CPM slammed for ‘pampering’ Ghisingh

Siliguri, Feb. 22: The Left Front allies in Darjeeling district today came down heavily on the CPI-M for “pampering” Mr Subash Ghisingh, which according to them, has led to the present political crisis in the Darjeeling Hills. The Congress steered clear of the controversy and the CPI-M, as expected, defended the state government’s role so far.
The RSP Darjeeling district secretary Mr Benoy Chakrabarty castigated the state government today for having “flirted” with the GNLF chief for a considerable period. “The pampering game played by the state government in defiance to the Left Front policy of strengthening democratic institutions, has landed the hills in a political mess. It is difficult to understand why the government allowed a long rope to Ghising by allowing him to remain the caretaker administrator of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. There is a possibility that Ghising could be further propped with the inclusion of the DGHC in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution,” the RSP leader warned. The Darjeeling district Forward Bloc secretary Mr Smritish Bhattacharya hurled the same missile at the senior partner. According to him, the state government’s continued support to the GNLF chief defied logic culminating in a political mess. “For years the caretaker administrator went unaccountable. Despite Ghisingh’s failure to account for the huge funds given to the Council by the Centre and the state government, both governments ignored it. The price had to be paid one day,” he commented.

6 hurt as parties clash in hills

Kurseong/Kalimpong, Feb. 22: A Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader was hit on the face and five of his supporters were injured in a clash with GNLF members in Mirik this morning. [Inset: Ghisingh’s convoy leaves Pintail Village on Friday. A Telegraph picture]

This is the first clash between the two parties since the Morcha-backed indefinite bandh began in the hills three days ago.

Sources said trouble began around 9am, when Morcha picketers gathered in front of the Mirik primary health centre, 35km from Kurseong. They were arranging tyres and flags on the road to stop vehicles from plying as part of their agitation when a group of GNLF supporters arrived at the spot.

“Around 35 GNLF members came and started abusing our supporters, who retaliated and a clash ensued,” said Arjun Chettri, the press and publicity secretary of the Morcha’s Mirik branch.

The injured include Puran Raj Shrestra, a local Morcha leader, who has “a swelling on his face”, said Chettri. The press and publicity secretary added that his party has lodged a police complaint against the GNLF supporters.

The GNLF, on its part, has denied the allegations. “Morcha supporters fought among themselves and are now putting the blame on us,” said L.B. Rai, the Mirik branch president of the GNLF.

In Kurseong, members of a minority community owing allegiance to the Morcha brought out a procession today.

Morcha, Asok trade charges-Outsider’ tag on minister

Siliguri Feb. 22: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today said urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya, too, was an “outsider” in the Darjeeling hills and was not welcome there.

Bimal Gurung’s party has come down heavily on Bhattacharya for labelling Morcha supporters, who had gone to Siliguri for an indefinite hunger strike, “outsiders” in the trade hub.

“When Asok Bhattacharya needs votes, he comes to the hills and when we go down to Siliguri he says we are outsiders. If this is the case, then even Bhattacharya should stop coming to the hills for he, too, is an outsider here,” said Gurung, the Morcha president, in Darjeeling.

Bhattacharya is the MLA from Siliguri but represents Mirik valley in Kurseong sub-division also since the area is part of the Siliguri Assembly segment. Hundreds of Morcha supporters from Mirik had gone to Siliguri on Thursday.

“As Indians, we have the right to protest in any part of the country, not just in Siliguri. After all, we only wanted to hold a hunger strike. How can a minister accuse us of playing the communal card,” said Gurung.

The Morcha leader said Siliguri and the Dooars were always a part of Darjeeling and that Gorkhaland should include the two areas. Gurung was referring to the pre-Independence period when the Gorkha population was in the majority in Siliguri. The Morcha said it would continue to hold protest programmes in other parts of the Dooars as well.

Bandh to be lifted for 4 hours

Darjeeling, Feb. 22: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has decided to relax its indefinite shutdown in the hills for four hours tomorrow, giving residents a 10am-2pm window to stock up on food, finish pending work at banks and post offices, and travel to any place they want to.

“Everything will remain open for four hours tomorrow. Vehicles, too, will be allowed to move across the three hill subdivisions between 10am and 2pm. Although we have been forced to call this bandh, we do not want to harass people,” said Morcha president Bimal Gurung.

