

Both the professors were arrested by the Police on the basis of the complaint registered by the victim but were later granted bail. The varsity authority has not taken an action against them since then.

Via B S

Dr. Mahendra P Lama in Myanmar Energy Forum

10:00 PM
Prof Mahendra P Lama of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi was invited from India to make a special presentation on how cross border energy exchanges could be done with Myanmar’s South Asian neighbours particularly the immediate North East region of India

In order to implement the promises and issues related to the energy security in Myanmar mentioned in the election manifestoes of the first democratically elected Government led by the National League for Democracy, the Myanmar Energy Forum Meeting was organised by the famous Parami Energy at Nay Pyi Taw the new capital of Myanmar. Myanmar formerly Burma has now country’s first civilian President Htin Kyaw in more than 50 years. The military rule was imposed in Myanmar in 1962 and ruled the country till very recently.

The National League for Democracy is actually led by its President and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi who won commanding majorities in both houses of parliament in the last November 2015 election. Suu Kyi is the youngest daughter of the Father of the Modern Burma Aung San. However, the valiant fighter for democracy who was jailed and remained under house arrest for almost 21 years could not become the President of Myanmar this time also as the constitution debars anyone with a foreign spouse or children to become the President. It may be noted that Aung San Suu ki is married to late Prof Michael Aris from England and has two sons. Suu ki however, has taken over the coveted portfolios of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of President’s Office.
Dr. Mahendra P Lama in Myanmar Energy Forum
In photo from left : Shri Ken Tun, CEO of Parami Energy of Myanmar, Prof Mahendra P Lama
and Shri Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Indian Ambassador to Myanmar

A large number of top energy specialists from all over the world gathered in this Energy Forum Meeting led by Myanmar’s top energy specialist Ken Tun. This Forum specially met to draw a policy document for energy security in Myanmar. Prof Mahendra P Lama of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi was invited from India to make a special presentation on how cross border energy exchanges could be done with Myanmar’s South Asian neighbours particularly the immediate North East region of India. Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Shri Gautam Mukhopadhyay also participated in the Forum meeting held in the very beautiful Horizon Lake View Resort.

The Forum finally produced a policy document for the Government of Myanmar which aims including many other issues to reach electricity to every nook and corner of Myanmar by 2030 and also scientifically harness its huge gas and water resources.


[You can reach Prof. Mahendra P Lama at: Mob 9818686637]

Via DarjeelingTimes


देशमा हार्‌यो, कालिम्पोङमा जित्यो - महेन्द्र पी लामा

9:27 AM
- महेन्द्र पी लामा

हामी छुट्टै राज्यका निम्ति संघर्षरत सबैको लागि गत केही सातामा विभिन्न अखबारहरूमा निस्केका चार–पाँचवटा समाचार अति नै चिन्ताजनक छन् । प्रथमतः १३ मेको टाइम्स अफ इन्डियामा दार्जिलिङका सांसदलाई संसद्को एक प्रमुख पब्लिक एकाउन्टस् कमिटीबाट हटाइएको खबर छापिएको छ । यस कमिटीबाट दार्जिलिङको सांसदलाई आफ्नै पार्टी भारतीय जनता पार्टीले नै हटाएको हो । यसअघि दार्जिलिङको सांसदलाई बीजेपीको उत्तरपूर्वी क्षेत्रहरूको देखरेख गर्न पदबाट पनि हटाइएको थियो ।

त्यसअघि दार्जिलिङका सांसदको नेतृत्वमा बनिएको जमिन उपलब्धि अधिग्रहण विषय संसद्को संयुक्त समितिको अवधि बढाइएपछि पनि कुनै ठोस रिपोर्ट नै प्रस्तुत गर्नु नसक्दा एनडीए सरकारले जमिन अधिग्रहण जस्तो महत्त्वपूर्ण मामलामा हार मात्रै नमानेर संसद्मा यसको परिचर्चा नै बन्द गर्‌यो । प्रश्नै–प्रश्न उठ्छ यहाँ ? एकपटक गोजुमुमोले ‘हामीले पठाएको सांसद केन्द्रीय मन्त्री' हुन्छ भन्थ्यो अहिले ऊ सांसदलाई नै आफ्नै पार्टीले यस्तो हालत बनाएपछि, दार्जिलिङमा आएर २८ दिनमै भोट जितेर गएको सांसदले संसद्मा छुट्टै राज्यको नामसमेत पनि उच्चारण गर्न सक्ला ? अब तीन वर्ष छ ।

