Darjeeling, Feb. 18: An anti-Gorkha Janmukti Morcha outfit has said it will file a PIL against the latest round of strikes and bandhs declared by Bimal Gurung that would “only serve to harass the common public”.
If the general secretary of the People’s Forum, Pravin Gurung, does go to court, it will be the first time in the hills that any person or outfit took legal recourse against any shutdown called on the sensitive issue of Gorkhaland.
Pravin Gurung today said: “Everybody in the hills is in favour of Gorkhaland, but in the past we have seen that the closure of government offices and the general strikes only serve to harass the common public without yielding any positive results.”
He added: “I have consulted my lawyers in Calcutta and we have decided to file a PIL against the closure of government offices and strikes in the high court this week.”
The Peoples’ Forum said the strikes would not only inconvenience students appearing for various board examinations but also hamper tourism which is the backbone of the hill economy.
The 48-hour bandhs — on March 14-15 and March 21-22 — and a government office strike from March 9-27 could directly affect the HS examinations scheduled to be held between March 13 and 26, though the Morcha has said it will keep the examination calendar in mind. Madhyamik begins on February 25, while the ICSE and ISC exams are scheduled to start on February 27. The examination papers are usually sent by boards in advance and kept either in the treasury office or in bank vaults.
A Morcha leader said: “We will definitely exempt all examination-related departments from our agitation.”
The CPRM and the ABGL, two hill parties opposed to the Morcha, said Bimal Gurung’s party should pursue the statehood issue seriously, instead of causing harassment to the common people.
“The biggest hurdle to the creation of Gorkhaland is the GTA Sabha. The real agitation would be for all 45 elected Morcha members to resign from the GTA. Demanding Gorkhaland while staying in power at the GTA is only an eyewash,” said Pratap Khati, the general secretary of the ABGL. CPRM spokesperson Gobind Chhetri said: “If they are true to the Gorkhaland cause, they should resign from the GTA before going on agitation.”
Reacting to the rivals’ charge, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said: “These opposition parties are against the formation of the state and that explains why they are opposing the agitation.”
Giri said: “Only today, we received a letter from Sonia Gandhi, where she has acknowledged receiving a letter written by our party president on January 21 demanding Gorkhaland. The letter, written on February 6 states ‘I have noted the contents (of Gurung’s letter)’. It is a proof our party has been able to bring the demand to the notice of all national leaders.”
शिक्षक प्रमुखको लापारवाहीको कारण बेहाल अवस्थामा चम्पामाया प्रथमिक पाठशाला
पहाड़को प्रथमिक पाठशालाहरु एका एक बन्द हुनुमा सरकार पक्ष दोषी छ कि शिक्षक-शिक्षिकाहरुको लापारवाही? किन दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को शैक्षिक स्तर दिनोदिन खस्किन्दै गइरहेको छ? प्रथमिक शिक्षा बाल-बालिकाहरुको निम्ति महत्तवपूर्ण हुँदा-हुँदै पनि किन आजसम्म पहाड़को शिक्षा व्यवस्थामा सुधार आउन सकिरहेको छैन?
राजनीति गर्दिनँ भन्नु पनि अर्को राजनीति होः हर्कबहादुर छेत्री
मेरो अधिकारक्षेत्रभित्र पाँच बर्षको लागि जनताको हितको काम गर् भनेर मलाई भोट हालेको हो नि। मलाई थाहा छ यसले जनताको धेरै हित हुन्छ। यसले जनताको हितसँगै पार्टीको पनि हित हुन्छ, आन्दोलनलाई पनि सहयोग पुर्याउँछ भनेपछि एकदम निसंकोच भनेर अघि बढ्न सक्छु म। म त्यही काम गर्दैछु।
बघिनी फेरि पुरानै खोरमा
‘समयले मानिसलाई कहाँ कहाँ पुर्याउँछ,,,,,,’ कुनै समय रेडियो नेपालबाट बजिरहने यो चर्चित गीतले मान्छेको जीवनमा प्रणयसम्बन्धको आरोह अवरोहले पार्ने प्रभावलाई सुन्दर ढंगले व्याख्या गरेको छ। यो लोकप्रिय गीतको यही एक हरफ कुनै राजनीतिकर्मीको जीवनसँग गाँसेर हेर्दा के उत्तर पाइएला?
साहित्य अनि सर्जकलाई माया गर्ने घिसिङ
80 को दशकमा देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूलाई जातित्वको भावना उत्पन्न गराउने प्रथम नेता सुवास घिसिङको निधनले अहिले घड़ी सम्पूर्ण दार्जीलिङ पहाड़ नै स्तब्ध बनेको छ। गोर्खाहरूका हित अनि अस्तित्वका निम्ति छुट्टै राज्यको बहस लिएर सुवास धिसिङले त्यसताक पहाड़का प्रत्येक गाँऊहरूको भ्रमण गरेका थिए। 22 जुन 1936 सालमा मिरिकको मञ्जु चियाबगानमा जन्म लिएरका सुवास घिसिङले आफ्नो तर्क राख्न एकलै जनसभा गर्थे। घिसिङले सम्पूर्ण गोर्खाहरूलाई एकै शुत्रमा बाँध्न "गोर्खाल्याण्ड" शब्दको जन्म गरेका थिए।
निराश छन् विधायक डा. छेत्री
“बजट सत्रमा के कुराहरू उठान गर्नु पर्ने भन्नेबारे हामीले जीटीएबाट कहिले फिडब्याक पाएका छैनौं” डा छेत्रीले भने। डा हर्कबहादुर छेत्री मोर्चाका प्रवक्ता हुन् अनि कालेबुङका जनप्रतिनिधि। दुइवटा महत्वपूर्ण पदमा बसेका डा छेत्रीलाई अहिलेसम्म जीटीएको बैठकमा निम्ताइएको छैन, पार्टीको राजनैतिक लाइनबारे उनीसँग चर्चा र छलफल नगरिएको त झन कति भयो, उनैलाई हेक्का छैन।
19 Feb 2013
Plea for travel date change - Tour operators tell clients to reschedule trips to avoid Morcha bandhs in hills
Siliguri, Feb. 18: Tour operators have started asking domestic as well as foreign visitors to reschedule their trips to north Bengal so that their travel dates don’t clash with the days the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has planned bandhs in the hills.
