Transcript of the Speech Made by Shri. S S Ahluwalia in the Parliament of India.
In his speech today the MP started by highlighting the fact that the budget presented this year was a visionary budget, which has the potential to transform India. From Kashmit to Kankyakumari, and from Kutch to Kohima. He then stated that “I represent a region that shares international border with four countries – Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and China which is only about 27 kms away... I come from a region which borders two states Sikkim and Bihar, and connects mainland India to the North East India... any movement in this area, be it strategic, military or for the development of North Eastern States, it has to pass through my constituency.”
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| MP SS Ahluwalia and Bimal Gurung |
He then highlighted the fact that, “due to socio-economic deprivation this region is the birth place of Naxalbad movement... today Naxalbad has finished and it has transformed into Maobad and has spread from Pashupatinath to Tirupathi... yet this region has remained undeveloped... this region produces the finest tea in the world and also oranges and pineapples... yet there has been no effort to develop the agro-industry in the region... the farmers there are suffering... for instance, those farmers who want to sell oranges to markets in Bangladesh cannot do so, as they charge a tax of Rs 37/ kg because of which the farmers are suffering...”
The MP then highlighted the fact that, Darjeeling is home of the Gorkhas – whose creed is, “responsibility, loyalty, and sincerity... from contributions made by brave freedom fighters like Saheed Durga Malla whose statue is installed near Gate # 5 and adorns the Parliamentary premise reminds us of our our freedom struggle... another name Tenzing resonates with the undying bravery of the people of Darjeeling... and names like Ari Bahadur Gurung who was a member of the Constituent Assembly of our great nation reminds of the significance of the region I represent.”
The MP then stated, “Madam Speaker, I want to highlight a few issues surrounding my constituency... There has been no war that India has fought, be it the war of 1962, 1965, Kargil, or the Mumai terrorist attack where Gorkhas have not laid down their lives for our motherland... and in recognizing this sacrifice Ms.
Today those same Gorkhas have been agitating since 1907... The demand for a separate administrative unit - separate state in today’s term – comprising the Darjeeling, Terai and Dooars was 1st raised in 1907 by the Hillman’s Association – comprising the representatives from all the communities of the Darjeeling region.
Since, then this demand has been raised 29 times in various shapes and forms. The most prominent being the violent agitation for separate statehood in 1986-88 which caused the death of hundreds of Gorkhaland supporters in Police firing, this eventually led to the formation of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council in 1988... but this disposition did not fulfill the aspiration of the Gorkhas.
This demand was again reignited in 2007 and lasted till 2011 which led to the formation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in 2011, and in an agreement signed by the then Home Minister P Chidambaram, Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee it is written – “the GJM, while not dropping their demand for a separate State of Gorkhaland, has agreed to the setting up of an autonomous Body [GTA]”
But despite the fact that the Gorkhas had signed this document in earnest, Bengal has continued to treat them as a 2nd class citizen, because of which they have been forced to begin their agitation again”
He then highlighted an issue which was 1st raised by TheDC and our readers i.e. non-inclusion of Nepali as an Optional paper in WBCS.
Today in the Parliament, Darjeeling MP stated, “The issue of discrimination against Gorkhas can be understood by the fact that, despite this Parliament recognizing Nepali as one of the National Languages of India in 1992, the Gorkhas cannot choose Nepali as an optional paper in WBCS… They can become IAS or IPS offices, but they cannot become WBCS officers… this is the heights of discrimination that the Gorkhas have to face…. Which is why they are agitating for Gorkhaland again at Jantar-Mantar… and amongst the various demands and grievances they have, this is merely one example of such discrimination”
The MP then reminded the Government of the promise made in BJP election manifesto in which they have promised to “sympathetically examine the demands of the Gorkhas, Rajbanshis, Adivasis and other people residing in the Darjeeling district, Dooars region”
He also highlighted that “various facilities that were supposed to be accorded to the region including the establishment of a Central University, Central Institute of Technology, Sainik School, National Games and Sports Academy, Central Government Engineering College, reservation of seats for students of the region in colleges and institutions of higher education including engineering, medical and management all over India etc” promised during the formation of GTA have not yet been fulfilled.
The MP then stated that, “the people from my constituency which spreads from the hills to Naxalbari, Phansidewa, Siliguri and Chopra need development initiatives... we are talking about smart cities... we need smart corridors... we need corridors that connect air travel to rail, which then connects to smart roadways... the passage to Bangladesh, Bhutam, Nepal and Burma happens over our chest... through Siliguri... hence Madam, I demand that a smart corridor be built to connect these places....”
Requesting the house to be considerate to the plight of people living next to NH31A, the MP said, “Madam from Ghospukur to Sevoke smart roads have to be built, but I request that may it be done without removing the people who have been living there for ages... may it be developed but without causing trouble and problem those who are already settled in the area....”
Finally he reiterated, “Madam, I want to reiterate and request the Government... to immediately form a committee to examine the long pending demand of this region.”
The Speaker than ordered, Shri. Nishikant Dubey, Shri. Shivakumar Udasi, Shri. Devji M Patel, Shri. Uday Pratap Singh, Shri. P P Chaudhari, and Dr. Kirit P Solanki to be associated with the matters raised by the Darjeeling MP.
[Copy of unedited speech transcript derived from Loksabha website]
Via: TheDC
%2Bgeneral%2Bsecretary%2BRoshan%2BGiri.jpg "GJM general secretary Roshan Giri")
