मोर्चा नेताहरुको नाममा वारन्ट

कालेबुङ, १४ मार्च| गोजमुमोको आन्दोलनकालमा लागेको मुद्दाहरूमा हालै कालेबुङ कोर्टले १३५ जना मोर्चा कार्यकर्ताहरू विरूद्ध वारन्ट जारी गरेको छ| लामो समयदेखि कालेबुङ कोर्टमा चलिरहेको आन्दोलनकालका मुद्दाहरूका आरोपीहरूले उपस्थिति नजनाएपछि सो वारन्ट जारी गरिएको हो| कालेबुङको एडिशनल चिफ ज्यूडिसिल मेजिट्रेटले वर्ष २००९-१० का विभिन्न मामिलाहरूमा आरोपीहरूविरूद्ध वारन्ट जारी गरेको छ| यी विभिन्न मामिलाहरूमध्ये जीआर १२७/०९ मा नै धेरजसो अभियुक्तहरूको नाममा वारन्ट छ| आन्दोनकालमा भएको सरकारी अनि निजी सम्पतीहरूको आगजनी, तोडफोड र नोक्शान पुर्‍याएको अभियोगमा मोर्चाका कैयौं कार्यकर्ता र समर्थकहरूविरूद्ध मामिला दर्ता गरिएको थियो| सोही मामिला सम्बन्धी कालेबुङ अदालतमा चलिरहेको सुनुवाइको अवधीमा नियमित रुपले उपस्थित नहुने आरोपीहरूविरूद्ध गत सातादेखि वारन्ट जारी गर्ने काम शुरु भएको छ| मोर्चाका कूल १ सय ३५ जना आरोपीहरूमध्ये नेतृत्व पङ्क्तिका सभासद् निमा तामङ्ग, सभासद् डा. आरबी भूजेल, फुनुर शेर्पा, तोपदेन भोटिया, रुदेन लेप्चा, पासङ्ग तामाङ्ग, सञ्चबीर सुब्बा आदिको नाममा वारन्ट जारी गरिएको छ| स्मरण गराइन्छ, ४४ महिनासम्म गोजमुमोले गरेको आन्दोलनकालमा दलका नेतृत्वदेखि साधरण समर्थकहरूलाई विभिन्न मामिलाहरूमा मुद्दा लागेको छ| पछिबाट राज्य अनि केन्द्र सरकारसित भएको जीटीए सम्झौतामा पुलिसले गरेको जम्मै सरकारी मुद्दाहरू माफी गरिने कुरा उल्लेख छ| तरैपनि यी मुद्दाहरू माफी नभएपछि गोजमुमोले सरकारसित अस्तुष्टि जनाउँदै आइरहेको थियो| यस्तैमा अहिले राज्य सरकारसित सम्बन्ध बिग्रिएकै अवस्थामा पुराना मुद्दाहरूमा मोर्चाका सयौं कार्यकर्ताहरू विरूद्ध वारन्ट जारी गरिएको छ| वारन्टमा नाम हुने आरोपीहरूको खोजी अभियान पुलिसले जारी राखेको छ| अहिले सीआरपीएफको सहायता लिएर पुलिसले रेड गरिरहेको छ|

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कालेबुङको हाटबजारमा मल्टिस्टोरेज भवन निर्माण गर्नअघि नै यसको विरोध शुरु

प्रज्ज्वल छेत्री कालेबुङ, १४ मार्च| हाटबजारमा मल्टिस्टोरेज भवन हुन नहुने पक्षमा जनमुक्ति व्यापारी सङ्गठन अघि आएको छ| सङ्गठनका प्रतिनिधिहरूले आज एउटा सभा बसेर यस्तो निर्णय लिएका छन्| गोर्खाल्याण्ड टेरिरोटियल एडमिन्सट्रेसनले मल्टिस्टोरेज भवन निर्माण गर्नसकिने भनेर कालेबुङ नगरपालिकालाई प्रस्ताव पठाएपछि सङ्गठन विरोधमा उभिएको हो| सङ्गठनका सचिव रवि प्रधानअनुसार, उनीहरू हाटबजारबाट अन्यत्र कतै सर्ने पक्षमा छैनन्| वर्तमान हाटबजार एक ऐकर २२ डेसिमल क्षेत्रफलमा अवस्थित छ| हाटबजारमा ४५६ जना पञ्जिकृत व्यवसायीहरू भएपनि हाल लगभग १६ सयजना दोकानेहरूले यहॉं आफ्नो विभिन्न साना ़ठूला व्यवसाय चलाइरहेका छन्| यहॉं मल्टिस्टोरेज भवनको निर्माणलेे यी व्यापारीहरूलाई उच्छेद हुने डरले सताएको छ| ‘हाटबजारमा मल्टिस्टोरेज भवन बनाए हामी डोजरमुनी सुतेर विरोध गर्नेछौं| चारतल्ले विल्डिङ बनाएर हामी १६ सय दोकानेेहरूलाई अटाउँन सकिँदैन| उक्त विल्डिङमा स्टल किनेर बस्नसक्ने क्षमता पनि हामीमा छैन’-सङ्गठनका सचिव एवं १० नम्बर वार्डका नगरपार्षद रवि प्रधानले भने| उनीअनुसार १९९७ सालमा गोरामुमो सत्तामा छँदा पनि हाटबजारमा यस्तै कोल्ड स्टोरेज बनाइने भएको थियो| त्यसबेला यी व्यापारीहरूको हक, हित र सुरक्षाको निम्ति सङ्गठन गठन गरिएको हो| नगरपालिकाको पार्षदभन्दा महत्व सङ्ठन अनि आफ्नो व्यपार रहेको भन्दै व्यापारीहरूको हितमा नगरपार्षदको पद त्याग्न पनि आफू तयार रहेको उनले बताए| ‘यहॉं मल्टिस्टोरेज भवन बनिए हामी व्यवसायीहरूको भविष्य अन्धकार हुनेछ| हामी अन्यत्र गएर व्यवसाय गर्न सक्दैनौं| यदि यहॉंको स्टलहरू भत्काइन्छ भने हामी कुनै पनि हालतमा भत्काउन दिँदैनौं’-प्रधानले भने| उनले अझ आरोप लगाएअनुसार नगरपालिकाले मल्टिस्टोरेज भवनको नक्शा तयार पारिसकेको छ| तर त्यस नक्शाको आधारमा व्यवसायीहरूको सुरक्षा छैन| उनले यस प्रोेजेक्टप्रति सङ्गठन पूर्ण रुपले असन्तुष्ट रहेको स्पष्ट पारेका छन्| अर्कोतिर, नगरपालिका अध्यक्ष एलबी परियारसित बुझ्दा उनले नगरपालिका पनि हाटबजारका व्यवसायीहरूको उच्छेदको पक्षमा नरहेको बताए| यो प्रस्ताव जीटीएले नगरपालिकालाई पठाएको हो| हाटबजार क्षेत्रमा बनाइने उक्त भवन निर्माणको निम्ति दिल्लीका आर्किटेक्टले निरक्षण गरिसकेका छन्| तर आर्किटेक्टको भनाइअनुसार होइन व्यपारीहरूलाई उच्छेद नगरी नै मल्टिस्टोरेज भवन बनाउन मिल्ने भयो भने मात्र नगरपालिका यस प्रोजेक्टको निम्ति सहमत हुने भएको छ| | यस प्रोजेक्ट सम्बन्धी नगरपालिकाको दुइवटा बैठक अघि नै भइसकेको अनि आउँदो बैठकमा पनि यसबारे छलफल गरिने भएको छ| पब्लिक प्राइवेट पार्टिसिपेशन अवधारणा अन्तर्गत निर्माण गरिने यस भवन निर्माण कार्यको अहिले प्राथमिक योजना मात्र चलिरहेकोले अहिलेसम्म कुनै पक्षबाट निवेश नभएको पनि उनले स्पष्ट पारेका छन्| यदि हुनसके, वर्तमान हाटबजार परिसरलाई यथावत राखेर अण्डग्राउण्ड पार्किङ अनि अहिलेको हाटबजारदेखिको माथिल्लो तलामा सम्भव भए मल्टीस्टोरेज भवन बनाउनपर्ने प्रस्ताव नगरापालिकाले राख्ने परियारको भनाइ छ|