The tourism industry is staring at revenue loss during the coming season that accounts for 60 per cent of the annual earnings because of the Morcha’s call of two 48-hour bandhs on March 14-15 and March 21- 22.
The tourism season begins in March and continues till mid-June.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed as around 50 per cent of hotel rooms have already been booked in the Darjeeling hills for the summer season. As the Morcha announced bandhs in March, we have started contacting our clients and other agencies asking them to reschedule their itineraries so that the tourists do not face any inconvenience during the bandhs,” said Samrat Sanyal, who represents East Wind Holidays, a travel agency in eastern India.
North Bengal has 15,000 hotel rooms and they all are generally booked in summer.
Although his agency was entreating its clients to change travel plans, Sanyal had a valid fear.
“The clients might not find any suitable date other than the scheduled days which coincide with the bandhs. In that case, we fear they will cancel the trips altogether,” he said.
Some wary tourists have already done so.
“We have information that some tourists have dropped their plans to come to north Bengal in the coming months in the wake of the bandh calls. This is a bad omen for the industry that has been experiencing a rise in tourist flow for the past two-three years after a long period of bad business because of the strife in the hills,” said Sadhan Roy, the secretary of the Eastern Himalaya Travel and Tour Operators’ Association.
Raj Basu, a veteran in the tourism industry in eastern and north-eastern India, explained the impact the strike would have on the economy.
“There are around 700 home stays in the hills and the Dooars. The home stay owners will suffer losses if tourists shun the region in the summer. We have already submitted a letter to minister Gautam Deb requesting him to declare the tourism sector an emergency service so that it could be given exemption during the bandhs,” said Basu.
The season from March to mid-June accounts for 40-60 per cent of the annual tourist footfall in north Bengal.
The UK’s foreign and Commonwealth office in a travel advisory today requested the Britons to consult travel operators before going to Darjeeling and Sikkim.
“There are frequent and sudden strikes called by the Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha in Darjeeling and the surrounding hills in North Bengal. This results in severe transport disruption, shortage of drinking water, suspension of waste removal and closure of shops and government services in the region. If you intend to visit the region, consult your local tour operator or hotel before travelling to the region. Any disruption will also affect visitors to Sikkim as roads to the state run through the hill area,” the advisory read.
Around 40,000 foreigners had visited north Bengal in 2012.
Trinamul to forgo SMC perks
Siliguri, Feb. 18: Deputy mayor Ranjan Silsharma and four Trinamul MMICs of Siliguri Municipal Corporation have decided not to use official cars and give up their monthly allowances to protest the “defamatory” remarks by Darjeeling district Congress president and the mayor against party leader Gautam Deb.
Nikhil Sahani, Trinamul chairman of borough committee V, will forgo his official car.
Today, 12 of the 15 Trinamul councillors submitted a letter to SMC secretary Kajal Kanti Saha.
“…The derogatory and defamatory comments made by Hon’ble mayor...in tune with Shankar Malakar…against Gautam Deb…has not only pained us but has left us shocked and alarmed as we feel that it is an insult not only to the Hon’ble minister, but to us also,” the letter addressed to P.D. Pradhan, the SMC commissioner read. “In protest...we wish to discontinue the use of the officials vehicles assigned for us and to forego the allowances bestowed on us as MMICs with immediate effect,”
A councillor gets cash allowance of Rs 3,000, phone allowance of Rs 500 and conveyance allowance of Rs. 1,000 a month. “An MMIC or the deputy mayor gets Rs 4,700 as cash allowance and phone allowance of Rs 1,000 a month and a car with a driver,” an official said. Sahani gets monthly cash allowance of Rs 3,000, phone allowance of Rs 500 and a car.
After Deb slammed the Congress for voting against SMC chairman Nantu Paul, Darjeeling district Congress president Shankar Malakar had said: “We don’t understand why the Trinamul councillors are not walking out of the board.”
Krishna Paul, MMIC (PWD) and the secretary general of Darjeeling Trinamul, said: “We protest the manner in which the Congress has joined hands with the CPM and voted against Paul.”
Jiban Majumdar, Congress district general secretary, said: “We have never spoken against Trinamul. They should hold talks with us.”
