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 3rd 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.
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