The Morcha has enforced the shutdown to demand the removal of GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh from the post of the caretaker administrator of the DGHC and the immediate scrapping of the proposed Sixth Schedule status for the Darjeeling hills.

“We are happy that markets and shops will open after three days tomorrow,” said a resident here. “But I don’t think banks and post offices will function normally even for these four hours, because they will not be able to make arrangements at such short notice.”

The Morcha had earlier announced that post offices and nationalised banks would be allowed to open only on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Turmoil in the hills – Time ripe for a parliamentary settlement

Amidst the snowy splendour, Darjeeling is drifting. If normal life is frozen, it has less to do with the weather than a renewed bout of frenzied sub-regionalism with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha trying to upstage the GNLF with its clamour for statehood. The indefinite bandh called by the Morcha has crippled the Darjeeling hills, Kalimpong and Kurseong. The Darjeeling municipality’s decision to stop supplying water and suspend garbage clearance appears to be the GNLF’s tit for the Morcha’s tat. That Subhas Ghisingh ~ in favour of the Sixth Schedule and opposed to statehood ~ was prevented from entering Darjeeling on his return from Delhi by activists of the Morcha is the biggest setback he has suffered since he shut the hills down for 13 days in 1987, followed by a 40-day strike a year later. The journey from Bagdogra to Darjeeling was terminated at Pintail near Siliguri. In a sense, he has been paid back in his own coin by the more belligerent section demanding statehood, to fall back on the analogy of numismatics as did the Chief Minister in the context of Nandigram. The bone of contention is the inclusion of Darjeeling in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, a measure that at one stroke will lead to the formation of the Gorkha Hill Council, enhance the powers of Ghisingh and, above all, retain Darjeeling in West Bengal. This is the constitutional way out of the crisis over status that has plagued the hills since the mid-eighties. Save perhaps the BJP, it has the support of the political class both at the Centre and in the state and will now have to be endorsed by a parliamentary committee. The Morcha may be justified in its carping over Ghisingh’s failures, most critically the fact that he has been functioning as a caretaker and without a mandate. Indeed, his position becomes ever more uncertain with Wednesday’s decision of the West Bengal government not to extend his tenure as administrator beyond 24 March. That said, the state will also have to accept that it has buckled under pressure from his adversaries. The controversy over the Sixth Schedule must be settled by the Centre, the state and Parliament with urgent despatch. At any rate, the issue needs to be taken up in the ensuing Budget session. If, as Ghisingh claims, the Chief Minister understands the problem from “A to Z”, it devolves on the latter to exert his influence in Delhi and smoothen out the rough edges. [The Statesman Editorial]

Remembering when…

St Mary’s College was a Kurseong landmark. Shifted to New Delhi in 1971, it is yet to come up. And the loss is heart-breakingKURSEONG once used to be famous because of St Mary’s College and old-timers continue to look back and recall its grandeur. The building still stands but, as inevitably happens with institutions, its soul is missing. The decision in 1971 to move St Mary’s was reportedly taken by the Fr-General along with the Major Superiors of the Indian Assistancy. The place chosen was New Delhi. The history of St Mary’s (1889-1971) makes for interesting reading. It had more than 90 bedrooms, a big dining room, a wine cellar and a most accommodative library that housed more than a million books. In a way, it was one of the biggest libraries in Asia.In April of 1887, some 117 acres were purchased from the Maharaja of Burdwan and the Rev. Father Koch and Brother Rotsset began the building under the then Superior of the Western Bengal Mission, Father Grosgrain. Despite untold difficulties, the building was ready for its mission with the blessing of Fr Grosjean on 31 July 1889. On that occasion, theologians and philosophers came up from the Seminary in Asansol. The first community comprised six priests, 10 theologians, six philosophers and two brothers under the Rev Fr Braet. In 1997, the community increased to 13 priests, 95 theologians and three brothers.The Asansol community was reportedly all of the Western Bengal Mission. The fathers of the Mangalore Mission were the first to join for theology from outside the Western Bengal Mission – late in 1889 – followed by Madurai in 1898. The same year another progressive event took place at St Mary’s College – St John’s School was opened, with a section for orphans.In 1890, Archbishop Goethal of Calcutta blessed the chapel of St Mary’s College and then again in 1891 he blessed St John’s Church. In 1895, St Mary’s purchased Woodcot as a villa house. Archbishop Goethals had originally brought it in 1879. Brother Molitor carried out major expansions in 1912.In the year 1897 there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed Shillong.

