छुट्टै राज्य पुग्ने रोडम्याप सार्वजनिक गोर्खाल्याण्डको विकल्प छैन-डा. लामा

(मनोज वोगटी)कालेबुङ, 25 अप्रेल।दुइचरणको छुट्टैराज्य केन्द्रित विफल आन्दोलनको मूलजरा आज डा. महेन्द्र पी. लामाले कोट्याए। तिनले जरा कोट्याउँदै जॉंदा मुद्दालाई सम्बोधन गर्ने दलहरूको इमान्दारिताहीनता नै आन्दोलन बिफतलाको मूल समस्या रहेको खुट्टियो। गोरामुमो अनि गोजमुमो दुवै दलसित मुद्दालाई सहीरुपले सही ठाउँमा र सही समयमा प्रस्तुत गर्ने ‘बुद्धि’ र ‘कौशलता’ थिएन। रोडम्यापहीन आन्दोलनको परिणति भनेको नै कुनै निकृष्ट ‘सम्झौता’ हुने विडम्बनाभन्दा परको राजनैतिक कार्यनीति स्थापित नगरेसम्म छुट्टैराज्य निर्माण गर्न नसक्ने कुरा डा. लामाले स्पष्ट राखे। इतिहासमा छुट्टैराज्य निर्माणको मानक अनेक रहे पनि गोर्खाहरूद्वारा दाबी गरिएको छुट्टैराज्यको सन्दर्भमा ती आधारहरूलाई प्रयोग नगरिएको अनि केन्द्रलाई गोर्खाहरूको निम्ति राज्य निर्माण गर्नूपर्ने खास दवाब बनाउन सक्ने कार्यचरित्र कुनै दलसित पनि नरहेकोले नै छुट्टैराज्यको आन्दोलन बारम्बार विफल बनेको उदाहरणसित तिनले कुरा राखे। पुराना आन्दोलनहरुमा कहॉं कहॉं चुक भयो, ती चुकहरू कसरी फेरि दोहोर्‍याउन हुन्न अनि केन्द्रसमक्ष सही मुद्दा सही समयमा कसरी राख्न सकिन्छ भन्ने विषयबारे पनि तिनले प्रकाश पारे। केन्द्र सरकार विभिन्न खिचातानीमा व्यस्त छ। उनीहरू आफै छुट्टैराज्य निर्माणबारे सोंच्न सक्दैनन्‌। उनीहरूलाई सही कुरा बताउन सकेमा गोर्खाहरूले छुट्टैराज्य निर्माण गर्न सक्छ-तिनले भने। अहिलेसम्म कसैले पनि छुट्टैराज्य किन गठन गर्नुपर्छ, यसबाट देशको विकास र सुरक्षामा के के फाइदा हुन्छ, राज्य सरकारलाई के फाइदा छ अनि छुट्टैराज्य गठन भएमा यो कसरी सञ्चालन हुन्छ भन्नेबारे केन्द्रलाई बताउन नसकेकोले नै आन्दोलन विफल भएको निचोड निकाल्दै डा. लामाले छुट्टैराज्य पुग्ने बौद्धिकरुपको नयॉं रोडम्यापको खेस्रा सुनाए। तिनी अनुसार दाबीलाई प्रभावकारी पार्ने मुद्दा भनेको नै राष्ट्रिय सुरक्षाको सवाल हो। सीमा क्षेत्रमा रहेको दार्जीलिङ-डुवर्सव रिपरिका राष्ट्रहरू बङ्गलादेश, भूटान, चीन र नेपालबाट भारतमा छिर्ने अनुप्रवेशकारीहरूको जनसंख्या बृद्धिको कारण यहॉंका रैथानेहरूलाई जब अल्पसंख्यक बनाउँछ तर देशको सुरक्षाको सवालमा खतरा शुरु हुन्छ। यसकारण देशको सुरक्षाको निम्ति छुट्टैराज्य निर्माण गर्न केन्द्रलाई प्रभावकारीरुपले बुझाइन सकिन्छ। चिकन नेक क्षेत्रबारे केन्द्रलाई सहीरुपले बुझाइएको छैन। राज्य सरकारले यहीँ आँखा चिम्लिएको छ। दार्जीलिङको ‘ब्रान्ड नेम’, यसले निम्त्याउने अर्थनैतिक सम्भावना, यहॉं रहेको चारवटा राष्ट्रिय पार्क, वायोडाइभर्सिटी हटस्पट जोन, चिया, पर्यटन, औषधीय बनस्पतिहरू, बन सम्पदा नै राज्यको धन हुने बताउँदै तिनले भने, राष्ट्रिय सुरक्षाको हिसाबले राज्य गठन त हुनैपर्छ, त्यसमा पनि देशको आर्थिक विकासको निम्ति पनि गोर्खाहरूको राज्य गठन गर्न सक्ने सम्भावनाहरू छन्‌। जति छिटो राज्य गठन गर्छ उति छिटो देशलाई आर्थिक लाभ छ। सम्पूर्ण हिमालय क्षेत्रले राज्य प्राप्त गर्न सके पनि छोडिएको दार्जीलिङ क्षेत्र नै रहेको भन्दै यहॉं पनि राज्य गठन भएमा ग्याप पुरा हुने अनि संधीय व्यवस्था दह्रो हुने पनि तिनले बताए। अंग्रेजले बाहिरबाट उपनिवेश बनाएको दार्जीलिङ क्षेत्रलाई राज्य सरकारले आन्तरिक उपनिवेश बनाएको बताउँदै तिनले भने, अहिले पश्चिम बङ्गाल राज्यको ग्राफ तल्तिर झर्दैछ। यस्तो राज्यसित पार्टनरसिप गरे हामी पनि झरिन्छ। हामीलाई त पहाड चढ्‌नुछ। तिनले राज्य किन पाइएन यसका बुँदाहरू पनि राखे। राज्य नहुनुमा तिनको बुँदा यस्तो थियो-1.मुद्दा सही ठाउँमा सही प्रकारले सही समयमा राखिएन। 2. राष्ट्रमा गोर्खाहरूको राज्य गठनको निम्ति मत निर्माण भएन। 3. राष्ट्रिय दलहरूलाई यो मुद्दा दिइएन। 4.राष्ट्रलाई राज्यले हाम्रोे मुद्दा कसरी बङ्गाएको छ, बताइएन। 5.राष्ट्रिय मिडियामा मुद्दा पुराइएन। 6. दलहरूमा मुद्दाप्रतिको इमान्दारिता देखिएन। घडीको पेन्डलमजस्ता दलहरू व्यट्रि सक्ने बित्तिकै हल्लिन बन्द भयो। न रणनीति थियो न परिष्कृत सोंच। यसकारण सम्झौता बुँदाहरू हेर्दै शिक्षतलाई लाज लाग्छ। यसबारे व्यापक छलफल हुनुपर्छ। त्यसो भए के गर्ने त? यसबारे तिनले भने,1. छुट्टैराज्यको निम्ति वान पोइन्ट एजेन्डा मात्र हुनुपर्छ। सिँडीहरूको आन्दोलन होइन। 2.राज्य गोर्खाहरूको लागि मात्र होइन सम्पूर्ण समुदायको निम्ति हुने वैचारिकता र विचारमा फराकिलोपन निर्माण गरिनुपर्छ। 3.शत्रु शुन्य राजनैतिक पिरस्थिति निर्माण गरिनुपर्छ। 4. सामुहिक नेतृत्व हुनुपर्छ। विभाजनको राजनैतिक मानसिकता त्याग्नुपर्छ। 5. सबैलाई लिएर एउटा ‘फ्रन्ट’ बनाइनुपर्छ। 6. राष्ट्रमा मत निर्माण गरिनुपछ, राष्ट्रिय सहमति बनाउनुपर्छ। 7. सबैलाई छुट्‌ैराज्यको सपना देखाउनुपर्छ। 8. बङ्गालको एसेम्ब्लीमा मुद्दा पारित गराउनुपर्छ। 9. दोस्रो राज्य गठन आयोग बसाउन पर्छ। 10 सेकेन्ड संवैधानिक एसेम्ब्ली बनाउनुपर्छ। तिनले अझ धेरै उपायहरू पनि राखे जसद्वारा राज्य निर्माणको निम्ति अघि बढ्‌न सकिने तिनले बताए। तिनले भने, छुट्टैराज्यको कुनै विकल्प हुँदैन तर आन्दोलनहरू विकल्प बोकेर गरिए। जनतामा रहेको भय र पैसाको लालचको मानसिकतालाई ठूलो प्राप्तिको निम्ति बिर्सने वातावरण निर्माण गरिनुपर्छ। यसको निम्ति सबै शिक्षितहरूले मुद्दालाई गम्भीरतासित बुझ्न अनि यसबारे मत निर्माणको काम जुट्‌न अनिवार्य छ। यो काम गर्दा कोही कसैको दुश्मन हुनु हुँदैन।

