Memorandum of Darjeeling Dist Committee (CPI) on GORKHASTHAN

Shared by Jwalahang through a comment on Beacon Online

Memorandum of Darjeeling Dist Committee (CPI) on GORKHASTHAN
Dated: 06/04/1947 to the Constituent Assembly.

EXTRACT :

In the opinion of the COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA, the Dist of Darjeeling belongs to the Gorkhas and it is their homeland.Further ,it is the considered opinion of the Communist Party of India that the Gorkhas living in Darjeeling Dist, the adjoining state of Sikkim and the so-called independent state of Nepal where their number is 3 lakhs,1 lakh and 60 lakhs respectively, constitue a distinct nationality having a common language, a common culture and common historical tradition.

The Communist Party of India, therefore, demands that after making necessary revisions,of the existing boundaries, the three contiguous areas of Darjeeling Dist, Southern Sikkim and Nepal be formed into one single zone to be called “GORKHASTHAN”.

The CPI vehemently oppose the sinister British Imperalist PLAN of excluding the Dist of Darjeeling from the REST OF INDIA and its constitution into a SEPARATE CHIEF COMMISSIONER’S PROVINCE as has been PUT FORWARD by the DARJEELING HILLMEN’s ASSOCIATION and its memorandum to Ld PATRICK LAWERANCE, secretary for the State of India,in December ,1941.

It has reasons to apprehend that the British imperialists are hatching a plot to place the Dist of Darjeeling with other tribal people of Assam and Dooars in a altogether NEW PROVINCE to be called NORTH-EASTERN HIMALAYAN HILL PROVINCE.

The C.P.I. demands that an immediate end must be made of the present status of the dist of Darjeeling described in THE GOVT OF INDIA Act,1935 as a ” partially excluded Area ” and with it all the special powers of the Bureaucracy, as a premilinary step to further the political,economic and cultural conditions of the Gorkhas and the Hill tribes living in this Dist.

S/d : Ratanlan Brahmin M.L.A.
S/d : Ganeshlal Subba.
Copy to : Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Vice-President of the Interim Govt.
: Liaquat Ali Khan, Finance member, Interim govt, Leader of Muslim League Assembly Party.

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Salamander Found on the road

A pre-historic salamander was found on the road making its way to the nearest swamp at Mirik.  Photo by Himalaya Darpan

Indo-Nepal Sugauli Treaty goes ‘missing’

Indo-Asian News Service

Kathmandu: A major treaty signed between the governments of India and Nepal is not to be found in either the national archives or the royal palace of this Himalayan country, giving rise to fears that other priceless documents of historical importance might have also vanished from the country, a newspaper reported on Wednesday. [Inset: A cartoon depicting the Indo Nepal Mahakali Water Treaty. Source: http://www.combatlaw.org]

The infamous Sugauli Treaty signed in 1815 with the British East India Company, which was then ruling India, and is seen here as a major blow to Nepal, can’t be traced. It is neither in the National Archives of Nepal, the foreign affairs ministry or the royal palace, which was handed over to the government by deposed king Gyanendra June 11, the Himalayan Times said.

The Sugauli pact was signed to end the 19th century Anglo-Nepalese war and though Nepal was never annexed by the British, it had to concede about one-third of its territory.

Gorkhaland stir originated from sense of deprivation: experts

By Soudhriti Bhabani

The Gorkhaland movement in the Darjeeling hills is the outcome of a serious sense of deprivation and an identity crisis amongst local communities who have been agitating for separate statehood from time to time but to no avail, say leading academics of the community.

Local communities like the Lepchas, Bhutanese and Nepalis, who have been living in Darjeeling over centuries, have raised their voice for a separate Gorkhaland state in the region, but were let down by the government and political leaders several times.

‘We always feel like an outsider in this region. We are never recognised as sons of the soil. Now, with the Gorkhaland movement snowballing, we demand an ethno-regional identity of our own,’ said Amar Singh Rai, a retired professor of political science in Loreto College, Darjeeling.

