Secret and concealed Lazaong book of the ancient Lepcha language has now been unearthed

Lepcha language is a very ancient language of the world. No other language of antiquity can match its enormous quantity, variety and vitality. Its regularity and simplicity are definite proof of its most ancient origin. It has an organic structure and displays a fine sensitivity for the natural meaning of letters, vowels and roots of words. Also, Lepcha language is most copious, abounding in synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms and possessing words, to express every slightest change, every varying shade of meaning. It admits of a flow and power of speech which is wonderful and which renders it capable of giving expression to the highest degree of eloquence.

The Lazaong book is not only an elementary book for teaching Lepcha children and young adults to read, write and speak Lepcha, but it is also a primer of elementary principles, a primer of phonetics, pertining to speech sounds and their production and phonetics, spelling of the words. When reading this Lazaong book, the words are to be recited in the ancient Lepcha style used in reading from manuscripts, that is, to be read in measured cadence or chanted in sonorous and rhythmic strains which gives the correct stress and rhythm of the words and the correct distribution of the words.
In this Lazaong book, the Lepcha script and its structure are beautifully shown and explained. The letters, owels, diacritical marks, finals, circumflex signs and other affixed signs are thoroughly exemplified and explained. Also, the letters, vowels, diacritical marks, finals circumflex signs and other affixed signs are combined, conjoined, and arranged in alphabetical list, forming, syllables and comprehending all the forms that monosyllabic words in Lepcha language can take. In fact, this Lazaong book is not only a Lepcha Primer book, but it is also a Lepcha book of phonetics, a Lepcha book of words, a Lepcha book of glossary, a Lepcha book of lexicon, a Lepcha book of syllabic scheme of forming monosyllabic words, a Lepcha book of dictionary, a Lepcha primeval book on whicha Lepcha language and literature rest and a book of Lepchas’ weapon of speech, which gives the power of fluent, forcible and appropriate speech. Indeed, this Lazaong book is a most wonderful, invaluable, unique, and rare treasure book of the Lepchas’ ancient language and literature.

Thus, as this most hidden, secret and concealed Lazaong book of the ancient Lepcha language has now been unearthed and brought out right into the lime-light of Lepcha observation, this much-needed traditional Lazaong book will surely infuse in the Lepcha children and young adults, an interest of their ancient language and as well as by studying this book they can easily master the Lepcha language, speech sounds and their production without causing confusion between words and spellings.

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l_Voz

Vor aC:m_ AamU, AakBu, TMaiË+ ÃLebU TMaiË+ ANu r+ ÃDe gNuZprMe kDanuZzka ÄuVlunu Y)bU QXu]prMe l_VozZy il m aA.

1. aC:m_ AakBu ANu ÃLebU TMaiË+ ÄuVlu

[ cMubU ‘i ’sa dBe :m_#Ã ANu TMaiË+Zp m!z m aA. SNela !rbuVonba !rbUZsrMe kMa ikdXu GNUbunu mDaba cMubU ‘i ’ aC Aareka TBaaT m aA. aArenu mDaba it)bU ‘ i _ ’ sa dBe kta :m_#Ã Vyane ÃLebU TMaiË+Zp !z m aA. ]

‘A’

A AX AM AL AN AB AR AD ZA

A_ A( A) A* A+ A- A@ A^ VA_

Aa AXa AMa ALa ANa ABa ARa ADa VAa

iA iAX iAM iAL iAN iAB iAR iAD :A

iA_ iA( iA) iA* iA+ iA- iA@ iA^ :A_

aA aAX aAM aAL aAN aAB aAR aAD VaA

oA !A [A #A $A %A &A ]A VoA

Au AXu AMu ALu ANu ABu ARu ADu VAu

AU AXU AMU ALU ANU ABU ARU ADU VAU

Ae AXe AMe ALe ANe ABe ARe ADe VAe

2. aC:m_ AamU, aC:m_ AakBu ANu ÃLebU TMaiË+ dBe ÄuVlu

‘k’

k kX kM kL kN kB kR kD Zk

k_ k( k) k* k+ k- k@ k^ Vk_

ka kXa kMa kLa kNa kBa kRa kDa Vka

ik ikX ikM ikL ikN ikB ikR ikD :k

ik_ ik( ik) ik* ik+ ik- ik@ ik^ :k_

ak akX akM akL akN akB akB akD Vak

ok !k [k #k $k %k &k ]k Vok

ku kXu kMu kLu kNu kBu kRu kDu Vku

kU kXU kMU kLU kNU kBU kRU kDU VkU

ke kXe kMe kLe kNe kBe kRe kDe Vke

‘K’