Killing about 1,500 people. Fortunately. St. Mary’s suffered only damage was splits in the walls of the orphanage. In the same year, the first site for the grotto was chosen at St. Mary’s College. The present one, the fourth, was built in 1924. In 1898 – a very important chapter in the annals of St Mary – it became an All-India Theologate. A terrible cyclone in 1899 resulted in extensive damage and over 300 deaths. Twenty-one inches of rain fell in 24 hours. But at St Mary’s, the only damage was to the bridge near the grotto, which was carried away. The present bridge, the work of Brother Roelandts, was built in 1918. That year, the Daughters of the Cross-came to Kurseong. Everyone remembers the famous Jacob’s Ladeer which still exists. It was built in 1900. Climbing this ladder to St Mary’s still poses a challenge. Until 1910, St Mary’s was designated a seminary and after 1910 it was officially called a college. Earlier, in 1907, the Goethals Memorial School was opened. Electricity came to the college only after 1922 and by 1947, Father Stubbe and Brother Robin had improved the lighting arrangements. A few years later, a second generator, the turbine of which was fed by the water of the first generator, which was at the level of the house, was planned and installed. The tank near the house could also be used as a swimming pool. Then followed a most memorable event – in 1925 – for St Mary’s College, Kurseong. The King and Queen of Belgium came calling. In 1926, the construction of the playing field started and was completed in 1932 at a cost of Rs 4,200. In 1932, St Mary’s became a Theological Faculty and that year the road connecting the college to Hill Cart Road was also completed.

The 50th Jubilee Celebrations took place in 1939. The famous library of St Mary’s College was build under Father Geeraert with Mr Kathi of Kurseong as the architect. That year, it boasted 20,000 volumes. In 1945, the college was wrapped in heavy snow. On 13 May, a solemn Te Deum was sung for an end to World War II in Europe. All through the war soldiers and airmen came in the hundreds to St Mary’s seeking peace and refreshment. Many did three-day retreats. Many chaplains also came to stay. In the same year, another important event took place on Christmas Eve – St John’s saw midnight mass being celebrated by the first Nepali priest, a native of Kurseong who had just returned from doing his theology in Kandy – Father Eric Benjamin. In late 1962 he became the first Nepali bishop and the first Bishop of Darjeeling. A brightly illuminated St Mary’s celebrated India’s first Independence Day on 15 August 1947. That same year, the telephone was installed. Again, in 1950, St Mary’s celebrated India’s first Republic Day in January. In 1962 came the Chinese incursion into Indian territory, with St Mary’s close to the invasion area. As a precaution, portion of the library was trucked to Ranchi. The 75th Jubilee celebrations of St Mary’s College took place in 1964. Since 1850, there had been 1,500 priests ordained from St. Mary’s, 1,000 of whom were ordained by Archbishop Perlec. In 1971, the number was over 1,600. Upto 1971, of 95 theologians, 83 were from India and Ceylon, whereas in 1939 only 24 of 85 were from India, the rest being from European countries. During the India-Pakistan conflict, the college was in darkness for some weeks to assist the war effort. In 1967, a fire destroyed the old bakery but a new one was built on the road to the grotto. In 1968, Father Antu Sharma was ordained the first Nepali Jesuit.

The same year, the worst flood on record hit Darjeeling district. Between 2-5 October, over 44 inches of rain was recorded. Indeed, for a 24-hour period, 25.5 inches of rainfall was recorded. Hundreds lost their lives, the havoc extending from Jalpaiguri to Sikkim. The theologians assisted with relief work. The same year, the chapel with Indian decor under the direction of Father Victor Alfonso was redesigned.In 1971, it is allegedly learnt, after much deliberation the decision to move St Mary’s College – to New Delhi – was finally taken by the Father-General together with the Major Superior of the Indian Assistancy. The same year the theologians worked in Bangladeshi refugee camps in West Dinajpur and Malda districts as well as Tripura and Assam. The glorious past of St Mary’s College is still in the minds of some old people of the area. In the old days, during natural calamities and/or other hard times, locals used to look to St Mary’s for some assistance. With St Mary’s College, Kurseong, reportedly still to come up in New Delhi, the “loss”, so to speak, is heart-breaking.[ The Statesman]

Fast Unto Death at Kurseong

Exclusive Pics by Rajesh Pradhan

First day picture of the 11 individuals from different community joining the fast unto death at Kurseong. The names of the people on the first day are: Rabgyal Bhutia,Nandan Pradhan,Robin Singh,Bhuwan Subba,Pranam Rasaily,Vickey Moktan,Sonam Lama,Sachin Cintury,Nayan Khati,Munahang Subba & Prabhat Chhetri.

