Feelers on lips, Deb bound for hills - Gurung appeals to Lepchas to end hunger strike

Siliguri, Feb. 8: North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb today said he would be in Darjeeling during the strike tomorrow to stand by the people in the hills when they “need the state government beside them”. However, Deb suggested that he was willing to hold talks with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which declined to comment on the minister’s statement. But Morcha leader Bimal Gurung appealed to “our Lepcha brothers” to withdraw their fast.

The Morcha has called the dawn-to-dusk strike to protest the government’s plan to form a Lepcha development board under the backward classes welfare department. It is the first shutdown the party has called after the GTA agreement was signed in July 2011. Asked if he would meet Morcha leaders, minister Deb told journalists in Siliguri: “No meeting is scheduled with Morcha leaders yet but such meetings can be held any time. Since the time we formed the government, we never expressed any reservation on holding talks with them.” Deb added: “We must appreciate the Morcha leaders who have acted responsibly in the past two years and helped our government maintain peace in the hills. The party’s role in taking up development in Darjeeling cannot be undermined. Whatever activities the state government takes up in the hills would be done in consultation with the GTA as we know our jurisdiction.” Deb said there were “critical gaps that can be resolved through talks”. “I will head for Darjeeling this evening and stay there tonight. There had been some critical gaps which can be resolved through talks and we don’t feel it is wise to sit in Siliguri at a time when the hill people need the state government beside them,” he said. Asked about the specifics of his trip, the minister said he had no “hidden agenda”. “I am going to the hills not with any hidden agenda but (I) simply want to pass the message to residents there that the state government is keen on carrying out development (work) and wants to keep peace... even if somebody shows me a black flag or stages a protest, I will not leave Darjeeling and stay there tomorrow,” Deb said. Morcha assistant secretary Binay Tamang said: “We will not comment on the issue or the remarks of the minister.” Writers’ sources in Calcutta said Deb had sought permission from “higher authorities” to go and “make his presence felt” during the bandh. “He was allowed to go, but he will be on his own. The government understands that he must remain conspicuous in the district now, in order to stay relevant, but he has been warned against doing anything that could aggravate the situation,” the source said. The fresh round of trouble started in Darjeeling on January 29 after Mamata Banerjee referred to the sensitive statehood issue, and Morcha chief Gurung complained of the state government’s interference in GTA affairs. Mamata also held two meetings on February 6 that may rile Gurung — one with John Barla who is a tribal leader in the Dooars and Terai, the other with Bharati Tamang, the wife of ABGL leader Madan Tamang who was murdered allegedly by a Morcha mob. Deb was present at the meeting with Barla. Gurung, who today spoke to Lepchas at Sibchu in Kalimpong, said the chief minister’s intention to form the Lepcha board was divisive. Gurung urged the Lepchas, who yesterday started a fast unto death for the sake of peace, to call off their protest. “From the very bottom of my heart, I would request our Lepcha brothers to withdraw their strike. We will send a delegation to meet the Lepcha leaders and explain our position. We are not opposed to the Lepcha development board (under the GTA). On the contrary, along with the Lepcha board, we also want similar boards to be set up for Tamangs, Yolmos and Bhutias,” Gurung said. N.T. Lepcha, co-ordinator of the Lepcha Rights Movement, asked about Gurung’s appeal, said: “We will first have to discuss the matter in our executive committee and then form an opinion.” Gurung said he would announce the launch of the final agitation for Gorkhaland at a meeting in Sukna on March 10. “It will be our last agitation, and also the last (chapter) in the political career of Mamata Banerjee.” Sikkim transport Sikkim will not run its state and private buses as well as taxis along NH31A during the strike hours tomorrow.(TT)

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Quit speech catches Morcha unawares

Darjeeling, Feb. 6: GTA Sabha chief executive Bimal Gurung had not consulted even senior leaders of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha before announcing his decision to quit the post at a meeting here on Monday, revealed insiders in the party. The senior leaders said they were in the dark about Gurung’s intention and were stunned by his announcement at the meeting of the leaders of the Morcha’s subdivisional, block and village committees. A senior Morcha leader, who is considered one of the most trusted lieutenants of Gurung in the party, said: “The announcement has definitely stunned the entire leadership. The only occasion when he had casually broached the resignation issue was at a meeting at Jamuni held a day before Mamata Banerjee came to Darjeeling (to inaugurate the Uttarbanga Ustav at Chowrastha).”

