Dhirdham Temple, Darjeeling

Photo by Rahman MM. (All copyrights reserved in the name of the photographer)

Victims of ‘mistaken’ Maoist blast allege neglect by ex-rebels

NEPAL-VICTIMS (RPT) (INTERNATIONAL)
Created on : 06/06/2008 19:55 (PRI)

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Kathmandu, Jun 6 (PTI) Victims of a blast conducted by Maoists in 2003 by “mistake”, which killed 34 and injured 73 people, have alleged neglect on the part of former rebels in providing them compensation even after they joined mainstream.

The blast, triggered in a passenger bus through a landmine in Badarmudhe area of Chitwan district in central Nepal, is regarded as one of the greatest tragedies of the decade-long Maoist insurgency.

After the incident the Maoists had apologised for the blast saying that it was their mistake. Maoist chief Prachanda, who has repeatedly promised to compensate the victims, also never visited the village where the incident occurred, victims alleged.

The victims today also unveiled a memorial with the names of all those killed and injured inscripted on it.

It was inaugurated by Nam Prasad Subedi, one of the victims who lost six members of his family in the incident.

The memorial was built at (Nepali) Rs 4,00,000, of which Nepal Army’s Purano Gorkha battalion contributed Rs 2,50,000, the rest being donated by locals. However, people demanded proper compensation for the victims’ family members and medical expenses for the injured.

Twelve of the seriously injured are still lying in hospital bed for treatment, they said.

The victims complained that even after the Maoists came to the mainstream, they neglected them for providing compensation and treatment. PTI SBP GD GD 06062001 DEL
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20 injured in Nepal clash

NEPAL-CLASH (INTERNATIONAL)

Created on: 06/06/2008 19:55 (PRI)

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Kathmandu, Jun 6 (PTI) At least 20 people have been injured in a clash between Maoists and members of CPN-UML in a local cooperative in Khimti area of Ramechhap district. The clash had occurred yesterday over the issue of electing representatives in the cooperative. The Maoists beat up members of CPN-UML after they failed to elect former rebels’ cadres in the cooperative’s board, sources said.

Six persons, who sustained critical injuries, have been airlifted to Kathmandu for further treatment. PTI SBP GD 06062002 DEL

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Bandh observed at disputed Langpih

LANGPIH (REGIONAL NEWS – EAST)

Created on : 06/06/2008 14:59 (PRI)

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Shillong, June 6 (PTI) Nepali speaking people today observed a 12-hour bandh in disputed Langpih area on Assam-Meghalaya border in protest against the dismantling of a road even as an Assam police spokesman denied it, saying the road was already in a dilapidated condition.

The spokesman said that the road, built by the Assam government, was broken and inclement weather had deteriorated it further.

West Khasi Hills deputy commissioner F Kharlyngdoh said that in view of today’s bandh, the locals held their weekly market yesterday.

Earlier, Meghalaya Home Minister H S Lyngdoh had indicated that the government would dismantle the foundation stones laid by the Assam government to build office buildings there and even move the Supreme Court if the proposed negotiations to resolve the boundary dispute with Assam failed.

Reports from Assam indicated that the government had written to the Union Home Ministry urging it to prevent Meghalaya from creating any disturbance in the area. Meghalaya had also written to the MHA seeking its intervention to ‘retrieve the encroached lands from Assam‘.

The fresh boundary dispute between the two neighbours has reportedly stemmed from reports that there might be potential uranium deposits in the Langpih area. The area is close to the Domiasiat area of West Khasi hills where there could be 375,000 tonnes of uranium, according to a survey. PTI RTJ MD 06061505 DEL

LANGPIH 2 LAST (REGIONAL NEWS – EAST)

Created on : 06/06/2008 16:14 (PRI)

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(Reopens ERG5) Meanwhile, the Meghalaya chief minister today proposed a joint visit to Langpih along with his Assam counterpart to resolve the dispute. ”I have no objection in Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi visiting the area. But I will be glad if we visit the place jointly to resolve the dispute,” Roy told reports here. Roy said he was awaiting a response from the Assam government to hold negotiations on the matter. PTI RTJ MD 06061620 DEL

No longer a lovers paradise

By Mrinalini Sharma

DARJEELING: Romance is a controversial word in Darjeeling ever since the youth and the women’s wing of the GJMM undertook the role of moral policing in the hill town. The drive to “cleanse the society” is not only targeted at couples seeking private moments at the mall but also drug addicts and alcoholics. “The bright future of Darjeeling depends on our youth. It is our duty as responsible citizens to bring those who have gone astray from the right path,” said Mr Puran Thami, general-secretary of the GJMM.