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Barla best bet: Morcha

Darjeeling, March 14: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has decided to stick to its alliance with John Barla for the panchayat polls in the Dooars and Terai even though the tribal leader has an alliance with Trinamul, sources in the hill party said. However, there were whispers within the organisation against Barla’s announcement of a tie-up with the Trinamul Congress in an “arbitrary way”. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha led by John Barla in north Bengal had said yesterday that his party would enter into an electoral understanding with Trinamul in the Dooars and the Terai to contest the panchayat elections. The alliance was announced after a meeting between Barla and Trinamul all-India general secretary Mukul Roy. The Morcha today held a meeting of GTA Sabha members at Sibchu. Speaking over the phone from Sibchu, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said: “The meeting with the GTA Sabha members was an organisational one. The leaders also discussed the upcoming panchayat elections.” Giri refused to divulge the strategy for the elections in the plains, but sources said the party was of the opinion that its best bet at the moment would be to align with Barla. In the Dooars, the adivasis are in a majority followed by the Gorkha population. Asked about the Barla-Roy meeting, Giri merely said: “John Barla is still with us.” The sources, however, said at the meeting, many Morcha leaders were of the opinion that Barla should be asked to explain his decision on aligning with Trinamul without taking the Morcha’s consent. “Even though there were enough indications that Barla was also looking at aligning with Trinamul, some of the leaders felt that the adivasi leader should have discussed his plans in detail and taken the Morcha into confidence. However, the overwhelming feeling among the Morcha leaders was that the party should continue with the alliance in the plains,” said a source. Morcha president Bimal Gurung, who was present at the meeting, is believed to have sought feedback from the GTA Sabha members regarding the organisational activities in 45 constituencies. “The party has directed its leaders to be on constant guard and not to lose touch with its supporters in the rural areas,” said another source. Since the activities of the GTA Sabha could not be discussed in detail today, the sources said Gurung had directed the GTA Sabha to convene a meeting in Darjeeling at 2pm tomorrow. Countering Mamata Banerjee’s statement to the media at Sibchu yesterday, Giri said: “It is wrong to say at the moment that Morcha has aligned with the Congress for a parliamentary seat.” Without naming the Congress and the Morcha, Mamata had said some were tolerating the politics of violence keeping an eye on the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat. He alleged that paramilitary personnel had been sent to Darjeeling merely to crush the Gorkhaland movement. “It will be wrong for the chief minister to think that the movement can be crushed by CRPF forces. The more she talks about being rough and tough, the more intense will be the movement,” said Giri.

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First Sikkim Everest climb under scanner - Mountaineer outfits allege selection of team lacked proper procedures

Gangtok, March 14: Two mountaineering associations in Sikkim have objected to the selection of seven climbers for the first state government-sponsored Mt Everest expedition alleging lack of proper procedure and sought the postponement of the climb. The seven have been selected by the Indian Himalayan Centre for Adventure and Ecotourism (IHCAE) for the Rs 1.4-crore expedition, scheduled to begin in the first week of April. All seven climbers, among them three women, are instructors with IHCAE, which is a division under the state tourism department and is based at Chemchey in the South district. While thanking the government for sending a Sikkim team for the Everest expedition, the mountaineering associations alleged that seasoned mountaineers were kept in dark about the selection process by the IHCAE. “An Everest expedition is like the Olympics for every mountaineer. While we thank the state government for providing an opportunity to the Sikkim climbers, we are sad to see that experienced and qualified mountaineers were kept in dark about the selection process. Even the mountaineering associations here came to know about the expedition only after seven members had been selected,” said Deepak Chhetri, the general secretary of the Sikkim Amateur Mountaineering Association. Apart from the Sikkim Amateur Mountaineering Association, the Sikkim Mountaineering Association, Travel Agents’ Association of Sikkim and the Sikkim Association of Adventure Tour Operators also raised questions about the selection process. IHCAE director G.T. Bhutia said it was his discretion to choose the men and women for the Everest climb. “Being the director, powers are bestowed on me to choose the people for the Everest expedition. The expedition has been approved after IHCAE placed a proposal before the government. As far as the selection is concerned, the seven mountaineers are from Sikkim who have undertaken many expeditions before. The question of postponement does not arise as bookings for logistic support and other formalities have already been completed.” Chhetri alleged that the IHCAE had not provided an opportunity to all mountaineers in the state for selection for the Everest expedition and accused its director Bhutia of arbitrarily and clandestinely choosing the seven. “We fail to understand on what basis these climbers were selected when there are several others with superior experience,” he said. The associations demanded that the state government postpone the expedition till next year. “In between, the government can invite an independent body to conduct a camp to choose the best mountaineers for the Everest expedition next summer,” said Tashi Sherpa, a member of the Sikkim Mountaineering Association. This is the first time that the government is organising an expedition to the Everest. A lot of factors come into play during the expedition the duration for which is generally one month but could stretch to more days, depending on the weather. Kunzang Gyatso, who had conquered Everest in 2008, echoed the view of the associations. “Reaching the summit of Everest is the dream of every climber. There should have been a free and fair selection process so that eligible people would not be deprived of the chance,” he said. State tourism secretary K.S. Topgay said he had received a letter from the two mountaineering associations seeking the postponement of the expedition. “The letter has been forwarded for the consideration of higher authorities and the department would follow the directions given by them,” Topgay said.