K KX KM KL KN KB KR KD ZK

K_ K( K) K* K+ K- K@ K^ VK_

Ka KXa KMa KLa KNa KBa KRa KDa VKa

iK iKX iKM iKL iKN iKB iKR iKD :K

iK_ iK( iK) iK* iK+ iK- iK@ iK^ :K_

aK aKX aKM aKL aKN aKB aKR aKD VaK

oK !K [K #K $K %K &K ]K VoK

Ku KXu KMu KLu KNu KBu KRu KDu VKu

KU KXU KMU KLu KNU KBU KRU KDU VKU

Ke KXe KMe KLe KNe KBe KRe KDe VKe

‘g’

g gX gM gL gN gB gR gD Zg

g_ g( g) g* g+ g- g@ g^ Vg_

ga gXa gMa gLa gNa gBa gRa gDa Vga

ig igX igM igL igN igB igR igD :g

ig_ ig( ig) ig* ig+ ig- ig@ ig^ :g_

ag agX agM agL agN agB agR agD Vag

og !g [g #g $g %g &g ]g Vog

gu gXu gMu gLu gNu gBu gRu gDu Vgu

gU gXU gMU gLU gNU gBU gRU gDU VgU

ge gXe gMe gLe gNe gBe gRe gDe Vge

‘G’

G GX GM GL GN GB GR GD ZG

G_ G( G) G* G+ G- G@ G^ VG_

Ga GXa GMa GLa GNa GBa GRa GDa VGa

iG iGX iGM iGL iGN iGB iGR iGD :G

iG_ iG( iG) iG* iG+ iG- iG@ iG^ :G_

aG aGX aGM aGL aGN aGB aGR aGD VaG

oG !G [G #G $G %G &G ]G VoG

Gu GXu GMu GLu GNu GBu GRu GDu VGu

GU GXU GMU GLU GNU GBU GRU GDU VGU

Ge GXe GMe GLe GNe GBe GRe GDe VGe

‘c’

c cX cM cL cN cB cR cD Zc

c_ c( c) c* c+ c- c@ c^ Vc_

ca cXa cMa cLa cNa cBa cRa cDa Vca

ic icX icM icL icN icB icR icD :c

ic_ ic( ic) ic* ic+ ic- ic@ ic^ :c_

ac acX acM acL acN acB acR acD Vac

oc !c [c #c $c %c &c ]c Voc

cu cXu cMu cLu cNu cBu cRu cDu Vcu

cU cXU cMU cLU cNU cBU cRU cDU VcU

ce cXe cMe cLe cNe cBe cRe cDe Vce

‘C’

‘d’

d dX dM dL dN dB dR dD Zd

d_ d( d) d* d+ d- d@ d^ Vd_

da dXa dMa dLa dNa dBa dRa dDa Vda

id idX idM idL idN idB idR idD :d

id_ id( id) id* id+ id- id@ id^ :d_

ad adX adM adL adN adB adR adD Vad

od !d [d #d $d %d &d ]d Vod

du dXu dMu dLu dNu dBu dRu dDu Vdu

dU dXU dMU dLU dNU dBU dRU dDU VdU

de dXe dMe dLe dNe dBe dRe dDe Vde

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……………………………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………… ETC.

For further details of Lazaong Please contact the INDIGENOUS LEPCHA TRIBAL ASSOCIATION ,HQ. KALIMPONG. WEST BENGAL.

E-mail azukval@gmail.com

lepcha girls dance " King Gabu Achuk Birthday 2008"

JUST A LITTLE HELP

Dear Mutanchi Rumkups,
Khamrimo!