His comments come as a renewed demand for a separate state has led to an indefinite shutdown called by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) and life in the Darjeeling hills is paralysed.

According to Rai, the demand dates back to 1907 when the Hillmen’s Association asked for a separate administrative unit in Darjeeling. Later, the undivided Communist Party of India (CPI), under the leadership of Ratanlal Brahmin – popularly known as Mailabajey – also advocated the same.

Ratanlal Brahmen was like a cult figure in the hills as he first started the unions in the tea gardens in three sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong.

‘Over the years, several political and apolitical organisations voiced their demand for a separate Gorkhaland state. But the centre and West Bengal governments did nothing. Finally, the movement gained a momentum under the leadership of Subash Ghisingh and his party Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF),’ said Rai, who was closely associated with the Gorkhaland movement in the 1980s.

“GJM ready for talks in New Delhi” Roshan Giri

BY BARUN ROY [A BEACON ONLINE EXCLUSIVE]

Darjeeling: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha said it was prepared to hold talks with the West Bengal government in Delhi and not in Kolkata. “We are not prepared to go to Kolkata for the discussions however, we are open to talks with the state government in Delhi, in the presence of a representative from the central government,” Roshan Giri, the General Secretary of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha said.

Meanwhile, an indefinite shutdown called by the GJM entered its fifth day today, paralysing life in the Darjeeling Hills. With rains continuing to lash, Darjeeling Hills experienced intermittent power cuts.

The campaign has revived debate within political parties on smaller states. Each political party has worked out its own logic for supporting or resisting demands for smaller states.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) favours splitting up most states for better governance while the Congress prefers not to have a fixed position on the issue.The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is against smaller states. But the Communist Party of India (CPI), favours it though not in the case of every state. For the parties, it is a matter of political expediency, political analyst G V L Narasimha Rao said. The BJP actively campaigned for the new state of Jharkhand because it led to, as was widely known, curbing the influence of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) of Lalu Prasad Yadav who held sway in Bihar.

A nation wide newer states movement is the only way out

It is high time that the Darjeeling MP make his personal stance on the issue of Gorkhaland clear… Whether he is personally in favour of Gorkhaland or whether following his party stance he is also against the formation of Gorkhaland? He can no longer wade through the water knee deep and say I am both in land and water writes Barun Roy

The West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee has decided to launch an awareness campaign on Gorkhaland. “At the first instance, I was overwhelmed when I heard that the Pradesh Congress Committee was going to launch an awareness campaign on Gorkhaland,” a local Congress leader said jubilantly as he sat before me sipping a hot cup of tea. “At last, our party had done the right thing, a statewide if not a nation wide deliberation on Gorkhaland was needed. Let everyone come forward and discuss on everything concerning Gorkhaland. I was excited and elevated. But when PCC President Priya Ranjan Das Munshi told me that instead we were to make the people aware of our party’s negative stance on Gorkhaland, I was left disappointed and disillusioned. Who made the decision? Why had Priya Ranjan Das Mushi to come out in the open saying Congress is not in favour of Gorkhaland. We do not want the formation of Gorkhaland. We do not want the division of Bengal. It all seems crap to me”.

Certainly, the veteran Hill Congress Leader’s sentiments are equivocal to the dissention running deep in the Hills and the Plains. In fact, the very organization of the Congress Party in the Darjeeling District is fraught with ambiguity. The Darjeeling District Congress Committee is divided into Hills and Plains division. While Darjeeling is the headquarters of the District, the decision of the Darjeeling District Congress Committee (Plains) headed by Shankar Malakar is final. Hill Leaders like Chabi Rai and Nakul Chettri are disowned at a whim. A party insider says, “There is always an inherent tension between the Plains and Hills Congress Party men. The Hill leaders most of the time find their words subdued in the remarks of Plains Congressmen whenever a meeting is held in Siliguri. It is rarely that important meetings are held in Darjeeling.”

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to launch its own Police Force

Express News Service

Kolkata, June 19: The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) will have its own police force come June 22.