UTTARKHAND, GORKHASTHAN OR GORKHALAND…The Central Point has always been to have a place we can call home

By Akhilesh Gurung

They say “A Generation was wiped away (quite literally)” during the Gorkhaland agitations (1986-88). Official figure’s point to a meagre 1200, but it’s an open secret that official death tolls are seriously understated. Each martyr who may have sacrificed his life for the cause may have done so with an inner satisfaction that his life would not go to waste, that his compatriots would carry on the struggle. A struggle to have a place, an identity of our own.

The agitation of 1986-88 was not the first demand of our people for a separate identity, and will certainly not be the last (if I may add). It was way back in 1907 that the first ever demand for ‘a separate administrative setup’ for the District of Darjeeling was placed before the British government by the leaders of the hill people. Their main reason for doing so was the superior attitude of the Brown Sahibs (from Dhaka and Calcutta) shown towards the people of the hills and their growing sense of insecurity against the educated hordes of the plains. The demand was ignored. Similar demands for recognition were put up in 1917, 1930 and then again in 1934 but without any success. The demand for a separate state came up around 1946 when Randhir Subba of the All India Gorkha League raised the demand for a separate state within the framework of the Indian Constitution called “Uttarkhand”. The movement initially gained momentum and was discussed by the masses but fizzed out later on owing to mobilisation of leaders for other purposes. Later in 1947, two Gorkha’s Ganeshlal Subba and Ratanlal Brahmin, members of the undivided CPI (Communist Party of India) submitted a quixotic memorandum, which was more of an attention seeker than anything else, demanding the creation of ‘Gorkhasthan’ – an independent country comprising of the present day Nepal, Darjeeling District and Sikkim. The ‘Gorkhaland’ movement of 1986-88 had its roots in the demand of Gorkha’s living in the Darjeeling district and Duars of West Bengal for a separate state within the constitutional framework of India. The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), which led the movement in the 1980’s, was the first ever to use the proper noun Gorkhaland for the desired dream. After two years of bloody violence marked by massive disruption of social and economic life, the issue ended with an anti climax of sorts with the establishment of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council rather than a separate state forwhich countless lives had been sacrificed. The State Government of West Bengal, which had earlier supported some form of autonomy, severely repressed the movement.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has at last checkmated itself! It has become GNLF Vista!

By Barun Roy

1. GJM’s paranoia with Subash Ghisingh could ultimately lead to it checkmating itself.
2. GNLF and Subash Ghisingh by not offering resistance to the GJM Anti-Subash, Anti Sixth Schedule could land itself in the good books of the tribals with majority in the villages and tea gardens.
3. GJM at this very moment should be lobbying at New Delhi against the Sixth Schedule Bill not laying seize over Subash Ghisingh.
4. ‘Fast Unto Death’ should have been carried out in all the state capitals of India not in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong and if possible abroad.
5. Indefinite strike has partly antagonized people. It should be immediately lifted.

 

“What the hell is going on here?” was the question that I was greeted with at the market yesterday by a friend of mine, who had arrived from Germany and along with his wife just wanted to stretch his legs at one of the premier hotels in Darjeeling. “I tried to call you up but as usual you were no where to be found. We have been advised to leave as there could be security problems,” he said, concerned. “Well I think you have been wrongly advised. There simply can’t be any security problems at least for foreign guests in the Hills. Such circumstances have never risen, not even during the Gorkhaland Agitation.” “Ahhhhhh,” saying he waved his big fat hand over my face and embarked on the bus. His wife, Jolene smiled and cried out from the bus, “In better times, maybe Roy” . I straightaway approached the DSP Traffic but he was too busy writing notifications. “I have absolutely no time for you. What do you want me to say? I have been overwhelmed by work here. Please call the DIG. He is in Siliguri.” I smiled and thanking him for his much appreciated help left to see my friends. There was nothing I could do to stop my friends from leaving. We had so many plans….