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अलग राज्यको पक्षमा राष्ट्रीय सङ्गोष्टि महासङ्घको ‘मिसन 2014’

कालेबुङ, 25 अप्रेल। देशमा अलग राज्यको निम्ति सङ्घर्षरत्‌ विभिन्न दलका नेतृत्वहरूसित विचार विनिमय गर्न आज स्थानीय टाउनहलमा राष्ट्रिय सङ्गोष्टि सम्पन्न भयो। गोर्खाल्याण्ड टास्क फोर्स अनि नवराज्य निर्माण महासङ्घको संयुक्त आयोजनामा सम्पन्न कार्यक्रममा शिक्षाविद डा. महेन्द्र पी. लामा मुख्य अतिथिको रुपमा उपस्थित थिए भने नवराज्य निर्माण महासङ्घका अध्यक्ष आरके तोमर लगायत तेलङ्गना, विदर्भ, पुर्वाञ्चचल, भील प्रदेश, तिप्रा ल्याण्ड, अनि विदर्भका प्रतिनिधिहरूको कार्यक्रममा विशेष उपस्थिस्थि थियो। देशमा स-साना नयॉं राज्यको मागको निम्ति गठनार्थ नवराज्य निर्माण महासङ्घसित सम्मिलित यी राज्यका प्रतिनिधिहरूले राष्ट्रिय सुरक्षा, राष्ट्रीय स्वार्थ अनि विशेष जाति र सम्प्रदायको हीतको निम्ति देशमा अझ धेरै स-साना राज्यहरूको निर्माण जरुरी रहेको बताए। गोर्खाल्याण्ड साथै अन्य स-साना राज्यहरू गठन हुनैपर्ने आवश्यकता भएपनि कङ्‌ग्रेस सरकार कहिले पनि छुट्टै राज्यको पक्षमा नरहेको भन्दै अधिकांश नेतृत्वहरूले नै आफ्नो सम्बोधनमा कङ्‌ग्रेसको नीतिको खोइरो खन्दै महासङ्घको ‘मिसन 2014’ रहेको स्पष्ट पारे। महासङ्घका अध्यक्ष आरे. तोमरले भनेअनुसार, वर्तमान केन्द्र सरकार छुट्टै राज्य दिने पक्षमा छैन। तेलङ्गनाको सङ्घर्ष चरममा पुग्दा केन्द्र सरकारले अलग राज्य गठन हुने आश्वासन दिएर पनि तेलङ्गना राज्य बनिएन। राज्य प्राप्तिको माग केन्द्र सरकारसम्म पुग्न जनशक्ति चाहिन्छ। गोर्खाल्याण्ड क्षेत्रबाट मात्र एकजना सासंद छन्‌। एकजना सासंदको आवाजले गोर्खाल्याण्ड आन्दोलनलाई बल नपुग्ने दावी उनले गरे। उनले भने, आजको प्रजातान्त्रिक भारतमा भोटको आवाज हुन्छ। अलग राज्यको माग राजनैतिक मुद्दा रहेकोले यसको सामाधन पनि राजनैतिक तरिकाले नै हुन्छ। तपाइँहरूको एकजना सांसद छ, त्यो पनि गोर्खा छैनन्‌। तर गोर्खाहरू देशभरि छरिएर बसका छन्‌। यसचोटि 14 औं लोकसभा चुनाउमा गोर्खाल्याण्ड, तेलङ्गना, विदर्भ, पुर्वाञ्चल आदि नयॉं राज्यको माग गर्नेहरूबाट 50 देखि 60 जना सासंदहरू दिन सक्यौं भने यो अलग राज्यको निम्ति धेरै फाइजनक हुनेछ। उनी अनुसार, यसपल्टको लोकसभा चुनाउमा कङ्‌ग्रेस अनि भाजपा दुवैको सरकार आउने निश्चित छैन। सरकार गठबन्धन नै हुनेछ। यसैले गठनबन्धन सरकारमा नवराज्य निर्माण मोर्चाले 50 देखि 60 जना सासंदहरू दिनसके सरकार गठनमा यी सासंदहरूको उपस्थिति महत्वपूर्ण रहन्छ। यस्तो अवस्थामा यी सांसदहरूको उपस्थितिले नै देशमा नयॉं राज्यहरूको निर्माण सम्भव रहेको उनले दावी गरे। ‘तपाइँ सङ्गठित भएर समर्थन दिनुहोस्‌ म गोर्खाल्याण्ड दिन्छु’-उनले भने। गोटाफोका अध्यक्ष सुखमान मोक्तानले स्वागत सम्भाषण राखेपछि आरम्भ भएको कार्यक्रमलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै तेलङ्गानाबाट प्रो. रमेश रेड्डीले भनेअनुसार अनुप्रवेशकारीहरूको अतिक्रमण अनि देशको अखण्डताको निम्ति पनि स-साना नयॉं राज्यहरूको गठन जरुरी छ। तेलङ्गना राज्य गठनको निम्ति सरकारले कैयौंपल्ट आश्वासन दिएर पनि पूरा नगरेको भन्दै कङ्‌ग्रेस देशको दुश्मन रहेको आरोप उनले लगाए। यसरी नै, भील प्रदेशबाट आदिवासी सेनाका प्रमुख पंकज पटेलले भने, जब देशलाई आवश्यकता थियो गोर्खाहरूले भएभरको योगदान दिए। तर आज गोर्खाहरूलाई आवश्यकता परेको समय देशले केही दिएन। तेलङ्गना, विदर्भ, गोर्खाल्याण्ड आदि माग गर्नेहरूको आवाज एक हुनुपर्ने विचार पोख्दै उनले पनि महासङ्घको प्रयासमा धेरभन्दा धेर सांसद संसदमा पठाउनुपर्ने बताए। भील प्रदेशको सङ्घर्षबारे अवगत गराउँदै उनले त्यहॉंका आदिवासीहरूमाथि भएको अतिक्रमण अनि विकासको निम्ति अलग राज्यको दावी गरिएको स्पष्ट पारे। ‘जबपनि गोर्खाहरूले बोलाउँछन्‌ त्यसबेला हामी भील प्रदेशका आदिबासीहरू तपाइँहरूको साथमा हुनेछौं’-उनले भने। विदर्भबाट किशोर सिहंले भने, गोर्खाल्याण्ड अनि वदर्भ राज्यहरू भारत स्वतन्त्रताकै समयमा दिइनुपर्ने थियो। विदर्भ मध्यप्रदेशबाट महाराष्ट्रमा जोडिएपछि अन्यायको शुरुवात भयो। यो अन्याय आजपनि वुलन्द छ। अलग राज्यको आन्दोलन राजनैतिक मुद्दा भएकोले यसको सामाधन पनि राजनैतिक स्तरबाट नै हुनुपर्छ अनि राजनैतिक दृष्टिकोणबाट नै 2014 को लोकसभा चुनाउमा महासङ्घसित सम्बन्धित भएर हामीले महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निर्वाह गर्नुपर्छ। पूर्वाञ्चलबाट केके उपाध्ययले देशको स्वाधिनता संग्राम अनि देशको सुरक्षाको निम्ति पूर्वाञ्चलले पुर्‍याएको योगदानबारे जानकारी गराएका गराउँदै पूर्वाञ्चल राज्यको गठनको आवश्यताबारे प्रकाश पारेका थिए। उनले पनि कङ्‌ग्रेससित व्यक्तिगत लडाइँ नरहेको तर बारम्बार कङ्‌ग्रेसले धोका दिएकोले नै 2014 को लोकसभा चुनाउलाई लिएर भाजपा अनि बसपासित कुराकानी भइरहेको जनाए। अन्तमा भने, ‘गोर्खाहरू बहादुर छन्‌ हामी मान्छौं तर हामी तपाइँहरूको तुलनामा नआएपनि अन्याय भने सहन गर्दैनौं’-उनले भने। आज सम्पन्न राष्ट्रिय सङ्गोष्टिमा मानिसहरूको उत्साहजनक उपस्थिति थियो। रेभ. डा, एनोस्‌ दास प्रधानको अध्यक्षतामा अनि आर मोक्तानद्वारा सञ्चालित सम्पन्न सङ्गोष्टिमा त्रिपुराका एडी बर्मा, तेलङ्गनाका, दिपक निलेश्वर, गोर्खालीगका प्रताप खाती, क्रामाकपाका तारामणि राई, गोरानिमोका दावा पाख्रिन आदिले पनि सम्बोधन गरेका थिए।