According to GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, 2000 recruits — both men and women — will undergo training and would be deployed in phases. Armed with khukris and lathis, the ‘Gorkha Personnel’ (GP) would man the three sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong as well as Terai, Dooars and Siliguri areas.

“If the RSS, Democratic Youth Federation of India and other such outfits can have their own youth forces, what is wrong with the Gorkha’s having one? The GJM force will rejuvenate the fagging morale of the hill youths,” said Giri.

Announcing the details, a GJM spokesman said the recruitment for the force would begin from June 22 and a total of 2000 GPs would be selected and deployed in phases.

“The Gorkha Personnel will comprise of 700 women and 1300 men. While the men will be in the age group of 18 to 30, the lady personnel would be in the age group of 17 to 24 years,” he said.

Congress to launch awareness campaign on Gorkhaland – Local Leaders disillusioned

BREAKING STORY

BY BARUN ROY (A BEACON ONLINE EXCLUSIVE)

Darjeeling/Kolkata, June 19: In what can only be termed as high handedness, the Congress District Committee has resolved to launch an awareness campaign on Gorkhaland. A local Congress leader seeking anonymity said, “Why is it that every time the issue of Gorkhaland is raised, all political parties in Bengal merge together to form an anti-Gorkhaland Bloc. Priya Ranjan Das Munsi seems to be working in cohorts with the Communist Party of India Marxists echoing the Chief Minister – Gorkhaland is not possible…Bengal cannot be divided. We know what the people in the Hills and the Dooars want and are committed to it yet our own leaders are against it. It has put us in a tight spot.” [Inset: Congress Flags in a Pro-Gorkhaland  All Party rally at Chowk Bazaar Rally in Darjeeling. Photo by Barun  Roy. From the Beacon Online Archive.]

Speaking to the press, the Union Minister and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President, Priya Ranjan Das Munsi said, “We are against the formation of the separate state of Gorkhaland. I think there is a distinct possibility that more autonomy and financial support can be provided to the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council.” A Prominent PCC leader when asked through phone whether the statement made by the PCC President was in line with the view of the AICC President and the entire Committee as such, the leader refused to comment. Inquired further as to whether the Congress Party was against the Gorkhaland, he said, “I refused to be dragged into a controversy.”

After an all party meeting held at the Writers Buildings and attending by few party leaders, Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya and PCC President Priya Ranjan Das Munsi had held a joint press conference, inviting aggrieved hill parties to come to Kolkata and sort out their grievances. “But we are strictly of the view that Gorkhaland is not possible and Bengal cannot be divided”, both the leaders had said. “Autonomy can be the key to everything,” the Chief Minister had added.

According to the party sources, the PCC President meet all the District Congress Committee Presidents after the above said ‘all party meeting’ and passed on to them his decision of making the people aware of ‘the Party’s stance on Gorkhaland’. “In the meeting held at the PCC office, Das Munshi instructed us to start an awareness campaign on our party’s stance. He also asked us to disseminate the message of peace and amity,” Shankar Malakar, President, Darjeeling District Congress Committee (Plains) said. “We will be launching this campaign soon at the block levels in the plains,” he added. When asked whether similar campaigns will be launched in the hills, he remained ambiguous. Aloke Chakraborty, President Intuc, the Congress Party’s labour union said, “The different wings of the party like the Youth Congress will print and distribute pamphlets and posters in different languages. Leaders from Intuc will visit tea gardens, along with different towns and villages to speak on the issue and distribute the pamphlets.”

The Congress leaders in Darjeeling however, have remained silent. They have refused to openly comment on the ‘Party’s anti-Gorkhaland Stance Awareness Campaign”. A leader seeking anonymity said, “How can we say anything? How can we launch the party’s anti-Gorkhaland Stance Campaign in the Hills? The people will be greatly disappointed. I don’t think any party leader in the hill will say yes to the campaign. This has been done solely to malign the Congress Hill Leaders and weaken our stance.” When asked about the Darjeeling Congress MP’s stance on the whole issue he said, “I think he will refrain himself from making any comments this time.”

