GJM parallel meeting calls for creation of Gorkhaland

Darjeeling, June 17 A parallel meeting called by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha here today passed a resolution demanding creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland.

The meeting asked the Central government to create “a separate state of Gorkhaland comprising areas of Darjeeling and contiguous areas of Dooars,” GJM president Bimal Gurung said.

The meeting came ahead of an all-party meeting called by state Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in Kolkata today to discuss the Darjeeling issue.

GJM central committee member D K Pradhan claimed the meeting was attended by 13 parties including BJP, Indian National Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPI, All-India Gorkha League, Sikkim National Front, Indian Muslim League, GNLF-C, a breakway group of GNLF, CPRM, a breakway group of CPI-M and Hill Congress.

However, Congress and Trinamool Congress sources in Kolkata today said that they had not authorised any party man to attend the meeting.

Trinamool general secretary Partha Chatterjee said Gopal Singh Chhetri, who attended the meeting claiming himself to be a Trinamool repressentative was not authorised by the party.

A CPI leader in Darjeeling and former MLA from Kalimpong Mohan Singh Rai attended the meeting, but party state secretary Manju Majumdar said in Kolkata that Rai had not informed the party before attending the meeting.

“This violates party decision and we will initiate action against him,” Majumdar said.

Darjeeling strike will hit tea exports: Bengal Cong leader

FROM THE PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, June 17 (PTI) Senior West Bengal Congress leader Sudip Bandopadhyay today said the indefinite strike in the Darjeeling hills for a separate Gorkhaland state will adversely affect tea exports and badly hit tea workers. Bandopadhyay raised the issue with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, whom he met here today, and also criticised the nationwide general strike call given by trade unions on August 20, saying it would disrupt the birth anniversary celebrations of Rajiv Gandhi at least in his state.

“The indefinite strike call will jeopardise tea exports and hit the tea plantation business and the workers there, most of whom are daily wage earners,” Bandopadhyay, state PCC vice president, told PTI here.

Gandhi, he said, was concerned over the fate of the tea garden workers during the strike period and wanted peace to be restored by the efforts of all the parties concerned in the hill areas of North Bengal.

Tea, Tourism Affected by Violence in India’s Darjeeling District

FROM VOICE OF AMERIACA

By Nilanjana Bhowmick

India’s scenic Darjeeling district is known for its teas and draws tens-of-thousands of tourists each year. But political turmoil in the multi-ethnic district is threatening to undermine the tourism industry and the tea trade.  Leaders of an ethnic minority pushing for a separate state have called an indefinite strike. Nilanjana Bhowmick spoke with the leader of the movement, who says he will not compromise, even though the government has rejected demands for part of West Bengal to become a separate state. [Inset: Indian supporters of Gorkha People's Liberation Front (GJM) shout slogans as they stage protest in Darjeeling, 17 Jun 2008]

Members of the Gorkha community in the Indian state of West Bengal began protest strikes last week to demand an independent state, shutting down transportation in some areas and stranding many tourists. The strike was temporarily suspended last week to allow tourists to leave.

In response to the latest protests, the West Bengal government met on Tuesday with the leaders of all the major political parties in the state. The communist government in West Bengal has offered to meet with the leaders of the Gorkha independence movement, but has ruled out demands for a Gorkha state.

The leader of the separatist movement, Bimal Gurung, said he declined to meet with the West Bengal chief minister, and that the strike would continue.

Gurung says his movement is peaceful. He says he called for the indefinite shutdown after consultation with people from the grassroots level and it has wide support.

The Gorkha community fought for a separate state in the 1980s, and at least 1200 people died. The group later settled for greater autonomy.

GJM bandh paralyses life in Darjeeling for 2nd day

FROM SAHARA SAMAY

Siliguri, June 18: Normal life in Darjeeling hills was paralysed for the second day today due to the indefinite bandh called by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) in support of their demand for a separate Gorkhaland.

The situation in the hills, where the bandh began from 6 pm on Monday, was totally under control, Inspector General of Police (North Bengal) K L Tamta told newsmen.

There was no report of any untoward incident till this morning and the situation was peaceful though bandh supporters despite incessant rains continued to block the arterial NH31 A which links Siliguri to Sikkim via Kalimpong, Darjeeling Superintendent of Police Rahul Srivastav said.

As a result Sikkim was cut off from the rest off the country. However, vehicles of schools, the army and the police are being allowed to ply on the highway by the GJM supporters, he said.