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Ghisingh closer to hills

April 26: GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh today shifted his base from Jalpaiguri to Matigara, a few kilometres from where the GTA area begins, and gave enough hints that he would be actively involved in the hill politics again. “We have run the DGHC for 18 long years but as I walked out, an ominous force emerged in the hills,” Ghisingh said, without naming the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha which is at the helm of the GTA. “Those who are riding on horses and reigning in the hills must realise that they are not real rulers and at any point of time, they might topple from the horses. The GNLF is determined to take the reins of the horses in its hands for the sake of the hills and that is why I have decided to shift to Siliguri,” Ghisingh said. The former chairman of the DGHC had been staying at Collegepara in Jalpaiguri, 30km from Siliguri after he was hounded out of the hills in 2008 following the emergence of the Morcha. “The demand for the separate state is second on our priority list. We would surely raise it, but right now we are waiting for the verdict of Calcutta High Court, where I have filed a suit questioning the legality of forming the GTA when the DGHC agreement has not been cancelled. Our party would advocate Sixth Schedule, which has constitutional validity and can largely help in the development of the hills,” he said. Ghisingh’s shift to Matigara, merely 3km from the GTA border of Sukna, and his decision to speak against the Morcha is symbolic of his intention to get re-involved in hill politics. Even when Ghisingh came to the hills to canvass for GNLF candidates in the 2011 Assembly polls, he didn’t target the Morcha GNLF sources said a three-room flat on the second floor of a three-storied building had been taken on rent at Lichubagan in Matigara for the leader to stay. Matigara is 5km from Siliguri. Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said Ghisingh’s shift to Matigara would not make any difference. “The hill people have already rejected Ghisingh as his Sixth Schedule status would have divided them. Ghisingh has already made a full and final settlement with the government not to ask for Gorkhaland and the hill people are aware of his agreements,” said Giri.

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Morcha stage destroyed

Alipurduar, April 26: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today alleged that a half-completed stage for a party meeting had been vandalised in Dalmore tea garden in the Dooars last night at a time the hill outfit was purportedly losing a lot of supporters to the Trinamul Congress in the area. Morcha leader Pradeep Pradhan didn’t point fingers at anybody for the destruction of the stage and the party was yet to a lodge a police complaint. On the other hand, Trinamul alleged that Morcha members had damaged and burned its flags at Dalmore and the nearby Bandapani garden last night. The Morcha members had only erected the foundation of the stage with bamboo poles and were supposed to finish the work today. As the structure had been damaged, the party today held the meeting in open air at Garo Basti in Dalmore, 73km from here. The meeting was addressed by Pradhan, a vice-president of the Morcha. “The stage was destroyed by miscreants last night. We don’t know who they are. The local leaders will lodge a complaint with police later. Today, at least 2,500 people attended the meeting and I can say none of our supporters have joined any other party. If anybody claims so, then it is baseless,” said Pradhan, who is also the chairman of the GTA Sabha. He was alluding to Trinamul’s claim that more than 2,000 Morcha supporters had joined the party in Dalmore and Bandapani of late. In a complaint lodged with Birpara police, Trinamul alleged that the party’s flags had been damaged and burnt by Morcha supporters at the two places last night. “Almost 2,000 people had left the Morcha and joined Trinamul in the Dalmore-Bandapani region recently. Being annoyed with it, Morcha cadres destroyed our flags last night,” said Pankoj Das, the president of the Birpara block committee of Trinamul. Pradhan said the Morcha would hold another meeting at Jaigaon on April 30. Observers said the Morcha was holding the meetings to boost the morale of the cadres when its support base was eroding. Akash Magharia, the additional superintendent of police of Alipurduar, said: “We received a complaint from Trinamul leaders saying their flags had been damaged by Morcha. We have started an investigation. We are yet to receive a complaint from the Morcha on damage to any structure.”

