GJM is not in favour of statehood - Dr. Mahendra P Lama

9:43 AM

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Mahendra P. Lama

Dr. Mahendra P Lama  ex pro-vice chancellor of IGNOU on GJM's opposition (which was clear when they suspended P Arjun a GJM study forum member) to his candidature of independent Lok Sabha election 2014 said that Morcha’s stance will not affect him.

Mahendra Lama speaking to journalists
in Mirik on Friday.

The Darjeeling-Dooars United Development Foundation (DDUDF) chief also asserted the GJM is not in favour of Gorkhaland statehood. He had not spoken his views outright till now, but Lama today fired heavy artillery at the GJM.

He said, “The GJM claims to be a pro-Gorkhaland party, but its refusal to support us is akin to abandoning the demand for statehood. The GJM at present is trying to give an impression that it has never raised the statehood demand with seriousness and will not be doing so in future too.”

At the same time, Lama said the general public and even some regional parties are supporting him as are people from various parts of the country.

Stressing the need to form new states in the country, the independent candidate from Darjeeling pledged to pressurise the government on a separate state if elected.

Responding to a question, Lama said he will ensure the media industry of the region is given due attention. Media personnel of the Darjeeling hills will be provided with all necessary benefits and a training institute on journalism also set up, he assured, adding he will also make efforts to provide opportunities to regional journalists to stand at par with their national and international counterparts.

Source:EOI

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Dr Mahendra P Lama public meeting at Bagha Jatin Park Siliguri

9:31 AM

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Politics

Former vice-chancellor of Sikkim University, Dr Mahendra P Lama, the independent candidate from the Darjeeling constituency for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, today conducted a public meeting at the Bagha Jatin Park in Siliguri.

Mahendra P Lama speaking at the public meeting
 in Bagha Jatin Park on Tuesday.

In a thinly veiled reference to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, he said some forces are sowing the seed of communal discord among the people of the Darjeeling hills and the Dooars and Terai regions.

 “A wounded pigeon is flying to Darjeeling after every 15 days to spread narrow communal thinking among the people of the region,” Lama alluded. You can see the pigeon roaming about freely inside the Writers’ Buildings.”

He urged people to remain vigilant of the “wounded pigeon” as complacency would give it leeway to disrupt the age-old unity existing between various communities in the hills and the Terai.

Shedding light on the factors responsible for the socio-economic backwardness of the people of the region, the academician pointed out three key glitches: illiteracy; the tendency to neglect traditional wisdom; and lack of the will to dream big.

He noted Darjeeling was the first region in Asia to get an electricity producing plant. But now while the rest of Asia has made significant progress, Darjeeling is reeling under the shadows of socio-economic backwardness and illiteracy. Train services were introduced in Darjeeling way back in 1883, but the Darjeeling–Dooars train service has not undergone much development yet, observed Lama.

 “The separate statehood demand does not focus on any one particular community or language. It is a regional demand and must be prioritised considering the vital issue of development of the local populace,” he stressed. The people of the region should elect a representative who will be capable and efficient enough to pursue their demand in Parliament and garner wide support for it, added Lama.

The academician took pains to emphasise that the statehood demand is not only to address the issue of the Gorkha community’s identity at the national level, but to bring forth the burning question of socio-economic development of the local populace.

Many non-Gorkha leaders were present at the public meeting today to justify Lama’s stand. Kamatapur Women’s Organisation president Alti Singh, erstwhile Naxal leader Sridhar Mukhopadhyay and Kamatapuri People’s Party district president Sanjay Sarkar were among those who shared the dais with Lama. They all echoed Lama by speaking in favour of a separate state comprising Darjeeling and the Dooars.

Source:EOI

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DDUDF public meeting on March 16 in Mirik

9:34 AM

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Politics

Mirik: The Darjeeling Dooars-Terai United Development Foundation has decided to hold a public meeting on March 16 at the Haat Bazaar area.

DDUDF Mirik convenor Tilak Prakash Rai.

Speaking to journalists today, Mirik DDUDF convener Tilak Prakash Rai said, “Since the DDUDF is receiving a warm response from people throughout the hills and expanding commendably, it is likely independent candidate Dr. Mahendra P Lama will bag 70 per cent of the votes in the LS polls.”

While reiterating that the DDUDF is seeking support from all political and apolitical organisations along with community bodies, Rai said nothing is certain about their support until their stance on the polls is clear.

He said the DDUDF is still awaiting the GJM’s response for a meeting. The organisation is also in touch with the hill TMC and is discussing the issue of son-of-the-soil candidate, added Rai.

Source:EOI

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Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh yet to decide on supporting Dr. Mahendra P Lama in LS election

11:01 AM

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mirik live news

The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) may have announced its support to independent candidate Dr. Mahendra P Lama in the general elections at the regional level, but organisation president Dr. Enos Das Pradhan today said the matter is yet to be discussed at the national level.