The raids usually occur in the evenings in areas around the Mall and the Lovers’ Road near St. Joseph’s College which are the favourite haunts of courting couples and drug addicts. “These are tourist spots and such immoral activities make tourists feel uncomfortable and reflect badly upon our society. Our volunteers do not use force, they would rather counsel them against doing such things in public,” Mr Thami said. In future the volunteers will also organise awareness campaigns for students in the schools of Darjeeling, he added.

California Geographical Survey

California Geographical Survey, an Internet resource created by Dr. William A. Bowen, professor of geography emeritus, and hosted by the Department of Geography and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at California State University Northridge. The Survey operates for the benefit of the students and faculty of the California State University System, public and parochial school teachers and students, and the people of the State of California. It is the California Geographical Survey’s intention to provide a variety of important geographic resources to the entire Internet community.

The materials of the California Geographical Survey are available without restrictions to the California State University Northridge campuses for non-profit, classroom use. Individual students and teachers everywhere in the world are specifically granted the right to use all materials for class assignments and lectures. Other persons should be aware that the original works contained within this geographic archive are copyrighted and the sole property of Dr. William A. Bowen. Use of such copyrighted materials without the permission of the owner is strictly forbidden. In some cases, the author may extend additional legal rights to specific off-campus individuals and groups when he deems it to be in the public interest. Dr. Bowen’s work is not funded by any government agency or private sponsor. His work is not in the public domain. Every item is copyrighted and is distributed with the clear understanding that its use for commercial and non-commercial purposes outside of public classrooms is forbidden without his expressed approval. Please contact Dr. Bowen for additional information concerning copyright issues and commercial projects.

Aerial Panorama of Arunachal Himalayas (Eastern Himalayas)

Today’s panorama looks north over Arunachal Pradesh, India into Tibet. The Brahmaputra flows through the lower right side of the scene. Lake Puma Yumco and Lake Yamdrok Yutso appear in the upper left, immediately north of Bhutan. The long, east-west valley system of the Yarlung Zangbo Jiang crosses Tibet from west to east. This is one of a collection of more than 600 panoramas now completed and awaiting integration into a web atlas.

Dr. William Bowen

California Geographical Survey

10907 Rathburn Avenue

Northridge, CA 91326

A CPRM POSTER calling for a dharna at Writers Building

A CPRM poster calling for dharna at Writers Building.

A PEEP AT SILIGARHI’S HISTORY.

By Jwalahang (through a comment on Beacon Online)

a) 1640 : All Terai areas including Siligarhi and Jalpaiguri belonged to Sikkim in the 17th century.The original inhabitants of Sikkim were the Lepchas (Rongs) and the Limbus (Chongs).The word ‘Sikkim’ owes its origin to Limbu word ‘Su-Khim’ meaning ‘new home’.

b) 1780 : Gorkha King Prithvi Narayan Shah’s eldest son Pratap Singh Shah attacks Sikkim.

c) 1788-89 : Gorkha army enters Sikkim and annexes Darjeeling hills and the adjoining low plains. Reaches till Teesta river.

d) Dec 1815 : For 30 years, these areas of Sikkim remain with the Gorkhas. Some Gorkhalis settle here permanently. Then Gorkhas eye China but are heavily defeated.

e) 1804-1814 :Gorkhas start annexing northern areas of East India Co. The British condemns this in strongest terms.

f) Lord Hastings declares war with Nepal. As resultant, Nepal start losing the annexed areas.