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Mamata warns against ‘split’ politics CM invective directed at Cong, Morcha

Chalsa (Jalpaiguri), March 13: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today warned other parties not to indulge in divisive politics that threatened to destroy peace in the hills and said that her “rough and tough” government would not tolerate it. She did not name the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha or the Congress at the government event at Chalsa, but said she would not tolerate the politics of “threats and violence”. Those who were encouraging this were doing so with an eye on the lone Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat, she said. Dooars, where Mamata spoke, is a region where the Morcha and its statehood demand have little support. Painting a cosmic picture of united Bengal, Mamata said: “I love the hills, the Dooars and the Terai.... Darjeeling is my sun, the Dooars is my moon, the Terai is my star.... I appeal to you all, with folded hands, to preserve peace. Do not instigate riots on the basis of race or tribe.” Chalsa is about 30km from Jalpaiguri town and double the distance from Siliguri. “Those who think they can benefit by instigating riots, all that they want is one more seat in Parliament. Can you not try to win other seats in the state? Have faith in ma, mati, manush instead of trying to divide and rule. Do not try to split Bengal for one seat. I will not forgive you,” she said. That she was speaking about the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat was not lost on anyone. The Morcha and the Congress have moved close after the hill party’s ties with Trinamul nose-dived. The chief minister, according to sources in her party, has been “displeased” with the Morcha’s recent activities in Delhi, facilitated by the Congress’s Deepa Das Munshi. Mamata used the phrase “rough and tough” to describe herself at a January 29 government event in Darjeeling where she also said that “Darjeeling was a part of us”. The statement had sparked protests immediately and since then, Morcha-state government ties have deteriorated. Today, she repeated her “rough and tough” line, this time to describe her government. “This government is rough and tough. I’m proud of all of you, you are all my paharadar (guards). All I want to see is a smile on your faces,” she said. She mentioned another favourite — the “smiling” hills — but said some people were trying to spoil her work. “The smile had returned to the faces of my brothers and sisters in the hills after we came to power. But there are some who are trying to eliminate that smile out of jealousy. Chalakir dwara mohot karjo hoyna (A noble deed cannot be achieved through cunning),” said Mamata. North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb and Trinamul Congress all-India general secretary Mukul Roy applauded on the dais. In an oblique reference to the growing proximity between the Morcha and the Congress, Mamata said nobody was bound to like her politically, but she would not tolerate playing with fire. Reacting to Mamata’s statement Morcha president and GTA Sabha chief executive Bimal Gurung said: “Yet again, Mamata Banerjee voiced her stand against the division of Bengal, standing in the Dooars. This is not right. Our demand for Gorkhaland includes the Dooars and the Terai. No matter what she says, we are not going to concede even an inch as far as our core demand is concerned.” Gurung was on his way to Komani near Shibchu this evening. He will stay at Komani for two to three days to hold meetings with leaders from the Dooars to prevent breakaways after the Mamata visit, Morcha sources said. Around 4pm, on his way along NH31, Gurung passed by the forest rest house at Mongpong where the chief minister is staying. The two did not meet. State Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya rubbished Mamata’s allegations. “She is saying these things out of her own political compulsions. The Congress was, is and will be with the people in the hills and the plains of Bengal. We are not trying to create any rift anywhere, nor are we trying to execute a political hijack of the Morcha,” Bhattacharya said.

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Trinamul seals electoral pact with Barla

Siliguri, March 13: Trinamul Congress leader Mukul Roy today said his party would align with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha to contest the panchayat elections in the Dooars and Terai, although the tribal outfit led by John Barla would also share seats with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in the region. The JMM had said earlier that it would ally with the Morcha in the tea gardens of the plains and Trinamul in the rest of the region. The announcement of the alliance between the JMM and Trinamul was announced by Roy and Barla separately after the two met at Malbazar today. “We are forging an alliance with Trinamul. We will field candidates in tea gardens where Trinamul lacks base and will support Trinamul candidates in other parts of the Terai and Dooars,” Barla said after the meeting. Asked about the JMM’s tie-up with the Morcha, Barla said: “It is true that we have an alliance with the Morcha but Trinamul leaders have said during the discussion that they have no reservations about it. In the next few days, we will discuss and sort out the number of seats to be contested by each party (in all three tiers of panchayat).” Minister Gautam Deb, and Padam Lama who had quit the Morcha and joined Trinamul were also present at the 40-minute long meeting. Trinamul and the JMM had started the alliance talks in November when Deb met Barla at Mongpong. Later, the matter was again discussed when Barla called on chief minister Mamata Banerjee in Calcutta last month. Mukul Roy said Trinamul was not bothered about the JMM’s tie-up with the Morcha. “The JMM led by John Barla is a regional political organisation. We are not concerned over with whom they have forged an alliance. We need them in places where we lack organisational strength. They mooted a proposal for an alliance and we have approved it. Minister Gautam Deb will hold further talks with JMM leaders and in the next two-three days, we hope that there will be an understanding on the number of seats to be shared by each party in the panchayat election,” said Roy. Observers said the alliance with Barla betrayed Trinamul’s desperation to win tribal votes in the Dooars and Terai. “Trinamul has agreed to the alliance despite the fact that the JMM has tied up with the Morcha and is holding meetings with the hill party on a regular basis. This indicates Trinamul’s desperation to make inroads into the tribal belt. Trinamul minister Deb’s meeting with the leaders of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad yesterday didn’t yield any result. The Parishad leaders were supposed to meet Mukul Roy today, but for whatever reasons, it didn’t happen. Trinamul didn’t wait and went ahead to forge an alliance with Barla,” said an observer. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY OUR JALPAIGURI CORRESPONDENT