दार्जिलिङका मानिसहरूले भूमिपुत्र र जातिको चिनारीसमेतलाई गलहत्याएर पठाएको सांसदले खोइ केन्द्रीय विश्वविद्यालय ल्याएको स्मार्ट सिटी खोइ ? दार्जिलिङलाई उत्तरपूर्वी क्षेत्रको काउन्सिलमा हालेको खोइ ? चिया कमानमा मानिसहरू बेसहारा भई भोकभोकै मर्दा पनि सांसद कहाँ छन्, सांसदलाई दार्जिलिङ ल्याएर जिताउने पार्टी कहाँ छन् ? पञ्चायत व्यवस्था के भो ?
महेन्द्र पी लामा
महेन्द्र पी लामा
दोस्रो खबर, १३ मईको टाइम्स अफ इन्डियामा नै यत्रो ठूलो छापिएको थियो । बिहारको समस्तीपुरमा राजेन्द्रप्रसाद कृषकीय विश्वविद्यालय स्थापना गर्ने बिललाई लोकसभा र राज्य सभामा एकै दिनमा पारित मात्रै नगरिएर त्यही दिन राष्ट्रपतिले पनि स्वीकृति दिए । संसदीय इतिहासमा यो एउटा नौलो घटना थियो । अर्थात् सरकारले चाहेको खण्डमा विश्वविद्यालयको बिल एकै दिनमा पनि पारित गरिन सकिनेरहेछ हाम्रो सांसदले चाहिँ के गर्दैछ ? गोजामुमोले तीन–तीनवटा बजेटमा विश्वविद्यालयको घोषणा गरिनेछ भनी चारैपट्टि ढोल पिट्यो । डीपीआर बनाउनलाई लाखौँ रुपैयाँ खर्च गर्‌यो ।

मङपुमा आफ्नो हक अधिकार नहुँदानहुँदै पनि विश्वविद्यालयको निम्ति जमिन देखाइ टोप्लयो । तर विश्वविद्यालयको नमोनिशान छैन । विश्वविद्यालयलाई केन्द्रले दिँदा न डीपीआर चाहिन्छ, न बजेटमा घोषणा गर्नुपर्छ, न पहिल्यैबाट जमिन देखाउनुपर्छ । हामीले बारम्बार यी सत्य कुरा भन्दै आएका छौँ । केन्द्रीय विश्वविद्यालयको निम्ति संसद्मा सरकारले बिल मात्रै ल्याउनुपर्छ, अहिले बिहारको कृषि विश्वविद्यालय झैँ । सो बिल सरकारले ल्याउनुपर्छ, सांसदले ल्याउनुपर्छ ।

खोइ हाम्रो सांसद, खोइ हाम्रो बिल ? एउटा केन्द्रीय विश्वविद्यालयसम्म त ल्याउन नसक्ने सरकार सांसद र गोजुमुमोले छुट्टै राज्यलाई त ‘आकाशको फल आँखा तरी मर' नै बनाइदियो । भोट दिने जनता किन चुप छ ? एक दिन खाएर पाँच वर्ष भोकै बस्नु नै रुचाएको हो कि कुन्नि कहाँबाट हुत्तिएर आएको मान्छेलाई सांसद बनाउने हाम्रो जनताले ?

तेस्रो, रहेका सबै गोर्खा जातिका जातिलाई जानजातिको सूचीमा गाभ्ने जमर्को चल्दैछ । दोहोरी र फेद न टुंगैबिना ‘हाई लेभल' कमिटी केन्द्र सरकारले बनायो भनेर फेरि नाच्यो गोजुमुमोका भाइ भतिजाहरू । एकपटक मुखैमा, आँखाको अगाडि नै र गोर्खे छातीकै सामुने ‘बंग भंग हो बेना' भन्दा पनि यसरी नै अर्थनव्यर्थमा नाचेका थिए यिनीहरू र नाचेका नाचेकै छन् आज पनि । चुनावको अगाडि एनडीए सरकारले एउटा ‘संयुक्त सचिव' स्तरको कमिटी गोर्खाका जातलाई अनुसूचित जनजातिको सूचीमा हाल्नलाई विचार–विमर्शको निम्ति गठन गर्‌यो । यसलाई गोर्खाल्यान्डभन्दा ठूलो उपलब्धि हो भन्नेहरू पनि छन् ।

नोकरशाहीको सबैभन्दा तलका अधिकारीको नेतृत्वमा कमिटी गठन गर्दा मान्छे किन रमाएको ? सचिवस्तरमा, राजनीतिक स्तरमा वा विशेषज्ञ र न्यायाधीशको स्तरमा यो कमिटी बनिनुपर्ने थियो । यो केको ‘उच्चस्तरीय' ? पुङ न पुच्छरमा किन रमाउनु ? यो कमिटीको टर्मस् अफ रेफरेन्स खोइ ? जनजातिको सूचीमा हाल्न पाँचवटा खुड्किला चढ्नुपर्छ । तेस्रो खुड्किलो पुगिसकेको मागलाई फेरि यो कमिटी बनाएर प्रथम खुड्किलोमा किन झार्‌यो ? हिजोअस्ति जनजातिको माग प्रधानमन्त्रीको टेबुलमा छ र प्रधानमन्त्री विदेशबाट फर्किनासाथ पास हुन्छ भन्नेहरू कहाँ छन् आज ?