g) 4th Feb,1816 : Battle of Makwanpur. The last war between Gorkhas and the British. East India Co loses 2 officers and 222 soldiers. About 800 Gorkhas are martyred.

h) 4 March,1816 : Peace Treaty at Sugauli, twenty miles from Raxaul (Bihar). Nepal loses the captured areas including that belonged to Sikkim (Darjeeling hills, Siligarhi, Jalpaiguri and the low lying areas til Teesta river). Gorkhas join the British India with their LAND.The British starts recruiting Gorkhas in the Fauj.

i) 1836 : British starts planting tea in Darjeeling hills. Though, some ethnic tribes like Lepchas and Limbus (now they are assimilated in Gorkha community) resided in the area in few numbers, other communities of the Gorkhas are brought in to work as Tea workers.

j) The British builds the Siligarhi Railway Station to facilitate the transportation of tea.

k) To connect the Hills with Siligarhi, THE DARJEELING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY is born. Hundreds are Gorkhas come here to work as labourers. Almost all of them become victims of Malaria and other tropical diseases. Many are killed by wild animals and snake-bites.

l) 1907 : Siligarhi declared Sub-Division.Population 2000 only. Some Hindi speaking and Bengali families were there. But, the majority of the population were the Gorkhalis.

m) 1928 : Siligarhi Town Committee is formed. GEORGE MAHBERT SUBBA (Limbu)a Gorkhali, is appointed as its first president. He held the post for 20 years till 1949.

n) 1942 : Thousands of displaced Gorkhalis flee Burma. Some settles in the North East. GEORGE MAHBERT SUBBA arranges land for them in Siligarhi. And the place was called BURMA BUSTY.THIS PLACE WAS later came to be known as Ashrampara .The fate of the displaced Gorkhalis is not known.

o) 1946-47 : PARTITION of the country. Thousands of Hindu Bengalees flee Bangladesh. Siligarhi and the adjoining areas become their NEW HOME !!!

p) 1949 : Siligarhi is declared a Municipality.

q) 1951 : First municipal Elections in Siligarhi. Mr. BAGHBIR GURUNG ,a Gorkhali, is elected as Commissioner of Ward No 1.He was the first Gorkhali Commissioner.

r) 1950 : INDO-NEPAL Friendship Treaty signed. Provisions were made for FREE TRADE and OPEN BORDER. Provision made for continuation of Gorkhalis to get recruited in the Indian Army. INDIA enjoys MAXIMUM BENEFIT from this TREATY specially in TRADE and COMMERCE.

s) 1952 : General Elections in India. GEORGE MAHBERT SUBBA elected to the Legislative Assembly from Siligarhi-Kurseong Constituency.

t) 1956 : States Re-Organisation Commission formed.THE UNRESOLVED GORKHA AREAS left mid-way by the BRITISH officially becomes the part of WEST BENGAL !!!!!!!!!!

Erractic Internet Service hits online news services and blogger

Darjeeling: Erratic internet service has hit online news services and bloggers from Darjeeling Hills severely. While monsoon has not yet set in the Hills, the initial downpours has brought the poor infrastructure the Hills boasts of in terms of Communication and Internet Networks in open. BSNL landlines, broadband services have begun showing signs of troubles. The private internet service providers have also warned of disruption of services due to snapping of their broadband cable. Severe thunderstorm could simply lead to internet black out for bloggers and online news service providers.

BJP Vs. Universal Declaration of Human Rights

By Mohan Nepali

India must now explain to the world why it does nurture very fundamentalist, feudalist and de-humanizing forces tagged as political parties. The world has not been able to know why thousands of Dalits, known as so-called untouchables are tortured or killed in rural India every year. No one in the world does know why hundreds of Indian innocent women are killed in the name of dowry.

Just constitutional and paper commitments cannot prove the democratic nature of a country. We call India the largest democracy. But the realities there are different. Every fellow human being has the right to speak about the gross human rights violations going on in India. Because such realities affect the world politics and trends. Especially, South Asian neighbors will have to suffer a lot because of the generalization of criminal trends in India.

