GJM legislators to call on Mamata during her Darjeeling visit

Darjeeling

18 Oct 2013

Stepping down from its earlier adamant stand, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership today extended an olive branch to the state government saying it is willing to meet chief minister Mamata Banerjee during her visit to the hills later this month.

Talking today to media persons in Darjeeling, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said a courtesy call would be made to the CM during her visit on October 24. “Our three MLAs will go to meet the chief minister on a courtesy note when she is in Darjeeling. We know she is on a political visit, but we will definitely call on her,” the GJM leader said.

Both GJM leaders and the MLAs had refused to meet Banerjee when she was in the hills earlier this year.

Even so, the GJM general secretary clarified the people’s apprehension was the factor behind the party’s decision to meet its ‘nemesis’. “The people are apprehensive about the post October 23 scenario in the hills. And as our MLAs are part of the Assembly, it makes sense to meet the chief minister,’ said Giri.

The chief minister has refused to buckle down to the GJM’s pressure tactics of starting an agitation for statehood. Several senior GJM leaders and activists including Gorkhaland Territorial Administration elected members have been arrested. Banerjee also got Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to announce all decisions pertaining to the hills would be taken in consultation with the state government.

The GJM general secretary also did not make any attempt to veil the party’s reconciliatory attitude, saying the hills need to be peaceful and a dialogue process must start to resolve existing problems. “We want to solve the problems through dialogue and negotiations. Darjeeling is peaceful and we want to keep it that way. We also want to tell prospective tourists the hills are safe to visit. But the tripartite talk must take place soon,” said Giri.

During a function on October 7 in Kurseong to celebrate the party’s seventh foundation day, GJM president Bimal Gurung had echoed similar sentiments stating the dialogue process was the correct way forward in achieving a solution. He had also said the hills MLAs would meet the state government.

When asked about the official letter from the central government for the tripartite meeting, Giri said, “We have not received any letter yet, but we are sure the meeting will be held. It was the Union government that informed us verbally. But there is a possibility of the date being shifted.”

Commenting on the chief minister’s visit and the courtesy call, Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma said it was standard protocol. “We will definitely meet Banerjee as she is the chief minister. Also, we are part of the assembly and protocol says we must call on her when she is in the hills,” he said, but refused to say why they failed to meet the CM during her visit earlier this year.

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Hill TMC to expose GJM’s ‘politics of lies’ in public meeting

PRADIP LOHAGUN

KALIMPONG

18 Oct 2013

The Kalimpong unit of the Hill Trinamool Congress will organise a public meeting on Saturday to “expose the GJM’s politics of lies”. Talking to the media, Hill TMC leader Pravin Rahapal accused GJM chief Bimal Gurung of deceiving the people on the Gorkhaland issue since 2007.

He said, “We want to tell the people what the current political situation actually is in Darjeeling. The GJM kept the hills closed for over a month since July in the name of the statehood agitation, but what has the result been? We will tell the people how much they have been misled by Bimal Gurung since 2007.”

The TMC leader further said, “I have worked very close with Gurung. I know him much better than the GTA sabhashads do. We will expose the darkness in which he and his party have been keeping the general public.”

Rahapal said Saturday’s meeting will be held at Thanadara Trikon Park instead of Dambar Chowk where political meetings are generally held. He said the decision was made considering traffic issues that may arise. However, loud speakers will be placed at several vantage points of town to enable the townsfolk get to listen to the speeches.

Further, expressing concern for drivers, Rahapal said, “Holding a public meeting at Damabar Chowk on a ‘Haat’ day will create huge traffic troubles. Drivers get affected mostly. We won’t let such problems arise. Instead, we will place loudspeakers around town to ensure everybody can listen to us whereever they may be.”

The public meeting is expected to be addressed by hill TMC leaders Pravin Rahapal, Chewang Bhutia, Nanita Gautam, KN Subba and Tshering Sherpa, among others.

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Sudden fire at night claims three of family in Ambiok

KALIMPONG

18 Oct 2013

Ambiok Tea garden residents are in shock after three members of a family, including two children aged 5 and 3 and their father, died when their house suddenly caught fire in the dead of night on Thursday.

According to sources, Sharan Rai (34) and his two daughters Shraddha Rai (5) and Shristi Rai (3) died in the inferno that engulfed the entire wooden house. The intensity of the fire was so great that despite desperate attempts by neighbours to bring it under control, they failed. The family had just returned two days ago from Sikkim after celebrating Dasai while the mother had stayed back in Sikkim. The police have sent the bodies to the Noth Bengal Medical College and Hospital for postmortem.

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Arrested GJM leaders slapped with fresh charges; bail rejected

PRADIP LOHAGUN

KALIMPONG

17 Oct 2013

The state government has made matters worse for the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders already in custody by slapping new charges against them. Leaders including Kalyan Dewan, Binay Tamang, Kavita Gurung and Nima Tamang have been charged with torching the house of hill Trinamool Congress leader KN Subba.