Six hundred CRPF personnel requisitioned for deployment in the hills were kept in reserve here, official sources said.

GJM press secretary Benay Tamang said that it had exempted educational institutions from the purview of the bandh. “As a nationalist party we can’t stop the work of the defence forces and the police.”

The bane of bandhs – Caught in neighbourhood politics, Sikkim suffers

BY KARMA SAMTEN YANGZOM

GANGTOK, June 17: The tiny, landlocked Himalayan State of Sikkim has become a victim of neighbourhood politics it has little to do with. The unrest in the neighbouring Darjeeling Hills, punctuated with frequent and unpredictable bandh calls have left Sikkim not only completely cut off from the rest of the country but with a huge dent in its exchequer. [Inset: The Capital City of Gangtok. Photo courtesy Shunya.net]

Sikkim is losing a staggering Rs 6 crore a day whenever the Darjeeling hills shut down and the National Highway 31A, the vital road link connecting Sikkim with West Bengal, is subjected to closure by the agitators. About 60 percent of the National Highway 31A connecting Sikkim runs through the Darjeeling District in West Bengal.

This figure is based on a survey conducted by the State department of Economics, Statistics, Monitoring and Evaluation in February this year. The survey was carried out during a two-day bandh called by the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) in Darjeeling around the same time. It calculated the daily financial loss suffered by various sectors in Sikkim because of the shutdown.

Tourism Dept to introduce 26-seater chopper to tide over Highway closure

FROM THE SIKKIM EXPRESS

BY NIRMAL MANGAR

GANGTOK, June 17: If you cannot take the regular taxi, take the helicopter. A new 26-seater Pawan Hans helicopter to Bagdogra will be shortly introduced in the State in view of the closure of National Highway 31A due to frequent bandhs in the Darjeeling Hills. Of course, this service is for only to those who can afford it. One would have to shell out Rs. 3000 per head just to get out of the State. [Inset: A Pawan Hans Chopper]

The Secretary, Tourism Department, SBS Bhaduria said this while talking with SIKKIM EXPRESS here today. According to him, the new Helicopter will replace the present five-seater helicopter, which has been in service in the State since past several years. The move has been necessitated by the regular bandhs in the neighbouring West Bengal.

“Since there are many who want to reach Siliguri safely and promptly, the new helicopter service will cater to their demands,” the secretary said. The bandh call in the Darjeeling Hills and the subsequent closure of NH31A has led to severe loss of revenue in the State and the nascent tourism industry has suffered the most.

“Up to June 9 this year, there more than 10, 000 tourists visiting Sikkim every day and now the numbers have decreased alarmingly,” Mr. Bhaduria informed. Informing that the peak tourist season in Sikkim starts from April to June, the Secretary said that all hotels in the State are running empty in June.

Most of the places of tourist interest like Ban Jhakri falls, Tsomgo Lake, Tashi Viewpoint, wore a deserted looks with only few local people around. “This is for the first time since the opening of the hotel that has zero percent occupancy,” said Pankaj Saxena, the General Manager of the Hotel Royal Plaza here.

He further informed that the hotel has incurred huge losses in terms of business with record cancellations since the past few days.  The taxi drivers have also been hugely affected by the bandh. Most of the drivers are unhappy with the closure of the Highway and said that the bandh have made their lives difficult. “I have taken this taxi on loan. This is peak tourist season and I had planned to earn more to pay my loan instalment but now I am in a difficult situation,” said Ram Chettri, a taxi driver.

Darjeeling Indefinite strike

HELD AT RANSOM – Sikkim remains cut off due to bandh

FROM THE SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, June 17: Sikkim remained cut off from the rest of the country today due to the resumption of the bandh called by the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) to press for its demand for a separate Gorkhaland State.
According to the Rangpo Police, the National Highway 31 A, the only road link to the State from the plains of West Bengal passing through the Kalimpong sub-division in the Darjeeling hills has been blocked for vehicles barring movement of army vehicles and ambulances. In a meeting held yesterday at Tribeni in Melli, GJMM leaders clarified that they were blocking the NH 31 A “to use Sikkim to push the Centre into calling them for talks.” GJMM president, Bimal Gurung also told the gathering that the Highway would be blocked until Sikkim spoke up on the Gorkhaland issue with the Centre. The meeting also announced that GJMM cadres would picket near the Coronation Bridge at Sevoke, at Rambi and Rangpo on the NH 31A during the bandh thus affecting Sikkim. Sikkim is dependent on supplies from Siliguri and other areas of North Bengal. About 120 lorry loads of food grains, vegetables and other essential commodities climb up to the State from Siliguri every day on an average. Meanwhile, the Sikkim government has taken up the matter with the Centre and the Bengal government yesterday to ensure that NH 31 A is spared from the indefinite bandh. Till now, the GJMM has offered no relaxation for Sikkim.