The vehicles left with Police escort and with them left a score of genuine lovers of Darjeeling who vowed to come back again. I wearily rushed to the District Magistrate’s office. The roads were abandoned only to be ruled over by hordes of fledgling Tendulkars, Dhonis and Dravids. How come no body played football in the streets these days? And where do all the vehicles suddenly disappear? Questions, that I don’t have any answers to. The scene at the District Magistrate’s office however, was more serious. 22 individuals lay on ‘fast unto death’. They were young and old, male and female. The first group of 11 had already been without food and water for 96 hours and the second group for 50 hours. 11 young Darjeeling Government College lads and members of Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarthi Morcha joined in. A young girl from a tea garden, Miss Sarmila Shah was so determined on playing her part in the Gorkhaland movement that she had threatened to commit suicide if she was not allowed ‘fast unto death’. Conspicuously, Mr. R. B. Rai, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Revolutionary Marxists arrived to ‘cheer up’ the hunger-strikers and offer his support to them. I tried to ask him a couple of questions, but he refused, “Barun, I am here just to offer my support. This is a great thing that they are doing. We will have our victory,” he said. In his refusal to answer my questions he had indeed answered them all. There were leaders from other opposition parties including D. K. Pradhan of the GNLF (C). But of course, none would talk only perhaps smile when caught by a camera. The entire press fraternity brimming with statements of the leaders and lay were happy with the day’s enormous catch. Disinterested I returned back home. At around 4 pm, my cousin called me up and cried, “Dada there are clashes going on. I am at the Sukna – Siliguri barricade. There are GJM on the other side, the police in the middle and CPIM protestors on the other.”

What’s going on?

Darjeeling / Kurseong / Kalimpong: The three subdivisions of the Darjeeling District is completely shut down with no news of relief. The schools and colleges have been lifted from the purview of the strike but there have been no takers. Parents are afraid of sending their children to the schools while college students have been caught with the procession and the responsibility of reinforcing the agitation at Sukna and Salbari. The students who are appearing for their Madhyamik Exams are effected severely. They can’t even buy pens and other stationeries if needed. The phone lines and the internet services are intermittently working, no one knows when the entire of the hills could be blacked out. Of the 60 metric tons of Garbage that Darjeeling town alone produces everyday, 240 metric tons already lies on the streets. There has been no water supply for last six days.

 

Pintail Village/Siliguri/Sukna:‘Fast unto death’ has started at the Pintail Village and the place has been converted into a war zone with barricades on both sides. The once supposedly a model town for the people of the Hills, the GNLF recreation centre, the fourteen bungalow village only for Ghisingh, the Pintail village has been surrounded by the newly raised elite Combat Troops of the West Bengal Police. And they in turn have been surrounded on one side towards the Sukna by the hundreds of supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha have also created blockades at all the entries leading towards the hills while the West Bengal Police have erected blockades and check up posts on the other side towards Siliguri. All in all the Siliguri-Darjeeling border has been converted into a South Korea-North Korea styled divide, where a small stone hitting on the helmet of a Combat Troop could lead to a blood bath. And if that was not enough, the CPIM cadres lead by Mukul Sengupta, mayor-in-council (conservancy) of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation and party leader, CPI-M himself asking his supporters not to allow the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to march into Siliguri frequently offers butter to the fire. The Siliguri administration has arrested 44 GJM supporters and not allowed anyone to sit on ‘fast unto death’ at their Mahukama Parishad Office.

 

GJM strategy:

1. Indefinite Strike all over the Hills
2. Fast unto Death
3. Pintail Village Gherao
4. Economic Blockade of Timber, Tea, Tourism and Cinchona

 

GNLF strategy:

1. Wait and watch

 

ABGL and other opposition parties:

1. No activity
2. Wait and watch

CPIM

1. Procession against the incorporation of Siliguri and adjacent non DGHC area in Gorkhaland agitation programme by the GJM
2. No activity in the Hills
3. Wait and watch

 

West Bengal Government:

1. “We view this entirely as Law and Order situation. We are worried about the situation in the Hills. We are committed towards doing everything in our power to maintain peace,” Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, Chief Minister of West Bengal
2. Is deploying elite Combat Troops newly raised under the auspicious of the Indian Army. Armed with Insas, Ak-47, Ak74 and mortar. Highly trained and highly motivated!