BGP president Dr. Enos Das Pradhan.

Noting that the BGP is an apolitical body functioning at the national level, Pradhan said: “The BGP has been organising various activities at the national level in demand of Gorkhaland. There is need to elect a capable and sincere person as MP from the region in order to ensure the demand gets taken forward.” The BGP president claimed Lama has stepped forward to contest in the polls for the sole reason of pursuing the statehood demand and all BGP regional units will support him fully.  Praising Lama as the ideal candidate, Pradhan said: “He (Dr. Lama) understands and knows how the statehood agenda is to be raised in Delhi. He knows what is to be done. In the present scenario, Lama is a competent candidate.” The BGP chief also spoke on the hot issue of ‘son-of-the-soil’.

Pradhan said: “Last time we elected BJP heavyweight Jashwant Sinha to the Lok Sabha. He was sent there for the primary issue of raising the statehood demand, but political compulsions restrained him from doing so to just on a solitary occasion.” He informed the BGP will host its national convention on March 9 and 10 in Siliguri. He said the issue of Gorkhaland will be discussed amongst members on the first day, while the final day will have discussions on the organisation’s activities.

Source:EOI

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Mahendra P Lama Development boards divide communities

10:06 AM

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Mahendra P. Lama

Darjeeling Dooars United Development Foundation chief Dr. Mahendra P Lama today expressed apprehensions on the state government’s approval to set up development boards as are being demanded by various communities of the hills.

Mahendra P Lama 

He said, “If the government is setting up development and cultural boards to the communities with an objective of uplifting and uniting them, the idea is most welcome. But if it is some selfish political ploy, we condemn the move vehemently.”

Speaking at an organisational meeting today in Mirik, Lama suggested that instead of individual development boards, a single gazette notification should be issued for development projects that would cover all the communities. He said the current policy of forming separate development boards will in all likelihood create division among the communities.

Lama, who has been on a self-campaign for the upcoming general elections, emphasised the DDUDF is working seriously to generate awareness among people of rural areas about their political, educational and social rights. He noted intellectual development of society is possible only if the public responds positively.

Stressing on the need to preserve and develop the Nepali language, Lama, who is an acclaimed academician, said, “We must act with a vision to build a bright future for the Gorkha community.”

Responding to a query, the DDTDF chief said the organisation has written letters to several political parties including the GJM, GNLF, CPRM, CPM, Congress, TMC and BJP, apprising them about the DDTDF’s election agenda. Expressing optimism about the organisation getting positive responses from the parties, Lama noted some of them have already begun analysing the DDTDF’s poll agenda.

He reiterated the DDTDF’s primary agenda is the formation of a separate state even as he expressed confidence of winning in the election citing organisation’s “zero enemy” policy.

Source:EOI

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Dr. Mahendra P. Lama seeking meet with different hill political parties

10:08 AM

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Politics

Renowned academic and former vice chancellor of Sikkim University, Dr. Mahendra P. Lama, who has already decided and announced to contest in the upcoming 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Darjeeling constituency as an independent candidate, has sent a letter to different political parties seeking appointment for their support in the election.

Dr. Mahendra P. Lama addressing a meeting in
 Kurseong on Sunday.

Notably, under the banner of Darjeeling Dooars United Development Forum (DDUDF), an apolitical organization, Dr. Lama has announced to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Darjeeling constituency.

Dr. Lama, who was in Kurseong today during a campaigning program for the general elections, said his organisation has already said it no political enemies and only needs support from all parties in the coming election. Hence, he has sent letters to all concerned political organizations, seeking appointment, so that, the organisation can place and share its views and issues to these respective political organizations to garner their support in the coming elections.

He said letters have been sent to the various parties including GNLF, CPM, CPRM and even GJM and the ruling TMC party. When asked, if he is ready to seek support from the TMC party, he said he will be seeking help from all organizations and individuals. He said he is even willing to ally with the TMC party provided they should have a common understanding on various issues, but stressed he would never contest the election under the banner of any political parties. He also said he has requested all the political parties to give him appointment between 11 to 15 January.

Meanwhile, in his address to his supporters at the meeting, he said “More than 50% of our identity problem will be solved, if we strive for education to make ourselves educated”

Dr. Lama further said the demand of separate can also be achieved. However, there is a need for an appropriate time and preparation that should be done on different aspects. “We should thus think broadly and be broad minded in our views and thoughts.”

He also interacted and met the representatives and members of different drivers’ organizations in Kurseong. During the meeting, the representatives of the drivers associations and others shared and placed their different problems, which have been faced by them. He assured them of all the support from his organisation and laid out various points through which the problem pertaining to drivers can be met.

Later, Dr. Lama and his organization members also visited Rohini for campaigning. In the evening, he met some representatives of business community in Kurseong and interacted with them to sought their support in the coming election to work for the development of Darjeeling and its adjoin regions.

Source:EOI

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