It is a blatant fact that education and knowledge is the only road to success. This as we all know has long been denied to our children, where majority of our people live in remote villages in between the slopes of mountains and ridges which are barely invitable.
Under the initiative of the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, the people have themselves struggled to open up 40 Lepcha Night Schools in different parts of the District of Darjeeling where Government Schools are not available and even if so they do not have the standard and the quality. It is also to your knowledge that the Girls and Boys Hostel in Bom, Kalimpong, District of Darjeeling, gives refuge to our various children from different villages coming for higher education in the town.
Lack of resources in these schools and need for a library in the hostel, is the crux to this letter. Our enthusiastic children walk several hours to reach these one room schools, where Lepcha and English are taught to the children. We need your help in contributions of any kind.
Things that you can do to help are as follows:-
1. By sending any old books that are not in use in your house which is suitable for a student, be it in Lepcha or English on subjects like Science, Mathematics etc., old magazines, story books; novels or for that matter even a month old read newspapers, this includes all positive readable materials.
2. By forwarding this letter to any of your friends or families who may have books which are not in their use.
3. By giving us financial assistance , where every details will be accounted in a register. This will be used exclusively for the various expenses in reaching the books to different villages and for other educational purposes.
4. By giving suggestions in letters to carry out the dream of educating, each and every one of our child, by multiplying these Night Schools and improving their infrastructure.
5. By giving suggestion and career guidance to our children residing in the Boys and Girls Hostel in Bom, Kalimpong.
Your contributions will be highly appreciated if left in the following address:-
Lepcha Boys and Girls Hostel, Below Kumudini Homes, Lower Bom, Kalimpong-734301 District Darjeeling, West Bengal.
If it is convenient for you, the undersigned, when informed, will send our co-ordinators at your residence or office for the collection.
Let us help ourselves. There is no future for us without our children. Please remember that your books will be read a thousand times by a thousand knowledge hungry children who are deprived of it in the remote villages. We have always wanted to make a difference in the lives of our people. Here is an opportunity for you to do so. This might seem little to you but it will have an everlasting victory in all the things that we have been denied in our Nye Mayel Renjyaong Lyang.
Aachuley!

Azuk Tamsangmoo Lepcha, Ph. No 980033650.
Email:azukval@gmail. com


P.S.: Your Old and discarded clothes will also be accepted, for distribution to our children in the remote villages.

WHEN THE ENGLISHMAN CAN DO IT WHY CAN'T WE?

HOLY VOICES OF MUN AND BOONGTHING

LEPCHA LANGUAGE INTRODUCED IN THE GOVERNMENT

THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF DARJEELING HILLS TILL 1911 FINALLY GETS REINTRODUCED IN SCHOOLS.
1. The School Education Department, Government of West Bengal decided to introduce the Lepcha tribal language in the Government Primary and Secondary Education Schools in the Darjeeling Hills, West Bengal for the Lepcha children as an optional subject with effect from the next session, February 2011. It was officially announced during a meeting by the Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, School Education Department, Government of West Bengal, Shri Partha De at Bikash Bhawan, Salt Lake City, Kolkota on Wednesday, 8 September 2010. It was announced on the occasion of two major events:

a. 8 September being the International Literacy Day and
b. The 150th Birth Anniversary Celebration of Viswa Kabi Rabindranath Tagore.

2. During the meeting, a committee was formed to formulate plans and prepare and work on the Lepcha text books, syllabus, curriculum, selection of Lepcha Language Teachers etc and submit its final report to the Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, School Education Department, Government of West Bengal. The Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, Headquarters Kalimpong will be involved to give its expert opinion, suggestion and advice to the Committee to formulate its plan and policy on the introduction of Lepcha language in the Government Primary and Secondary Education schools in the Darjeeling Hills for the Lepcha children as an optional subject.

3. Until 1911, Lepcha was the Official Language of the Darjeeling Hills. It became unfashionable to the then rulers and it was replaced by Hindi/Hindustani and later by English until 1947. So much so the Lepchas’ very rich and ancient language and literature even did not get its due place in the schools in their own homeland, Darjeeling Hills.

In 1925, the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, Headquarters Kalimpong was established to demand for the introduction of Lepcha language in schools in the Darjeeling Hills under the leadership of its Founder President, Aathing Sangdo Tshering Tamsang Lepcha. He was followed by Ren G. T. Sitling Lepcha, Renyoo Azem Rebecca Namchyoo Lepcha (David Babuni), Ren Sungkyaol Karthak Lepcha, Ren Arthur Fonning Lepcha, Ren Apang Chhyoden Lepcha, Aathing K. P. Tamsang Lepcha, Ren Bagsing Lepcha, Ren C. D. Lepcha, Ren Tunsing Simick Lepcha, Ren D. T. Tamsang Lepcha and others.