A democratic nation never imagines of interfering with other nations home affairs. Sovereignty is a key component as far is independence is concerned. Intentionally interfering with other nations’ sovereignty is neither democratic in nature nor compatible with the basic norms of international relations.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has violated the basic norms of international norms on the one hand and it has undermined the very essence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on the other. Neither India as a whole nor Nepal as a whole has sensed this gross violation. The BJP, a fundamentalist, communalist party that does want to annihilate other faith communities in South Asia, has recently issued its anti-human rights verdict of not accepting the existence of other communities in Nepal where the formal end of feudalist rule has just been declared by the recently elected constituent assembly heading towards restructuring Nepal through pluralist and inclusive political exercises.

Bandh cripples life, Hills normal

SILIGURI, June 5: The 12-hour bandh called by the Left Front today evoked a total response in and around Siliguri and other parts of north Bengal except the Darjeeling hills where the bandh had no effect locally. Barring the movement of a scant number of two-wheelers, almost no traffic was seen on the roads. Stranded passengers of the NJP bound Uttar Banga Express ransacked Railway property at Rangapani station in the morning when the Railway authorities failed to provide them water. At Fuleswari in Siliguri, bandh picketers stopped the Darjeeling bound Toy Train, robbing the passengers a joy ride on the World Heritage train. Life was normal in Darjeeling as people carried out their daily business and tourists moved around as usual. Vehicles were plying on all routes and the tea plantations in the surrounding areas remained open as well. However, the vehicles from Darjeeling to Siliguri plied only till Darjeeling More and back. Though the Left Front sponsored bandh was observed in other parts of Cooch Behar district today, Suktabari, a hamlet in the district, which opposed the Left Front in the panchayat polls recently, remained open. Life was normal in the village in defiance against the bandh. Business establishments, educational institutions and most government offices and financial institutions remained closed in North Dinajpur district where a clash occurred between Congress and CPI-M supporters at Islampur. Fifteen persons sustained injury in the clash. Though the LF chairman Mr Biman Bose had announced that picketers would not stop long distance trains on their way, bandh picketers detained the Gour Express and the Balurghat Passenger at Old Malda this morning. [The Statesman]

Weather Forecast for Siliguri

5-Day Forecast for Siliguri

Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday
86° F | 71° F 30° C | 22° C	89° F | 73° F 32° C | 23° C	91° F | 73° F 33° C | 23° C	86° F | 75° F 30° C | 24° C	89° F | 75° F 32° C | 24° C
Chance of T-storms 50% chance of precipitation	Chance of T-storms 20% chance of precipitation	T-storms 90% chance of precipitation	Chance of T-storms 50% chance of precipitation	T-storms 100% chance of precipitation

Weather Forecast for Kalimpong

5-Day Forecast for Kalimpong

Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday
66° F | 46° F 19° C | 8° C	68° F | 44° F 20° C | 7° C	68° F | 48° F 20° C | 9° C	68° F | 46° F 20° C | 8° C	69° F | 50° F 21° C | 10° C
Rain 60% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 50% chance of precipitation	Rain 70% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 40% chance of precipitation	Rain 80% chance of precipitation

Brave mountaineers honoured

SILIGURI, June 5: The Jatiya Sangha Pathagar, Siliguri today honoured Yadu Nath Sharma of Siliguri and other members of the 10-member team from the Sonam Gyatso Mountaineering Institute, Gangtok, for climbing Mt Everest on 22 May. All eight-members of the team who attended the function as well as their instructor, Mr DP Bhutia were presented with trophies and khadas by Mr Saman Pathak, member of Parliament.