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When Gere met Dalai Lama

Richard Gere on Friday recounted his first meeting with the Dalai Lama that drew him to Tibetan Buddhism. The actor was speaking to a 1,000-strong crowd at Manan Kendra in Gangtok — the talk was titled Buddhism in the West and My Personal Experience. Gere said he first met the Tibetan spiritual leader in Dharamshala. “I was told by the people at his (the Dalai Lama’s) office that I can spend a week’s time visiting the Tibetan camps and monasteries at Dharamshala before meeting the Dalai Lama. A week later, I got an opportunity to meet him,” he said. Gere was introduced to the Dalai Lama as “an acclaimed Hollywood actor”, to which the monk remarked: “Oh, so you’re an actor?” The actor, who has been a heartthrob world-wide for his lead role in Pretty Woman, recounted: “He thought about that a second, and then he said: ‘So when you do this acting and you’re angry, are you really angry? When you’re acting sad, are you really sad? When you cry, are you really crying?’” Gere said: “I gave him some kind of an actor answer, like it was more effective if you really believed in the emotion that you were portraying. He looked very deeply into my eyes and just started laughing. Hysterically. He was laughing at the idea that I would believe emotions are real, that I would work very hard to believe in anger and hatred and sadness and pain and suffering.” The actor said he was touched by the incident. On stage on Friday, Gere thanked the Buddhist masters for creating the possibility of dharma in the West. “The beauty and the Buddhist culture in Sikkim have fascinated me and I would love to come back again with my wife and two kids,” Gere said.

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Same-sex stricture draws ire

Gangtok, April 26: Chief minister Pawan Chamling’s warning of “zero tolerance” of homosexual relationships in Sikkim on Wednesday has drawn criticism from human rights activists. “We must not allow gay and lesbian culture in Sikkim. I have zero tolerance towards such an unnatural culture, even though some nations have accepted it. This will wipe out the world. Let us keep Sikkim pure,” he said. He then directed panchayats that they “must pass resolutions in gram sabhas against homosexuals in Sikkim”. Gangtok-based human rights activist Doma Bhutia objected to the chief minister’s stricture. “The marginalised section has a right to life, liberty and dignity in the society as others. Such a statement shows a patriarchal mindset, which does not recognise the rights of the marginalised section,” Bhutia said. In 2009, Delhi High Court in a landmark judgment struck down a provision of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalised consensual sexual acts of adults in private. The section was often used by police to harass homosexuals. “We declare Section 377 of Indian Penal Code, in so far as it criminalises consensual sexual acts of adults in private, is violative of Articles 21 (Right to Protection of Life and Personal Liberty), 14 (Right to Equality before Law) 15 (Prohibition of Discrimination on Grounds of Religion, Race, Caste, Sex or Place of Birth) of the Constitution,” the court had said. Sikkim does not have any registered NGOs that work on gay and lesbian rights. There is also no official record of homosexuals in the state. The leading opposition party Sikkim Krantikari Morcha also condemned the chief minister’s statement.

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Deb panel to oversee civic work - Six-member committee to take stock of state projects in municipal areas

Siliguri, April 24: North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb today formed a six-member committee to oversee the development works taken up by the state government in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation area. “The civic body led by the Congress has failed to meet the aspirations of the people of Siliguri and carry out infrastructure development through execution of schemes planned by the state government,” he said here today. “The state government however, cannot shirk its responsibilities and it is determined to implement the projects, ranging from health care to road infrastructure to drainage. That is why, the committee has been formed to oversee the development works and also to ensure that tasks taken up by one agency do not overlap with another,” the minister added. “The committee, headed by a joint secretary of the (north Bengal development) department, comprises the SMC commissioner, officials from the SJDA (Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority) and engineers,” Deb said. The minister, however, added that unless the civic body granted permission to the north Bengal development department or the SJDA headed by him, the projects planned by the state government could not be executed . “The onus is on the civic body and its minority (Congress) board,” he said. The projects that the committee would oversee include road widening and development , development of Dinabandhu Mancha, Rabindra Bhawan and Rabindra Mancha in the town, drainage scheme at Shaktigarh, construction of a hospital in association with the Mission Hospital Group of Durgapur and completion of the fourth Mahananda Bridge. The six-member committee would submit its reports to Deb. Siliguri mayor Gangotri Datta expressed disappointment at Deb’s hint at carrying out development work through other agencies like the SJDA and the PWD. “The corporation will continue to work and provide civic services to the people of Siliguri. It is surprising that he (Deb) did not bother to call me but called my officer (SMC commissioner P.D. Pradhan), held a meeting and formed a committee,” Datta said. “We want to assert that we would continue to support the state government on matters related to development of Siliguri,” the mayor added.

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7000 teachers to join BEd

Siliguri, April 24: The state government will impart a two-year B.Ed course in distance education mode to around 7,000 in-service teachers who teach from classes V to VIII in north Bengal. The 7,000 teachers will be accommodated in 35 B.Ed colleges affiliated to the North Bengal University and Gour Banga University. The initiative is part of a Bengal government project to train 29,515 upper primary school teachers without B.Ed across the state by March 31, 2015. The Right to Education Act, 2009, stipulates that all upper primary teachers should have B.Ed by March 31, 2015. The state higher education department has adopted the syllabus and teaching materials of Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) for the project. The Calcutta-based Netaji Subhas Open University (NSOU) is the nodal university to co-ordinate with the state varsities to implement the project. “We have chosen North Bengal University and Gour Banga University in Malda to co-ordinate the activities of 35 B.Ed colleges under them and implement the course for untrained teachers. Around 7,000 of 29,515 in-service teachers are from six north Bengal districts. These teachers will be accommodated in any of the B.Ed colleges under the NBU or Gour Banga,” Subha Shankar Sarkar, the vice-chancellor of the NSOU, told a press conference at NBU today. Sarkar was at NBU as a resource person of a workshop organised to sensitise principals and faculty of the 35 B.Ed colleges to the implementation of the two-year distance course to the in-service teachers. He said efforts would be made to ensure that teachers in north Bengal were accommodated in the colleges in their home district. “The teachers who need the training have been identified through a survey. The admission process will start in May and classes are likely to start in July,” Sarkar added. The National Council of Teachers Education, New Delhi — a central government body which oversees the system of teachers education across the country — has approved the programme. Sources said the teachers’ study cost would be borne by the state government. In Bengal, the upper primary teachers teach at secondary and higher secondary levels also in certain cases. Chandra Bhusan Sharma, a professor at the education department of the Ignou, said classes would be held during summer and winter vacations and at the weekends. “There will be 1,000 hours of face-to-face teaching through teleconferencing, counselling in class rooms and workshops. The candidates enrolled in the programme will get study materials and in case of doubt in any topic, they can consult us during the face-to-face interactions. There will also be radio and television broadcasts and web-casts,” said Sharma, who was also a resource person at the workshop. Share on email Share on print Share on facebook