केही गर्नुपर्दैन । आसामका ६ जाति कोच–राजवंशी, मुतिया, ताई अहोम, मोरान र मुटोकलाई एनडीएका प्रधानमन्त्रीले लोकसभा चुनाव जितेको खण्डमा ६ महिनाभित्र नै जनजातिको सूचीमा हाल्छु भनेर आश्वासन दिएको दुई वर्ष भयो । भर्खरै भएको विधानसभाको चुनावअघि नै हाल्छौँ भनेर सात सदस्यीय कमिटी पनि बनायो, तर केही भएन । दार्जिलिङको सांसद र गोजमुमोले गोर्खाल्यान्ड झैँ यसलाई २०१७ को जीटीएको चुनाव र २०१५ को लोसभा चुनावको मुद्दा बनाउने नै छ । कारण यी दुवैमा यी दुई मुद्दाहरूलाई पार लगाउने न क्षमता छ, न लगनशीलता, न त इमानदारीता नै छ ।-

चौथो गत १५ मईमा टेलिग्राफ खबर कागजमा हामीले भन्दै आएको कुरोलाई नागाल्यान्ड सरकारले लैजान सुरु गरेको खबर छापियो । जापान सरकारले नागाल्यान्डबाट १५ हजार प्रशिक्षित नर्सहरूलाई जापान लगेर त्यहाँका बूढापाकाहरूका हेरचाह गर्नमा रोजगारका निम्ति निम्तो दिने । जापान र विश्वका विकसित राष्ट्रहरू अमेरिका, जर्मनी, फ्रान्स, इङल्यान्ड, क्यानडा आदिमा बूढापाकाहरूको संख्या अति बढी मात्रामा भएकाले चारैतिरबाट नर्सहरू लगेर जाँदैछन् । जापानमा भने बूढापाकाले हजारौँ रुपैयाँ तलब दिएर फिलिपिन्सबाट नर्सहरू ल्याउँछन् । कोरिया–चीन आदि राष्ट्रबाट ऐतिहासिक कारणले जापान नर्सहरू रुचाउँदैन ।

हामीले दार्जिलिङको कुना–कुनामा लोकसभा चुनावको समय दार्जिलिङबाट हजारौँ नर्सहरू जापान र अन्य राष्ट्रहरूमा पठाउने प्रस्तावना र कार्यक्रम अघि ल्याएका थियौँ । हामीले भनेका थियौँ– नर्स ट्रेनिङ स्कुल र केन्द्रहरूमा हाम्रा चेलीबेटीलाई भर्ना गरी, विदेशी भाषाजस्तै जापानिज सिकाएर, यी विदेशी सरकारसँग सम्झौता गरी, हाम्रै दार्जिलिङ र सिक्किम क्षेत्रका हजारौँको संख्यामा विदेश पठाउन प्रबन्ध मिलाउँछौँ भनेर । चुनाव हारेपछि पनि धेरै ठाउँहरूमा यस्तो प्रस्ताव राख्यौँ । म आफैँ जापानका विश्वविद्यालयहरूमा पढाउँदा र त्यहाँका उच्च अधिकारीहरूसँग कुराकानी गर्दा यसमा सहमति सबैले जनाउँथे । संस्कृति, रूप, रङ, लवाइखुवाइ आदिमा हाम्रा ठिटीहरू जापानसँग घतलाग्दो प्रकारले मिल्छन् । तर कसैले यो कुरो अघि बढाएन ।