Mr Sharma received a special trophy from Mr Ramen Kanti Bose president of JSP. “It is a dream come true. I had always dreamt of conquering the highest peak. It was my childhood fascination with mountains, especially Mt. Everest, that helped me reach the summit,” said Mr Sharma. The 41-year-old climber said he would train aspiring climbers in north Bengal and Sikkim and promote and popularise mountaineering in the region. [The Telegraph]

GCDP launches hunger-strike

COOCH BEHAR, June 5: Demanding the release of its supporters from prison, the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party launched an indefinite hunger strike at Shahid Baag in Cooch Behar today. The GCDP president Mr Ashutosh Barma, who is also fasting, said: “We will not withdraw the agitation till the district administration gives us assurance.” The Cooch Behar district magistrate Mr Rajesh Sinha said he was ready to talk to the agitators about the issue. The GCDP activists observed religious rituals before launching the stir. Mr Barma said they had sent memorandums stating their demands several times to the President, the Prime Minister and the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission.

Demanding the release of 56 of their supporters and the withdrawal of all cases against them, the GCDP had organised a 12-hour token hunger strike at Shahid Baag in Cooch Behar on 25 March. It may be recalled that the situation turned violent three years ago on 20 September when a large number of Greater Cooch Behar Peoples’ Association had tried to enter Cooch Behar town for a fast-unto-death programme at the office premises of the district magistrate. Fifty-eight people were arrested in connection with the incident. Two of the under trials died in custody.

Weather Forecast for Darjeeling

5-Day Forecast for Darjeeling

Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday
59° F | 44° F 15° C | 7° C	60° F | 42° F 16° C | 6° C	60° F | 44° F 16° C | 7° C	60° F | 42° F 16° C | 6° C	62° F | 46° F 17° C | 8° C
Rain 60% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 50% chance of precipitation	Rain 70% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 40% chance of precipitation	Rain 80% chance of precipitation

Extended Forecast

Passenger fury at Rangapani

SILIGURI, June 5: Stranded due to the Left Front bandh, passengers of North Bengal Express ransacked Railway property at the Rangapani station near Siliguri today. They also chased the stationmaster out of the facility. The train scheduled to reach New Jalpaiguri at 8.45 a.m. got detained at the Rangapani station due to the bandh convened by the Left Front. Famished and without provision of drinking water for hours, the passengers got angry and in a fit of exasperation, ransacked Railway property.

Coming against the passenger fury, the Railway officials present at the station, including the stationmaster, fled the station. The frustrated passengers demanded to know when the train would leave for New Jalpaiguri station. They also demanded some food and drinking water as many women and children were travelling in the train. With the Railway officials failing to fulfill the passengers’ basic demands the passengers got irritated and started ransacking Railway property. Windowpanes of the train were shattered and the stationmaster’s and a CRPF camp in the vicinity were also ransacked. The passenger-frenzy continued for about three hours. The train reached NJP at around 1.30 p.m. [The Statesman]

IOC releases new petrol & diesel prices

Siliguri, June 5: In north Bengal, people of Raiganj will be paying the most for petrol at Rs 53 a litre after the price hike, while diesel will be most expensive in Darjeeling at Rs 37.40 for each litre.

The lowest rates of petrol and diesel in the region are in Alipurduar (Rs 51.99) and Malda (Rs 35.69), respectively (see chart).

“Because of the difference in carrying costs, there are marginal variation in petrol and diesel prices across north Bengal,” Ananda More, the president of the North Bengal Petrol Dealers’ Association, said today. “The prices came into effect from Wednesday midnight in the 250-odd petrol pumps of the region.”

More added there were Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) depots in New Jalpaiguri, Malda and Hasimara. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, too, has a depot in New Jalpaiguri, he said.

Protest meet at Lal Kothi

Darjeeling, June 5: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has decided to stage a dharna in front of Lal Kothi, the administrative headquarters of the DGHC, where Bengal home secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti is scheduled to hold a departmental meeting tomorrow.

“The dharna will be held to demand permission for a public meeting at Naxalbari and the creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland,” said Binay Tamang, the media and publicity secretary of the Morcha. Earlier the party had twice sought approval for the meeting, but was denied.

The Janmukti Asthai Karmachari Sangathan, a frontal organisation of the Morcha, too, is scheduled to start its relay hunger strike in front of Lal Khoti from Saturday to demand the regularisation of the 8,000 contract workers currently working with the DGHC.