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Fire victims decline state aid

VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, March 13: Ten families who lost their houses and shops in the March 8 fire in Darjeeling did not turn up at Chalsa to receive compensation from Mamata Banerjee today. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee was supposed to give Rs 50,000 as compensation to each of the 10 families at a government programme at Chalsa in the Dooars, 30km from Jalpaiguri town. “The cheques were ready and the administration had conveyed the government’s decision to the victims yesterday. Initially, they agreed to take the compensation. Vehicles had been arranged to ferry the victims but yesterday evening the administration was told that the victims would not accept the compensation,” said a well-informed source. “Nothing can be done if victims refuse to accept compensation.” Today, the 10 families refused to speak on the issue but according to sources, they decided not to accept the compensation after word reached them that the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership was unhappy with the chief minister’s effort to politicise the tragedy. “The victims probably thought that it would be best to be with the Morcha even if that means forgoing Rs 50,000,” said a source. The Morcha has denied any hand in the victims’ change of stance overnight. The relationship between Morcha and Mamata has gone downhill over the state’s perceived interference in the GTA’s affairs. On March 8, three buildings on HD Lama Road in Darjeeling town were razed in a blaze earlier this month affecting 10 families. Apart from two affected families, the rest of the residents in the three buildings do not have proper documents. “Their papers are in the name of some who have left Darjeeling and are now settled in Uttar Pradesh. The municipality has no problem allowing those with documents to re-construct the buildings. But the rest are hoping that the civic body will settle the issue after negotiating with the original land owners,” said a source. “Given this uncertainty, the victims probably do not want to antagonise the Morcha whose writ runs in the hills.” On March 9, Morcha president Bimal Gurung paid a compensation of Rs 50,000 to each of the affected families from the party fund. Binay Tamang, the assistant general secretary of the Morcha, rubbished suggestions that the victims refused to accept compensation from the state government to keep the hill party in good humour. “We do not think on such lines. The party has no role to play. The victims might have taken their own decision regarding which, I have no information,” he said.

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CM plays on progress theme Differences aside for development: Mamata

Mongpong (Darjeeling), March 12: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today said “differences” ought to be put aside for the sake of development that she promised to bring to north Bengal, especially the hills that had been “neglected” during the Left Front regime. Arriving at Bagdogra airport this afternoon on a three-day visit to the Dooars, the chief minister refused to answer questions on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. “Everybody is free to align with any political party. I’m with Trinamul, someone might align with CPM, someone else might like Congress. That is not the issue. We must set aside our differences to work together for progress and development,” Mamata said at the airport this afternoon, without naming the Morcha. The chief minister could have been referring to the conspicuously growing proximity of the Morcha leadership with the Congress. Mamata, according to party sources, was “displeased” with the recent Morcha activities in Delhi, which were facilitated by Union minister of state for urban development Deepa Das Munshi. The Morcha-Mamata relationship visibly soured after January 29, when a section of Morcha supporters shouted slogans demanding Gorkhaland at her function in Darjeeling, in the presence of Morcha president and GTA Sabha chief executive Bimal Gurung. Mamata had said “Darjeeling is a part of us”, sparking the protests. Her decision to set up the Lepcha Development Council under the state government has distanced her further from the Morcha leadership. Morcha leaders, in a recent meetings with President Pranab Mukherjee in the capital, alleged interference by the state government in the functioning of GTA. Today, though, Mamata sounded conciliatory. “Economic development is key to happiness. People must stay together for that development. Tourism is a pillar of the economy here. If tourists get the wrong message, they would not come here and the economy will be affected.... The hills were neglected by those before us, now we are trying to turn things around. Everyone ought to cooperate,” she said. The chief minister went directly to Mongpong, 525km from Calcutta, where she held a series of administrative meetings with district officials from 3.30pm at a forest rest house. She will spend the night there. “I’m here to oversee the work on the mini-secretariat that I had promised to the people here. Besides, I have some other programmes.... I keep coming back here, because I love this region. The path to prosperity and happiness is through development, which I will bring, for the hills and for the plains. For Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda,” she said at Bagdogra. Around 4pm, she took a break from meetings and left the resthouse for a walk along NH31. Around 4.30pm, she returned to Mongpong.

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पहाडमा सीआरपीफः पर्यटन व्यवसाय सितै जनजीवन प्रभावित