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ash cut, complain investors

April 24: Several investors in Durgapur today complained that Rose Valley, a funds collection company, was deducting a portion of the principal while giving out cheques to them. Many depositors refused to accept the cheques because of this today. Private company employee Nilav Mandal said he had deposited Rs 1 lakh in 2010 in a hotel scheme that had promised to double the amount in five years. “But I got back Rs 81,000 today. The company has deducted almost 20 per cent of the principal,” he said. Branch manager Shiladitya Singh said: “We had to deduct a small portion from the principal amount as we had paid commission to agents. We also have some official expenses. We have invested the money elsewhere and cannot withdraw it in such a short span of time.” An investor with another private funds collection company, however, said the firm had refused to return him the Rs 25,000 he had invested. Nuruddin Mandal, a farmer in Bankura’s Borjora who had invested in a scheme run by Vibgyor Allied Infrastructure Ltd said: “I had invested Rs 25,000 in May last year and the company had said it would pay me Rs 37,500 after three years. I had gone to Vibgyor’s Calcutta and Durgapur offices but the employees refused to speak to me. The agent in my village has fled. I don’t know what will happen to my money.” A Vibgyor spokesperson said there may have been a “miscommunication” and investors who want their principal back would be refunded after two days. In Malda, around 500 depositors and agents ransacked two under-construction buildings of the Saradha Group in Englishbazar. Police sources said the crowd first attacked Amrapali housing complex at Lakshmipur along the Malda-Manikchak state highway, 5km from Malda town. “The mob broke down the iron gate of the 10-bigha plot and ransacked the site office. The mob broke all the furniture and made a bonfire of all the papers in the office ,” a source in the Englishbazar police station said. The mob then went to the Saradha World School and Academy site, a kilometre away from the housing complex, and smashed the windowpanes of an office room on the campus. The people also broke the lock of the office and took away furniture, fans and lights. Sources said the school was coming up on a 20-bigha plot and construction had begun in October last year. Agent Sisir Sarkar said Saradha Group had bought over 35 bighas in Englishbazar area. “They had bought the land to construct housing complexes, schools and a food processing plant in Susthani. The land is worth several crores. We joined the company thinking it had the blessings of the Trinamul government. Now we are living in constant fear and our houses are being attacked. We want the government to sell the property and return the money,” Sarkar said. Some of the agents said a person called Debashis Debsharma used to look after Saradha’s operations in north Bengal.

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Mob at door, Deb leaves escorted

Siliguri, April 24: Trinamul minister Gautam Deb had to be escorted out of his office in the north Bengal development department today as angry depositors and agents of allegedly fraud money collection companies demonstrated outside. The minister is generally accompanied by a gunman, but today, two police vehicles escorted him out of the office, crowded by the protesters. Around 300 agents and depositors of Annex Infrastructure India Limited, a Siliguri-based company, gathered in front of his office around 2.30pm. They shouted slogans and disrupted traffic on the Hill Cart Road. “The company closed down on March 26 and on the very next day, we filed a complaint against Prasenjit Majumdar, the CMD, at Bhaktinagar police station. But the police haven’t taken any action,” said Pradip Ghosh, a resident of Ranidanga near here. Deb met three of the protesters and asked them to approach the Siliguri police commissioner. When the Annex investors and agents were about to leave, another group of 100 people reached Deb’s office. They said they were agents and investors of Suraha Micro Finance, a company based at Diamond Harbour of South 24-Parganas. The new group also started a demonstration and wanted to meet the minister. But Deb wasn’t ready to hear them and walked down the staircase. He went to the basement where his car was parked. Otherwise, the minister would get into the car in front of the building after attending the office. Deb’s car moved out of the compound with a pilot car in front and a police vehicle behind. The convoy took the exit point at the right end of the compound, apparently to avoid the protesters who had crowded the path that directly leads to the building. Seeing Deb leaving the office, the demonstrators became more angry. They yelled at him and hurled abuses at the convoy. “We had no inkling that the minister was leaving. Otherwise, we would have waylaid him,” shouted one of them. Traffic on the Hill Cart Road was blocked for three hours from 2.30pm because of the repeated protests. Earlier, Deb told journalists in his office that not an inch of land belonging to the north Bengal development department, Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority and the North Bengal State Transport Corporation had been handed over to any individual when he was in charge of the three government wings. He was reacting to the allegation levelled by CPM leader Asok Bhattacharya on Monday that land owned by the north Bengal development department, SJDA and NBSTC headed by Deb had been sold to private parties at lower prices.

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आन्दोलनले जर्जर बनेको पहाडको अर्थतञ्त्र जाली कम्पनीहरुको लुटाइले दिनदिनै खोक्रो बन्दै गइरहेको छ

