Morcha tones down protest

VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, Aug. 16: Hill parties today scaled down the statehood agitation, announcing another “people’s” shutdown from August 19 to 23 but only a programme of torchlight marches and human chains for the next three days. “Realisation has dawned that achieving a Gorkhaland state would be a long-drawn...

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Strikes not a solution, says Lama

Darjeeling, Aug. 16: Mahendra P. Lama, the pro-vice chancellor of Indira Gandhi Open National University who earlier announced his decision to contest the Lok Sabha election from the Darjeeling constituency, today held a public meeting here and said politics of general strike would not help solve hill problems. Lama walked for 40km from Kurseong to Darjeeling with his followers today and held a meeting at Chowrastha. “In the past 27 years, the hills have been closed for 234 days. But there has been no result. Strikes are not good for...

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Hint at talks with governor

VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, Aug. 16: The pro-statehood hill parties today expressed readiness for a dialogue with the Bengal governor but adopted the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s stand of not talking to the state government. “There is no point talking to the Bengal government, because they will not talk about a Gorkhaland...

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Interview - Bimal Gurung Gorkha Janamukti Morcha Chief

The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) leadership will not abide by the diktats of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, averred party chief Bimal Gurung during a freewheeling chat over a cup of coffee with Tamal Sengupta on Thursday. It was perhaps the first such interaction with this elusive Gorkha leader who virtually rules the hills of Darjeeling. During the no-holds-barred interview, spanning well over 40 minutes, at his Singamari party office in Darjeeling, Gurung made a scathing attack on Mamata, blamed her for practising double standard and...

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Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee formed - fresh agitation from August 19

Darjeeling 16 August:  Even as Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supremo Bimal Gurung on Friday indicated that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is currently having an edge in the war of nerves between the Morcha and state over Gorkhaland issue, the GJM today threatened to resume agitation from August 19.  According to a Facebook post Gurung wrote, "The agitation will continue from the 19th."  However, the form of agitation is still not clear.  A new committee was formed today in Darjeeling which announced a fresh five day...

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Flashpoints pile up in hills State hits strike staff with salary cut

Aug. 13: Mamata Banerjee today opened a new front in the battle in the Darjeeling hills by initiating the process of cutting the pay of government employees who stayed away from work during the strike that started on August 3. Chief secretary Sanjay Mitra said at Writers’ Buildings: “We have sent the necessary order to the district.” The order sent to the Darjeeling district authorities to deduct salary and leave in three sub-divisions — Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong — will affect a large majority of the over 20,000 employees who...

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Stage set for tug of war on GTA chief - Home secy says nominee can’t head hill council, Morcha splits hairs on act

VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, Aug. 13: The state government today opened a fresh flank of conflict with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha over the process of electing Bimal Gurung’s successor to head the GTA Sabha. According to sources, home secretary Basudeb Banerjee, who visited...

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Delhi to talk to state seekers - Parleys to be held soon but no deadline set, HC considers villagers’ demand

Guwahati/New Delhi, Aug. 13: The Centre has agreed to talk to groups agitating for statehood in Assam. Bharat Chandra Narah, press adviser to chief minister Tarun Gogoi, told The Telegraph that the decision was arrived at during Gogoi’s meeting with acting home minister P. Chidambaram late this afternoon. “Talks will be held with Karbi, Bodo, Koch and Dimasa groups very soon. The process for negotiations will start soon,” Narah, quoting Gogoi, said late this evening. Gogoi met Chidambaram at 4pm after a news meet. Narah said the Gogoi...

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Janata heeds curfew call

MEGHDEEP BHATTACHARYYA AND VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, Aug. 13: Darjeeling today stayed shuttered, heeding the collective janata curfew call given by several Darjeeling parties. Almost every shop was shut, and hardly anyone ventured out in the hill town, barring a few children who wanted to play in the Mall. A medicine...