18 Feb 2013
जीटीएको आयु सकिएको छैन-बिमल गुरुङ
डी के वाइबा, कालेबुङ 17 फरवरी। छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको निम्ति गोजमुमो पार्टीले आज यहाँको मेला ग्राउण्डमा आयोजित जनसभाबाट भावी कार्यक्रमको घोषणा गरेको छ। पार्टी अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुङले छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड प्राप्तिको निम्ति तेस्रो चरणको आन्दोलनको घोषणा आज मेला ग्राउण्डबाट गरिने अगावै बताएको कारण जनसभामा 15 हजार भन्दा अधिक मोर्चा समर्थकहरुको सहभागिता रहेको थियो। “बङगाल हाम्रो चिहान हो, चिहानमा गोर्खा बस्दैन” भनि बिमल गुरुङले जनसभालाई सम्बोधन गर्दै गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको हूँकार कसे। यस अवसरमा तिनले गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको निम्ति गोजमुमो पार्टीले आन्दोलनलाई अघि बडाउँने घोषणा गर्दै आगमी 19 फरवारी देखि 8 मार्च सम्म पार्टीको भातृसंगठनहरुले बिभिन्न स्थानहरुमा राँके जुलुस निकाल्ने घोषणा गरे। यसरी नै 24 फरवरीको दिन छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्डको समर्थनमा भारतका बिभिन्न राज्यहरुका मुख्यमन्त्री, मत्रीगण लगायत सांसदहरुलाई भेटघाट गरेर गोर्खाल्याण्डको समर्थन जुटाउँने पहल गर्ने गुरुङले घोषणा गरे। तिनले घोषणा गर्ने क्रममा छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलनलाई अघि बडाउँदै आगमी 3 मार्च खरसाङ, 10 मार्च मिरिक, 17 मार्च कालेबुङ अनि 24 मार्चको दिन दार्जीलिङमा नारी मोर्चाको जनसभा हुने घोषणा गर्दै 31 मार्चको दिन सुकुनामा बिराट जनसभा आयोजना गरेर उक्त जनसभाबाट भावी कार्यक्रमको घोषणा गर्ने गुरुङले जनसभाबाट भने। तिनले गोर्खाल्याण्डको माग गर्दै आगमी 9 मार्च देखि 27 मार्च सम्म जीटीए क्षेत्रका सम्पूर्ण सरकारी कार्यलयहरु बन्द रहने यसको साथै 14 अनि 15 मार्च साथै 21 अनि 22 मार्चको दिन सम्पूर्ण गोर्खाल्याण्ड क्षेत्रमा बन्द पालन गरिने गुरुङले घोषणा गरे। उक्त सम्पूर्ण कार्यक्रमहरुको समापन पछि सुकुनामा 31 मार्चको दिन बिराट जनसभाको आयोजना गरेर छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्डको माग गर्दै भावी कार्यक्रमको घोषणा उक्त जनसभाबाट गरिने तिनले अझ बताए।
जीटीएको आयु सकिएको छैन
छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड प्राप्तिको बाटोमा जीटीए प्रमुखरुपले बाधा हो भनेर पहाडमा सबै राजनैतिक पार्टीहरुले भन्ने गरिरहेको छ। यस्तो समयमा आज गोजमुमो पार्टीले तेस्रो चरणको गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको निम्ति आन्दोलनको घोषणा गर्ने भएको कारण छुट्टै राज्य प्राप्तिको निम्ति जीटीएलाई मोर्चाले औपचारिक रुपमा खारेज गरेर अघि बडने हो होईन भन्ने जिज्ञासा आम जनतामा बडीरहेको थियो। जीटीए खारेज हुने नहुने भने आम मानिसहरुमाझ रहेको जिज्ञासालाई समाप्त गर्दै गोजमुमो अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुङले जीटीए खारेज अहिलेनै नगर्ने बताए। “जीटीएको आयु समाप्त भएको छैन। यसलाई अहिले हामीले ग्लुकोज पानी दिएर राखेका छौ। जुन दिन ग्लुकोज पानी सकिनेछ त्यसै दिन जीटीएको मृत्यु हुनेछ” बिमल गुरुर्ङले भने।
बङगाल सरकारले षडयन्त्र रचिरहेको छ
छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको आन्दोलनलाई दबाऊन बङगाल सरकारले बिभिन्न प्रकरले षडयंत्र रचिरहेको गोजमुमो अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुङले आरोप लगाएका छन। अहिले पहाडमा लेप्चा अनि गोर्खा माझ बिभाजन गर्न खोजेर सरकारले कुटैतिक चाल चलिरहेको आरोप लगाउँदै आज भएको जनसभालाई बिफल बनाउँन पनि बङगाल सरकारले ठूलो षडयन्त्र रचेको गुरुङले आरोप लगाए। “आज यस जनसभामा लाखौ मानिसहरु आएका भए पनि उनीहरुलाई जनसभा स्थलमा आईपुग्न नदिन सरकारले पुलिस प्रशासनलाई लगाएर चाल चल्यो। यहाँको ट्राफिक व्यवस्था ठिअ नबनाएको कारण कालेबुङ देखि टिस्टा माथी पेशोकसम्म वाहनहरु जाममा फसेको छ। यो पुलिसलाई लगाएर सरकारले ट्राफिक व्यवस्था ठिक नबनाएर जनसभालाई बिफल पार्न खोजेको हो” – बिमल गुरुङले भने। सरकारले पहाडमा ‘डिभाईड एण्ड रुल’को नीति अप्नाएर कार्य गरिरहेको आरोप लगाउँदै दुईचार जना मौकावादी नेताहरुले राज्यसरकारसंग मिलेर खाल्डोमा हाल्ने प्रयास गरिरहेको पनि तिनले दाबी गरे। पहिले अस्सिको दशकमा चलेको आन्दोलनमा सरकारले जुन तरिकाले गोर्खाहरुलाई बिभाजन गरेको थियो ठिक त्यही प्रकारले अहिले यहाँ लेप्चा अनि गोर्खाहरुमा फाटो लाएर एकार्कमा लडाउँने प्रयास गरिरहेको गुरुङले आरोप लगाए।
बिमल गुरुङको मृत्य भए युवा मोर्चाले फत्ते पार्नु
छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड प्राप्तिको आन्दोलन यसपल्ट निर्णायक हुने बिमल गुरुङले घोषणा गरेका छन। यस निर्णायक आन्दोलन बिगतका दिनहरुमा झै गाँन्धीवादी हुन नसक्ने बताउँदै राज्य सरकारले आन्दोलनलाई दबाउँन हतियारको प्रयोग गर्दै आन्दोलनकारीहरुलाई गोली बर्साउन सक्ने सम्भावना व्यक्त गरे। “यो निर्णायक आन्दोलनमा हामी ज्यान प्राण दिएर अघि बडेका हुनेछौ। यसपल्ट ममता ब्यानर्जीले हतियार प्रयोग गरेर आन्दोलनकारीहरु मार्न समेत सक्नेछ। गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको आन्दोलनमा गोली खान परे पनि पछि हट्नेछैनौ। यदि आन्दोलनमा बिमल गुरुङ मर्न परे पनि मर्नेछ अनि बिमल गुरुङ आन्दोलनमा मरे यस आन्दोलनलाई युवा मोर्चाले अघि लगेर फत्ते पार्नुपर्नेछ” तिनले भावुक बन्दै भने। यसपल्ट हुने आन्दोलनमा जनता भन्दा धेर नेताहरु सडकमा उत्रिने घोषणा गर्दै गोली खान, जेल जान जनतालाई पछि राखेर अग्रिम पंक्तिमा नेताहरु हने तिनले अझ बताएका छन।