 

OBJECTIVES:

 

GJM

1. Withdrawal of the Sixth Schedule Amendment Bill
2. The formation of the state of Gorkhaland under the provisions of the Indian Constitution
3. Removal of Subash Ghisingh

 

GNLF

1. The Implementation of the Sixth Schedule status as soon as possible.

 

CPRM

1. Against Sixth Schedule Amendment Bill
2. “We morally support GJM on the issue of Gorkhaland,” R. B. Rai General Secretary, CPRM
3. “We will contest the Sixth Schedule Election if the status is implemented,” R. B. Rai, General Secretary, CPRM

 

ABGL

1. Against Sixth Schedule Amendment Bill
2. “We do not support GJM because this is not the right time for the Gorkhaland Movement,” Madan Tamang, President, ABGL.
3. “We will contest the Sixth Schedule Election if the status is forcefully implemented,” Madan Tamang, President, ABGL.

CONGRESS

1. “We are strictly against the Sixth Schedule Amendment Bill, it is anti people.” President, Darjeeling Zilla Pardesh Congress
2. “Speaker, Sir, we introduce this Sixth Schedule Amendment Bill, to usher Darjeeling Hills into an era of happiness and prosperity,” Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patel and the All India Congress Committee leader.

 

What has happened in New Delhi?

1. The Parliamentary Standing Committee has submitted its report to the Parliament on the Sixth Schedule Amendment Bill
2. The Bill will now be placed in the Lok Sabha during the Budget Session.

 

The balance of Power in the Union Parliament

Those in favour of the Sixth Schedule Amendment Bill:

• Indian National Congress
• Rashtriya Janata Dal
• Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
• Nationalist Congress Party
• Pattali Makkal Katchi
• Jharkhand Mukti Morcha
• Lok Janshakti Party
• Kerala Congress (J)
• Indian Union Muslim League
• Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party
• Republican Party of India (Athvale)
• All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen
• Communist Party of India Marxists
• Communist Party of India

Those concerned about it about it:

• Bharatiya Janata Party
• Shiv Sena
• Janata Dal (United)
• Biju Janata Dal
• Shiromani Akali Dal
• Nagaland People’s Front
• Jammu & Kashmir National Conference
• Indian National Lok Dal
• Lok Jan Shakti Party
• Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
• Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
• All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
• Pattali Makkal Katchi
• Rashtriya Lok Dal
• Indian Federal Democratic Party
• Trinamool Congress
• Telugu Desam Party

It may be noted that L. K. Advani has been in record saying that BJP is not strickly against the Sixth Schedule Amendment Bill but against the way the Bill was placed in the Parliament without being first submitted to the Parliamentary Standing Committee.

Those against it:

• None

 

MEMBERS OF XII LOK SABHA

(Party Wise)

S.No.	Name of Party	Members
1	Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)	182
2	Indian National Congress (INC)	139
3	Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M))	32
4	Samajwadi Party (SP)	20
5	All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)	18
6	Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)	17
7	Samata Party (SAP)	12+1(Nominated)
8	Telugu Desam Party (TDP)	12
9	Communist Party of India (CPI)	9
10	Biju Janata Dal (BJD)	9
11	Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)	8
12	West Bengal Trinamool Congress (WBTC)	7
13	Independent (IND)	6
14	Shiv Sena (SS)	6
15	Janata Dal (JD)	6
16	Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)	6
17	Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP)	5
18	Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)	5
19	Republican Party of India (RPI)	4
20	Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK)	4
21	Haryana Lok Dal (Rashtriya) (HLD(R))	4
22	Tamil Manila Congress (Moopanar) (TMC(M))	3
23	Lok Shakti (LS)	3
24	Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK)	3
25	National Conference (NC)	3
26	Arunachal Congress (AC)	2
27	Muslim League Kerala State Committee (MLKSC)	2
28	Forward Block (FB)	2
29	All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimmen (AIMIM)	1
30	Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWPI)	1
31	Haryana Vikas Party (HVP)	1
32	Janata Party (JP)	1
33	All India Rashtriya Janata Party (AIRJP)	1
34	Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF)	1
35	All India Indira Congress (Secular) (AIIC(S))	1
36	United Minorities Front, Assam (UMFA)	1
37	Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC)	1
38	Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya) (SJP(R))	1
39	Kerala Congress (M) (KC(M))	1
40	Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP)	1
	Nominated Members	1
	Vacant	2