गत ६ महिनामा उत्तरपूर्वी क्षेत्रका उच्च अधिकारी र राजनीतिक नेताहरूकहाँ विभिन्न कार्यक्रममा मैले यो प्रस्ताव राखेँ । आश्चर्यजनक कुरो, भारत सरकारका उद्योग वाणिज्य मन्त्रालयका अधिकारीहरू र उत्तरपूर्वी दुई राज्यका मुख्यमन्त्रीहरूले यो सुझावलाई टिपेर आज कार्यान्वयन पनि गरेकाले नै, नागा ठिटीहरू र खसिया ठिटीहरू नर्स भएर जापान जाने तरखरमा छन् । जीटीएले यस्तो कुरो सोच्न पनि सक्तैन ? सांसदलाई अत्तोपत्तो छैन हाम्रा ठिटीहरू र उनीहरूका परिवारले झेलेका पिरमर्काबारे । अनि नै दुःखलाग्दो कुरो हो, फोहोरमैला, दुःख–पीडा र अन्धकार भविष्यमा लादिएर पनि जनता ब्युँझिँदैनन् । यो ज्वालामुखी कहिले फुट्ने ? भित्रभित्रै लामाहरू खरानी भएपछि फुटेर पनि ज्वाला ननिस्केला एक दिन ।

पाँचौँ सिक्किमको एउटा नेताले सिक्किमे नेपाली हो, अरू गोर्खा हो, जो नेपालबाट आएर यहाँ बसोवास गरेका हुन् भन्ने एउटा खबर २२ मेमा छापिएपछि सर्वत्र भयानक हिसाबले भत्र्सना गरियो । गोर्खाहरूचाहिँ भारतीय सेनामा भर्ना भएर आएपछि देशको विभिन्न कुनामा बसोवास सुरु गरे ।

यिनी नेताले यस्तो खतरनाक भाषण दिएकोमा आफैँ लज्जित हुनुपर्ने हो । आफ्नो ज्ञानको सीमिततामाथि आफैँ घोत्लिनुपर्ने हो । तर लज्जित हुने नेता होइनन् यिनी किनकि यिनले आफ्नो नेतागिरीको दौरान भारतीय गोर्खा जातिको विरोधमा अनगिन्ती काम गरेका छन् । समयले यी सब जातिविरोधी कामलाई उजागर मात्रै नगरेर, भावी पुस्ताले धिक्कार्ने छन् ।

पाँचवटा प्रश्न राखौँ है त ? गोर्खा जातिलाई जातजातमा सिक्किम टुक्रा कसले पार्‌यो र पछि त्यही हावा सिक्किमदेखि बाहिर कसले बहायो ? के पश्चिम बंगालका मुख्यमन्त्रीले जातिगत बोर्ड बनाई गोर्खाहरूको गढ दार्जिलिङमा वीभत्स वातावरण जन्माउनुमा सिक्किमको हावाले प्रभाव पारेन होला ? भारतीय गोर्खाहरूका चिनारीको माग गोर्खाल्यान्डको एउटा प्रमुख हतियार दार्जिलिङ सिक्किमको राष्ट्रिय माग बन्द गर्ने प्रथालाई भारतको सर्वोच्च न्यायालयमा लडेको मुद्दामा करोडौँ खर्च गरी यसलाई गैरकानुनी घोषणा गर्नु कसले लगायो र पछि मागको यो दाहिने हात नै काटेपछि सहानुभूति देखाउँदै, सिक्किम विधान सभामा पुङ न पुच्छरको गोर्खाल्यान्डलाई सघाउने प्रस्ताव किन पास गर्‌यो ? त्यहाँको नेता भएको २२ वर्षमा भारत सरकार र कुनै उच्च आयोगलाई भारतीय गोर्खाहरूका चिनारी अस्तित्व र मागबारे कुन एउटा ठोस ज्ञापन दिएको छ, देखाउन सक्छ ?

सन् २००५ मा इन्डिया टुडेले गरेको दिल्लीको मुख्यमन्त्रीहरूको कन्क्लेभमा यिनी नेताले गोर्खाल्यान्डमाथि बोल्न किन मानेनन् ? सिक्किमबाट पठाएका गोर्खा नेपाली भाषा सांसदहरूले यिनी नेताले छत्रछायामा, छुट्टै राज्य त के भारतीय गोर्खाहरूले भोगेका पिरमर्का उत्पीडनमा किन प्रश्न उठाउँदैनन् र उठाएनन् ? फेरि त्यही सिक्किमबाटै गएकी सांसद सदस्यले कसरी नेपाली भाषा मान्यताको लागि लडिन् र तिनताकका नेपाली भाषी मुख्यमन्त्रीले कसरी भारतीय नेपाली राष्ट्रिय परिसंघ स्थापना गरेर गोर्खाहरूको निम्ति त्यतिविघ्न कार्यहरू गरे ? सन् २००३–२०१६ सम्म पनि भारतीय गोर्खा जातिमा रहेका तामाङ र लिम्बू जातका अनुसूचित जनजातिका सिक्किम विधानसभामा किन सिट आरक्षणको लागि यिनले लडेन र आज चारैतिर विरोध सुरु भएपछि किन लड्ने चासो देखाउँदैछ ? २००८ मा सिक्किम आएको डिलिमेटेसन कमिसनलाई यिनी नेताले के भनेर लट्पटाए ? अति नै भयानक र चिन्ताजनक यी कार्यले भारतीय गोर्खाहरूलाई सधैँ झक्झकाइरहनेछ ।

