Mukesh Sharma

Kalimpong,11th Feb

In one hand The renowned academic and former vice chancellor of Sikkim University, Dr. Mahendra P. Lama, who has already decided and announced to contest the coming 2014 Lok Sabha election from Darjeeling constituency as an independent candidate has emphasis on constitutional amendment for implementation of three tier panchayat in Darjeeling hills . Lama recently said that the 1992 constitutional amendment should be scrapped in order to conduct Panchayati raj system in Hills but GNLF party is not in favour of any Constitutional amendment.Maurice Kalikotey president of GNLF kalimpong branch addressing a press conference said that the amendment idea is not intelligent in nature. Section 234 M of The Constitution provided special status to the hills of Darjeeling .He said that due to this section Gorkhas of India got a special status of Gorkha Hill but again if the amendment is done we will lose the special status.
' Three Tier panchayat election is not conducted in Tribal areas, Constitution has provided this Dist of Bengal a special status then other districts .Many tribal status demand is rising in this area at present.Amending the constitution will remove our special status which is associated with us. He have raised the question that do we work to remove or save our Status granted by the constitution ?

He said that due to contribution of 1200 martyrs Darjeeling got the status and it is is not appropriate to bring a amendment to remove it said Maurice.
Due to this status panchayat election was not conducted in Darjeeling hills when it was conducted in rest part of West Bengal he added.
He demanded to to apply the Sixth Schedule under section 6 of the Act 244-2 .

He said that the statement regularly given in vote market was creating a confusion among the masses seeing this the party decided to come front and make masses aware.

'Recognition and Existence is more important than money and property, we have to work to save our Existence ' added Kalikotey.