The struggle to introduce the Lepcha language in the Government Schools for Lepcha children in the Darjeeling Hills continued. Lepcha text books from the Primary to Higher Secondary Education including a huge Lepcha-English Encyclopedic Dictionary were compiled and published. Books were translated from Lepcha to English, Hindi, Bengali and Nepali and vice versa. 40 Lepcha Night Schools in Lepcha villages were established with dedicated Lepcha Language Teachers. Three Lepcha bilingual magazines were started. Seminars, workshops, meetings, conferences were organised on the Lepcha language and literature to educate the Lepchas as well as invited linguists, scholars,

anthropologists to the Lepcha world. Lepcha scholars and leaders participated in the national seminars, conferences and workshops organised by various Government Departments, institutions and NGOs in various parts of the country. Lepcha leaders spoke and demanded for the introduction of Lepcha language in the Government Primary and Secondary Education schools in the Darjeeling Hills with consistency.

The following Governmental Departments, institutions and NGOs gave their unfailing support for the Lepcha cause:

a. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, Government of India
b. The Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore, Ministry of HRD
c. Linguistic Minority Commissioner, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India
d. The Asiatic Society, Kolkota
e. Sahitya Akademi, Kolkota (Academy of Letters, Kolkota)
f. M. Way Charitable Trust, UK
g. Margareta Weisser Foundation Fund for Indigenous People in Asia, Germany
h. Bhasha Research and Publication Centre, Baroda, Gujarat
i. Shri M. M. Gurung
j. Dr. R. K. Sprigg and others

After a long consistent struggle, particularly, for the last fourteen years under the able leadership of the President, Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, Headquarters Kalimpong, Ren Lyangsong Tamsang Lepcha, the very rich and ancient Lepcha language was finally given its due in the homeland of the indigenous Lepchas, the Darjeeling District.

4. The indigenous Lepcha tribal people are delighted, thrilled, very happy indeed and very grateful to the Government of West Bengal for introducing the Lepcha language in the Government Primary and Secondary Schools for the Lepcha children in the Darjeeling Hills, West Benga with effect from February 2011.

5. The Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, School Education Department, Government of West Bengal has been very cordially invited by the Indigenous LepchaTribal Association, Headquarters Kalimpong in October to meet the Lepcha tribal people and to address them about their very rich and ancient Lepcha language and its introduction in the Government Primary and Secondary Schools in the Darjeeling Hills for the benefit of the Lepcha tribes and the need to conserve it for posterity.

6. We take this opportunity to thank all those people out there who helped the indigenous Lepchas of Darjeeling District to introduce the Lepcha language in the Government Primary and Secondary Schools in the Darjeeling Hills.




12 September 2010



PREVIOUS FOLLOW UP
Introduction of the Lepcha Language
in Schools for Lepcha Children
in the Darjeeling Hills, West Bengal
A Report

The District Inspectors of Schools, Primary and Secondary, Darjeeling, tasked the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, Headquarters Kalimpong, to collect the data of Lepcha children studying in the Primary and Secondary Schools in the Darjeeling Hills for the session 2007-2008. You may recollect that this Association did a similar collection of data, survey, of the Lepcha children studying in schools in the Darjeeling Hills for the session 2005-2006.

30 June 2006:
Duly completed and up to date data of the Lepcha children studying in the Primary and Secondary Schools, Darjeeling Hills, for the session 2007-2008 was submitted to the District Inspectors of Schools, Primary and Secondary Schools, by the following Lepcha delegates on 30 June 2008 at their respective offices:

Ren Lyangsong Tamsang - President
Ren P.T. Lepcha - General Secretary
03 July 2008 :
A Lepcha delegation consisting of the following Executive Committee members, Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, Headquarters Kalimpong, met Shri B.L. Meena IAS, the Administrator, Darjeeing Hills, on 3 July 2008 at his office in Jalpaiguri:

Ren Lyangsong Tamsang - President
Ren Palden Lepcha - Vice-President
Ren P.T. Lepcha - General Secretary
Ren N. T. Lepcha - Joint Secretary

Under a very cordial atmosphere, the Lepcha delegation briefed Shri B.L. Meena on the very rich and ancient Lepcha language and literature and submitted their memorandum to him concerning the indigenoue Lepchas’long standing demand for the introduction of Lepcha language in schools for Lepcha children in the Darjeeling Hills, West Bengal. Shri P. Sada WBCS (Executive), the Assistant Divisional Commissioner, Jalpaiguri, was also presentduring the meeting. Shri B.L Meena IAS, Administrator, Darjeeing Hills, gave his words to the Lepcha delegation that he would definitely look into it and see what he could to implement the Lepcha language in schools for Lepcha children in the Darjeeling Hills.