कालिम्पोङमा गोजुमुमोको जित भयो तर यो पार्टी र यसको मुद्दा देशमा धेरैपटक हार्‌यो । ... जित्ने सम्भावना नै छैन ।

तर फेरि जित्नु भनेको लड्डु बाँडेर कन्ट्रयाक्ट बाँडेर, सरकारले जनतालाई दिएको विकासको कोस आफू, भाइभतिजा, दलाल, संगिनीबीच बाँडचुँड गर्नु मात्रै होइन । जित्नु भनेको जाति, क्षेत्र विकासको लागि केही पाउनु हो, छुट्टै राज्य ल्याउनु हो । टक्कर दिनु हो । भूतको छाया भएर टक्कर दिन सक्तैन । विधान सभा र संसद्मा छायाको खेल हुँदैन, पैसाले जिताएको सदस्यको मोल हुँदैन । कहीँ न कहीँ, केही न केही कुरोमा झुक्याएर पठाएको सदस्यले आफ्नो रङ देखाइदिइहाल्छ । र नै देशमा जित्नुपर्छ, कालिम्पोङमा होइन । समुद्रमा पौडी खेल्नु पर्छ, खोल्सामा होइन ।


Via: Annapurna Post

Why Jana Andolan Party ? - Mahendra P Lama

9:12 AM

Mahendra P Lama

The Jan Andolan Party (launched on 27 January 2016) is founded on the principles of democracy, social justice, inclusive development and safeguarding national interest. In this region of India, most of the political parties have used the term Andolan for negative purpose and petty gains only. This has led to destruction, violence and killings. More than this, it has caused inter-community and intra-community misgivings and hatred in this region where people lived for centuries with harmony, peace, cooperation and fellow feeling.
Look at the tea gardens. Which trade union is not there and for how many years. What is the result ? Tea industry is dangerously sick, workers are facing hunger deaths, the minimum wages have never reached them, panchayats are no longer there, thousands of workers have not got their provident funds and gratuity and in total they live in inhuman conditions. Even after 160 years of serving tea gardens thay donot have their land and home address . Are we in hunger torn Ethiopia or war torn Sudan ? How much of foreign exchange these gardens have fetched for the country and how these gardens have made profits for the filthy rich owners for their generations to come ?
The management and owners of these gardens change like the fashions in the Oxford Street in London, 5th Avenue in New York and Harajuku in Tokyo. Who will stop this process in this 160 years old national and global heritage ? Who will bring the tea garden owners and management to books ? Why trade unions have become ineffective ? These are some very basic questions.
As a result, all these andolans resulted into achieving very little or nothing in terms of main goals and public welfare and development. For me the only time the term andolan was used positively was during the movement for the recognition of Nepali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India. It was a protracted “Bhasha Aandolan” which brought belated yet overwhelming success. And we got the recognition successfully in 1992. At the national level, the “Chipko Andolan” in Uttarakhand region became so successful in 1980s. Ably led by Sunderlal Bahuguna and Chandi Prasad Bhatt this andolan became the model of forest and environment conservation for the entire world and more so for the people of the hills and mountains. These were the real andolans.
JAP will do andolans in three major areas i) changing people’s mind and making people more dedicated and responsible for the societal, regional and national development and construction. For this we shall have to revive all the traditional institutions which actually founded our societies and blend them with modern institutions. We shall also have to build confidence and trust among the younger generation about their ability to do something good and big for their families, societies and the country.
Once we do this, all the negative elements in the society that thrive on corruption, violence, fear, looting and more importantly political patronisation will be sidelined. It is a difficult process, a tough andolan and a Herculean task and may take a long time. However, JAP will initiate this process. This is what the Japanese did after Hiroshima and Nagasaki were devastated with atom bombs in the Second World War. This is what the Chinese did after the dangerous phase of Cultural Revolution (1965-75) of Mao-Tse Tung was ended. Look at these two countries today, no one can believe that they could do so well and stand on top of the world as a society and the economy that were literally devastated.
ii) Our second andolan will be in the arena of achieving our goal of separate state comprising of Darjeeling district, Dooars and adjoining areas. This is going to be an all inclusive state with all the communities like Bangalis, Biharis, Adivasis, Rajbongshis, Koche and Meches, Gorkhas, Lepchas, Bhutias, Marwaris etc participating in the andolan and achieving the long cherished dream of a separate state. The name of the state could be anything like “Simanta Pradesh”, “Darjeeling Dooars Pradesh” or “Kanchenjunga Pardesh” etc. Followers of all the religions and faiths will constitute this new state. Given the high economic potentials, natural resources, strategic location of our state with four international borders and more importantly given the quality of our people, we have a dream of making this state the best in the country.
This is going to be a movement based on history, geography, culture-ethnicity, national security and economic deprivation and political alienation. An andolan that will be taken directly at the heart of India’s democracy that is the Parliament of India. We shall do this andolan without violence, hatred and bloodshed and destruction.