कालेबुङ, 23 अप्रेल। विभिन्न चिट फण्ड कम्पनीहरुले सामयिक रुपले लुट्दै आएको कालेबुङवासीहरुबाट यसपालि शारदा ग्रुप अफ कम्पनीजले लगभग अढाई करोड रुपियाँ ठगेको छ। लामो समयसम्म चर्केको अलग राज्यको आन्दोलनले जर्जर बनेको पहाडको अर्थतञ्त्र यस्ता जाली कम्पनीहरुको लुटाइले दिनदिनै खोक्रो बन्दै गइरहेको छ। इन्फोजब स्ल्युशन, युनिपे, सुभम हाउस होल्ड, डोकोमो आदि जस्ता फर्जी कम्पनीहरुले करोडौ रुपियाँ लुटिसकेको कालेबुङ अहिले शारदा ग्रुपको नयाँ शिकार भएको छ। राज्य सरकारसँगसमेत नजिक मानिएकोले पनि यो कम्पनीप्रति जनमानसको विश्वास जागेको थियो। जाली कम्पनीहरुले पैसा कुम्ल्याएर चम्पट कसेको घटना लगातार प्रकाशमा आए पनि यहाँका मानिसहरुले कम्पनीको आकर्षक पृष्ठ्भूमि देखेर पैसा लगानी गर्न कुनै जोखिम मानेनन। तर यो कम्पनीले कालेबुङमा व्यापार गरेको दुइ बर्ष पनि नभइ कम समयमा धेरै पैसा कमाउने चहाने एजेण्ट र लगानीकर्ता दुवैलाई फुस्रो पारेको छ। कम्पनीको कालेबुङ शाखामा पैसाको लेनदेनलाई लिएर खासै समस्या नदेखिएको भए पनि मिडीया सेक्टरको जटिलतालाई केन्द्र गरी कम्पनीका नाइके बेपत्ता भएको घटनाले लगानीकर्ताहरुप्रति कम्पनीको जवाफदेहिहीनता स्पष्ट भएको छ। कालेबुङ शाखाबाट लगानीकर्ताहरुलाई करोडौ रुपियाँ भुगतान गर्नु पर्ने कुराले यहाँका अधिकारी र एजेण्टहरुलाई यति चरम निराशा र चिन्तामा पुर्याौएको छ कि उनीहरु कुनै उपाय नलागे अपहत्या नै गर्ने अवस्था आउने मनोदशामा पुगेका छन। कम्पनीका प्रतिनिधिहरुले कालेबुङ थानामा दर्ता गरेको प्राथमिकीमा यो कुराको पनि उठान गरेका छन। सरकारको पक्षबाट यस दिशामा ठोस पहल गरेर लगानीकर्ताहरुको रुपियाँ फर्किने वातावरण नबनिए कम्पनीका प्रतिनिधिहरु यो गम्भीर कदम उठाउन बाध्य हुने थाना जाहेरी गरेका छन। उत्तर बंगालका करिब डेढ लाख मानिसहरु यस कम्पनीमा आश्रित छन। यति धेरै संख्यामा मानिसहरुको बिचल्नी भएको घटनाले सबै क्षेत्रका एजेण्ट र लगानीकर्ताहरुमा चरम निराशा देखा परेको छ। कालेबुङ शाखाका प्रतिनिधिहरुले एकातिर थानामा प्राथमिकी दर्ता गरेर कम्पनीका प्रमुख सुदिप्त सेनलाई खोजी निकाल्ने अनि स्थानीय कार्यालयमा रहेका लगानीकर्ताहरुको तथ्याङ र दस्तावेजहरु जोगाउन पुलिस सुरक्षाको माग गरेका छन भने आज यहाँका महकुमा अधिकारीमार्फत राज्यकी मुख्यमंत्रीलाई एउटा ज्ञापन पनि प्रेषित गरेको छ। शाखा कार्यालयका प्रतिनिधिहरुले यस मामिलाको माथिल्लो तहबाट नै छानबीन गरी पिडीत लगानीकर्ताहरुलाई न्याय दिलाउन अनुरोध गरेका छन। यता, कम्पनीको कालेबुङ क्षेत्रका एसोसिएट्स उत्तम विश्वकर्मले कम्पनीका सिएमडी लापत्ता भएको घटना प्रकाशमा आएपछि एजेण्ट र लगानीकर्तामा संशय बढेको बताएका छन। तिनले कालेबुङ कार्यालयमा हुने लेनदेनको चक्रमा कुनै अनियमितता नभएको स्पष्ट पार्दै कम्पनीका प्रमुख भागेको ताजा घटनाक्रमले भने मानिसहरुको विश्वास डगमगाएको बताए। “शुरुमा मिडीया हाउस मात्र डुबेको अनुमान थियो तर अहिले कम्पनी नै डुबेको थाहा पाएपछि यहाँ पनि समस्या बढेको छ” तिनले भने। तिनले थानामा प्राथमिकी दर्ता गर्नका साथै मुख्यमंत्रीलाई ज्ञापन पठाएको कुराको पुष्टि गरेका छन। तिनले आफूहरु कम्पनीको दार्जीलिङ शाखाका वरिष्ठ प्रतिनिधिहरुको सम्पर्कमा बसेको अनि उनीहरुसँग छलफल गरेर मात्र कुनै ठोस निष्कर्षमा पुगिने जनाएका छन।

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समाचार च्यानलमाथि भएको राजनैतिक हस्तक्षेपको विरोध गर्दै कालेबुङ कृषक कल्याण संगठनले बुझायो महकुमा अधिकारीलाई ज्ञ्यापन

कालेबुङ, 23 अप्रेल। स्थानीय समाचार च्यानल एचपीसीमाथि भएको कथित राजनैतिक हस्तक्षेपको विरोध गर्दै कालेबुङ कृषक कल्याण संगठनले आज महकुमा अधिकारीलाई ज्ञापन बुझाएर प्रशासनिक हस्तक्षेपको माग गरेको छ। संगठनका सचिव बिष्णु छेत्रीले आज महकुमा अधिकारीको अनुपस्थितिमा डेप्युटी मेजिष्ट्रेट प्रितम लिम्बूलाई ज्ञापन बुझाएका छन। राजनैतिक हस्तक्षेपको शिकार बनेर सो च्यानल बन्द भएको एक महीना पूरा भए पनि प्रशासनिक तवरमा च्यानलको पुनर्प्रसारणको निम्ति पहल नभएको छेत्रीले गुनासो गरेका छन। तिनले आज महकुमा अधिकारीलाई चढाएको ज्ञापन पत्रमा यो गुनासो जाहेर गर्दै स्थानीय प्रशासनले सम्बन्धित पक्षहरुसँग बैठक गरी समाधानको मार्ग निकल्नु पर्ने माग गरेका छन। “एचपीसीमाथि भएको राजनैतिक हस्तक्षेपको घटना सभ्यसमाजको निम्ति हानीकारक हो। समाजको चौथो स्तम्भमाथि राजनैतिक दबाउ बनाएर बन्द गर्नु भनेको जनताको सूचनाको अधिकारको हनन गर्नु पनि हो। हामी चहान्छौं प्रशासनले अबिलम्ब यस समस्याको समाधान खोजेर च्यानलको प्रसारण बहाल गरोस” छेत्रीले भने। यता, महकुमा अधिकारी कार्यालयका डेप्युटी मेजिष्ट्रेट प्रितम लिम्बूले यो मामिला जिल्लापालको संज्ञानमा पुगेको जानकारी गराउँदै महकुमा अधिकारीले केबल प्रबन्धन पक्षलाई च्यानलको प्रसारणमाथि रोक लगाइएको घटनाक्रमबारे लिखितमा आफ्नो भनाइ स्पष्ट पार्न निर्देश दिएको बताएका छन। “केवल र समाचार च्यानलको प्रसारणसम्बन्धी मामिलाहरुको निगरानी गर्ने दिशानिर्देश र कमिटिको अभाव द्देखिएको छ। हामी सम्बन्धित पक्षहरुलाई बोलाएर चाढै नै एउटा बैठक गरी यसबारे छलफल गर्नेछौं” सरकारी अधिकारी लिम्बूले भने।

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Kalpana blooms in Sikkim, so does Atal