Total Members

545

 

Future Predictions:

 

1. The Sixth Schedule being an Official Bill could be passed in this session of the Parliament.

Why:

1. It is an Official Bill – An Official Bill not being passed amounts to a No-Confidence Motion in the Parliament. The Government would fall in such instances.
2. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha could be helping in speeding up things for the passing of the Sixth Schedule Amendment Act.
3. The Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India Marxist is the strongest lobby in the UPA Government.

What then

1. In the even of the rectification of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution by the Indian Parliament, Gorkha Hill Council Darjeeling could be formed with an IAS as the Caretaker Administrator to look after the administration of the ‘Tribal Areas’ until an election is held. The election could be held three to six months after the rectification of the Constitution.
2. Every political party could be forced to contest the Gorkha Hill Council Darjeeling election.
3. This could lead to the fading away of the Gorkhaland Movement.

 

Mistakes Committed:

1. GJM’s paranoia with Subash Ghisingh could ultimately led to it checkmating itself.
2. GNLF and Subash Ghisingh by not offering resistance to the GJM Anti-Subash, Anti Sixth Schedule could land itself in the good books of the tribals with majority in the villages and tea gardens.
3. GJM should at this very moment should be lobbying at New Delhi against the Sixth Schedule Bill not laying seize over Subash Ghisingh.
4. ‘Fast Unto Death’ should have been carried out in all the state capitals of India not in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong and if possible abroad.
5. Indefinite strike has party antagonized people. It should be immediately lifted.

 

Summary:

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has the majority of the People’s support. And since the majority rules in a democracy the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today is the People’s voice. Gorkhaland is the ultimate aspirations of the People. However, in the four months of the coming up of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the enigmatic Bimal Gurung, the mistakes that the party is committing in implementing its programmes could ultimately backfire. For instance, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s call of indefinite closure of the hills smells of its desperation to stop Sixth Schedule. Secondly, the fixation with Subash Ghisingh has lead to waste of time, strategy and manpower. The removal of Subash Ghisingh today or tomorrow should have been of no consequence. By stopping Sixth Schedule Amendment Bill from being passed in the Parliament, Subash Ghisingh would have ultimately been defeated. The ‘fast unto death’ instead of being organized in Darjeeling hills should have taken place in all the state capitals of the nation and abroad if possible. Gorkha Janmukti Morcha should have reached out to the Gorkha communities over the Globe. India should have been affected and ashamed before the national and international communities. Instead Darjeeling Hills have yet again been brought to her knees. When we are fighting for the freedom of our mother, why are we raping her instead? The leaders to be, be it Bimal Gurung, Amar Lama, Roshan Giri or the rest and the intellectuals behind them, they will have to understand that by gheraoing Subash Ghisingh, calling for indefinite strike in the hills, ‘fast unto death’ which basically remains uncovered by the media, unnoticed by the world and least bothered by Bengal should have been done at their doors, in their capitals, where the national and the international media would have caught on. If the Tibetan Youth Congress from Darjeeling can organize fast at Time Square why can’t we ‘fast unto death’ before the United Nations in New York, before the Western embassies in New Delhi, Kathmandu, London, Hong Kong, Singapore etc. Sadly, we are still fighting the same old agitation with the support of the same old khukuri welding rowdies, short sighted leaders, indefinite strikes, no water, no electricity, no garbage disposal, no education for our children, no freedom of expression for our intellectuals. In this 21^st Century we are still fight for Gorkhaland with weapons of 16^th Century. Perhaps, it is will still take another twenty years for the real Gorkhaland movement to be fought by the people and for the people, only! For this once instant let me also raise a cry, even if it goes against my ethos of being a journalist – Jai Gorkha! Jai Gorkhaland! The struggle of the people of the Darjeeling Hills is still on!

