कालेबुङ, ८ मार्च|
गोरुबथान निवासी शिक्षक विकास राई उर्फ पारस(४८) ले घॉंटी रेटेर आत्माहत्या गरेका छन्| गोरूबथानदेखि केही टाडा फूलबारीका बासिन्दा उनको फुपूको घरमा कोही नभएको समय बिहिबार २ बजीतिर उनले आत्माहत्या गरेको खबर छ| आज उनको शव पोष्टमर्टमको निम्ति कालेबुङ महकुमा अस्पताल ल्याइएको थियो| परिवारपक्षबाट उनका आफन्त सुरेश सुब्बाअनुसार, यसपल्टको शिक्षक नियुक्ति उनले नपाउनु पनि मृत्युको कारण हुनसक्ने अनुमान छ| उनी तुङ्लाबुङ निमबस्ती प्राथमिक पाठशालामा २००२ सालदेखि नै अस्थायी शिक्षकको रुपमा कार्यरत थिए| यसपल्ट जीटीएले २००२ मा अन्तर्वार्ता दिने प्रार्थीहरूको नियुक्ति पत्र पठाउँदा उनले पाएनन्| यस विषयमा उनले घरमा परिवारपक्षलाई कुरा गरिरहने हुँदा नियुक्ति पत्र नपाउनु नै उनको मृत्युको कारण हुनसक्ने परिवारपक्षको अनुमान छ| यद्यपि, यो केवल अनुमान भएपनि यसको ठोस् प्रमाण भने छैन| परिवारपक्षबाट सुरेश सुब्बाले अझ भनेअनुसार, उनले यसभन्दा अघिपनि आत्माहत्या गर्न प्रयास गरेका हुन्| उनी मानसिक रुपमा असन्तुलित थिए| कुनै पनि घटनाको खबर एकैचोटी पाउँदा आवेशमा आउने उनको विरामीको कारणले गर्दा वर्षौंदेखि अस्थायी रुपमा कार्य गरेपनि यसपल्ट शिक्षक नियुक्ति पत्र नपाउँदा नै आत्माहत्या गरेको हुन कि भन्ने परिवारपक्षको शंका छ|
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।
9 Mar 2013
कालेबुङमा पत्रकार सम्मेलन भवन
कालेबुङ, ८ मार्च|
कालेबुङका श्रमजीवि पत्रकार समुहको नयॉं कार्यालयको आज औपचारिक उद्घाटन गरियो| महकुमा अधिकारी एलएन शेर्पाको बाहुलीबाट कार्यलयको उद्घाटन गरिएको थियो| यस अवसरमा महकुमा अधिकारी एलएन शेर्पा प्रमुख अतिथि थिए भने गोर्खा दुःख निवारक सम्मेलनका पदाधिकारीहरू उदय कुमाइ, आरएल त्रिखत्री, सोनाम टी भोटिया विशेष रुपमा उपस्थित थिए| कालेबुङका विभिन्न दैनिक अनि च्यानहरूसित संग्लन पत्रकारहरूको भेटघाट अनि पत्रकार सम्मेलन गर्न यस कार्यलयलाई प्रयोग गरिने तय भएको छ| आज यसै कार्यक्रमबीच पत्रकार समुहको पहलका किड्नीरोगी गौतम लामाको निम्ति संग्रहित राशी १ लाख ४७ हजार ९ सय ३६ रुपियॉं तिनको परिवारलाई सुम्पिएको छ| राशी जुटाउनमा पत्रकार समुहलाई सहयोग पुर्याउने जनजागण कल्याण सङ्घ अनि सेन्टट्रिजा चर्चका सदस्यहरू उपस्थित थिए| महकुमा अधिकारी शेर्पाले गौतम लामाका पितालाई राशी प्रदान गरे| यता, मुख्य अतिथिको रुपमा महकुमा अधिकारी एलएन शेर्पाले पत्रकारहरूको यो दइवटै पहलको सराहना गरे| तिनले पत्रकारहरूले सङ्गठित अनि ढॉंचागत रुपमा काम गर्न कार्यालयको व्यवस्थाले धेरै सहयोग पुग्ने विचार व्यक्त गरे| अहिलेसम्म कन्भरेन्स हल नभएको कुरा महशुस गरेका अधिकारी शेर्पाले अबउसो सबै राजनैतिक अनि सामाजिक सङ्गठनहरूले पत्रकार सम्मेलनको निम्ति यस कार्यलयलाई प्रयोगमा ल्याउन आह्वान गरेका छन्| यसै कार्यक्रबीच कवि मनोज वोगटीलाई युुवा साहित्य अकादमी पुरस्कारको निम्ति चयन भएकोमा खदा अर्पण गरी