Kalyan Dewan, Binay Tamang and Kavita Gurung were presented today before the Kalimpong ACJM court, but Nima Tamang was not seen around. The trio was brought from Jalpaiguri and charged for preventing the entry of Subba to Gorubathan, torching of his residence and for conspiring and obstructing the task of the police.

The three have been charged under Sections 120B/143/427/436/447/34 of the Indian Penal Code. The bail application submitted by defence lawyer Rajiv Purajuli was rejected and the court has sentenced them to 14 days judicial custody. However, the three have been granted bail on other charges such as waving black flags to minister Gautam Deb and blocking of NH 31A.

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JAKS splinter group launches TMC union

KURSEONG

17 Oct 2013

The Janmukti Asthai Karmachari Sangathan or JAKS, the casual employees’ wing of the GJM, has suffered a huge blow with a splinter group forming a new union named ‘Darjeeling Himalayan Workers Union’.

The DHWU is affiliated to INTTCU, the TMC employees’ union. The development shows the Trinamool Congress has strengthened its presence in the hills causing more headaches for the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

It is learnt that a section of casual workers from the erstwhile DGHC, who had joined the JAKS seeking a resolution to their problem of regularisation, has formed the new hills employees’ union frustrated by the failure of the JAKS in addressing their problems.

DHWU president Dilip Singh said, “We have been working as causal workers since 1989, first under the DGHC and now under the GTA. We have sworn by the GNLF flag and the GJM flag. But even after working for so many years, no solution has come out and we still remain casual workers.”

He said various rights and facilities enjoyed by permanent employees do not cover casual workers and they are facing a hard time trying to manage family affairs with meagre salaries.

“We have left the JAKS and launched a new union to fight for and to obtain our rights and facilities as also for the overall benefit of employees,” noted Singh, adding more than 500 causal workers have pledged support to the new union.

Among the portfolios announced in the meeting today, the post of president has gone to Dilip Singh, Binanjay Gurung has been elected to the post of general secretary and Saran Khawas and Kabita Thapa are the vice presidents of the DHWU. Meanwhile, Om Prakash Karki is assistant secretary, Pratima Pradhan and Satyawan Tamang joint secretaries and Mahendra Rai and Saroj Diyali are joint treasurers. 

Notably, Dilip Singh and some of his associates from Kurseong had held important posts in the JAKS. They recently resigned from their posts and joined the TMC. TMC general secretary Mukul Roy welcomed them into the party handing at a meeting in Kurseong held a few weeks earlier.

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Kurseong gets soaked; house damaged extensively

KURSEONG

16 Oct 2013

Incessant rainfall and strong winds since October 13, in the wake of Cyclone Phailin, have damaged the house of a BPL family here in Kurseong.

The house of Kaludas Darjee (62) at Lower Dumaram Busty of ward number 5 was badly damaged when a tree crashed on its tinned roof Monday night around 10:30pm due strong winds.

Three persons were inside the house including Darjee and they were his 24-year-old son Vijay and their neighbor Sunny Thami. Two rooms of the house have got badly damaged even as Darjee, who was sleeping at the time, came to no harm.

Kurseong sub-divisional disaster management officer Aasha Mukhia Lama, Kurseong municipality vice chairman Kalpana Pradhan and other officials visited the Darjee’s house to take stock of the situation. The household was provided with relief materials, including rations such as mustard oil, rice and dal by the relief and disaster unit. The municipality has given tarpaulin sheets and work has been started to remove the tree from the house.

Pradhan said the victim is by occupation a labourer. She has forwarded all relevant documents and reports to the Darjeeling DM office to provide the Darjee household necessary aid including compensation for reconstructing the damaged house.

According to the officials, a number of such minor incidents may have occurred across the region given the heavy rainfall and winds over the past three days.

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Bal Suraksha Aviyan observes International Day of Girl Child

PRADIP LOHAGUN

KALIMPONG

16 Oct 2013

Bal Suraksha Aviyan, an organisation for safeguarding child rights, observed International Day of the Girl Child on Tuesday at Thanadara Trikon Park in Kalimpong in association with several NGOs. Kalimpong police additional superintendent K Kannan was present as chief guest of the programme along with representatives from a number of NGOs.

The children of BSA and Clooney Nuns held a prayer session in the beginning. The park was decorated with placards and festoons filled with quotes highlighting child rights and protection. The day was observed to protest against child abuse and spread the message of rights children should enjoy.

The BSA also submitted a petition to the Kalimpong SSP expressing concern over incidence of violations of child rights in town and adjoining areas. Speaking on behalf of the organisation, Sister Suwesna said this year’s theme of the International Day of the Girl Child that is observed under the aegis of the United Nations is ‘Innovating for Girl's Education’.

She said, “Even though this year's theme as set by the United Nation's was Innovating for Girl's Education, but looking at the present scenario we feel there is greater need for security and protection of girls from every form of violence.”

The initiative of BSA was supported by other organisations including World Vision, Kalimpong Branch, Glen Family Foundation, Disha, Hill Social Welfare Society, Hope Family Trust, Anujalya and Kalimpong Dukha Niwarak Sammelan, among others.

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