And iii) we shall have andolans in education, health, tea, cinchona, tourism, water and forest resources and more critically in building a robust-resilient systems that would be people-centric and communities friendly. In the process we will bring all the prominent national and international and multilateral institutions including the United Nations Agencies, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other bilateral development agencies and other international NGOs to this region. We shall attract the best domestic and foreign investors. We shall make it a health destination, our state will be another education hub and we shall be the custodian of overland trades with the neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, China and Nepal and even Myanmar and other South East Asian countries. We shall be the key player in India’s core foreign policy strategy of “Act East Policy”.
All our demands are interconnected and deeply integrated. These are well and will be widely discussed in the National Bureau which is the highest decision making body of JAP.
There cannot be a state without development and there cannot be development without a state. So far we were not able to develop because we did not have our own state. We were not clear about what is our priority and criticality. All our resources tea, cinchona, forests, minerals, water, flora and fauna were exploited and siphoned away. We remained silent spectators. It is a question of priority and strategy. JAP has a clear policy of ‘zero enemy’ and ‘zero corruption’, we are sure the State Govt and the Central govt both will like it and of course the people want this.
There is no other alternative than a separate state for the people of this region. It will happen like other 29 states in India. 50 years back India was different than 50 years later today. Another 50 years will again be different than what we have in India today. Our political parties while fighting for Gorkhaland have done serious mistakes in the past. We give them the benefit of doubts. We donot want to tread the same path and commit the same fatal errors.
The people of Dooars were shown golden goose when our leaders approached them and asked them to join the demand for Gorkhaland. Whereas our leaders gave them simple lollypops with a thin plastic stick inside. Naturally they are disillusioned, angry, upset and feel deeply betrayed. They joined the political movements because of the dream of a separate state whereas both DGHC and GTA did not even give them some basic development benefits.
Now its going to be an andolan of all of us. Every community will have an equal say during the andolan and after the statehood is achieved. All the communities have their own reasons for striving for a separate state. For instance, for the Indian Gorkhas it is their identity and nationality for which a separate state is very essential and must. How some provisions of the India-Nepal Peace and Friendship Treaty topped by reciprocal and free movement of people through open borders have diluted their Indian identity ? This is a serious question that engulfs the entire Indian Gorkhas across the country. JAP has already started addressing this sensitive and protracted issue.
Who will stop an Adivasi lady to become the first Home Minister of our state, a Rajbongshi youth to become the first Finance Minister, a Bengali to be the first Chief Minister, a Gorkha to be the first education Minister and Bihari and Marwari to be a Commerce Minister in our new state and a Lepcha or Bhutia to be a Forest, Water and Environment Minister ? Who does not want a state of their own ? This is the only solution for all the future of all our youths and children like that in Telengana state. It is only a question of how you fight for it and how you achieve it and how you accommodate all the communities living in this new state. We shall have to convince both the state and the central governments like Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Telengana did in the recent years.
It is going to be a transformation (Rupantaran) and not a change (Parivartan) only. This will be done in every facet of peoples life in the region like in tea and cinchona, income and employment generation, sports and education, health and tourism, transport and communication, water and electricity, houses and agriculture, industry, trade and commerce, institutions and youths career. For this everyone has to participate so that the gains and results are owned by everyone.

Via JAP

Prof Mahendra P Lama in Eminent Persons Group (EPG)

12:17 PM
Feb 21, 2016- India has formed the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) to review treaties and relations between the two countries and it is proud moment for all Indian Gorkhas that Prof Mahendra P Lama is part of it. Dr. Lama is one of the four members representing the country in EGP.

Former Indian ambassador to Nepal Jayant Prasad, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s Nepal expert Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Professor Mahendra P Lama and Professor BC Upreti, a senior fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation have been named as the members.

An agreement to establish the EPG was reached in 2011 during the official visit of former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai to India. The two countries agreed to prepare the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the EPG in 2014 during the third meeting of Nepal-India Joint Commission in Kathmandu.