बधाइ टक्राइयो| भुवन पी. खनालले सञ्चालन गरेको कार्यक्रममा प्रदिप लोहागुणले स्वागत भाषण राखेका थिए भने अजय अग्रवाल, मनोज वोगटी आदिले सम्बोधन राखेका थिए| कार्यक्रममा समयदैनिक, हिमालय दर्पण, हाम्रो प्रजाशक्ति, स्वर्णभूमि, जनपथ, दैनिक जागरण, हिमालय मिरर, सिक्किम मेल, प्रभात वार्ता साथै, सिक्किमको नयुमा समाचार, कालेबुङबाट एचपीसी, केटीभी, दैनन्दिनी, एकता टिभी आदि हाउसित सम्बन्धित पत्रकारहरूको उपस्थिति थियो|
कालेबुङमा सुरक्षा व्यवस्था कडा
प्रज्ज्वल छेत्री
कालेबुङ, ८ मार्च|
तृणमूल कङ्ग्रेस नेताहरूमाथि आक्रमण भएको तीन दिन पूरा भइसक्दा पनि मुख्य आरोपीहरू बेपत्ता छन्| पक्रा परेका आरोपीहरूमध्ये एक अनिल छेत्रीलाई मुख्य आरोपी रहेको दावी पुलिसले गरेपनि पिडीत पक्षले गरेको प्राथमिकीमा भने युवा मोर्चाका शीर्षस्थ नेतृत्वको नाम छ| तृणमूल नेतृत्वमाथि आक्रमण भएलगत्तै दर्ता गरिएको प्राथमिकीमा नाम उल्लेख भएका एकैजनालाई पनि पुलिसले पक्राउ गर्न सकेको छैन| प्राथमिकीमा युवा मोर्चाको महकुमा समितिका अध्यक्ष बारुद थापा, सचिव विनय घिसिङ अनि प्रभात घिसिङको नाम उल्लेख छ| यी मुख्य आरोपीहरूलाई अझसम्म पक्राउ गर्न पुलिस प्रशासन असक्षम छ| यद्यपि, यी आरोपीहरूको खोजी अभियान जारी राखेको पुलिस प्रशासनको भनाइ छ| अहिलेसम्म पॉंचजनाको पक्राउ बाहेक अन्य आरोपीहरूको खोजी अभियान पुलिसले तीब्र रुपमा गरिरहेको भएपनि उनीहरू पुलिसको पञ्जामा परेका छैनन्| तृणमूल कङ्ग्रेस नेतामाथि भएको प्राणघातक हमलापछि देखापरेको संत्रासपूर्ण वातावणलाई साम्य पार्न जनसाधारणको सुरक्षालाई ध्यानमा राख्दै कालेबुङमा अर्धसैनिक बल तैनाथ गरिएको छ| दार्जीलिङ पुलिस अधिक्षक कुनाल अग्रवालको कालेबुङ भ्रमणपछि तुरन्तै यहॉं आइआरबी(इण्डियन रिजर्ब बटालियन) परिचालन गरिएको छ| कालेबुङमा देखापरेको तनाउग्रस्त परिस्थितिको कारण छाएको अशान्तिको माहोलपछि हिजो राती एघाह्र बजीतिर दुइ प्लाटुन आइआरबी कालेबुङ आइपुगेको थियो| राज्यको सत्तासिन दल तृणमूल कङ्ग्रेसका नेता छेवाङ भोटियामाथि प्राणघातक हमला भएपछि ब्रिग्रिएर गएको यहॉंको परिस्थितिमा थोरै संख्यामा भएपनि शुरुको दिनमा नै र्यापीड एक्सन फोर्स तैनाथ गरिएको थियो भने आजदेखि आइआरबी पनि परिचालन गर्न परेको छ| ६० जना आइआरबी जवानहरूले आजदेखि कालेबुङमा गस्ती लगाइरहेका छन्| कालेबुङ ल्याएको दुइ प्लाटुन आइआरबीका जवानहरूमध्ये केहीलाई आज नै गोरुबथान पनि लगिने सूत्रको खबर छ|
8 Mar 2013
Strike cloud on hill soccer meet Organisers cite unavailability of St Joseph’s grounds and players
Darjeeling, March 7: The All India Brigade of Gurkha Gold Cup, believed to be one of the popular soccer tournaments in north Bengal, has been postponed, the vice-president of the organising committee said here today citing the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s strike call as one of the reasons.