ममता ब्यानर्जीको ममता छैन
जीटीए गठन भएपछि सुरुका दिनहरुमा बङगालका मुख्यमन्त्री ममता ब्यानर्जीको गुनगान गाउँने गोजमुमो पार्टीले अहिले तिनै मुख्यमन्त्रीको जोडदार बिरोध गरिरहेको छ। दार्जीलिङको चौरास्तामा “दार्जीलिङ बङगालको अभिन्न अंग हो” भनेर मुख्यमन्त्री ब्यानर्जीले दाबी गरेपछि अहिले मोर्चा अनि ममता माझ दुरत्व बडेर सम्बन्ध बिग्रन पुगेको छ। दिनदिनै सम्बन्ध बिग्रेरहेको ममता ब्यानर्जीसंग आज गोजमुमो अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुर्ङले यहाँको मेला ग्राउण्डबाट “ममता ब्यानर्जीको नाउँमात्र ममता हो तर ममता भने छैन” भने। तिनले दार्जीलिङको चौरास्तामा “आईएम रफ एण्ड टफ लेडी” भनेर गोर्खाहरुलाई अपमान गरेको बताउँदै गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको निम्ति पहाडका नारीहरु ममता ब्यानर्जी भन्दा पनि रफ एण्ड टफ हुने गुरुङले स्पष्ट बताए। मुख्यमन्त्री ममता ब्यानर्जीले “माँ माटी मानुष” भने झै यहाँ गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दा “माँ माटी मानुष” संग जोडिएको कारण यसको निम्ति गोर्खाहरु आफैलाई समर्पित गरेर शहिद हुन समेत तयारी रहेको गुरुङले बताए।
यहाँको मेला ग्राउण्डमा सम्पना उक्त जनसभामा गोजमुमो महासचिव रोशन गिरी, कालेबुङका बिधायक डा हर्कबहादुर छेत्री, पी अर्जुन, अखिल भारतीय लेप्चा संगठनका अध्यक्ष हेमन्त लेप्चा, बिनोद शर्मा, सञ्जय थुलुङ आदिले सम्बोधन गरे। सबै वक्ताहरुले आजको जनसभामा छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्यण्डै मुद्दामा जोड दिदै सरकारले गोर्खाहरुको राष्ट्रिय राजनैतिक सुरक्षाको निम्ति गोर्खाल्याण्ड यथाशिघ्र गठन गर्नुपर्ने माग गरे। यसै सिलसिलामा वक्ताहरुले आजको जनसभामा छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्डको वकालते संगै लेप्चा बिकाश परिषदको बिषयमा पनि कुरा गरे। सबैले लेप्चा बिकाश परिषदको गोजमुमो पार्टीले कहिल्यै बिरोध नग्रेको दाबी गर्दै राज्य सरकारले त्रिपक्षिय सम्झौताको उल्लंघन गरेकोमा बिरोध गरेको स्पष्टिकरण आज पनि दिए। यस अवसरमा सबैले लेप्चा युवा संगठनका सल्लाहकार युसुफ सिमिक माथि बर्सिन्दै तिनले गोर्खाहरु नेपालबाट आएको बयान दिएर पहाडमा सद्भावना बिगार्ने प्रयास गरिरहको आरोप लगाए। सिमिकले आफ्नो पक्षबाट स्पष्टिकरण दिदै उक्त बयान आफुले नभनेको बताए पनि यस सम्बन्धमा यदि तिनले उक्त बयान आफ्नो होईन भन्छ भने समाचार पत्र बिरुद्ध मुद्दा दर्ता गरेर आफु साँचो रहेको प्रमाणित गर्नुपर्ने मोर्चा नेताहरुले चुनौति दिए।(Dainandini News दैनन्दिनी समाचार)
Morcha signals March offensive Bandhs back, CM blamed
Kalimpong, Feb. 17: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has announced a series of shutdowns in the Darjeeling hills from next month to demand Gorkhaland, blaming Mamata Banerjee for forcing its hand and virtually taking away a peace trophy from the chief ministry’s showcase of achievements.
In a throwback to the days of unrest, two instalments of 48-hour bandhs have been called on March 14 and March 15 and March 21 and March 22. The bandhs will be book-marked by other protests and a rally.
“The government of West Bengal has pushed us to agitation. Mamata Banerjee has pushed us into it by forcibly interfering in our affairs. She came to Darjeeling and slapped us by saying Darjeeling is a part of Bengal. She made utterances like ‘I can be rough and tough’. Just like she fought for ma, mati, manush, we are also fighting for our ma, mati, manush,” Morcha chief Bimal Gurung said in kalimpong this moring
Gurung announced a staggered schedule for the “limited programmes in the third and final agitation for Gorkhaland”. The protests will begin with an across-the-board strike at government offices on March 9 and end with a public rally in Sukna on March 31.
The schedule appears to have been drawn up with the intention of keeping the pot boiling and the momentum alive while the Centre formulates a stand on Telangana, the formation of which is expected to compel the Morcha to harden its stand.
The Sukna meeting was originally scheduled for March 10 but has been postponed to the end of the month to give the Centre more time, sources said.
“These are limited programmes in the third and final agitation for Gorkhaland. More will be announced at the massive meeting in Sukna,” Gurung said.
Mamata had waded into the sensitive issue when fresh talk of Telangana was already piling pressure on the Morcha, which had co-operated with the state government in bringing peace to the hills, to prove that it had not forgotten the cause of Gorkhaland.
The Morcha’s room for flexibility had severely shrunk after Mamata asserted in the heart of the hills at a government event that Darjeeling was a part of Bengal and subsequently formed a Lepcha board that strengthened Gurung’s suspicions of a divide-and-rule policy.
Gurung’s choice of Kalimpong — where Lepchas had held a hunger strike in support of the government’s board proposal — to announce the agitation was another pointer to his compulsions to address suggestions of divisions within the hills.
