Lama rejects claim that Gorkhaland roadmap includes Sikkim

GANGTOK, : Prof. Mahendra P. Lama on Monday rejected allegations that a document outlining possible pathways for a permanent political solution to the long-pending demand for a separate Gorkhaland State envisaged the inclusion of Sikkim.

Lama said the document, circulated among members of the Civil Society of Darjeeling in July, did not contain any map or other document suggesting that Sikkim would form part of a proposed separate State.

His remarks came in response to what he described as "insinuating, irresponsible and condemnable" conclusions drawn by the president of Citizens Action Party (CAP) Sikkim while referring to the document.

The document, titled “Road Map for a Permanent Political Solution: 4 Options/Pathways: Preliminary Discussion Draft for a Separate State”, outlined four possible pathways – a full-fledged State as India’s 29th State, a Union Territory, an “autonomous State” within the State of West Bengal, and North Bengal as a State and/or the contagious areas of neighbouring States as a separate State.

Lama said the fourth pathway referred to a possible North Bengal State comprising Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, the Dooars region of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts, Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district and other districts of West Bengal, with the possibility of contiguous areas of neighbouring States being included.

He said the reference to “other contiguous States” had been “misrepresented” as referring to Sikkim.

“The adjoining States vary from Bihar and Jharkhand to Assam and Meghalaya,” Lama said, adding that there was no question of seeking to dismember or dislocate Sikkim.

Lama said the objective of the fourth pathway was to prepare people in Darjeeling, Terai and Dooars for the possibility of a sudden announcement by the Centre regarding the creation of a separate North Bengal State.

He added the document had emphasised that the constitutional status, political representation, geographical framework, powers and functions, institutional structures, financial devolution and administrative centres and governance structures of the proposed separate Statemust be discussed beforehand among key stakeholders.

According to Lama, however, the document eventually submitted to the concerned authority in the Centre in August contained only the first three pathways, in view of the changing political situation in West Bengal.

The Gorkhaland movement, Lama said, had acquired its popular identity as a movement seeking a separate State for Indian Gorkhas and a distinct constitutional identity, but also reflected the political aspirations, development needs and historico-cultural concerns of several ethnic communities living in the region.

Lama described his association with the Gorkhaland issue as a “lifelong social commitment” and said his honorary professional position as Emeritus Chief Economic Advisor in Sikkim should not be conflated with his involvement in the separate-State demand.

He accused the CAP Sikkim president of using the issue for "low-level political propaganda" and urged him to refrain from bringing the "gigantic and sensitive issue" of Indian Gorkha identity and separate Statehood into the arena of domestic politics.

 The Gorkhaland demand, Lama said, had been pursued for nearly 119 years, with hundreds of people having sacrificed their lives in the struggle for identity and Statehood.