The tourney was scheduled to be held from March 8 to 16 but yesterday the organisers, who include members of the GTA Sabha and Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Sports Association, convened an emergency meeting where it was decided that the event would not be held this month. The tourney is likely to be held in October.
“The tournament has been postponed till a suitable date is worked out,” Dawa Lama, the vice-president of the organising committee, said today.
He added that the event was postponed because of three reasons, two of which were non-political and the third was the strike called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.
The hill party has called a strike in all government offices from March 9 to 27. Two 48-hours general strikes have been called on March 14-15 and 21-22.
“Since a strike has been called, we felt that it would be difficult to provide security to the players,” said Lama who is the treasurer of the Morcha’s central committee.
Ten teams, among them, Nepal, Bangladesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Assam, BSF Jalandhar and Army XI were to take part in the tourney this year.
Lama added that the other reasons for the postponement were non-availability of a football field and the engagement of teams in the IFA tournament.
“The St. Joseph’s School wrote to us a few days ago saying they could not spare the ground as cricket matches were being played there. We hope the authorities would give us the field when the tournament is held, most probably in October,” said Lama.
The tournament is generally held at the school ground.
“The IFA could not release teams from Bengal as they are playing other tournaments, another reason that forced us to postpone the event,” he said.
Md. Shahid Jabbar, the coach of Odisha Police XI, said: “We are the Odisha league champions and we were looking forward to participating in the Gold Cup as it is a big tournament and our players would have got bigger exposure playing against better teams. But the organisers informed us some time back that the tournament was being postponed. They have promised to invite us when the tournament is held probably in September-October. We are looking forward to going to Darjeeling.”
Jabbar, who was also the chief coach of the Indian women’s team that lifted the SAF trophy held in Sri Lanka in September 2012, added: “Our office had granted us permission (to play in Darjeeling). We would have played in Darjeeling for the first time.”
The All India Brigade of Gurkha Gold Cup started in 1975 with the Brigade of Gurkhas (British Army) based in Hongkong donating the trophy to the Darjeeling District Sports Association.
But the tournament was stopped after the 1985 edition when a violent Gorkhaland agitation started in the following year. The tourney was revived in 2010.
Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have lifted the trophy four times each, and on two occasions (1976 and1982), the teams were the joint winners.
Mohammedan Sporting Club, Nepal XI and BSF Jalandhar have also lifted the cup.
Last year, the trophy and a prize money of Rs 2 lakh went to Tata Football Academy, Jamshedpur, after they defeated Bhaichung Bhutia’s United Sikkim.
6 Mar 2013
Deb hits out at Congress
Siliguri, March 5: Minister Gautam Deb today said the Congress was playing with fire for narrow political gains in the hills by hobnobbing with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.
Deb’s jab at the Congress came on a day when Morcha chief Bimal Gurung in Delhi met central Congress home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and complained that the Trinamul-led state government was interfering in the affairs of the GTA.“It is unfortunate that some Congress leaders are playing with fire to meet their narrow political interests. Being a party at the helm of affairs at the Centre, the Congress has a larger role to play in the hills, instead of fuelling tension there,” Deb, the north Bengal development minister, told journalists here.
“The Centre is one of the three signatories to the GTA agreement, and like the state government, has the responsibility to ensure that the GTA Sabha functions smoothly. If there is renewed tension in the hills, it will impede development,” Deb said.
Trinamul, and particularly Deb, have been upset from the time Shankar Malakar, who is the Congress Darjeeling district president (plains), met Gurung and assured him that the Centre would help him in running the GTA if he faced any problem.