Anil Pradhan, the media and publicity secretary of the Janmukti Asthahi Secondary Teachers’ Organisation, said the newly re-organised committee of contractual teachers would take part in all agitation programmes convened by the Karmachari Sangathan, which has lined up a rally in Kalimpong tomorrow.

Not to be left behind, the CPRM, another anti-Subash Ghisingh party in the hills, has decided to take 500 of its supporters to Calcutta on June 11 as part of its agitation.

Trafficking probe cry after death

Siliguri, June 5: A 19-year-old girl from a tea garden here was found hanging at a house in Haryana’s Faridabad where she had been working as a domestic help.

Although police claimed that Rojalina Kudur of Kamala Tea Estate had committed suicide on Tuesday, voluntary organisations and her family members suspect foul play and have demanded a closer watch on placement agencies.

Rojalina was among several other girls from the region who were “recruited” by a New Delhi-based job agency. She had joined as a domestic help at the house of Jagdish Chand, a businessman dealing in jewellery, at the Sheikhpura locality of Palwal township in Faridabad.

Often girls from tea gardens here are lured away to Delhi and far off places with the promise of good jobs and salary but end up being exploited or in brothels.

Shaktibahini, a Delhi-based NGO and a member of the Eastern Himalayan Network on Anti-trafficking and Gender Violence (Erthnet), has traced out the agency and will take police help to make inquiries into its activities.

“We have come to know that a man named Kailashwar Toppo runs the agency which works out of R.K. Puram. It has been involved in getting over 300 girls from Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri areas to the National Capital Region, which includes Delhi, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida,” said Rishikant, a member of the organisation.

Ganpat Ram, the assistant sub-inspector and investigating officer of the case at Palwal, said Rojalina had joined the Chand household on March 9. “From preliminary inquiries, we have got to know that on the night of June 2, she had her food and retired to her room. She was found hanging from the ceiling fan the next morning,” he said over the phone.

He claimed it “was a case of suicide, though we are yet to get the post-mortem report”. But relatives and neighbours at the Rai Lines of Kamala garden, 20km from here, suspect that Rojalina “was physically abused and murdered”.

Green study unwanted

Darjeeling, June 5: The introduction of environmental science as a compulsory subject in schools might be seen as a stepping stone in making students aware of the issues related to the sustainability of the earth, but a discussion held today painted an opposite picture.

Students and teachers alike said the subject was of no use since the marks were not included in the grand total.

“When we are asked to prepare four projects in a year, we copy from other sources. Environment education might have been made compulsory, but the marks are not included in the grand total. We are not interested in this subject,” said a Class XII student of St Robert’s High School, Darjeeling.

“We are not aware of getting any jobs if we pursue the subject as part of higher education,” said another student.

The thematic discussion titled “Challenges of teaching environmental sciences in Darjeeling Hills”, organised by Network, a Darjeeling-based NGO, as part of the World Environment Day, provided a perfect platform to students to air their opinions on the subject.

Rebel dies in Bhutan blast

Jaigaon, June 5: A suspected militant was killed and another injured in Bhutan in two blasts that shook the Himalayan nation in the early hours today.

Bhutan police sources said the dead was identified as Indrabahadur Ghole (30). The injured person, Chandraraj Rai (30), has been admitted to a hospital in Bhutan.

Police in the neighbouring country claimed that Ghole and Rai were members of the extremist outfit Communist Party of Bhutan (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist).

They said both belonged to a refugee camp in Beldangi in Nepal.

According to the Bhutan home secretary, Dasho Wangdi, the first blast took place in Samchi near Nainital Primary School.

“There was a huge explosion around 12.15am. Soldiers from an army camp nearby surrounded the area and found Chandraraj Rai, with his left arm badly injured in the blast. He was admitted to the district hospital in Samchi,” the home secretary said.

According to Wangdi, Chandraraj had taken a bus from Beldangi camp yesterday and got off at Looksan on the Bengal-Bhutan border.

Rhino numbers on the rise

Siliguri, June 5: Forest officials have announced that the current rhino population in Gorumara National Park is 31, an increase of four since the previous census two years ago.