प्रज्ज्वल छेत्री कालेबुङ, १२ मार्च| पहाडमा सीआरपीफको तैनाथीलाई लिएर राजनैतिक माहोलसितै साजामिक परिवेश पनि गर्मिएको छ| दार्जीलिङ र कालेबुङ महकुमामा दुइ कम्पनी केन्द्रिय अर्धसैनिक बलको तैनाथीसितै पहाडका राजनैतिक एवं गैरराजनैतिक सङ्घ-संस्थाहरूले विभिन्न प्रतिक्रिया गर्न थालेका छन्| एकातिर, विभिन्न शैक्षिक संस्थानहरूको वोर्ड परीक्षा चलिरहेको छ भने अर्कोतिर हत्या, हिंशा र राजनैतिक तरलताको माहोल छ| राज्य सरकारसित पहाडको सत्तासिन दल गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाको सम्बन्ध चिसिएपछि पहाडमा सीआरपीएफ भित्रिने सम्भावनाले बल पाएको हो| उक्त सम्भावनालाई तृणमूल कङ्ग्रेस कर्मीहरूमाथि भएको हमलाले थप टेवा पुग्यो| तृणमूल कर्मीहरूमाथि कोलेबुङमा भएको हमलाकाण्डको पॉंचौं दिन सीआरपीफ पहाड भित्रियो| सीआरपीफको तैनाथीसितै मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा. हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले सुरक्षा बलकोे आड लिएर तृणमूलले आफ्नो दलीय विस्तारको रणनीति अघि ल्याएको भन्ने आरोप लगाएका छन् भने पहाडका सङ्घ-संस्था अनि मोर्चाकै भातृ सङ्गठनहरू पहाडमा वर्तमानमा सीआरपी ल्याउनुपर्ने स्थितिमा थिएन भन्ने पक्षमा छ| सीआरपीफ तैनाथीकै विषयलाई केन्द्र गरेर हिजो विद्यार्थी मोर्चा लगायत विभिन्न स्कूलका प्रमुखहरूले महकुमा अधिकरी लगायत अतिरिक्त पुलिस अधिक्षकसित भेट गरेका छन्| परीक्षाको समय रहेकोले विद्यार्थीहरूको अध्ययनमा प्रतिकूल प्रभाव पर्नसक्छ भन्दै विद्यालय प्रमुखहरूले सीआरपीफ परिचालन गर्दा संयमता अप्नाइदिने अनुरोध सम्बन्धित अधिकारीहरूसित गरेका छन्| यसरी नै विद्यार्थी मोर्चाले सीआरपीफ तैनाथीले परीक्षार्थीहरूमा नकरात्मक प्रभाव पर्ने भन्दै सरकारद्वारा गरिएको सीआरपीएफ तैनाथीको निर्णयलाई फिर्ता लिनुपर्ने माग गरेको छ| सीआरपीफ तैनाथीको समर्थनमा पहाड तृणूमूल, गोर्खालीग र पिपल्स फोरम उभिएको छ भने पहाडकै दोस्रो शक्तिशाली दल भनिने गरेको क्रामाकपाको मत भने अन्य दलहरू भन्दा भिन्न रहेको छ| क्रामाकपा नेतृत्वहरूको दावीअनुसार, पहाडमा वर्तमान समय गणतान्त्रिक माहोल छैन| कुनै पनि राजनैतिक एवं गैरराजनैतिक क्रियाकलापमा हस्तक्षेप हुने गरेकोले पहाडको शान्ति सुरक्षालाई सुदृढ गर्न जरुरी रहेको उनीहरूको मत छ| यद्यपि, पहाडको शान्ति सुरक्षा फर्काइल्याउन राज्यकै पुलिस प्रशासन सक्षम रहेको र पुलिस प्रशासनले आफ्नो कर्तव्य इमान्दारीपूर्वक निभाओस् भन्ने क्रामाकपा चाहन्छ| यसको निम्ति सीआरपीएफ तैनाथीको आवश्यकता छैन भन्ने क्रामाकपाको धारणा छ| यसरी राजनीति र गैर-राजनैतिक खेमाबाट विभिन्न आशय र आशंकाको अभिव्यक्तिहरू अघि आइरहे पनि सीआरपीफ तैनाथी भने पहाडमा भइसकेको छ| सीआरपीफ तैनाथीको पछि राज्य सरकारको नियत शान्ति सुरक्षा मात्र हो या अन्य केही यसको लेखाजोखा भविष्यले गर्ला तर सीआरपीफ तैनाथीसितै पहाडको जनजीवनमा भने आशंका र त्रासको माहोल बढेको छ| कालेबुङ शहरको मुख्य स्थानहरूमा सॉंझ नपर्दै मानिसहरूको भीड पात्लिन थालेको छ भने फुटपातमा राखिने रात्रीकालीन पसलहरूमा ग्राहकहरूको संख्या न्यून बन्दै गएको छ| मेनरोडमा अवस्थित कतिपय रेस्टुरेन्टहरूमा जहॉं रातको समयमा नै धेरै ग्राहकहरूको भीड देखिन्थ्यो भने ती रेस्टुरेन्टहरूमा पनि ग्राहक संख्या घटेको केही रेस्टुरेन्ट सञ्चालकहरूले बताएका छन्| अर्कोतिर, पहाड भित्रिने पर्यटकहरूमा पनि सीआरपीफ तैनाथीको प्रभाव देखिएको छ| सीआरपीफ तैनाथीको समाचार आम बनेलगत्तै समतल क्षेत्रबाट पहाड चड्ने पर्यटनकहरूको संख्यामा अचानक कमि आएको पर्यटन व्यसायहरूको भनाइ छ| एक समय राज्यकै मुख्यमन्त्री ममता व्यानर्जीले स्वीटजरल्याण्ड बनाउछु भनेर घोषणा गरेको दार्जीलिङमा शान्ति सुरक्षाको स्थिति अचानक खस्किँदा केन्द्रिय सुरक्षा बल तैनाथी गर्नुपर्ने स्थिति आएपछि दार्जीलिङको भविष्य कता जॉंदैछ यो नै अहिलेको गम्भिर प्रश्‍न बनेको छ|

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कालेबुङ अनि खरसाङलाई अलग जिल्ला बनाउनुपर्ने गोरानिमोको माग

कालेबुङ 12 मार्च कालेबुङ अनि खरसाङलाई अलग जिल्ला बनाउनुपर्ने मागमा आज पोस्टर टास्ने अनि पर्चा वितरण गर्ने कार्य गरेको छ| गोर्खाल्याण्ड राज्य निर्माण मोर्चाले तराई-डुवर्सका क्षेत्रहरू अन्तर्भुक्त गरेर कालेबुङलाई अलग जिल्ला घोषणा गर्नुपर्ने अनि सिलगड़ीका केही स्थानहरूलाई गोभेर खरसाङलाई पनि अलग जिल्ला बनाउनुपर्ने माग गरेको छ| आज यसा मागमा गोर्खाल्याण्ड राज्य निर्माण मोर्चाले अपीलसितै पोस्टर टास्ने अनि पर्चा वितरण गर्ने कार्य गरेको छ| दार्जीलिङ जस्तो आधा जिल्लाभएको ठाउँलाई लिएर छुट्टै राज्यको गठन सम्भव नरहेको गाोनिमो ठान्छ| यसैले शहरमा पर्चा वितरण कार्यअवधी गोरानिमो अध्यक्ष दावा पाख्रिनले पत्रकारहरूसित कुराकानी गर्दै यसपल्टको आन्दोलन पनि दावी गरिएको भूभागमा जिल्लाको अभावको कारण नै लक्ष्यमा पुग्न नसकेको बताएका छन्| राज्य बनिनको निम्ति यतिवटा जिल्ला हुनुपर्छ भन्ने कुनै संवैधानिक प्रावधान नभएपनि केन्द्रमा अलग राज्यको कुरा गर्नपरे सँधै जिल्लाकै कुरा गर्ने गरेको उनलो बताए| साड़े ६ लाख जनसंख्या रहेको सिक्किममा ४ वटा जिल्ला अनि १० लाख जनसंख्या रहेको मिजोराममा ७ वटा जिल्ला बनाएकको उदाहरण दिँदै उनले प्रस्तावित गोर्खाल्याण्ड क्षेत्रमा तीनवटा थप दुइवटा नयॉं जिल्ला निर्माण हुनसके अलग राज्यको मागलाई थप टेवा पुग्ने बताएका छन्|