“The PCC and the AICC knows that Dawa Narbula (Congress MP from Darjeeling) and the other Congress leaders from the Hills are openly supporting Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and their demand for Gorkhaland. The party however, does not support their stance,” Priya Ranjan Das Munshi said. When asked about the disowning of the Hills Leaders by the PCC, Das Munshi said, “They are self styled leaders in the hills. They do not represent the Congress Party.” The PCC President was referring to Congress Hill leaders Nakul Chhetri and Chabi Rai who had attended the GJM ‘called all party meeting’ at Darjeeling. “They attended the meeting in their personal capacities and not as the representatives of the Congress Party,” Das Munshi said. Dawa Narbula who had thus far come in aid of the hill leaders said that both Nakul Chhetri and Chabi Rai had attended the ‘GJM called All Party Meeting’ as observers and their objective was only to ‘observe the political development’. “It was essential to know what was happening in the hills,” he said. When asked whether the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha would have allowed ‘observers’ in their closed door proceedings, the Congress MP refused to comment. A Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader said, “How was it possible for them to unanimously endorse the Gorkhaland resolution when they were there only in the capacity as observers?”

NH blockade stalls airport inspection

By Bappaditya Paul

SILIGURI, June 19: A team of the Union civil aviation ministry from New Delhi today failed to visit Sikkim to inspect the progress of the upcoming Gangtok airport due to the ongoing blockade of the National Highway 31A by the GJMM Agitating over a separate Gorkhaland state in Darjeeling, the GJMM has brought the Sikkim lifeline to a halt since 16 June evening through its blockade of the highway. The three-member Union civil aviation ministry team, headed by the departmental secretary Mr Ashok Chawla, landed at the Bagdogra airport near Siliguri at 12:15 pm today. The other two members in the team included, the Airports Authority of India member operations Mr Praveen Seth and the executive director (engineering-central headquarters) Mr Raheja.

They were scheduled to visit Sikkim by road and take stock of the progress of the Sikkim’s first airport project coming up at Pakyong, 31 kms off Gangtok. The team was also supposed to hold a meeting with the Sikkim chief secretary in Gangtok, before leaving the mountain state tomorrow.

Bimal Gurung receives Buddhadev Letter – No Correspondence from the Centre

BY BARUN ROY [Beacon Online Exclusive]

DARJEELING, June 19: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha yesterday received a letter addressed to its President from the Chief Minister of West Bengal. The letter invited him for a political dialogue in Kolkata. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha Central Committee did not reveal the content of the letter as the President of the Party is not in Darjeeling at present. “We will not disclose the contents of the letter or comment on the proposal sent by the Chief Minister until the return of the President back to Darjeeling,” Party General secretary Roshan Giri said.

Gorkha Janmukti Central Committee leaders including Darjeeling Municipality Vice Chairman and Party General Secretary Roshan Giri at a Torch Rally in Chowrasta. Photo by Barun Roy

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has thus far rejected the Chief Minister’s proposal of Autonomy. The Communist Party of India Marxist Leadership has made it clear that they are strictly against the formation of Gorkhaland and will not entertain the demand. However, they were ready to offer autonomy and more power to the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. Meanwhile, back in Darjeeling, Roshan Giri said, “We will continue the indefinite strike until our demand is meet. We are willing to sit with Buddhadev Bhattacharya but only in New Delhi at a tripartie meeting.” Asked whether any communication was received from the Centre, he said, “so far no in correspondence had been received from the Centre.”