The pink cymbidium, the most common and cherished species of orchid in Sikkim, with sprinkles of violet and yellow adorns the nursery of Sailesh Pradhan, one of the prominent cultivators in the state. Pradhan represents the Way Side Gardens and Nurseries Private Limited, a nursery spread over five acres at 6th Mile on the outskirts Gangtok, that is known for orchid cultivation for the past 25 years or more. “This orchid was named after Kalpana Chawla, the Indian American astronaut, by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003,” Pradhan said pointing at a cattleya hybrid. “The astronaut who we lost 10 years back, is still alive in Sikkim.” According to him, when Vajpayee visited Sikkim for the first time and was requested to name the new hybrid species of cattleya, he christened it in the name of Chawla who lost her life after space shuttle Columbia disintegrated while descending on the earth on February 1, 2003. The flower came to be known as Brassocattleya Astronaut Kalpana Chawla. The same year, the UK-based Royal Horticultural Society included the species in its global list of orchids. “During the same visit, another orchid of dendrobium variety was named after the then Prime Minister. It is known as Dendrobium Atal Bihari Vajpayee today,” Pradhan said. Over time, demand for orchids that grow round the year in Sikkim have also increased both in and outside the country. “Around 450 species of orchids are available in Sikkim. But all of these are not cultivated for commercial purposes. Sikkim, owing to its climatic conditions, has developed as a natural hub of orchids and the state government’s impetus to ensure that cultivators like us get a chance to merchandise our produce in global markets like Amsterdam, known as the international flower hub, is encouraging” Pradhan said. The flowers grow in rocky soil and need 10 to 30 degrees Celsius temperature with adequate sunshine all year round. Although orchids grow althrough the year, they are mostly found during spring. “The process of growing hybrid species is going on in Sikkim. Growers across the state cultivate orchids. We are also growing other plants like lilium and azelea, which can be used for landscaping.” Simfed, or the Sikkim State Co-operative Supply and Marketing Federation Limited, buys the produce from the growers and arranges for exports, Pradhan said. The federation provides seeds and saplings to the growers and buys from them the finished products and arranges for exports. “Some other governmental assistance is also extended to growers and to attract new cultivators as today, Sikkim is one of the major exporters of orchids to different parts of the globe,” Pradhan said. In Gangtok, Sudhizong Lucksom, a former forest official and an orchid researcher, said the state government has assisted growers in building over 4,000 greenhouses across Sikkim. “Sikkim is fast emerging as an orchid growing state with more and more people getting attracted to this cash crop. People, including those residing in the remote areas, are into tissue culture, and working on the species of rare orchids found in the state. There are orchids which last for two months while there are species which last only for one-two days,” Lucksom said. “It is nice to see that Sikkim, with help of the state machinery and the National Research Centre for Orchids set up by ICAR, is helping a lot in the promotion and export of these flowers to other parts of India and in the overseas,” he added. Dendrobium nobile, the state flower and an orchid species, is also one of the common flowers along with cymbidium, that is exported, the researcher said. Sources said that there are over 4,000 growers across Sikkim with the number increasing by around 500 in each year. “Annually, around 20 million stalks of orchids are produced in Sikkim. If merchandised through proper channels in the Indian and overseas markets, each stem fetches anything between Rs 50 and Rs 80, depending on the species,” said a source. The global market for orchids is over $1 billion annually, with Japan and the US being the main players followed by Taiwan and China. “We are giving impetus to horticulture, floriculture and hydro projects and have drafted a specific roadmap for development of the tourism sector,” said chief minister Pawan Chamling. “The international flower festival held (here) in February has provided a large arena to Sikkim to exhibit its exotic orchids before national and global buyers. Such initiatives to unveil new international markets for Sikkim orchids would continue on the part of the government.” “In the international market, we have buyers from different countries. Orchid cultivation is developing as a lucrative occupation for the residents of Sikkim. We are providing all possible assistance to ensure that artificial environment is provided for cultivation for the best quality orchids,” he added.

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Richard on Buddhism trail - Pretty Woman star to talk on personal experience of faith

Gangtok, April 23: Actor Richard Gere is in Sikkim on a five-day tour of Buddhist monasteries and to deliver a talk on the faith. The star of Pretty Woman and Chicago has been the practitioner of the Gelgupa school of Tibetan Buddhism for over a decade. Would he shoot in Sikkim? His itinerary suggests that is unlikely (See chart). The actor’s chopper landing in Gangtok yesterday was kept under wraps, sources said. Gere is scheduled to attend several Buddhist programmes in Gangtok and a wedding before he leaves the state on April 27. According to the sources, Gere reached Gangtok yesterday afternoon in a Pawan Hans helicopter and took a car to Dharma Chakra Centre at Rumtek in the East district. “The actor went to the main shrine of the monastery, offered prayers at the 16th Karmapa’s stupa and spent a couple of minutes interacting with the monks at Karma Shri Nalanda Institute. He was offered butter tea and snacks,” a senior monk at the monastery said, requesting anonymity. For the monks at the institute, a school on Buddhism located on the premises of the Rumtek monastery, it was a dream come true. “We were amazed with Gere’s immense knowledge of Buddhism. He was very nice and spent time with us. We also took lots of photographs with him,” said the monastery in-charge Omzed Lodey. Gere would deliver a talk — titled Buddhism in the West and My Personal Experience — at Manan Kendra here at 5pm on April 26. The talk is being organised by the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology in Gangtok. He will also attend a long-life empowerment ceremony to be performed by Khochhen Rimpoche and Sokse Rimpoche at Tsuklakhang monastery tomorrow. This event too is in Gangtok. The actor also runs the Gere Foundation India Trust to support a variety of humanitarian programmes in India since 1999.

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Gurung peace gesture to Mamata

April 23: A Gorkha Janmukti Morcha delegation today met chief minister Mamata Banerjee at Writers’ Buildings in Calcutta to convey party chief Bimal Gurung’s “best wishes” to her. “We came to meet her because she has not been feeling well. We conveyed our (the GTA) chief executive’s best wishes for her prompt recovery. He has also invited the chief minister to the Darjeeling hills,” Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said after the meeting. He was accompanied by party leaders Rohit Sharma and Harka Bahadur Chhetri. The meeting in Calcutta coincided with the GTA Sabha’s decision on who should be appointed its principal secretary, a matter that had added to the unpleasantness on both sides. Today’s meeting in Calcutta signalled a thaw in the Morcha’s relations with the state government, a matter on which Gurung had dropped a hint at a meeting in Mungpoo on April 3. “It is in my hand to further deteriorate the situation. But I do not want to deteriorate it further,” he had said. Relations between the state government and the Morcha soured after January 29 when Mamata at Chowrastha said Darjeeling “is a part of us”. Today’s meeting was the first reconciliatory gesture by the Morcha since then. According to Giri, Mamata asked them about the functioning of the GTA Sabha and asked the trio to “efficiently” carry out development work in the hills. “For a review of the implementation of the GTA agreement, home secretary Basudeb Banerjee will come to the hills on May 13. On April 30, we will come to Writers’ for a meeting with chief secretary Sanjay Mitra,” Giri said. In Darjeeling, Gurung today held a meeting with all Sabha members at Singmari and later announced: “We have decided to propose the name of R.D. Meena as the next principal secretary of the GTA.” Sources said Gurung had zeroed in on Meena from among the four names sent by the government because he is the seniormost and approaching retirement. “The GTA Sabha members were of the opinion that junior officers who have many years to serve would always think of their career and would, hence, be more inclined to keep the state government in good humour. The members were of the opinion that Meena would not unnecessarily try to please the state government and would work more or less independently as he would not have to think of his career,” a Morcha source said.

