DDUDF (Darjeeling Dooars United Development Foundation - an organisation of Prof. Mahendra P Lama) appeal to the Governor, Chief Minister, Members of Parliament and other interested political parties and agencies to urgently act upon the announcements made in the Speech of the President of India in Parliament. The Darjeeling Dooars United Development Foundation (DDUDF) would like to profusely thank the President of India and the National Democratic Alliance government led by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for very making many announcements and commitments that directly relate to the hills and mountain areas in the Speech of the President of India in the Parliament of India on 9th June 2014. The speech of the President of India conventionally carries the plans and actions and directly reflects the thinking of the Government in power and the people who run the same. In this first national address by the President of India after the new Government took over the regime in New Delhi, though there was no mention of creation of smaller states in the federal structure of India and thereby no specific mention of the more than 100 years old demand of the people of Darjeeling and Dooars for a separate state, we hope that the Prime Minister and his party which are solidly in the helm of affairs in New Delhi, will bring this very crucial issue to the Parliament and fulfil his famous saying and commitment to the people of this region “ the dream of Gorkhas is my dream” (16th Lok Sabha Public Meeting, Khoribari, 09 April 2014) The President in his address among many other announcements mentioned that, “My government recognises the central role of Science and Technology in raising the quality of life. It will encourage and incentivise private sector investments, both domestic and foreign, in science and technology and in high-end research aimed at nurturing innovation. My government will build world class research centres…………. will also establish institutes of Technology for Rural Development and a Central University of Himalayan Studies”……..He also mentioned that the “Conservation of Himalayan ecology will be a priority area for my government. A National Mission on Himalayas will be launched”. The President mentioned stated that “State-specific development models will be developed taking into account the special needs and unique problems of Coastal, Hilly and Desert areas. Highest priority will be accorded to bring eastern region of the country on par with western region in terms of physical and social infrastructure.” The DDUDF which has been striving to bring both national and global institutions in this region warmly welcome this announcement of the President of India. The DDUDF also makes a fervent appeal to the Prime Minister of India to locate some of these institutions (at least three) including the Central University of Himalayan Studies in Darjeeling-Dooars region so that the nation and the people get maximum benefits out of these institutions. These institutions should be located in this region for the following purposes. i) No institution worth the name has been set up in this region after India became independent in 1947. Except Darjeeling and Dooars, the entire Himalayan region starting from Jammu and Kashmir to Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim to Arunachal Pradesh are already constituent states of India that have plethora of central and national institutions located in their states. Darjeeling and Dooars is the only hill and mountain geography in India which is not a state and which does not have such institutions. This is despite the fact that this region for various reasons remained as one of the most prominent and sought after Himalayan regions in the world. ii) One or two institutions that were set up have been literally and systematically destroyed. iii) This is the region which connects the Eastern, Central and Western Himalayan regions in terms of geography, biodiversity, ethnicity, demography, culture, intellectual heritage and politico-social history. iv) This is the region which has tremendous strategic and geo-political significance because of the four international borders and the sensitivities involved in dealing with the neighbouring countries. v) This region with the strategic “chicken neck” is actually gateway to the North East India. It could play a critical role in realising the objectives of India’s Look East Policy, a major instrument in India’s national security and foreign policy. vi) This is the region where resources are shared on international and cross border basis and could be the most sought after Energy – Education- Tourism- Tea – Health- Border Trade hub of India. vii) This is the region which has witnessed all varieties of conflicts we could name in the world except the nuclear war. viii) This is the region which could be critical in both the climate change studies and management and its impact on the national and global economy, polity, environment etc. ix) This is the region where we have very talented youth and rich human and intellectual resources that could provide these institutions truly national and global standards. We also appeal to the Governor and Chief Minister of West Bengal; Members of Parliament from West Bengal and other interested political parties and agencies to urgently appeal to the Union Government and impress upon them about the criticality of bringing and locating these institutions in this region. We specially appeal to the Member of Parliament from Darjeeling and Dooars to make relentless efforts in this regard in both houses of the Parliament. The DDUDF as per its Election Manifesto in the recently concluded 16th Lok Sabha Election has already written to the Prime Minister of India and other central Government agencies on all these crucial issues. Our collective endeavour is what is needed at this juncture. Like in other parts of India and the world, the DDUDF firmly believes that it is the ‘institutions’ and ‘not individuals’ that will bring long term development, sustained peace and tangible stability in this region. DDUDF Office Darjeeling 20 June 2014
Posted on: Fri, 20 Jun 2014 13:19:32 +0000
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