“On the basis of the two-day census held on March 27-28 this year, we have ascertained that there are 31 rhinos in the park,” Tapas Das, the divisional forest officer (wildlife-2), said in Jalpaiguri today. “During the previous census in 2006, there were 27 rhinos in Gorumara.”

The population comprises 14 males, nine females and eight cubs. “The total area of the park is 85sqkm. That is enough for the existing population. Even if the numbers go up in future, there would not be any problem with space or fodder,” said Das.

The forest department has taken photographs of each rhino during the census. “We took the help of GPS and posted people at strategic points in all 32 blocks of the park as well as 19 fixed points during the census,” the divisional forest officer said.

The department is now putting together a dossier containing details of each rhino. “Each has been given names like Botolsingh, Borosinghwali, Kankata and Bankasingh for easy identification. The dossiers would be with the beat and range offices. If any rhino is injured or forced out of the habitat by infighting, the foresters can locate it, go through its past record and take appropriate measures,” Das said. [The Telegraph]

P-power & party power – Blocked people block minister

(From top) Minister Asok Bhattacharya stuck in the Darjeeling Mail, the chief minister’s convoy on a deserted road and a tea-seller doing brisk business in front of the CPM headquarters when the rest of Bengal was shut down. Pictures by Amit Datta and Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Kishanganj/Siliguri, June 5: CPM minister Asok Bhattacharya got a taste of his party’s own medicine today when fellow passengers on a bandh-hit train refused to let him complete his journey by car.

The municipal affairs minister was virtually confined for eight hours on the New Jalpaiguri-bound Darjeeling Mail, stranded at Bihar’s Kishanganj station because of squatting up the line in Bengal.

“How does it feel now? The minister should get to know how the rest of us feel during these meaningless bandhs,” said Dilip Singh, 33, a salesman from Siliguri who was later arrested on the charge of misbehaving with Asok and given bail.

This is the second instance of CPM leaders getting a taste of people power this week. On Monday, a Calcutta crowd had egged a policeman on to book six-time MP Tarit Topdar’s driver after he broke traffic rules and then tried to pull rank.

CPM state secretary Biman Bose dismissed any suggestion of public anger against bandhs, saying: “Asok was stopped in Bihar.” The passengers of the Sealdah-NJP train, which briefly touches Bihar, were mostly from Bengal, though.

Saheli Bhattacharya was Siliguri-bound with her children, aged 8 and 11. “There was no food or water and the minister was about to leave; I and the others requested him to stay,” she said.

Asok, whose act of travelling conflicted with the party’s aim of paralysing the state, appeared to undermine the bandh further by pleading he had “important work” to finish. That infuriated Jalpaiguri-bound Biswajit Ganguly, who said: “He knew his party had called the bandh, yet he told us he had important work. Well, were the rest of us travelling for fun?”

Asok spent the hours reading a book on globalisation in his air-conditioned first-class coach till the journey resumed at 2.45pm. The train had arrived at Kishanganj at 6.45am but within 10 minutes, the station announced a delay because of squatting at Aluabari and Raninagar.

The minister immediately began flexing his political muscle. “I rang up party members… and got them to withdraw the (two) blockades. I informed the Katihar divisional railway manager (DRM) but no effort was made to get the train moving,” Asok said.

Around 10.30, Kishanganj police chief M.R. Nayak arrived with an extra car for the minister, upsetting the passengers. Nayak said he had merely offered to take the minister to the Circuit House, and Asok too later claimed he had no intention of making it to Siliguri by road.

Dilip was “threatening and abusive”, the minister said. “Some passengers led by this youth, who wore a red shirt, said they wouldn’t let me leave. He kept yelling and sneaked into my compartment.”

Even before this, some passengers had begun shouting at Asok, prompting Jalpaiguri police chief Tripurari — a co-passenger — to intervene.

At NJP, Dilip was charged with unlawful assembly, wrongful confinement and misbehaviour as Asok left for home in Siliguri. “I protested like the others,” Dilip said.

Katihar DRM Mehtab Singh said trains stranded up the line had delayed the green light to the Darjeeling Mail. [The Telegraph]