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Rose Valley releases cheques to investors

Durgapur, April 23: Rose Valley today started giving cheques to depositors after hundreds who had invested in several schemes made a beeline for the company’s Raniganj branch in the aftermath of the Saradha Group crisis. Those investors whose policies are yet to mature got back the cheque mentioning the principal amount. Yesterday, over 100 depositors from Raniganj town and neighbouring Jamuria had demonstrated inside the Rose Valley office, demanding their money back. The depositors had said they were worried about the money in the wake of the Saradha controversy. Those depositors whose schemes were yet to mature had been asked to come to the Raniganj Rose Valley branch today. Branch manager Jayanta Banerjee said: “We gave out 500 cheques today. All payments were made for schemes that are yet to mature. We will continue to give cheques to those who demand money.” A Rose Valley official said cheques for amounts ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 were given out. Several investors said they did not want to wait for their policies to mature. “We would have got the interest had we waited but we don’t want to take the risk,” an investor said. The customers expressed happiness but some of them said their fears would remain till the cheques were honoured. “I got a cheque for Rs 30,000 today, which is the principal amount I had invested in a scheme a year ago. The policy would have matured a year later but I don’t want to wait,” said a retired eastern coalfield employee. In another related development, CPM workers this morning blocked N.S. Bose Road in Raniganj after one of their party colleagues was beaten up allegedly by Trinamul Congress workers for demonstrating outside the Rose Valley office yesterday. Dilip Chatterjee, a retired Philips Carbon Black employee of Raniganj said that two years ago I had deposited Rs 50,000 in a scheme that promised double the amount in five years. “But after the Saradha group offices closed down, I became scared of losing my money. I came to know from my neighbours that the Rose Valley had agreed to return deposits. So, I came today and collected the principal amount I had deposited. I did not want to take any risk. I will be happy if I get my cheque cleared,” said Chatterjee. Depositors queued up from the morning and they rushed in as soon as the office opened at 10 am. The cheques were being distributed from the second floor office and the queue snaked out of the building on the road. At times those standing in the queue became restive and shouted why the queue was not moving. Sanyasi Badyakar, the CPM worker, was among the depositors who had demonstrated demanding their money back at the Rose Valley office yesterday. “The Trinamul workers beat me up with sticks as I took part at the demonstration,” said Badyakar. Senapati Mondal, Trinamul block president in Raniganj said, “We are not aware about any Trinamul worker beating up the CPM worker. We will inquire into it.” Uday Ghosh, officer-in-charge of Raniganj police station said that a complaint had been received and investigation has started.

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Saradha makes Barla wary of alliance Tribal leader rethinks on Trinamul

April 23: John Barla, the JMM leader keen to ally with the Trinamul Congress for the panchayat elections, has had second thoughts on moving forward with the tie-up given the repeated allegations against the ruling party’s closeness with the Saradha Group. “We had been insisting on a tie-up with Trinamul for the rural polls. But the Saradha Group issue has made our leaders give second thoughts to the issue. Most of us want to distance ourselves from the party and take up this issue,” a senior leader in Barla’s JMM said. The JMM’s problem is that if it is seen as close to Trinamul, it would not be able to raise the protest pitch in the plains’ tea gardens against fraud finance companies when many hundreds of tea workers are sufferers in the scam. “If we keep hobnobbing with Trinamul, we cannot speak much against the scam or launch a movement and we risk losing the support of our people. On the other hand, if we take up the issue and launch a movement on the demand for refund of the depositors’ money, we can consolidate our support base and can decelerate the progress of Trinamul in the Dooars,” the leader said. Barla today said: “Thousands of tea workers have deposited money under different schemes of the group (Saradha), expecting high returns. We have sent a letter to the north Bengal development minister, requesting him to intervene and ensure that the deposits are paid back to the workers.’ He said if the state “remains silent on the issue of refund, we would be left with no other option but to launch movement”. Barla said his party leaders had “already launched an awareness drive, urging people to refrain from investing their hard-earned money” in such fraud fund companies. According to administrative sources, though the total amount of investment made by workers of the brew belt is yet to be calculated, it is evident that a huge amount of money has been collected by these companies from them. “The Saradha Group and numerous other such companies have been operating in the Dooars for the past two-three years. According to our information, 84 such companies had branches in Malbazar, 45 in Banarhat, 60 in Birpara and 40 in Kalchini. The mushrooming of branches indicates the inflow of funds as all these small towns are located across the Dooars belt. Many of these companies have closed down while a few are working now,” a source said. In north Bengal, eight complaints were lodged against the Saradha Group today. Police said five complaints were filed in Balurghat and one each in Bhaktinagar, Raiganj and Kalimpong. Leaders of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad, while speaking on the issue, said that retired tea workers had deposited money with these companies. “While most of the workers invested money under recurring and other monthly deposit schemes, a good number of retired workers have deposited the money they have received as provident fund and gratuity. We want both the state and central governments to take up the issue and ensure that the poor workers, who were duped by these companies, get back their money,” said Rajesh Lakra, the general secretary of north Bengal regional unit of the Parishad. “A letter would be soon sent to the governments. If the governments remain lackadaisical, we would be forced to launch a movement,” he said. Representatives of other political parties such as the RSP, CPM and the Congress also hinted at starting a movement to make the scam an issue to beat Trinamul. As tea workers express concern over their deposits like lakhs of other investors across the state, senior trade union leaders spoke about the movement while pointing out the absence of banking infrastructure. “It is not only the issue of restricting activities of chit funds and securing the refunds of the deposits. The state should also work to spread banking network in the tea belt that has around 160 gardens. There are several gardens from where the nearest bank is 25km away,” Chitta Dey, convener of the Co-ordination Committee of Tea Plantation Workers, an apex body of trade unions, said. “This discourages workers from visiting banks and under such circumstances, they are approached by agents of these chit fund companies,” Dey said. Trinamul leaders seemed unperturbed. “Opposition parties would not succeed in slandering us as people in the Dooars have expressed spontaneous support to us,” said Chandan Bhowmik, the Jalpaiguri district Trinamul president. “Our chief minister has proved her sincerity to take care of Dooars residents and regarding the chit fund issue, the government is putting its best efforts to protest the interests of depositors and agents.”

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