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गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति नाराबाजी

कालेबुङ, १२ मार्च| जनमुक्ति कर्मचारी सङ्गठनको लञ्च ब्रेकअवधीको सरकारी कार्यालयअघि गरिने एकघण्टे धर्ना हिजोदेखि नै जारी छ| केन्द्र अनि राज्य सरकार अधीनस्थ रहेका कर्मचारीहरूले हिजोदेखि दिउँदो १२ बजीदेखि १ बजीसम्म कार्यालय बाहिर निस्केर अलग राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति नाराबाजी गर्न शुरु गरेको छ भने उक्त कार्यक्रम कार्यक्रम आउँदो २७ मार्चसम्म जारी रहनेछ| आज एक पत्रकार सम्मलेन डाकेर जकसले यो कार्यक्रमलाई पहाडका जम्मै कार्यालयका कर्मचारीहरूले पालन गरिदिनुपर्ने आह्वान गर्दै महकुमाभरि नै कार्यक्रम जारी रहेको बताएको छ| नाराबाजीमा उपस्थित हुने सबै कर्मचारीहरूको हस्ताक्षरसहितको नामावली मोर्चा केन्द्रिय समितिमा पठाइने जकस कालेबुङ महकुमा समितिका प्रचार प्रसार सचिव हेमचन्द्र सुब्बाले बताएका छन्| यसरी नै, जकस महकुमा समिति अध्यक्ष खड़्गविक्रम सुब्बाले भनेअनुसार, यहॉंको खाद्य विभाग, भूमि एवं भूमि सुधार विभाग, महकुमा कार्यालय लगायत सिन्कोना बगानहरूमा पनि कर्मचारीहरूद्वारा एक घण्टा गोर्खाल्याण्डको नाममा नाराबाजी गरिने काम भइरहेको छ|

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SRK keeps promise to Gangtok boy - Deepraj gets car gift from superstar

Gangtok, March 11: Shah Rukh Khan has kept his promise to 12-year-old Deepraj Rai. The superstar had said he would to gift the first runner-up of India’s Got Talent a car when the boy said he wanted to buy one for his father, a state government driver. “I heard from Kirron Kher (one of the judges on the show) about your desire to buy a car for your father. If you don’t mind, I would like to step in and gift a vehicle to you,” said Shah Rukh, just after Deepraj’s performance in the grand finale in Mumbai on November 25 last year. That car, a Hyundai Eon, Deepraj got today. The local Hyundai showroom called the Rais up yesterday and told Dilip, the boy’s father, that the car was ready for delivery. Deepraj, who without any formal training in music had become the first runner-up, was studying. On hearing the news, Dilip said, his son threw his books and started jumping in joy. Deepraj, who studies in Class V at the Sai Gurukul Academy in Gangtok, ran out to tell his friends: “Shah Rukh uncle has kept his promise.” The boy had sung Tu na jaane aas paas hai khuda (film Anjaana Anjaani) in the grand finale of India’s Got Talent and won Rs 5 lakh. Deepraj had said on the show “I want my father to have his own car”, when asked by one of the anchors what his dream was. Today, when the car arrived and Deepraj was given the keys — it is a white D Lite — the boy thanked Shah Rukh “uncle”. “My father drives a government vehicle and runs a family. I always wanted to become a good singer and buy a good car for him. I am very happy that my dream has been fulfiled so early. It is all because of Shah Rukh uncle.” Dilip, who is a driver for the department of urban development and housing, said: “There are no words to describe how we feel right now. In our wildest dreams we had not thought that Deepraj’s car would come so soon. Shah Rukh Khan has kept his promise. He is a superstar above all and he has proved that he is a man who never breaks his promise.” Asked which Shah Rukh film was his favourite, Deepraj named Chak De India. Dilip said Shah Rukh’s office had called from Mumbai last month to tell him that the car would reach them soon. Karma Bhutia, the sales manager of the Hyundai showroom in Gangtok, said: “We had received a mail from the head office in Mumbai in the mid-week of February to deliver the car to Deepraj. We could not deliver the car earlier as the model which Shah Rukh had requested for was not available at that time.” The finalist’s 14-year-old sister, Dipika Rai, said: “I am very happy for my brother and I am looking forward to taking a family drive in the car.”

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बिग्रदो कानुन व्यवस्थालाई ध्यानमा राखेर पहाडमा सुरक्षा बल तैनाथ

