Darjeeling Snowfall Pics 2008

All Photos by Prabin Pradhan

REMEMBERING FALLEN HEROES

In memory of the brave Gorkha soldiers of the Darjeeling Hills who laid down their lives for the greater cause of the motherland, Nayan Subba takes the opportunity to recall their contributions on the occasion of the 58th Republic Day

The Gorkhas are a small little community in India where people of diverse origins mingle to contribute a great composite Indian culture. They are the descendants of General Amar Singh Thapa who invaded India and annexed Garhwal and Kumaon that included the hill stations of Simla, Musssoorie, Lansdowne, Almora, Nainital, Ranikhet and Pithoragarh.
In the northeast General Johar Singh and General Purna Ale overran a major part of Sikkim in 1788, which included Nagri and Darjeeling. The British defeated the Gorkhas during the Anglo Gorkha war of 1814-16 and the lands they had conquered were ceded to the British and re-profiled. Those who have been living in India since the Gorkha invasion are known as the Indian Gorkhas.

Pradhan’s wife gets bail

The Telegraph, Kurseong, Jan. 28: Deepa Pradhan, the wife of the GNLF’s Kurseong unit chief I.N. Pradhan, was today released on bail by the additional chief judicial magistrate here.

Deepa was arrested from her residence at Ghayabari, around 15km from here, on January 22 and sent to jail custody the next day following a court order. She was booked under Sections 25 and 27 of the arms act for possessing firearms without a licence.

A double barrel gun, a revolver and 16 cartridges were found from her house during the police raid.

Chinks in Opposition front in hills

The Telegraph, Darjeeling, Jan. 28: Opposition parties in the hills have once again tried to put up a united front on the Sixth Schedule issue, but the ABGL has refused to take part in the joint plans.

The rift was not so evident yesterday when all hill parties, except the GNLF and the CPM, attended a meeting called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to formalise an action plan against the special status before a parliamentary standing committee arrives in Darjeeling on February 6.

The committee, which will be here for three days, is scrutinising the constitutional amendment bill granting Sixth Schedule status to the Darjeeling hills.

The ABGL, an important Opposition outfit, attended the meeting held at Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan Hall here along with the Morcha, CPRM, Congress, BJP, Gorkha Rastriya Congress, GNLF(C), Bharitya Gorkha Janshakti and Trinamul Congress.

Sikkim twist to special status!

The Telegraph, Gangtok, Jan. 28: A regional outfit in Sikkim has added a twist to the Sixth Schedule row by claiming that the consent of the erstwhile Himalayan kingdom is required to grant special status to the Darjeeling hills.

The Sikkim Rashtriya Congress has based its argument on historical documents according to which the territories of Darjeeling and the Dooars belonged to Sikkim. Even the Bengal government had admitted this in its white paper issued on October 9, 1986 when the Gorkhaland agitation was at its height, claimed D.K. Bomzan, the president of the party.

“Now, the Bengal government is hell-bent on implementing the Sixth Schedule status in Darjeeling which will constitutionally make the hills a part of Bengal. Why don’t they first ask for the consent of Sikkim, which is the rightful owner of Darjeeling and the Dooars?” he asked. 

Temperature reaches Minus Zero in Darjeeling - Imminent Snowfall Predicted!

Darjeeling, Jan 29, 7:15 PM IST: Temperature at this very instant has reached - Zero in and around Darjeeling Town. Meteorological Department has predicted imminent snowfall. It may be noted that there had been good snowfall around Ghoom, Senchal and the adjoining areas between 26 and 27 of this month. However, there were not much of a snowfall in the main town area. “If there had been a good deal of snow in the region, we could have experience an increase in the temperature but this did not happen, hence, dip in the mercury. We can expect imminent snowfall today or tomorrow,” an official at the Meteorological Department said.

Can Fan Clubs remain apolitical?

An Appeal!

An Appeal by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha

“It has come to our notice that some unscrupulously  have been raising money from the people in the name of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. This has been going on in order to antagonize the people from the party. We, hereby, request you that if any one individually or in a group approaches you for donation please contact immediately at the following numbers: 9932297095 / 9832088050 /9832531350 / 9832065425 /  9733053631

Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha

Town Branch, Yuva Unit, Darjeeling

I wish good for Himalaya Darpan - Bimal Gurung

Darjeeling, Jan 29, 5: 00 PM IST: “I wish Himalaya Darpan flourishes. It is possible that they might have felt bad but we have not banned it. We will not harm democracy. The press should report black as black and white as white. We have no bad intention towards Himalaya Darpan,” Bimal Gurung, the President of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha said at a political meeting yesterday in Kalimpong. He is even said to have requested Himalaya Darpan not to feel hurt.

“Himalaya Darpan is being sold without restriction in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Mirik, Kurseong from today,” Gurung said. “Himalaya Darpan has been giving us good coverage till now. But due to some mistakes here and there we have been hurt,” Bimal Gurung reiterated. Dr. Harkabahadur Chettri member of the GJM Central Committee refuted the rumour that Himalaya Darpan had been banned. “We must respect the freedom of press and not interfere in the functioning of the press. I hope that Himalaya Darpan will go about its work with the same dignity and determination as earlier,” he said. “We will have to work together to create a healthy society,” he added.