Gurung’s announcement deals a body blow to one of the key objectives behind Mamata’s peace initiative: avoid shutdowns.
The last marathon strike in the hills on the statehood demand had started on January 12, 2011. The March 9-27 government office strike announced today would be the longest since then.
Gurung also made a reference to the shooting of a Calcutta police officer in Garden Reach by an alleged Trinamul activist and said the same could happen to people in the hills under the present government.
“When they can kill a policeman, they can shoot at our youths and women. People must remain vigilant. We must be able to give our lives for Gorkhaland,” he said.
A hill veteran said: “It is common knowledge that Gurung and his party are under pressure to keep the statehood agitation alive, given the developments taking place with regard to Telangana. In the middle of this, the manner in which Mamata Banerjee tried to bulldoze her way in seems to have stoked the present crisis in the hills.”
The hill veteran said: “Mamata failed to read the pulse of the hill people. Not only did she speak against statehood but she also reprimanded the people who shouted ‘we want Gorkhaland’ in response to her speech…. She was insensitive. Things would not have gone from bad to worse had she simply ignored the statehood issue in her speech, especially since it was a government event,” the veteran said.
Gurung told journalists in Kalimpong after his speech that the deteriorating law and order situation in the state called for the imposition of President’s rule.
He accused Mamata of dividing the hill people. “We are not against a Lepcha development board. We are against the interference of the state government in the GTA,” he said.
Gurung said the Lepcha development board proposed by the state government must be scrapped.
N.T. Lepcha, the co-ordinator of the Lepcha Rights Movement that had spearheaded the hunger strike in Kalimpong, could not be reached for comments.
Despite fog and intermittent showers, about 15,000 supporters turned up at the Morcha meeting. But it was much less than the 6 lakh people the party had promised to mobilise.
Many party supporters from different parts of the hills could not make it to the Kalimpong meeting because of traffic snarls. Gurung blamed the police for deliberately blocking traffic to prevent Morcha supporters from attending the meeting.
North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb said the Morcha must not resort to bandhs and strikes. “The Morcha leaders have been voted to power in the GTA by lakhs of hill people with the aspiration that their developmental issues would be taken care of. We would urge them to refrain from strikes and instead work in the GTA and use the autonomous body as a tool for development,” Deb said over phone from Birpara in Jalpaiguri.
Asked whether the government would issue instructions to keep offices open between Mar 9 and 27, Deb said: “I cannot comment on it but would reiterate that the state wants peace and development in hills.”
On January 31, he and party leader Mukul Roy had held talks with hill Trinamul leaders at the NHPC bungalow here, instructing them to go ahead with campaigns in favour of development and peace. Deb, when referred about the meeting and asked whether the party would intensify its campaign after Gurung’s today announcements in Kalimpong, said: “We will sit and discuss the entire issue with state leaders before taking any decision. The political scenario in the hills and plains are different and we are not in favour doing something hurr
iedly as it can create new complications in hills,” he said.
The call of strikes by the Morcha chief has also left stakeholders of tourism industry concerned.
“Everybody has the right to do work in a democratic manner. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is a political party and we have nothing to say about its decisions. We would, however, urge the leaders in the hills to keep tourism out of the purview of the strike and consider it as an emergency service like milk supply and health,” said Sadhan Roy, the general secretary of the Eastern Himalaya Travel and Tour Operators’ Association.
“In our neighbouring country of Nepal, we saw a similar arrangement couple of years back when the administration and even the agitators co-operated with tourists and there was no problem in tourist movement across the country despite strikes and agitations. We request a similar arrangement and also want the administration to ensure that tourists, who are our guests, do not face any inconvenience,” Roy said.
(Additional reporting by Vivek Chhetri from Darjeeling and Avijit Sinha in SIliguri)TT
In a throwback to the days of unrest, two instalments of 48-hour bandhs have been called on March 14 and March 15 and March 21 and March 22. The bandhs will be book-marked by other protests and a rally.
“The government of West Bengal has pushed us to agitation. Mamata Banerjee has pushed us into it by forcibly interfering in our affairs. She came to Darjeeling and slapped us by saying Darjeeling is a part of Bengal. She made utterances like ‘I can be rough and tough’. Just like she fought for ma, mati, manush, we are also fighting for our ma, mati, manush,” Morcha chief Bimal Gurung said in kalimpong this moring
Gurung announced a staggered schedule for the “limited programmes in the third and final agitation for Gorkhaland”. The protests will begin with an across-the-board strike at government offices on March 9 and end with a public rally in Sukna on March 31.
The schedule appears to have been drawn up with the intention of keeping the pot boiling and the momentum alive while the Centre formulates a stand on Telangana, the formation of which is expected to compel the Morcha to harden its stand.
The Sukna meeting was originally scheduled for March 10 but has been postponed to the end of the month to give the Centre more time, sources said.
“These are limited programmes in the third and final agitation for Gorkhaland. More will be announced at the massive meeting in Sukna,” Gurung said.
Mamata had waded into the sensitive issue when fresh talk of Telangana was already piling pressure on the Morcha, which had co-operated with the state government in bringing peace to the hills, to prove that it had not forgotten the cause of Gorkhaland.
The Morcha’s room for flexibility had severely shrunk after Mamata asserted in the heart of the hills at a government event that Darjeeling was a part of Bengal and subsequently formed a Lepcha board that strengthened Gurung’s suspicions of a divide-and-rule policy.
Gurung’s choice of Kalimpong — where Lepchas had held a hunger strike in support of the government’s board proposal — to announce the agitation was another pointer to his compulsions to address suggestions of divisions within the hills.
Gurung’s announcement deals a body blow to one of the key objectives behind Mamata’s peace initiative: avoid shutdowns.
The last marathon strike in the hills on the statehood demand had started on January 12, 2011. The March 9-27 government office strike announced today would be the longest since then.
Gurung also made a reference to the shooting of a Calcutta police officer in Garden Reach by an alleged Trinamul activist and said the same could happen to people in the hills under the present government.