The main agenda of the meeting was to discuss whether the Morcha should take part in the inaugural function on January 29. “He was angry that he hadn’t been informed about the programme and other events like the distribution of land deeds by the chief minister on the day. Angry over the interference of state government in departments transferred to the GTA Sabha, he had casually said one option to register the protest was to resign from the chief executive’s post,” said another Morcha leader. However, the resignation part was not taken seriously by any leader present at the meeting, as the main agenda of the discussion was the Morcha’s participation in the Chowrastha event. “The resignation part was not discussed at all as state minister Gautam Deb had called up Gurung and assured him that Mamata wouldn’t speak on the sensitive issue of Gorkhaland at the event. Things seem to have been sorted out then,” said the leader. Many leaders feel Gurung seemed to have resolved to resign when Mamata declared at Chowrastha that Darjeeling was part of Bengal. “One can say the resignation issue had been mentioned earlier by our leader but it was not discussed in detail, including the ramifications of such a move,” the Morcha leader added. Observers say they are not surprised by the absence of any discussion in the Morcha ahead of Gurung’s announcement yesterday. “This is how he (Gurung) works. For that matter, all parties with a single leader lack a coherent structure and function in this way,” said an observer. Even though Gurung will still be in control of the GTA Sabha after his resignation, many in the administration believe the functioning of the autonomous administration will be hampered. “At the moment, Gurung is the man who takes all decisions. Certain decisions need to be taken at the very moment. A new chief executive will not have the audacity to do anything without Gurung’s approval and the functioning of the GTA could be hampered,” said a GTA official on condition of anonymity. Even the GTA Sabha members echoed the official’s fear. Most in the party are unsure about the next development. Many leaders are also unsure whether other hill parties will attend an all-party meeting called by Gurung on Thursday to discuss the Gorkhaland agitation. Taramani Rai, the general secretary of the CPRM, said: “ At one end, the Morcha decides to call a meeting but at the other end, even before the meeting, they arrive at a decision.” Rai was referring to Gurung’s statement on Monday that each party should send at least 500 supporters to New Delhi to take part in a dharna. ‘It is also difficult to believe a leader who still occupies a government chair is talking about taking on the government,” said Rai. Pratap Khati, the general secretary of the ABGL, had already said his party would not take part in the meeting unless the memorandum of agreement for the formation of the GTA Sabha was cancelled and all 45 GTA Sabha members resigned.(TT)

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Lepchas hail nod for board

RAJEEV RAVIDAS Kalimpong, Feb. 6: Around 40 Lepchas gathered at Damber Chowk near here this afternoon and burst fire crackers to express their happiness over the state cabinet’s decision to set up the Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board. Parties opposed to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha have welcomed the proposal of setting up the board but have expressed reservation over the name of the body. Today, the Lepchas shouted slogans praising chief minister Mamata Banerjee. “We are happy with the decision of chief minister Mamata Banerjee to set up the board. We have no political interest. The board is only meant to ensure the socio-economic development of our backward community,” said N.T. Lepcha, the co-ordinator of the Lepcha Rights Movement that has spearheaded the agitation for the formation of the board.