Hunger strike before Pintail Village – Gorkhaland Movement reaches Siliguri and Terai

 44 GJM supporters and cadres arrested. Protest all over the hills

Darjeeling, Feb. 22: The agitation spearheaded by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha demanding the separate statehood of Gorkhaland, the repulsion of Sixth Schedule Amendment Act and the immediate removal of Subash Ghisingh has reached the Terai and the doorsteps of West Bengal’s second largest city and economic centre – Siliguri. The Administration having not allowed the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and supporters and cadres to sit on ‘fast unto death’ at the Siliguri Mahukama Parishad had generated a great deal of tension in the city. Since yesterday, the police have barricaded at the NH31A highway and setup blockades at Sukna and Salbari in order to stop the GJM protesters from entering into the city. According to eye-witness reports tension reached its peak when a CPIM process reached the blockade at Salbari confronting the GJM procession. The police were somehow about to avert any clases. GJM meanwhile took out a procession from Sukna to Salbari where they were ultimately stopped at the gates of Siliguri by the police. The GJM were demanding that they should be allowed to ‘fast unto death’ at the Siliguri Mahukama Parishad. Since Thursday, all entries points towards Darjeeling, Hills have been barricaded along the Siliguri side by the newly raised Elite Combat Troops of the West Bengal Police and on the Darjeeling side by the cadres and supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha have massively reinforced their supporters by add almost 500 new cadres. [Barun Roy]

Hunger strike line lengthens – Suicide cry opens door

Feb. 21: Eleven college students today joined the fast-unto-death programme of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in Darjeeling even as the condition of 22 protesters, who have been on hunger strike since February 17, deteriorated.

The Morcha was also forced to include Sarmila Shah (32) and Sarjo Lama (27) in the hunger strike after they threatened to commit suicide if refused. The number of fasting protesters in Darjeeling is now 35. [Inset Sarmila Shah | Photo by Barun Roy]

R.B. Rai, the general secretary of the CPRM, was among the hundreds who visited the protesters today and offered them khadas (traditional silk scarves).

The CPRM leader came down heavily on the district administration’s refusal to allow Morcha supporters to go on fast in front of the subdivisional office in Siliguri.

“The Morcha wanted to organise a hunger strike to demand the removal of Subash Ghisingh and to reject the Sixth Schedule status. The government, however, used the anti-Bengal and anti-Bengali slogan to scuttle democratic voices, which we vehemently protest,” said Rai.

Bandh hits Sikkim vehicles

Gangtok, Feb. 21: Commuters to and from Sikkim are bearing the brunt of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s agitation, even though the party is allowing vehicles registered in the Himalayan state to ply along NH31A.

The Sikkim commuters were caught in traffic snarls all along the highway, as the vehicles carrying the Morcha supporters to Siliguri were stopped at Rambhi and Kalijhora, about 15km ahead of Sevoke, by the Darjeeling district administration. Similar situations prevailed in Melli, Teesta, Tarkhola and on the Bengal side of Rangpo.

The Morcha supporters were going to Siliguri to join the hunger strike at the subdivisional office (SDO) there.

Arjun Pradhan, a resident of Gangtok who was returning from Siliguri, was among the many affected passengers. “We learnt from newspaper reports that Sikkim vehicles are being allowed during the bandh. Keeping that in mind, we had started early in the morning, but were stuck in jam near Rambi for the whole day,” Pradhan said.

Binay Tamang, the Morcha spokesperson, said the traffic jam was “unintentional”. “We are not stopping Sikkim vehicles,” he said.

Despite the Morcha claim, Sikkim vehicles were being stopped by Bengal taxi drivers and party supporters at Salugara, near Siliguri, and several other places. The traffic jam had prompted many drivers not to venture out. “We learnt about the snarls and decided to stay back,” said Ratan Chettri, a driver here. [The Telegraph]

ICSE, ISC dates unchanged- Written exams to start on February 29

Siliguri/Kurseong, Feb. 21: The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations and authorities of hill schools have confirmed that the ICSE (Class X) and ISC (Class XII) exams would be held according to schedule despite the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-backed indefinite shutdown in Darjeeling.

Although educational institutions have been kept outside the purview of the bandh, there was some confusion over the ICSE and ISC written exams, starting February 29, because banks and post offices where the question papers are stocked have been shut down indefinitely.

The practical exams started on February 18.

“Anticipating trouble, we had informed the Council, which granted us exceptional permission to stock the question papers at an alternative place with strict security measures.” said Rev. Howard, the rector of St Paul’s School, Darjeeling, and the convener for ISE schools in the hills.