“When they can kill a policeman, they can shoot at our youths and women. People must remain vigilant. We must be able to give our lives for Gorkhaland,” he said.
A hill veteran said: “It is common knowledge that Gurung and his party are under pressure to keep the statehood agitation alive, given the developments taking place with regard to Telangana. In the middle of this, the manner in which Mamata Banerjee tried to bulldoze her way in seems to have stoked the present crisis in the hills.”
The hill veteran said: “Mamata failed to read the pulse of the hill people. Not only did she speak against statehood but she also reprimanded the people who shouted ‘we want Gorkhaland’ in response to her speech…. She was insensitive. Things would not have gone from bad to worse had she simply ignored the statehood issue in her speech, especially since it was a government event,” the veteran said.
Gurung told journalists in Kalimpong after his speech that the deteriorating law and order situation in the state called for the imposition of President’s rule.
He accused Mamata of dividing the hill people. “We are not against a Lepcha development board. We are against the interference of the state government in the GTA,” he said.
Gurung said the Lepcha development board proposed by the state government must be scrapped.
N.T. Lepcha, the co-ordinator of the Lepcha Rights Movement that had spearheaded the hunger strike in Kalimpong, could not be reached for comments.
Despite fog and intermittent showers, about 15,000 supporters turned up at the Morcha meeting. But it was much less than the 6 lakh people the party had promised to mobilise.
Many party supporters from different parts of the hills could not make it to the Kalimpong meeting because of traffic snarls. Gurung blamed the police for deliberately blocking traffic to prevent Morcha supporters from attending the meeting.
North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb said the Morcha must not resort to bandhs and strikes. “The Morcha leaders have been voted to power in the GTA by lakhs of hill people with the aspiration that their developmental issues would be taken care of. We would urge them to refrain from strikes and instead work in the GTA and use the autonomous body as a tool for development,” Deb said over phone from Birpara in Jalpaiguri.
Asked whether the government would issue instructions to keep offices open between Mar 9 and 27, Deb said: “I cannot comment on it but would reiterate that the state wants peace and development in hills.”
On January 31, he and party leader Mukul Roy had held talks with hill Trinamul leaders at the NHPC bungalow here, instructing them to go ahead with campaigns in favour of development and peace. Deb, when referred about the meeting and asked whether the party would intensify its campaign after Gurung’s today announcements in Kalimpong, said: “We will sit and discuss the entire issue with state leaders before taking any decision. The political scenario in the hills and plains are different and we are not in favour doing something hurr
iedly as it can create new complications in hills,” he said.
The call of strikes by the Morcha chief has also left stakeholders of tourism industry concerned.
“Everybody has the right to do work in a democratic manner. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is a political party and we have nothing to say about its decisions. We would, however, urge the leaders in the hills to keep tourism out of the purview of the strike and consider it as an emergency service like milk supply and health,” said Sadhan Roy, the general secretary of the Eastern Himalaya Travel and Tour Operators’ Association.
“In our neighbouring country of Nepal, we saw a similar arrangement couple of years back when the administration and even the agitators co-operated with tourists and there was no problem in tourist movement across the country despite strikes and agitations. We request a similar arrangement and also want the administration to ensure that tourists, who are our guests, do not face any inconvenience,” Roy said.
(Additional reporting by Vivek Chhetri from Darjeeling and Avijit Sinha in SIliguri)TT5 in hospital, Madan wife sees ruse
Darjeeling, Feb. 17: Bharati Tamang, the wife of slain ABGL leader Madan Tamang, today said she would request the chief minister for an investigation into why five Morcha leaders accused in her husband’s murder were moved to a hospital after being arrested.
Bharati, who is the working president of the ABGL, said she would also inform the Supreme Court about the matter.
The CBI had arrested five Morcha leaders named in the CID chargesheet from the Darjeeling station taxi stand on Friday morning.
One of the accused, Dinesh Gurung who is a former vice-chairman of the Darjeeling municipality, was moved to the district hospital the same evening. The other four — Alok Kant Mani Thulung, Puran Thami, Kismat Chhetri and Keshavraj Pokhrel — were taken to the hospital yesterday.
“I have heard that all the five accused have been shifted to the district hospital. This is a ploy to keep them in a comfortable place. All of them looked in good health but suddenly they have been admitted to the hospital,” Bharati said.
“I will apprise the chief minister about the development and will request her to look into the matter. We will also highlight this point before the Supreme Court,” she said.
The ABGL had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court on December 4, 2012, praying for a fresh investigation by a court-appointed special investigation team into Madan Tamang’s murder.
A hearing is scheduled this week.
Madan Tamang, who was the most prominent Morcha rival leader in the hills, was stabbed to death at the Darjeeling’s Motor Stand on May 21, 2010, allegedly by a Morcha mob when he was about to address a public meeting there.
The case was being investigated by the CID but was handed over to CBI in January 2011 after the prime accused, Nickole Tamang, escaped from custody.
Thirty people had been named in a charge-sheet filed by the CID. One person, Dipen Mallay, was named in a supplementary charge-sheet the CBI filed.
Nine were arrested. Of them, one died, two persons are out on bail. All those arrested were known to have links with the Morcha.
When the five were arrested on Friday at the taxi stand, ABGL leader Pratap Khati raised doubts of a “tacit understanding” between a section of the Morcha and the CBI to get the five arrested.
“The (Darjeeling district) correctional home does not have a doctor since 2010. We only have a pharmacist on contract. When an inmate complains of some health problems, the jail authorities refer them to the (district) hospital. These are questions related to human rights and we cannot take the risk of keeping them in custody. No doctor has agreed to come to the correctional home,” said a jail source.
Dinesh Gurung had reportedly showed scars on his body to the prison authorities.
“One of the inmates said he had recently undergone a liver implant and would need medical assistance on a daily basis. A single injection costs Rs 1,700 and its been given to him at the district hospital. We cannot take any risk with anyone’s life,” the source added.