Sikkim bears the brunt of Darjeeling Bandh – Govt to ration petrol and diesel – Dept restricts purchase of petrol to 5 ltrs and diesel to 10 ltrs per day

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, June 17: In order minimize the impact of the strike called by the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) in the neighbouring Darjeeling Hills causing total blockade to Sikkim, the State Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has passed an order for rationing of petroleum products with immediate effect. A team of officers have been deputed to ensure effective implementation of the order. The department has also appealed all retail outlets, Government officials, drivers and general public to cooperative with the Department and not to panic.  In order to ration the distribution of petrol and diesel during the strike called by the Morcha with effect from 6 pm on June 16, restrictions have been imposed on its use per day. All petrol driven vehicles would be allowed to draw only 5 ltrs of fuel per day while all diesel driven vehicles will be restricted to draw only 10 ltrs of diesel per day. The restrictions will not apply on vehicles engaged in hospital duties and essential services. It is also informed that the retail outlets will open at 6 am and close at 7 pm. The officials deputed by the department to see the implementation of these restrictions will take closing stock every evening and report the position to the Additional Controller, Weights & Measures Cell, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department in his Mobile No. 9434103729.  M/s. Kajla Fuels, 5th mile, Tadong shall remain open for 24 hours for supply of petroleum products for emergency requirements. This order will take immediate effect and remain in force until further order.

GNLF stays away from all-party meet

From Statesman News Service

SILIGURI, June 17: Although invited to the chief minister’s all-party meeting on the Darjeeling situation in Kolkata today, the Gorkha National Liberation Front did not attend the crucial meeting apprehending a backlash from the Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha back home at Darjeeling. When contacted, the GNLF Darjeeling town unit president, Mr Deepak Gurung said: “I am not aware if any invitation came or not. Only our party president Mr Subash Ghisingh would be able to comment on it.” The reaction of GNLF Kalimpong branch president, Mr Dawa Pakhrin. “I stay in Kalimpong, which is far from Darjeeling and moreover, I am not in touch with Mr Ghisingh. You can contact our leaders in Darjeeling town to learn about the issue,” he said. Nobody took the call at Mr Ghisingh’s residence near Jala Pahar in Darjeeling where GJMM supporters supplemented the GNLF flag with theirs recently. In Kolkata, the GNLF Kurseong MLA Mrs Shanta Chhetri too denied knowledge about not joining the CM’s all-party meeting. [Inset: A GNLF Procession in the 1990s. From the Archives of Beacon Online]

Meet of contention

From Statesman News Service

SILIGURI, June 17: The CPI and the Trinamul Congress have taken a critical view of their party members’ participation in the all-party meet in Darjeeling, convened by the Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha today. Both the parties are contemplating strong action against the members who participated in the much-debated political congregation in contravention to party instructions.

The CPI state committee secretary Mr Manju Kumar Majumder said his party would not tolerate indiscipline and would take disciplinary action against the party member who defied the party line and participated in the Darjeeling all-party meet. The Darjeeling district Trinamul Congress president Mr Goutam Deb said the man who had taken part in the Darjeeling meet was not associated with his party and if he happened to have any distant connection with the party, strong action would be taken against him.

A former CPI member of Kalimpong, Mr Mohan Rai and a Trinamul Congress member, Mr Gopal Chettri’s participation in the Darjeeling political congregation have created ripples in the state as well as in the district. The Trinamul Congress had stayed away from the all-party meet held in Kolkata today on the Darjeeling imbroglio, though an important Left Front constituent the CPI took part in it, albeit with reservation over the state’s tackling of the tricky issue.

The CPI state secretary said that nobody was above party discipline. “Strong action would be taken against Mr Rai, who has defied the Left Front whip over the all-party meet in Darjeeling,” he said. The Trinamul district president Mr Deb said that he did not know Mr Gopal Chettri. “As far as I know, Mr Chettri is not even a primary member of the party,” he said.

Rains disrupt road, rail services

From Statesman News Service

KOLKATA June 17: When it finally came, it poured and city dwellers wanted no more as they woke up to waterlogged streets and road and rail services in a state of disruption. The heavy monsoon showers, which had eluded Kolkata thus far, lashed the city since the wee hours today and if the local weatherman is to be believed, rain will continue, though in spells, for at least another 48 hours.