10 July 2008:
Another Lepcha delegation led by Ren Lyangsong Tamsang met Shri S. Mahapatra IAS, the Joint Secretary, Education Department, Government of Wes Bengal, Salt Lake City, Kolkata, at his Office and submitted the memorandum to him. The Joint Secretary, Education Department, Government of West Bengal, is presently responsible and dealing with the indigenous Lepchas’ demand for the introduction of Lepcha language in schools for the Lepcha children in the Darjeeling Hills, West Bengal. He assured the Lepcha delegates of his help and assistance and in fact, he categorically said that on receipt of the recommendations from the Administrator, Darjeeling Hills,he would take the necessary action to introduce the Lepcha language as a ‘subject’ in schools in the Darjeeling Hills, West Bengal. The following gentlemen accompanied the President, Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association:

Ren O. John Lepcha - President, Thom Shezoom, Kolkata
Ren Simon Lepcha - Secretary, Thom Shezoom, Kolkata

The same day in the afternoon, a delegation of the Lepchas consisting of the following met the Hon’ble Minister-in Charge, Backward Classes Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal, at his office in the Writers Buildings, Kolkata:

Ren Lyangsong Tamsang -President
Ren Gaulan Lepcha MLA, Kalimpong Constituency
Ren O. John Lepcha President, Thom Shezoom, Kolkata

The Hon’ble Minister of Backward Classes Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal, listened patiently to the grievances of the indigenous Lepchas of West Bengal and assured the delegates of his assistance and added that he would write to the Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, Education Department, Government of West Bengal, to introduce the Lepcha language in schools for Lepcha children in the Darjeeling Hills, West Bengal as a ‘subject’.

It looks promising.

Introduction of Lepcha Language in Schools
for Lepcha Children in the Darjeeling Hills- A follow up

Ren Lyangsong Tamsang, President, Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, Headquarters Kalimpong, visited Kolkata from 27-29 January 2009 and met the following dignitaries seeking their support for the introduction of Lepcha language in schools for Lepcha children in the Darjeeling Hills as a subject:
a. Professor Ramakanta Chakravorty
Secretary
Asiatic Society

b. Professor Shyam Sunder Bhattacharjya
Chairperson
Status of the Lepchas of West Bengal Committee
Asiatic Society

c. Dr. Ram Kumar Mukhopadhyay
Regional Secretary
Sahitya Akademi

d. Shri. S. K. Upadhyay
Assistant Commissioner
Linguistic Minorities in India (Eastern Region)
Government of India

The above persons have given their words to support and work for the indigenous Lepchas’ rightful demand for the introduction of Lepcha language in schools for Lepcha children in the Darjeeling Hills, West Bengal, as a subject.

A Staff Correspondent


Lepcha Delegation meet the Hon’ble Chairperson,
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes,
Government of India

The Hon’ble Chairperson, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, Government of India, visited North Bengal from 12 to 16 February 2009. During her official visit, she met the Lepcha delegation, separately, on 12 February 2009 at the Circuit House, Siliguri. The followingExecutive Committee Members of the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, Headquarters Kalimpong, were present:
Ren Lyangsong Tamsang - President
Ren Palden Lepcha - Vice-President
Ren P. T. Lepcha - General Secretary
Ren N.T. Lepcha - Joint Secretary

They placed the following points for discussions:

a. Introduction of the Lepcha language in schools for Lepcha children as a subject in the Darjeeling Hills, West Bengal.
b. Service/employment of the Lepchas in defence forces including Navy, Air Force, Para Military Forces and West Bengal Police Forces.
c. Total scrapping of planned construction of mega electric hydel power porjects in Dzongu, the holy land of Lepchas, in North Sikkim.