One of the lawyers representing the accused said on condition of anonymity: “It is not illegal to send an inmate to a local hospital if he suffers from some ailment. If the situation demands, the inmates can also be referred outside the region. The other arrested persons are suffering from appendix and high blood pressure among other health problems.”
Hospital superintendent R. Ghosh said he was out of station now and was not aware of the details. “You could speak to Dr. Kumar who is in charge of the hospital at the moment,” he said. When contacted Kumar said: “I cannot make any comments today .”
(TT)
The CBI had arrested five Morcha leaders named in the CID chargesheet from the Darjeeling station taxi stand on Friday morning.
One of the accused, Dinesh Gurung who is a former vice-chairman of the Darjeeling municipality, was moved to the district hospital the same evening. The other four — Alok Kant Mani Thulung, Puran Thami, Kismat Chhetri and Keshavraj Pokhrel — were taken to the hospital yesterday.
“I have heard that all the five accused have been shifted to the district hospital. This is a ploy to keep them in a comfortable place. All of them looked in good health but suddenly they have been admitted to the hospital,” Bharati said.
“I will apprise the chief minister about the development and will request her to look into the matter. We will also highlight this point before the Supreme Court,” she said.
The ABGL had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court on December 4, 2012, praying for a fresh investigation by a court-appointed special investigation team into Madan Tamang’s murder.
A hearing is scheduled this week.
Madan Tamang, who was the most prominent Morcha rival leader in the hills, was stabbed to death at the Darjeeling’s Motor Stand on May 21, 2010, allegedly by a Morcha mob when he was about to address a public meeting there.
The case was being investigated by the CID but was handed over to CBI in January 2011 after the prime accused, Nickole Tamang, escaped from custody.
Thirty people had been named in a charge-sheet filed by the CID. One person, Dipen Mallay, was named in a supplementary charge-sheet the CBI filed.
Nine were arrested. Of them, one died, two persons are out on bail. All those arrested were known to have links with the Morcha.
When the five were arrested on Friday at the taxi stand, ABGL leader Pratap Khati raised doubts of a “tacit understanding” between a section of the Morcha and the CBI to get the five arrested.
“The (Darjeeling district) correctional home does not have a doctor since 2010. We only have a pharmacist on contract. When an inmate complains of some health problems, the jail authorities refer them to the (district) hospital. These are questions related to human rights and we cannot take the risk of keeping them in custody. No doctor has agreed to come to the correctional home,” said a jail source.
Dinesh Gurung had reportedly showed scars on his body to the prison authorities.
“One of the inmates said he had recently undergone a liver implant and would need medical assistance on a daily basis. A single injection costs Rs 1,700 and its been given to him at the district hospital. We cannot take any risk with anyone’s life,” the source added.
One of the lawyers representing the accused said on condition of anonymity: “It is not illegal to send an inmate to a local hospital if he suffers from some ailment. If the situation demands, the inmates can also be referred outside the region. The other arrested persons are suffering from appendix and high blood pressure among other health problems.”
Hospital superintendent R. Ghosh said he was out of station now and was not aware of the details. “You could speak to Dr. Kumar who is in charge of the hospital at the moment,” he said. When contacted Kumar said: “I cannot make any comments today .”
(TT)Sunny day forecast
Siliguri, Feb. 17: A bout of cold and drizzly weather in north Bengal since yesterday because of a western disturbance crossing over sub-Himalayan Bengal and Sikkim has brought down the maximum temperature in several places by around 7°C in the past 24 hours.
“A western disturbance entered north Bengal and Sikkim from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar on Friday afternoon causing cloudy weather. The region has been experiencing rainfall and a dip in temperatures since then. We will experience such weather for the next 24 hours. But it will be sunny again by Monday,” said Subir Sarkar, the in-charge of the weather station at North Bengal University.
A western disturbance is a phenomenon in which clouds bearing moisture from the Mediterranean Sea move east and reach India. The region experiences the phenomenon sporadically every winter from December till mid-March.
The India Meteorological Department in Jalpaiguri said many places in the region had received moderate to heavy rain ranging between 10mm and 50mm in the past 24 hours. “Maximum temperature at some places dipped by 5-7°C from the normal recordings yesterday,” said an IMD official.
In Jalpaiguri, the maximum temperature dipped to 20.3 degrees Celsius (the normal maximum temperature is 28), Cooch Behar to 22.3 (26), Kalimpong to 15.5 (21), Gangtok to 10 (14) and Malda to 23.7 degrees Celsius (29) yesterday. In Siliguri, the maximum temperature today was 20 degrees Celsius, five degrees Celsius less than the normal.
Kalimpong, Balurghat and Darjeeling were the three places in the region that experienced a dip from the normal minimum temperature in the past 24 hours.
The inclement weather forced Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to cancel his trip to Gangtok today to inaugurate the Sikkim International Flower Festival. He had reached the Bagdogra air force base by a special plane this morning, but his helicopter didn’t take off because of cloudy sky and poor visibility in Gangtok.