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Gorkhas need political unity

 13 August 2013, New Delhi, C S Thapa Lack of linguistic recognition and regional minority status are bane for their identity. The demand for Gorkhaland, pending since 1907 is not only about identity of Gorkhas but also, fits into the socio-political, economic and security architecture of the north east. The state re-organisation commission created linguist states and Gorkhas have got nothing in common with West Bengal. The short clip...

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सरकार भ्रमको आतङ्क स्थापित गरेर आन्दोलन दमन गर्ने लाइसेंस लिन चहान्छ - UGRF

 Pradip Lohagun  कालेबुङ 12 अगस्त। गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति केही बर्ष अघि सशस्त्र क्रान्ति गरेर चर्चामा आएको युनाइटेड गोर्खा रिभ्युल्शनरी फ्रन्ट (युजीआरएफ)-का अध्यक्ष अजय दाहालले राज्य सरकारको आरोपको खन्डन गर्दै आफ्नो समूहले अहिले कुनै पनि सशस्त्र प्रशिक्षण शिविरको सञ्चालन नगरेको स्पष्ट पारेका छन। राज्यकी मुख्यमंत्री ममता बेनर्जी आफैले गुप्तचर तञ्त्रको रिपोर्टलाई केन्द्र गरी दाहालले खरसाङमा जीएलओ नामक जंगी संगठनको ब्यानरमा हतियारको...

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मोर्चा उपाध्यक्ष अनि जीटीए सभासद कल्याण देवान कालेबुङबाट पक्रा परे

 Pradip Lohagun  कालेबुङ 12 अगस्त। मोर्चा उपाध्यक्ष अनि जीटीए सभासद कल्याण देवान कालेबुङबाट पक्रा परेका छन। जीटीएको 41 नम्बर समष्टिका यी सभासदलाई कालेबुङ पुलिसले आज मध्यान्हमा निकै नाटकीय ढंगमा पक्राउ गरेको थियो। कामविशेषले आफ्नो वाहनमा सवार भएर थानाडाँडा हुँदै कतै जान लागेका प्रो देवानलाई कालेबुङ पुलिसका अधिकारीहरूले गाडी रोकेर एउटा महत्वपूर्ण कुराबारे सोध्न केही बेर थाना आउनोस भन्दै लगेका थिए। शुरुमा तिनले आफू हतार रहेकोले वाहनमा...

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UGRF leader refutes Mamata’s allegations

kalimpong 12 August  Pradip Lohagun The United Gorkha Revolutionary Front, the group that came into the limelight for its armed agitation for statehood, has denied the allegations made by chief minister Mamata Bannerjee. UGRF president Ajay Dahal said his organisation has not taken up arms and no covert trainings are being undertaken. Speaking to the media today, he dismissed refused all allegations made by the chief minister such...

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Top GJM leader Dewan arrested amid dramatic scenes

kalimpong 13 August  Pradip Lohagun The Kalimpong unit vice president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and GTA sabhasad Kalyan Dewan was arrested today. The sabhasad from GTA 41 number block was arrested amid a dramatic series of events in the afternoon. Dewan, who had stepped out from home for some work, was stopped before the police station and asked to step in for a private talk. But he was taken to the sub-divisional hospital for...

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फेरि सँगसँगै...

Pradip Lohagun कालेबुङ 11  अगस्त। गोर्खाल्याण्ड र ‘सेटअप’-को दोसाँधमा तीन बर्षअघि भङगालिएको मोर्चा र क्रामाकपाको सहयात्रा फेरि एकपल्ट शुरु भएको छ।` हरियो वृत्तभित्र हसिया मर्तोल अङ्कित रातो झण्डाहरू बोकेर क्रामाकपाका सयौं कार्यकर्ताहरू आज कालेबुङको  मेनरोडमा आउँदा मोर्चा समर्थकहरूले पनि सुखद अनुभव गरिरहेका थिए। क्रामाकपा नेता जेबी राईले नेतृत्व गरेको र्‍याली पार्टीकार्यालयबाट शुरु भएर डम्बरचोकतिर लम्किँदा मोर्चा नेता मोतीप्रसाद...

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