प्रज्ज्वल छेत्री कालेबुङ, 9 मार्च। दार्जीलिङ पहाडमा अन्ततः सीआरपीएफ आउने नै भयो। तृणमूल नेतृत्वहरूमाथि भएको आक्रमणपछि पहाडमा कानून व्यवस्था ब्रिग्रिएर गएकोले सरकारले दुइ कम्पनी सीआरपीएफ पठाउने भएको कुरा आज जिल्ला प्रशासनलाई सूचित गरेको छ। कालेबुङ आइपुगेका दार्जीलिङ जिल्ला पुलिसका अधिक्षक कुनाल अग्रवालले यो जानकारी गराएका हुन्‌। उनले भने, पहाडमा दुइ कम्पनी सीआरपीएफ आउने कुरा सरकारले हामीलाई सूचित गरेको छ। एउटा कम्पनी आइतबार बेलुकी पहाड आइपुग्नेछ भने अर्को कम्पनी सोमबार बिहान आउनेछ। पश्चिम मिनदापूरबाट ब्रेभो 50 अनि इको 66 नामक दुइवटा कम्पनीलाई पहाडमा तैनाथ गरिने भएको छ। दुई कम्पनीमा 240 जना सीआरपीएफ जवानहरू सामेल रहनेछन्‌। उनीअनुसार, अघिबाटै पहाडको तीनवटै महकुमामा गरेर दुइ-दुइ प्लाटुन आइआरबी अनि र्‍याफ तैनाथ गरिएको छ। ‘पहाडको बिग्रदो कानुन व्यवस्थालाई ध्यानमा राखेर नै सुरक्षा बल तैनाथ गरिएको हो’-उनले भने, ‘सीआरपीएङ्गको तैनाथी जिल्ला पुलिसको मागमा नभएर पहाडको वर्तमान स्थितिको रिपोर्ट हेरेर केन्द्रले नै तैनाथ गरेको हो।’ तिनले तृणमूल नेता आक्रमणकाण्डमा आज थप एकजना आरोपीलाई पक्राउ गरिएको जानकारी पनि दिएका छन्‌। एफआईआरमा नाम दर्ता भएका चारजनामध्ये एक दिपेश दाहाललाई आज पुलिसले पक्राउ गरेको हो। यसबाहेक एफआइआरमा नाम दर्ता भएका अन्य आरोपीहरूको खोजी कार्य पुलिसले जारी राखेको उनले बताए। तृणमूल नेतृत्वहरूमाथि भएको हमलाकाण्डलाई केन्द्र गरेर आङ्गूहरूमाथि कुनै राजनैतिक दवाब नरहेको बताएपनि पहाडमा बढ्‌दो अगणतान्त्रिक क्रियाकलापको कारण शान्ति श्रृंखला बनाइराख्ने जिम्मावारी भने आफूहरूलाई रहेको उनले बताए। यसरी नै, आज दार्जीलिङ रेञ्जका डीआइजी दमयन्ती सेन पनि कालेबुङ आइपुगेकी थिइन्‌। उनले यहॉंको 8 माइलस्थित पुलिस गेष्ट हाउसमा पुलिस अधिक्षक अनि स्थानीय पुलिस अधिकारीहरूसित प्रशासनिक स्तरीय बैठक गरे। ‘डीआइजी सेनले यहॉंको कानुन व्यवस्थाको जानकारी लिइन्‌। कलकत्ताबाट ङ्गर्किने क्रममा उनी कालेबुङ आएकी हुन्‌। दार्जीलिङ अनि खरसाङपछि आजको कालेबुङ भ्रमण उनको रुटिन भिजिट हो’-कुनाल अग्रवालले भने। पहाडमा शान्ति सुरक्षा बनाइराख्न आवश्यक परे कठोर कार्वाही गरिने पनि उनले बताएका छन्‌। वर्तमान पहाडमा अहिले कानुन व्यवस्थाप्रति मानिसहरूको गुनासो धेरै छ। यस सम्बन्धमा उनले भने, पहाडमा अहिले पुलिस अधिकारीहरूको संख्यामा कमि आएको छ। तर अहिले भिलेज पुलिस, महिला कन्सटेबल आदिको नियुक्ति पनि भइरहेको छ। यस कारणले चॉंडै कानुन व्यवस्थालाई सुदृढ़ बनाउन हामी भरसक प्रयास गरिरहेका छौं। यसरी नै यहॉंको इष्टमेनरोडमा भएको हत्याकाण्डलाई अहिलेको परिस्थितिले ओझेलमा नपार्ने भन्दै यस हत्याकाण्डलाई टुङ्गो लगाउन पुलिस लागिपरेको उनको भनाइ छ। उनीअनुसार यस हत्याकाण्डका दोषीहरूलाई खोजी निकाल्न पुलिस प्रशासन प्रयासरत्‌ छ। यसरी नै सुदुरवर्ती क्षेत्रहरूमा अपराधिक घटनाहरू दैनिक रुपमा बढिरहेकोले लाभा लोले गाउँमा चाडै पुलिस चौकी राखिन प्रस्ताव पठाइसकेको उनले जनाए। आवश्यक परे अन्य सुदुरवर्ती क्षेत्रहरूमा पनि पुलिस चौकी राखिने भएको छ।

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Morcha to skip budget session

Darjeeling, March 10: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung has directed the party’s four MLAs to boycott the ongoing budget session at the Assembly. “Our party president has instructed us not to attend the Assembly. We will not be attending the ongoing budget session,” Morcha’s Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri said. The other party MLAs are Trilok Dewan from Darjeeling, Rohit Sharma from Kurseong and Wilson Chapramary from Kalchini in the Dooars. Although there was no formal alliance between the Morcha and Trinamul, the hill party had supported Trinamul-Congress alliance candidates in the plains for the Assembly polls. After Trinamul came to power, the party leadership invited Morcha MLAs to sit with them in the Treasury benches. Asked if the MLAs would stop sitting in the Treasury benches whenever they go the Assembly next and shift to the Opposition side, Chhetri said: “The final call has to be taken by the party president.” Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri also spoke on similar lines. “They (MLAs) are not attending the Assembly at the moment.” When asked if the hill party was thinking of an alliance with the Congress, a Morcha leader said: “It is too early to talk about this. We have not discussed that yet.” According to sources in the Morcha, they will not meet chief minister Mamata Benerjee if she visits the hills. Mamata is supposed to visit north Bengal on March 12 but district officials said there was no word on her going to Darjeeling during the two-day trip. “Our party president has made it clear that he will have nothing to do with the Mamata Banerjee government and will not be meeting her even if she comes to Darjeeling. Given our party president’s stand, it is just a matter of time before the Morcha MLAs are asked to move out of the Treasury benches,” said the source. Mamata is expected to head for Malbazar in Jalpaiguri district after she lands in Bagdogra on March 12. The next day she is supposed to attend an official programme at Metelli, 20km from Malbazar. “A number of government guest houses in and around the Chalsa-Nagrakata area have been booked and she could stay in any of them,” said an official. Before leaving for Calcutta on March 14, Mamata is expected to meet Trinamul leaders from the Darjeeling hills. The venue has not been decided yet. Trinamul leaders have been instructed to start political activities in the hills. On Saturday, Trinamul held a rally at Gorubathan in Kalimpong subdivision and sources said the party leaders are looking at holding similar programmes in all the three hill subdivision of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong.