Yesterday, the state cabinet cleared the proposal of setting up the board under the backward classes welfare department to ensure the overall development of the community and preserve their language and culture. Mayel Lyang Lepcha loosely means land of the Lepchas. The Gorkhaland Task Force, a four-party anti-Morcha group comprising the ABGL, CPRM, Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh and the Gorkha Navnirman Rashtriya Morcha, welcomed the decision to form the Lepcha board but said it had problems with its name. “We have reservation about the name Mayel Lyang,” said Sukman Moktan, GTF chairman. ABGL secretary Pratap Khati said since the proposed board was meant to ensure the development of the Lepchas as a community, it would have been appropriate to name it just Lepcha Development Board. “I do believe this can be sorted out. We must sit with the Lepcha leaders and correct this,” he said. The Lepchas are regarded as the original inhabitants of the hills and make up about 20 per cent of the population. The community never had any territorial demand.(TT)

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Cabinet clears Lepcha board

Feb. 5: The state cabinet today cleared a proposal to set up a Lepcha development board under the backward classes welfare department, setting up a fresh point of confrontation with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in the hills. The Morcha is opposed to the formation of any hill body outside the purview of the GTA Sabha and Bimal Gurung, the party chief and the chief executive of the GTA Sabha, had made it clear that any development board of the Lepchas should be under the GTA Sabha. Today, when asked about the government’s decision, senior Morcha leader Roshan Giri said the move was “arbitrary” and “an encroachment on the powers” of the GTA. The board has been named the Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board — Mayel Lyang Lepcha in Lepcha language loosely means the land of the Lepchas. A senior minister said: “Mamatadi had promised the Lepchas that a board would be formed for their welfare and development. The community members were apprehensive about their survival. The chief minister felt that they needed support and has kept her word.”

Lepchas, who are regarded as the original inhabitants of the hills, make up about 20 per cent of the population there. During her visit to the hills last week, Mamata had a meeting with representatives of the Lepcha community at Algarah, near Kalimpong, and had assured them that work would start soon. On January 31, when the chief minister came down to Siliguri after her trip to the hills, she told a news conference: “We have decided to form a development council for the Lepchas. It will work for the development of the Lepchas who also reside in the hills. There are also large numbers of Buddhists in the hills for whom we have decided to form a separate development council.” Government sources said the proposal was added later to the agenda for the cabinet meeting that was held this afternoon. According to sources, the details on the formation of the board would be worked out later. The chairman and the vice-chairman of the board would be from the community, a government source said. “The number of members in the board... is yet to be decided. An officer of the rank of joint secretary would be appointed as member-secretary,” a senior government official said. The focus of the board would be on overall development of the community, preservation of their language and culture, their education, support for improving lifestyle through agriculture, horticulture, pisciculture, tourism and cottage industry, the official said. Mobile health units, rural health centres and also indigenous treatment procedures of the Lepchas would be promoted. The Lepchas never had any territorial demand. “The board will be set up under the Societies Act and will not have any political powers,” the senior official said. “The council will be based in Kalimpong.” Funds for the projects to be taken up by the board would be released through the departments concerned of the state government. “Central funds would also be provided,” the official added. Morcha leader Giri, who is now in Delhi, said over phone: “It is an arbitrary decision taken by the state government and an encroachment on the powers and functioning of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Sabha.” He said if “the Lepchas are given such privileges then the other communities residing in the hills should get the same. We protest this decision strongly.” Representatives of the Lepcha community were reluctant to speak on the matter. L. Tamsang, the president of the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, and N.T. Lepcha, the co-ordinator of the Lepcha Rights Movement, refused to take calls. The president of the Lepcha Youth Association, Dorji Lepcha, said he had heard about the cabinet’s decision. “I have heard the news. However, I am not the right person to comment on the development,” he said. In the GTA memorandum of agreement (MoA), there is a clause for nomination of minorities to the GTA Sabha. “The GTA Sabha shall consist of forty five elected members and five members to be nominated by the Governor to give representation to members of SC, ST, women, and minority communities,” the MoA says. The Lepchas are a minority section in the hills. At present, the GTA Sabha does not have any nominated member from the Lepcha community. At least one rival party of the Morcha, the CPRM, raised a question on the “intention of the government”. Tara Mani Rai, the CPRM secretary, said: “What is the intention of the government (in forming such councils)? Could it be a conspiracy to divide hill people?”(TT)

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