Mr GC Debnath, director of Regional Meteorological Centre, Alipore said: “Till now, there is no possibility of any increase in day temperatures and we forcast heavy rains in the next 24 hours. Till 5.30 p.m. today, the city witnessed 152.6 mm of rainfall and the maximum temperature is expected to remain around 26°C in the next 48 hours.”

Weather officials put down the heavy showers to the formation of a low-pressure trough over Gangetic West Bengal. With the dip in mercury, the weather is expected to remain pleasant. Today, the maximum recorded temperature was 26.4°C and the maximum relative humidity 98 per cent.  Flash floods in Keleghai river inundated some parts of Midnapore (West), including Pingla and Sabang, Mr Asok Mohan Chakraborti, state home secretary, said today. Heavy rain for nearly 18 hours in Purulia and Bankura led to the situation, he said. Civil defence boats have been deployed and the air force have been alerted at Kalaikunda, he said.

Though there was no news of crop losses, he said people would have to be evacuated if they got marooned.
More than 100 mud-built dwelling houses were washed away in the district, rendering about 700 people homeless. The homeless were shifted to different clubs and school buildings. Low-lying areas of Midnapore Sadar and parts of Kharagpur rural and Debra block have been inundated. The district administration provided relief materials, including 1,000 tarpaulin sheets, to the Midnapore municipality. Bus services between Jhargram and Jamboni in Midnapore West had to be suspended as the Dulong river overflowed near the Jhargram-Jamboni bus route.

Sikkim stays silent on Gorkhaland

From Statesman News Service

GANGTOK, June 17: Officials of the Sikkim government have decided to refrain from commenting on the Gorkhaland issue. The Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha had appealed to the Sikkim government on Sunday from its meeting at Tribeni in Kalimpong sub-division to press the Centre for the creation of Gorkhaland. Mr BB Gooroong, adviser to the Sikkim chief minister said: “It would be too early to comment anything in this contest,” is all what he offered.  Mr Goorong said: “We want to see Darjeeling prosper and are ready to help. We want the Gorkhas to have their own identity and we morally support them.”

The Sikkim government has pleaded the Centre and the West Bengal government to ensure that the National Highway connecting the hill state with the rest of the country remains open and is not blocked due to the turmoil in the Darjeeling hills.  The state chief secretary Mr ND Chingapa has also sent letters to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and appealed to the Union cabinet secretary, West Bengal chief secretary and home secretary to ensure that the NH-31A, which is the lifeline to Sikkim, is kept open for the supply of essential commodities and services to the state.

“If the bandh in the Darjeeling hills continues, the situation in the state would be unmanageable,” Mr Chingapa said. “As part of the emergency measures to meet any eventuality that may occur during the indefinite bandh convened by the GJMM in the Darjeeling hills, the state food and civil supplies department has been asked to ration petrol and LPG and stock up essential foodgrains,” he added.  Earlier, in March this year, the Sikkim Legislative Assembly had adopted a resolution demanding compensation from the West Bengal government and the Centre for the frequent snag of NH-31A.

‘All-party’ push for Gorkhaland – 13 sign deal for central talks

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Gurung at the all party meeting. (AFP)

Darjeeling, June 17: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha will press for talks with the Centre and if invited, will take representatives from 13 outfits to Delhi, party president Bimal Gurung said here today.

Members of all the 13 parties, including those claiming to be representatives of the Trinamul Congress, Congress, BJP and the CPI, joined the Morcha in signing a resolution demanding talks with the Centre on Gorkhaland. They condemned the Bengal government for alleged atrocities perpetrated against the Nepali-speaking people of Siliguri and the Dooars. The three-point resolution also criticised the government for stopping the Morcha from holding democratic activities in the plains.

Gurung had called an all-party meeting this morning, coinciding with the one held by the Left Front-led Bengal government in Writers’ Buildings in Calcutta.

“When the centre calls us for talks, we will take representatives from each and every party that attended today’s meeting. This is the first time that all the political parties in the hills have collectively passed a resolution of this kind,” said Gurung after the meeting.

Darjeeling Blackout

Darjeeling: A cyclonic storm snapped out power lines resulting in a power blackout. Darjeeling has so far have had nor power for last 14 hours. Similar, blackouts have been reported from Mirik, Kurseong and Kalimpong. The authorities have refrained, so far, from saying, when the power will be restored.