The Chairperson and her delegation including the Vice-Chairman, Secretary and others listened to the Lepchas’ grievances very patiently and gave a number excellent suggestions to work on. During her official visit, she met the Governor of West Bengal, Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal, Minister in-Charge, Backward Classes Welfare Department, Secretary, Education Department, Government of West Bengal and others and spoke, discussed with them the long standing demand of the indigenous Lepchas of Darjeeling Hills for the introduction of Lepcha language in schools for Lepcha children as a subject in the Darjeeling Hills. This has been very clearly reflected in the ‘minutes’ of National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, Gpvernment of India.
Ren Lyangsong Tamsang again met the Hon’ble Chairperson, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, Government of India, at her office in New Delhi on 23 February 2009 to follow up the above matters.
Ren Lyangsong Tamsang also met the National Secretary, Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad, on 20 Febraury 2009 in New Delhi concerning the Introduction of Lepcha language in schools for Lepcha children as a subject in the Darjeeling Hills, West Bengal. He has assured of his support to the indigenous Lepcha tribes of Darjeeling Hills.
On 24 February 2009, Ren Lyangsong Tamsang met the Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Government of India, Dr. Rameswar Uraon, concerning the introduction of Lepcha language in schools for Lepcha children as a subject in the Darjeeling Hills, West Bengal.

A Staff Reporter

LEPCHAS DHARNA CONTINUES FOR JUSTICE

Dharna for justice which started from the 10th August 2010 at Tenzing Norgay bus station, Siliguri, West Bengal has now shifted to Kolkata as it was felt that the respective Governments have given a deaf ear to their demands. The Dharna in Kolkata started on the 3^rd September 2010 at Esplanade with exactly 200 of the Lepcha activists to which they have now decided to further step up the agitation by going on a mass indefinite hunger strike.

Their grievances are that they are neglected by the Government.

Lepchas of Darjeeling District, West Bengal who are being categorised as. Sikkimes. Vide NO. 13-229/2000/Estt. Date: September 10, 2004 ANTHROPOLOGICAL SURVAY OF INDIA, MINISTRY OF CULTURE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA. That which is based on old Historical-anthropological studies is practically threatening to them with the present geo-political setup which is not applicable because of the distinct modern delineation of Sikkim and Darjeeling districts. It is true that Lepchas of Sikkim and Darjeeling have a common ancestry, but the negligence on part of the decision maker will directly marginalise the political right of the Lepchas in present political volatile situation of Darjeeling. To categorise Lepchas of Darjeeling District, West Bengal as Sikkimese is ludicrous because time and again the Lepchas have been referred by historian and anthropologist as original inhabitant of Darjeeling District.

They feel that their existence of their community has been falsely made into minority by the 2001 census this is because their names and titles have been mistaken for non- Lepcha ethnic groups by the Census enumerators. This negligence they claim is a conspiracy to make the Lepcha a political non entity.

The jewels of the Lepcha community the receiver of the National Padmashree Award 2007, Mr Sonam T Lepcha, a resident of Kalimpong District Darjeeling, whose name was nominated and forwarded by the Government of Sikkim for promoting Lepcha Culture, Music and Songs, the nomination of his name forwarded by the neighbouring state where the West Bengal State Government to which he belongs , does not care for his existence is seen as an example as a sheer lack of interest of the State administration towards the Lepchas. They claim that they are tired of dancing before the Academic Scholars who seem to be interested in measuring their nose, ears etc. Where their works are lost in gloomy Libraries after the Scholars get their doctorate certificates.

The controversy and ambiguity that crops up during the recruitment interviews for Lepcha candidates in Public Service Commission of the West Bengal, where Lepcha candidates are grilled with various questions in the skills of the Bengali language is seen as a bias approach against the Lepchas.

In recruitment of the Armed and Paramilitary Forces of both Central and State Govts – with the introduction of producing ethnic based Community Certificate by incumbent candidate has denied the opportunity for Lepcha youths to join the Forces and serve the Nation in their own country. Whereas till date not a single vacancy has been announced for the Lepchas in these community based recruitments

The above mentioned points have been submitted as a memorandum to various authorities.

THE DHARNA COMMITTEE REQUESTS EVERYONE NOT TO POLITICIZE AND CAPITALIZE ON THEIR ON GOING STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE. AS THEY BELIEVE THEIR DEMANDS ARE GENUINE AND COMMUNITY SPECIFIC.