Dear Amar Sir,
It's been a long time since we have been in touch and you probably won’t remember my name and face, even if I brought it here.
Unfortunately the situation in the hills is such that I cannot even do that. I cannot write this open letter with my real name and identity because the political party you are from and the party which has nominated you as their MP candidate don’t know what democracy is and how it works.
The concept of Freedom of Speech is rocket science to them and they willfully ignore that it is my constitutional right. For that matter they don’t even know what Constitution is. So I apologise for bothering you anonymously.
But the questions I raise here, are genuine.
It’s been almost a decade that I passed out from College but had always carried the pride of being one of your students. Always looked upon you as a man of intellect, integrity and statesmanship. But now I FEEL LET DOWN.
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| Amar Singh Rai with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee |
In 2016, when your name was announced by the then GJMM as the MLA candidate from Darjeeling,it was a very exciting and proud moment for me, I still remember texting to almost all my Whatsapp contacts about you and asking them all to vote for you. Wrote articles and posts in social media in your support, campaigned for you in my locality and to my relatives. I did everything possible in my own little way to make you win.
But now, I FEEL BETRAYED. Yes sir, you betrayed me and 10000s like me.
Why sir? Why?
I never expected your political ambition would one day make you choose the camp of traitors and band of enemies. Never thought you would be so unscrupulous behind that polite, decent,well-mannered personality. Was that a farce or is what you show today one?
Anyway, let me stop this emotional rant and lay down what I am here to say. I have few questions for you sir. I don’t expect to you reply to me, because I am very aware that there’s no reply and even if the reply comes it would be nothing but lies and deceit mired in ambiguity.
Sir, I have noticed that you have been promising people in Tea Estates, Cinchona Garden and Forest Dwellers about their Land Rights. That reminded me of the GJMM Manifesto of 2016 (Of course I have shared that manifesto to 100s of people while campaigning for you) and the promises you made that time. My question is how many times have you raised the issue in Bidhan Sabha in past 2 years?
You are a very learned and knowledgeable person (at least that’s what I believed), especially about civic and political science. I don’t have to remind you that Land is the subject matter that comes under the State List of power distribution in our Constitution.
So, don’t you think you were/are in a perfect place as a MLA in state assembly to press for the demand of Land Rights for our people?
Where on earth did you get the idea of going to Delhi (Lok Sabha) for getting something that is in Kolkata (Bidhan Sabha)? I apologise if I sound disrespectful here but it seems to me you are losing your intellectuality by being in the company of liars and frauds. Or have you turned into one too?
Sir, the party and the leader that has nominated you for MP has been in power for the past 7 years in the state. They had every authority and capacity to grant Land Rights to our people but they never looked into that. How can you now stand along with them and tell our people that is what the party will provide for them?
Sir, why are you fooling us? The Chief Minister and her administrative and political dispensation’s policy towards us has always been that of a colonist, what makes you think that she has changed her attitude toward us?
You talk about the welfare of Tea workers but do you know (off course you know) that one of the Tea Garden Owner who hasn’t paid blood and sweat money of 6 tea garden workers and abandoned thousands of them is from the same party you are a candidate of and he still enjoys political protection from the leader whose ticket you are contesting on? Even you must know, she is a top class hypocrite. She talks about the welfare of tea workers, and yet she protects the people who subjugate them? And you have been speaking the same language in recent days. Why this hypocrisy sir? Why this sycophancy sir?
By the way, there has been an allegation that your party compromised on the 5% of Bonus of the Tea workers, so that the tea garden owners would benefit? Do you think such people will work for the welfare of our Tea Workers?
Sir, do you remember what happened in 2017? Do you remember how they tried to impose their language upon us? Do you know how we had to bleed to oppose and safeguard our language? It’s the same power and people whom who you are trying to project today as a messiah.Why sir? The person and power who wanted to dilute our language, culture, identity is today talking about giving us “identity” and you want us to believe that?? Why are you trying to fool yourself and us too sir??
And the most shocking, but now no more surprising was the statement you made day before in a press conference. “No, No, Gorkhaland is not in our Agenda”, well that was much anticipated. The day you joined Enemy of Jaati, you buried the Agenda of Gorkhaland. But the most upsetting is what you said after that. “Because we feel that there are other priorities, more important than Gorkhaland”, Really!! You got something more important than Gorkhaland?? What is that? You political ambition? Money? What is it?
No, don’t tell me about “development” thing.
Remember, I am your student and you cannot fool me with that “development” narrative. Please don’t even try to. I have seen the “development” of your leader, I know the definition of “development” of your political colleagues. And I know they know nothing about it.
You newfound leader has time and again categorically put “Bongo Vongo Hobena”. And you want us to believe that our identity issue will be solved without bifurcating the state??
Sir, are you the same Amar Singh Rai who taught us?? Do you even remember what your political thought, ideology and principle was?
Sir, a very important question to you. You were a political pundit and I do hope your Political anticipation capacity hasn’t eroded yet. Have you ever thought what the impression, effect of the so called Caste based “Development Boards” will be in the coming census of 2021 when all will be asked to write their language based on their caste? Don’t you think the Nepali Language speaking (as per census) people will be reduced to a minority? And won't that lead to the removal of our language from 8th schedule of Indian Constitution? And won't that led to dilution and loss of our only constitutional guarantee? Now tell me who initiated such move to divide us and demean us and dilute our identity? Isn’t she the same person who you want us to believe will work for our identity??
Sir, I am disappointed. You have betrayed me. I cannot wish you the best in this election. Because you have joined the camp that enjoys killing us, have snatched our rights, burned our homes, threatens to rape our mothers and sisters. In the last 2 elections of yours, I supported you. Voted for you. Campaigned for you. But I am sorry sir, this election I will vote for my community. I will vote to safeguard my Jaati from enemies outside and within.
I don’t know who will win but I hope you don’t.
Thanking you.
A disappointed student of yours.
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