A generous way to win hearts of the voters is to give them hope. Atleast that is what all fighting for the Darjeeling parliamentary seat are doing while campaigning for themselves for the past couple of days. ‘If’ BJP comes to power at the centre, the Darjeeling born great Everest climber is likely to get ‘Bharat Ratna’. Smiles on the face of many and brings hope on their hearts.
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| People taking part in a rally in Darjeeling |
‘If’ I (read Mahendra P.Lama) am elected as MP ‘I’ will raise ‘my’ voice for Gorkhaland in the parliament. Another ‘hope’ for the hills and hearts filled with another ‘hope’. How many times the people of the hills have heard that an elected MP has promised to raise ‘Gorkhaland’ in a house after being elected? The number may not be on the heads of hill people.
Using word ‘If’ itself is a critical way to promise anything. When a word ‘If’ comes, it suggests that things may happen or may not. The act of great Tenzing Sherpa who climbed Everest along with Edmond Hillary has been written in history and known to the world. By all standards he needs to be honoured with a ‘Bharat Ratna’.
But why would he have to vote for BJP to get the status? How many in India who received the honour did actually vote for the ruling party to be honoured? Absurdity for a leader of national stature to say ‘if’ his party comes to power ‘Sherpa’ would be honoured with ‘Bharat Ratna’. Blaming opposition for overlooking such honour to such great personality is an easy task. It is as if you did not know about Sherpa given the fact that you spent some time in Bengal. You could have fought for the prestigious award for Sherpa given the fact that BJP represented the hills for the last five years in the lower house. A person to receive such honour has to prove his ability. Sherpa has done that already. Gorkhas need not prove Sherpa’s act of high achievement. It is because of the Sherpa’s work he should be honoured not because we vote you and he gets the honour.
It may be a Herculean task for a first timer Dr. Lama to say ‘I would give you Gorkhaland once I am elected’. Even if he is elected he would be a lone representative in the parliament for the Gorkhas although a lone MP from Sikkim can add to the number. Ofcourse he (the Sikkim MP) will not even make an effort to add the number because of political gimmicks.
So the ‘son of the soil’ cannot make such bigger a promise. Using your own term ‘if’ you are wary of forming the government at the centre then why not promise to create ‘Gorkhaland’ rather than looking at the demand ‘sympathetically’. That in the real time would win the hill votes. A ‘sincere commitment’ to create Gorkhaland from National outfits can bring in the much needed support. It is a wide known fact that the Trinamool candidate Bhaichung Bhutia cannot promise the same because of his political compulsions.
Submitted by Vivek Ghatani