Malakar is also believed to be involved in setting up meetings between Gurung and central ministers. Both Malakar and junior Union minister Deepa Das Munshi were present with Gurung and Roshan Giri today when they met home minister Shinde.
Asked about Morcha president Gurung’s statement that the party wouldn’t hold talks with the state government in the future on Gorkhaland, Deb said today: “It doesn’t matter whether they (Morcha leaders) are banking on the Congress or avoiding Trinamul. Changing political situations have a bearing on the Morcha’s decisions. The Congress should realise that by appeasing the Morcha, it cannot simply mount pressure on the state government. People across the hills are responding positively to the state government’s initiative for development and nobody.”
He said the state government hoped that the representatives of the GTA Sabha, who were elected by people with a lot of aspirations, would also work for the development of the region. The minister acknowledged the concerns expressed by the stakeholders of tourism industry over the Morcha’s call for strikes and shutdowns in the hills in the coming weeks and said he would take up the matter with the chief minister.
Deb also said Trinamul would go ahead with its plan for political activities in the hills. “We are in power in the state and would carry out political works in the hills in a responsible way. (Trinamul general secretary) Mukul Roy is in Bangladesh now and once he returns, discussions would be held with him on our plans for the hills.” Trinamul had said it would hold a rally in the third week of March either at Mirik or Kalimpong.
Complaint
C.P. Khatiwara, the convener of the Trinamul Youth Congress in the hills, today filed a complaint with Kalimpong police, saying eight Morcha workers barged into his house at Kagey last night and threatened him with dire consequences if he did not leave Trinamul. The Morcha has denied the charge.
Hill protest plan after party meet Delhi plea to call off strikes
Darjeeling, March 5: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders today said they had told Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in Delhi that a decision to withdraw the statehood agitation would be taken only after a central committee meeting of the party.
The Morcha has called for closure of all central, state and GTA offices in the hills from March 9 to 27 and a two-phase 48-hour general strike on March 14-15 and march 21-22 demanding Gorkhaland.
“We met the Union home minister and discussed a number of issues, including Gorkhaland. The minister told us many statehood demands were being raised in other parts of the country and he gave us an impression that the Centre has not taken any decision on the creation of Telangana at the moment. The minister also requested our party president Bimal Gurung to withdraw the agitation,” Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the Morcha, said over the phone from Delhi today.
“Our party president told the minister that a decision about withdrawing the (Gorkhaland) agitation could be taken only after discussing the issue in the party’s central committee meeting,” Giri said.
The Morcha had decided to renew its statehood agitation earlier this year after it learnt from sources that the Centre was likely to form a separate state of Telangana.
The Morcha delegation, which comprised Gurung, Giri and Darjeeling MLA Trilok Dewan handed over a document titled “Why not Gorkhaland” to Shinde today.
Observers believe that since the Morcha renewed the Gorkhaland agitation only because of the development regarding Telangana, there is a distinct possibility that the hill party might withdraw its programme now that they have received signals that Telangana is not being formed immediately.
“It was under compulsion that the Morcha had launched the Gorkhaland agitation. Given the home minister’s stand, there are strong possibilities that the Morcha would go slow on its agitation,” said an observer.
The Morcha delegation that reached Delhi yesterday, sought the Centre’s intervention to stop the state government’s interference in the working of the GTA.
“We told the home minister that the state government is constantly interfering with the working of the GTA and that the Centre should step in as it is also a signatory to the memorandum of agreement,” Giri said.
The hill party also wants the Centre to ensure that the 382 cases slapped against Morcha activists during the four-year statehood agitation are withdrawn immediately.
The Centre and the state had agreed to withdraw the cases while signing the GTA agreement on July 18, 2011.
Clause 29 of the MoA reads: “A review will be done by the State Government of all the cases registered under various laws against persons involved in the GJM agitation. Steps will be taken in the light of the review, not to proceed with prosecution in all cases except those charged with murder. Release of persons in custody will follow the withdrawal of cases.”
Giri had earlier said: “During the last review meeting on the GTA held in Delhi on December 26, state home secretary Basudeb Banerjee had told the committee that 150 cases (filed by the state government) would be withdrawn within 10 days. The same has also been recorded in the minutes of the meeting, a copy of which is with us.” But no cases have been withdrawn yet.