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Cong to ask for deputy mayor if Nantu wins

Siliguri, March 10: The Darjeeling district Congress will ask Trinamul for the deputy mayor’s post if Sabita Devi Agarwal, the Congress councillor contesting for the civic chairperson’s seat, loses against Trinamul’s Nantu Paul, sources said today. The elections would be held on March 13. “Two more days are left for the polls. We have sent a letter to Gautam Deb, who is the leader of Trinamul at the SMC, requesting him to support Agarwal. They have fielded Nantu Paul against her but we would insist that they withdraw their candidate and support Agarwal,” a Congress leader said. “Even if they go ahead (with the polls) and it is found that we have lost the contest, we would ask Trinamul to give the deputy mayor’s post to us. At the time of forging the alliance in 2011, it was agreed that both parties would have five seats. We expect Trinamul would go by that,” the Congress leader added. Trinamul’s Ranjan Sil Sharma is the deputy mayor at the SMC. While Trinamul has 15 councillors in the civic body, Congress has 14. Congress sources said although the leaders were saying in public that Agarwal would win the polls, they have admitted privately that it is going to be a tough one. Shankar Malakar, the Darjeeling district Congress president, who was in Delhi when Agarwal and Paul filed their nominations, said: “If Trinamul leaders do not respond to our letter and go ahead with their candidate for the chairman’s post, we would not hesitate to take strict decisions in the coming days. We are waiting for the election and once it is over, we would take appropriate decisions.” He, however, did not elaborate on the “strict decisions”. This is the first time that the Congress has spoken of taking “harder steps”. According to observers, Malakar’s assertions indicate fresh rounds of dispute between the Congress and Trinamul in the SMC. “It is evident that in case Agarwal loses the contest, the Congress would seek the deputy mayor’s post. As a refusal is likely from Trinamul, there are chances that the Congress will take a new decision,” said an observer. “Trinamul would not yield to the Congress’s request of supporting Agarwal in the polls and in case Paul loses, the party (Trinamul) might take a decision of pulling out of the civic board, which it had hinted earlier,” he added. Krishna Paul, the member mayor-in-council (PWD) and Darjeeling district secretary general of Trinamul, said: “We are an independent political party and the Congress cannot dictate terms to us. Whatever the Congress leaders are saying is their prerogative but they cannot influence our decisions.” Trinamul has four MMICs and the deputy mayor at the civic body while the Congress has the mayor and three MMICs. “Nantu Paul will contest as our candidate and will get total support from us. The Congress must realise that it has less number of councillors than us before making any new demands over posts,” said Krishna Paul. Nantu Paul had switched from the Congress to Trinamul last year.

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Prize for repairing two DHR engines - UK-based society wins award for best heritage repair

Siliguri, March 10: Two engineers from the UK travelled 4,000 miles to India and repaired two Darjeeling Himalayan Railway steam locomotives within a year. Their effort has won them the first prize at the Heritage Railway Association which conducted a poll for the Steam Railway Readers magazine. On February 9, David Mead and Mike Weedon’s work was judged the best heritage railway project of 2012. The project was funded by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society (DHRS) — a UK-based association of steam locomotive lovers. “The prize awarded to us on February 9 is the jewel in our crown. The award recognises the Society’s work in improving the reliability and performance of the world-famous B-class DHR steam locomotives. David Mead and Mike Weedon, two engineers from the UK made three DHRS-funded trips to the Tindharia Locomotive Workshop,” David Barrie, the chairman of DHRS, told The Telegraph here yesterday. “With the willing assistance of local staff they were able to achieve significant improvement in the efficiency of two steam locomotives. They also assisted with skills training and a review of workshop procedures of the staff. The total fund spent by the DHR in the project was £16,000,” Barrie said. Steam Railway Readers is a magazine in the UK with a circulation of over 32,000. The Heritage Railway Association is an umbrella organisation representing heritage and tourist railway, railway museums and railway preservation groups in the UK and Ireland. The Tindharia engineering project was the only project (from India) among 16 heritage railway-engineering projects of the UK and Ireland. The project was funded by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society (DHRS) — a UK-based association of steam locomotive lovers. The Tindharia engineering project was the only project from India among 16 heritage railway-engineering projects of the UK and Ireland. “We were amazed and overwhelmed to win. We were up against some high-profile UK projects to overhaul steam locomotives. It appears that the unique nature of the DHR entry was that two engineers support by the DHRS had travelled 4,000 miles to India to overhaul the locomotives,” said Mead. “It is seen as a continuation of the long association between Britain and India, first developing the railways and supplying the rolling stock and now passing on our expertise in restoring and running heritage locomotives,” Mead said. Paul Whittle, the DHRS vice-president thought the Tindharia engineering project should participate after reading an article in the magazine inviting nominations for participation in the competition in August last year. “I called up the editor of the magazine to check if the engineering project would be eligible, it being an overseas railway project and was told he should consider it entered. Voting was strictly by Steam Railway Magazine readers and 16 finalists were reduced to three by voting in September last year. The voting for the top position resumed after that till December 31 and DHR was announced the winner at Union Jack Club in London on February 9,” said Whittle. Mead and Weedon had visited the workshop in Tindharia between mid-2011 and March 2012 and conducted repairs on the 99-year-old steam engine ‘B 791’ and 85-year-old steam engine ‘B 806’. Both these engines were manufactured at North British Loco Company, Glasgow. We were scouting for locomotives which needed major repair and came across B 791 and B 806. The two engines were operational but were not being used at that time due to several technical faults which needed correction. We got an adjustable link manufactured in the Tindharia workshop and fitted it to the engine,” said Mead. Asked if the DHRS would take the engineering project forward Barrie replied, “Indian Railways has expressed its sincere gratitude for the work and is keen to have a continuing fully-funded engineering relationship with the DHRS. Work is in progress on taking this forward”.

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