Nepal formed its EPG last month. Former secretary and chief commissioner of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority Surya Nath Upadhyay, former ambassador Bhekh Bahadur Thapa, former ambassador Nilambar Acharya and UML lawmaker Rajan Bhattarai are the EPG members from the Nepali side.
Prof  Mahendra P Lama in Eminent Persons Group (EPG)
Prof  Mahendra P Lama 
Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar made the announcement of formation of the EPG on Saturday during a press briefing coinciding with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s six-day visit to India.

Members
Indian side
Jayant Prasad, former ambassador to Nepal
Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, BJP leader
Prof Mahendra P Lama
Prof BC Upreti, senior fellow at Vivekananda International Foundation

Nepali side 
Surya Nath Upadhyay, former chief commissioner, CIAA
Bhekh Bahadur Thapa, former ambassador
Nilambar Acharya, former ambassador
Rajan Bhattarai, UML lawmaker
* Nepal formed its EPG last month

Via kathmandupost


Dr. Mahendra P Lama addresses India-ASEAN Delhi Dialogue VIII

8:50 AM
The prestigious Delhi Dialogue VIII organised by the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt of India to promote and strengthen the political, economic, socio-cultural and strategic relations between 10 countries of South East Asia (Association of South East Asian Nations) and India will be over on 19th February in Delhi.

It started on 17th Feb 2016. It is attended by the high level Ministerial and business delegation from Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines and Indonesia. Indian delegation is led by the Smt Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External Affairs, Chief Ministers, top bureaucrats, eminent academics and well known business houses.

The India-ASEAN trade has already reached a level of Rs 450000 Crore in 2015. ASEAN countries receive the highest amount of US foreign investment. Prof Mahendra P Lama was invited to address a specific session on “Promoting Cross Border Trade with ASEAN: Capitalizing on Comparative Advantage”. He primarily focused on the following issues. i) India’s Look East Policy has reached a crucial phase where the participation of the North East region is very vital. It is because the NER will be a physical gateway to the South East Asian countries as this region has 98 percent of its borders with neighbouring countries like Myanmar, Bangladesh, China, Bhutan and Nepal and 2 percent with the rest of India. Socio-culturally and historically this region had had very close relations with all these countries. ii) There are several opportunities as the concept of borders is fast changing. Borders are now becoming borderlands where there are huge opportunities for exchanges and interactions in areas like trade, investment, tourism, energy, disaster management, natural resources exchanges, education and health among many countries.
Dr. Mahendra P Lama addresses India-ASEAN Delhi Dialogue VIII
Dr. Mahendra P Lama addresses India-ASEAN Delhi Dialogue VIII
After the reopening of Nathu la trade route between Sikkim and Tibet the warming up in reconsidering the exchanges in borders have started. Government of India wants this to be consolidated. iii) There are several opportunities emerging particularly in the arena of small and medium enterprises, energy and services sector like tourism, education and health and agriculture, horticulture and floriculture.

For instance, in the Small and medium enterprises like in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand the top multinational with widely accepted brand names like Toshiba, Apple, Sony, Hyundai and Samsung could be invited to Assam, Meghalaya and Sikkim. The products could be exported anywhere in the world. iv) In the energy front the NER has almost 40 percent of India hydro power potentials and 18 percent of hydro carbon including gas, oil and coal. Therefore NER could play the role of a centre of energy pool. This could be connected with the Greater Mekong Sub-region where Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and Yunan and Guangxi Zhuang the two provinces of China have made huge cross border electricity exchange projects.

This has been a huge success. v) The small and medium enterprises in the NER should be opened to the investors from the ASEAN countries and whatever they produce could be sold in India and other South Asian and South East Asian countries under the India-ASEAN Free Trade agreement.

For instance, the bamboo shoots, pine apples, avacado, lichis, ginger, cardamom, flowers could be harnessed by the companies like Makro and Alligator Industry of Myanmar. It was suggested that clauses to promote such integration of trade and investment could be included in this agreement. vi) The Ministry of Development of North East Region (MDoNER) could now be located in the North East region only from its present location in New Delhi. This way Ministry can devote exclusive time both to the development of NER and also to strike linkages with the South East Asian countries for promotion of India’s Look East Policy. This way the MDoNER and North East Council could effectively use the huge funds for infrastructure provided by the Central Government. vii) The Darjeeling and Dooars region of West Bengal could also be incorporated in the North Eastern Council so that this regional also get all the facilities. The session was chaired by the Dr Rajat Nag , former Director General in the Asian Development Bank in Manila.

Source: Kalimpong News.