Today, the Morcha also requested the Union home minister to ensure that Pintail Village near Salbari is vacated by the Indian Reserve Battalion. “We have requested the minister to ensure that the force vacates the property,” Giri said.
The other demands raised before the home minister included, granting of tribal status to Gorkhas, other than those belonging to the SC community and providing special incentives to tourism industry in the hills on the lines of the north-eastern states.
This morning, Gurung and the other hill leaders also met rural development minister Jairam Ramesh in Delhi.
“The minister has decided to visit Darjeeling on April 7 and 8 to assess the various rural development projects being implemented in the hills,” Giri said.
Yesterday evening, the Morcha team met railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal in the presence of Raiganj Congress MP Deepa Das Munshi.
The hill party demanded immediate restoration of the DHR lines at Tindharia and a new railway out agency (booking counter) at Gorubathan. The Morcha also demanded that Darjeeling Mail should originate from Sukna instead New Jalpaiguri, an NJP-Chennai express and an Anand Vihar express from Sukna to New Delhi.
The party also demanded laying of railway tracks between Siliguri and Darjeeling via-Mirik, renaming Gulma railway station as Darjeeling Road and upgrading the station to a model station. The hill leaders also demanded revival of the Darjeeling-Bijanbari rope-way.
“We have received a positive response from the railway minister,” said Giri.
High court PIL
The Calcutta High Court today admitted a public interest litigation (PIL) moved by the Darjeeling People’s Front challenging the legality of the Morcha in the hills.
A division bench of Chief Justice A.K Mishra and Justice Jaymalya Bagchi has fixed March 8 for a hearing.
“The Morcha announced that government establishments in the three subdivision of Darjeeling would not be allowed to open from March 9 to March 27. How can a political party give such a call?” the petitioner claimed.(TT)
4 Mar 2013
Trinamul plans hill meeting in protest season - Gurung to visit Delhi today to meet President and home minister
March 3: The Trinamul Congress has decided to hold a public meeting in the third week of March either in Mirik or Kalimpong at a time when the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has announced a slew of strikes to boost its statehood movement.
Trinamul leaders in the hills, who visited Calcutta last week and held talks with party general secretary Mukul Roy and some other leaders, said the meeting would be held to campaign in favour of development in the hills.
Mirik is one of the options for the venue because Trinamul has some hill leaders from the place. Kalimpong is the other option because the Lepcha population of the hills is highest there.
On February 13, Gautam Deb, the north Bengal development minister, had gone to Kalimpong to break a hunger strike called by the Lepchas. The community was hurt after the Morcha opposed the formation of a development board for Lepchas under the state government.
Rajen Mukhia, convener of the Trinamul committee in the GTA area, today said: “We had met Mukul Roy and some other leaders on February 28 at Trinamul Bhavan in Calcutta. As it was decided at the earlier meeting held on January 31 at the NHPC bungalow in Siliguri that we would flag off our campaign in the hills in favour of peace, amity and development, the matter was referred to in this meeting. Accordingly, it was decided that we would organise a public meeting, either in Mirik or in Kalimpong in the third week of this month.”
He added: “Mukul Roy would be present at the meeting as also north Bengal development minister Gautam Deb. Roy, while talking to us, stressed that we should apprise the hill people of Trinamul’s principal objective to expedite all-round development across the hills. The same message would be conveyed at the public meeting.”
The Morcha today said in Darjeeling that Bimal Gurung would lead a team to New Delhi tomorrow to meet the President and the home minister. The Morcha said Gurung would be accompanied on his Delhi trip by party general secretary Roshan Giri and Darjeeling MLA Trilok Dewan. “We will be meeting the home minister and the President of India among other leaders and will apprise them of the current situation (in hills),” Giri said.
The Delhi trip would be keenly followed in the hills as Gurung’s meeting with Sushil Kumar Shinde will have a bearing on the Morcha’s agitation. Observers said Gurung’s visit to Delhi was of much importance. “Depending on the outcome of the meeting, the course of the next agitation is likely to be finalised by the party. If things go well, the Morcha might not go ahead with the proposed two-phase 48-hour general strikes in March,” said an observer in Darjeeling.