17 Feb 2013
दार्जीलिङमा सद्भावना कायम राख्न आत्मदाह गर्न तयार छु – युसुफ सिमिक
कालेबुङ 16 फरवरी। लेप्चा युवा संगठनका सल्लाहकार युसुफ सिमिकले गोर्खाहरु नेपालबाट आएका हुन भन्ने दिएको बयान एक हिन्दि दैनिक समाचारमा प्रकाशित भए पछि गोजमुमो पार्टीले उक्त बयानको जोडदार खण्डन गरेको छ। मोर्चाले उक्त बयानको बिरोधमा यहाँको डम्बर चौकमा पोष्टरिङ समेत गरेको छ भने सिमिक बिरुद्ध कालेबुङ थानामा प्राथमिकी दर्ता समेत गरेको छ। यता आज उक्त घटना युसुफ सिमिकले पत्रकार सम्मेलन डाकेर हिन्दि दैनिक समाचार पत्रमा प्रकाशित बयान आफुले नदिको स्पष्टिकरण दिएका छन।
आफुले कहिल्यै गोर्खा बिरोधी बयान नदिएको स्पष्टिकरण दिदै हिन्दि दैनिकमा प्रकाशित समाचारबारे आफुसमेत आश्चर्य प्रकट गरे। “मैले गोर्खाहरुको बिरुद्धमा कहिलै बयान दिएको छुईन। लाप्चे गोर्खा दाजुभाई हुन। दाजुभाईको सम्बन्धलाई हामीले सधै कायम राख्नुपर्छ। मैले गोर्खा बिरोधी बयान दिएर यहाँको सद्भावना बिगार्ने कार्य कहिल्यै गरेको छुईन। मैले गोर्खा बिरोधी बयान दिनु भनेको आफ्नै आमा बिरोधी बयान दिनु हो। यस्तो गलत कार्य मैले कहिल्यै गरेको छुईन” – युसुफ सिमिकले भने।
यस समबन्धमा तिनले गलत समाचार प्रकाशित गर्ने सो समाचार पत्रविरुद्ध मानहानीको मुद्दा दर्ता गर्ने सोच बनाएको पनि पत्रकारहरुलाई बताए। एउटा निराधार समाचारलाई केन्द्र गरेर गोजमुमो पार्टीले आफु बिरुद्ध गरेको बयान अनि पोष्टरिङ कार्यले आफु आहत बनेको तिनले बताएका छन। यदि आफुले गोर्खा बिरोधी बयान दिएर दार्जीलिङ पहाडको सद्भावनालाई बिगार्ने षडयंत्र रचिरहेको आरोप लागाउँछ भने उक्त आरोप लागाउँनेहरुले प्रमाणित गरेर मिति तोकिदिए आफुले दार्जीलिङको सद्भावनालाई कायम राख्न सार्बजनिक स्थलमा आत्मदाह गरिदिने तिनले बताए।
“दार्जीलिङको सद्भावनालाई बिगार्ने षडयन्त्र मैले गरेको छुईन। यदि कसैले बारम्बार आरोप लगाउँछ भने त्यसलाई प्रमाणित गरेर मलाई एउटा निश्चित ठाउँमा बोलाए दार्जीलिङ पहाडको सद्भावनालाई कायम राख्न म आत्मदाह गर्न तयार छु” सिमिकले स्पष्ट भने। तिनले कलकतामा एलडीसीबारे पत्रकारहरुले सोधेको प्रश्नको उत्तरमा आफू आधिकारिक रुपमा कुराकानी गर्न त्यहाँ पुगेको अनि गृहविभागका अधिकारीहरुसँग कुरा गरेको बयान मात्र दिएको तिनले पत्रकारहरुलाई बताए। यस सम्बन्धमा एउटा हिन्दी दैनिकले भने आफूले भन्दै नभने खबर प्रकाशित गरेर आफूलाई समस्यामा पारेको पनि तिनले जनाए।(http://lavainfo.blogspot.in)
Discussion on functioning Multilevel Marketing Company
Mukesh sharma
Kalimpong, February 15:
The Himalayan People’s channel today at length discussed about the work process of different Multilevel Marketing Company functioning in the hills. The discussion was held at the Town Hall during which Pritam Limbu from the administration, ASP Songmit Lepcha from the police, advocate Prabhakar Dewan, Twon Specialist CA, Sumit Jindal and about 2 dozens of representatives from companies like Basil, Axis Marketing, etc. were present. Journalists Pradip Lohagun and Anil Taleja were the mediators.
The role of the administration regarding the increase of the companies which are involved in fraud and its history was highly discussed. The money laundering companies never inform the police and the administration, the discussion highlighted. The forum also insisted that any company before setting up its office should go through police verification. To this, Pritam Limbu assured to take necessary steps. It was decided during the discussion that in order to keep a close check on such companies a committee comprising of the public, representatives of company, administrative officials and media persons, should be formed.(kalimpongnewsexpress.blogspot.in)
Bimal Gurung Complain to Governor against Mamata's Government
KOLKATA: A delegation of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) from Darjeeling met West Bengal governor M.K.Narayanan at the Raj Bhavan here on Friday to complain about Mamata Banerjee's government which was allegedly bypassing the Gorkha autonomous body while carrying out administrative work in the Hills. Harka Bahadur Chhetri, a GJM MLA and leader of the party told reporters after their meeting that the state government had been bypassing the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabha while carrying out administrative work. "The GTA Sabha was elected on the basis of the tripartite agreement among the Union government, state government and GJM. It is now solely responsible for the overall development in Darjeeling Hills. But the state administration is bypassing it and carrying out its own administrative work.
We feel that bilateral relation of the state government and GTA is sure to deteriorate once the state government continues to bypass our elected body," Chhetri reportedly told the governor during their meeting at Raj Bhavan on Friday afternoon. Relations between Mamata Banerjee's government at GJM in Darjeeling Hills has deteriorated significantly after chief minister's last visit in the Hills. Mamata Banerjee had taken strong exception to the act of a group of GJM activists who had displayed placards in front of her demanding a separate Gorkha state and shouted slogans in support of their demand. An angry chief minister had told the crowd in presence of the GJM president Bimal Gurung that she was holding a government function and the Gorkhas should not raise any political demand in such a function. She also said that "I am very rough and tough and I don't want you to raise such a political demand in a government function." Mamata's stand had certainly irked the GJM leadership including Gurung, who had later announced that they will launch fresh movement in the Hills from March in support of their demand for a separate state.
Only on Wednesday, the minister for North Bengal development Goutam Deb had to face a difficult situation when an angry mob of GJM supporters gheraoed his car near Kalimpong and shouted slogan against him, asking him not to visit the Hills again. Naturally, the state government is not in a very comfortable position now as far as Darjeeling situation is concerned and Friday's meeting between the governor and GJM delegation was very crucial considering the current situation in the Hills. The governor had summoned West Bengal industry minister Partha Chatterjee and the state's home secretary at Raj Bhavan immediately after his meeting with the GJM delegation and discussed with the minister about the current law and order situation in Darjeeling.