Mahendra P Lama blames GTA for sluggish development in the hills

10:44 AM
Renowned educationist and former vice chancellor of Central University of Sikkim, Dr Mahendra P Lama has blamed the GTA for sluggish development in the hills, accusing the hill body of being wielded by the state government just to administer the region. Sharpening his attack on the GJM chief Bimal Guung, Lama said: “The GTA has failed to work effectively in the Darjeeling hills as it is always running under the clutches of the Trinamool run state government. There are not much important development works done by the department, as people in many remote villages are still deprived of basic necessities. GTA chief Bimal Gurung and his aides should learn foresightedness, as it seems they are unable to see history repeating itself in the hills. During the administration of the GNLF party headed by Subash Ghising, the CPIM who was in power then cleverly devised the DGHC to sidetrack the party from the statehood demand. Likewise, following the footsteps of its arch rival, the TMC coined the GTA to distract Gurung and his party from demanding Gorkhaland. If the situation persists for long, then the GTA chief may have to shoulder all that Subash Ghising underwent.  
Lama blames GTA and Gurung for sluggish  development in the hills
Lama blames GTA and Gurung for sluggish
development in the hills
“The TMC has built the GTA as a helicopter for the people of Darjeeling hills, but fitted the wheels of a tractor underneath. So how can the engine take flight? Inert polity and static development in the region will one day lead to vigorous agitation which would pulverize not only Darjeeling district but also north Bengal,” said Lama speaking to Hindusthan Samachar over the phone.

Expressing happiness over the Kailash Masarovar pass being opened in Sikkim, Lama said, “In the years 2005 and 2006, I had sent a report to the Centre asking for opening of the route wherein I had even mentioned areas of north Bengal such as Malbazaar, Gorubathan and Pedong be opened for the sacred pilgrimage.” Opening of the routes will boost the economy of the region, he added. (HS)

Source- EOI

GYASA met Mahendra P. Lama at JNU Delhi

2:23 PM
27th July, 2015: GYASA (Gorkha Youth and Student Association) expressed their gratitude to Professor Mahendra P. Lama , the founding president of the DDUDF, for taking time to see them at Jawaharlal Nehru University. It was a fruitful session where they felt intellectually enriched they said. As he was very supportive of the social movement initiated by GYASA, and encouraged them to stay focused in their vision. As the movement grows, staying focused on the goal will be challenging and crucial to the success of the movement.
GYASA met Mahendra P. Lama at JNU Delhi
GYASA met Mahendra P. Lama at JNU Delhi
Prof. Lama says that EDUCATION is the prime key of the upliftment of the Gorkha society. Where he said “Shisha ko kheti” or “Gyan ko kheti” is what we must do to get more Gorkha people into our policy-making and governance in the country. Most of our people, despite being first or second educated generation have achieved quite a feat in all spheres – be it civil services, academics, military service, or private sector. Our people are extremely talented but we do not have proper guidance and counseling for the students.

While education is essential, we also must not forget our roots. NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER SURRENDER FOR PETTY GAINS! THINK BIG! NEVER FORGET YOUR ROOTS, says Prof. Lama. This is because we must inculcate the culture of giving back to the society in our own little way. An institutionalized effort for research and development must be done on our language, culture, and history. While our language has been constitutionally recognized not substantial had happened for research and study into the language.

Prof. Lama in his own words says, “Unfortunately our political leaderships have failed us in every respect. They have been so lacklustre, under-rated at all levels; ignorant to the hilt; marginalised by virtue of their background and acts; harmfully shortsighted and self centric at the highest societal cost. They are seemingly a bunch of emotions, hollow promises with dangerous instincts of self prophesy and survival. They have become local lords and regional cocoons. As a result, the national image and power of the Gorkhas have steadily eroded and widely stigmatised thereby putting the very future of coming generation in total jeopardy.

Hope lies in the resurrection, commitment and re-emergence and active role of the Gorkha youths to come together nationwide and question these leaderships and imbibe in them larger issues of aspirations of the youths. Only this will bring about a healthy and far reaching transformation. It is some sort of a beginning of renaissance within the pan-India community.”

We must be aware of the changing cosmopolitan needs in terms of skills and career growth. Nurturing a READING HABIT amongst the youth is of prime importance to spread the message. We have all the traits of the most civilized society – polite and respectful to others, humble, communally and religiously tolerant, and so on. However the basic premise of a civilized society, EDUCATION is missing. Once we have the weapon education with us, nothing can stop the Gorkhas from achieving what we aspire to be.

Educated youth and individuals must take part in social movement and contribute more towards changing our social mindset and channelize the energy of our coming generation into more socially constructive activities.

Source - GYASA

 
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