Jana Jagaran alleges ‘politically motivated’ smear

SILIGURI, June 19: The leaders of the Jana Jagaran, a newly formed apolitical organisation principally comprising of the academicians of Siliguri alleged that a politically motivated smear campaign was being carried out against them.  Following its formation, the Jana Jagaran shot into limelight over its opposition to the Gorkhaland demand. Recently it became a centre of controversy over its programme of obstructing vehicles carrying provisions to the Darjeeling hills from Siliguri. Many allege that the CPI-M is controlling the organisation from behind the screen. The leadership of the organisation, however, rejected the allegation, saying that it was committed to remaining aloof from all forms of politics. Mr Haren Ghosh, the president of the organisation, said that a vilification campaign was being carried out systematically against his organisation at the behest of some interested quarters. “But this smear campaign cannot deflect the movement just started to ventilate mass exasperation against the divisive politics of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha. We would continue to oppose the GJMM’s dangerous brand of politics with all our resources,” he stated. Rejecting the charge of political connection, Mr Ghosh said that nothing could be further from the truth. “Ours is an apolitical organisation, though leaders of several political parties are intimately associated with it,” Mr Ghosh said.  Mr Asoke Hore, the secretary of the organisation, said that his organisation was raising some crucial issues like the possibility of the Bengalis in the region becoming a minority given the current rate of infiltration from from Nepal.“This is the reason why we are being subjected to a vilification campaign,” Mr Hore said. [Agencies]

Students face ordeal as course venue shifts

By AMIT UKIL

A file picture of a student participating in an adventure course organised by Nettech at Majitar last year

Siliguri, June 19: Over 250 students are going through an ordeal after the venue for a 25-day summer course had to be changed from Majitar, Sikkim, to Allahabad because of the shutdown in the hills.

Nettech, a Bhubaneswar-based company providing specialised short courses in computer networking and ethical hacking, was to have held an all-India training programme on network management at the Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology at Majitar from tomorrow.

“Parents from various places called us to ask how we could guarantee the security of their wards,” said Swapan Purkait, Nettech’s course coordinator. “We then decided to shift the venue to United College of Engineering & Research in Allahabad.”

Some students, who were to reach Sikkim from as far as Kochi, Udipi and Mumbai had already boarded trains and were told about the change. They were advised to de-board their trains at a bigger station and get tickets for Allahabad,” Purkait said.

The students were in their second, third or fourth years in computer science or electronics and communications from institutions like the IITs in Kharagpur, Kanpur and Mumbai.

Incomes screech to halt in plains

By AVIJIT SINHA

Members of Nari Morcha on hunger strike at Changa Basti, 40km from Siliguri, on Thursday. (Kundan Yolmo)

Siliguri, June 19: The owners of at least 500 vehicles in the plains are losing out on Rs 500 to Rs 800 a day because of the indefinite bandh called by the Gorkha Janmutki Morcha in the Darjeeling hills.

Around 1,000 drivers and cleaners are apprehensive of losing their jobs.

Shyamal Das owns two Tata Spacios that runs on Siliguri-Darjeeling route. Since the bandh began, he has been running from pillar to post to borrow money. “I have to pay Rs 16,000 in EMIs for the car loans by the beginning of next month,” Das said. “Added to this, are the salaries of two drivers and two cleaners.”

At least 500 small vehicles ply between Siliguri and Darjeeling everyday, Kamal Khawas, the secretary of the Siliguri Taxi Owners’ Association, said. “The strike has sealed our income. Only a handful ferry school students within Siliguri.”

The average daily earning of an owner ranges from Rs 500-Rs 800, he added. Most vehicle-owners said they had nothing against the Gorkhaland movement. “But this sudden bar on traffic has put us in a spot,” said Kamal Bhujel who owns two Spacios. “Even if the number of tourists had come down we would have managed by carrying local passengers,” said Subhas Chhetri, another vehicle owner. The Morcha had asked all tourists to leave the hills before launching it shutdown.

Steam-lovers back DHR press

BY ANURADHA SHARMA

The building that houses the railway printing press in Kurseong. Picture by Vivek Singh

Siliguri, June 19: The railways’ decision to close down its printing press in Kurseong, along with all its other presses across the country, has provoked a strong reaction from steam-enthusiasts who believe that the “historic machinery” is a part of the heritage of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.

The press prints all kinds of stationary for the entire Northeast Frontier Railway, including manually generated tickets for toy trains that are in great demand among DHR-lovers.

Now, the Railway Board has decided to outsource all its printing work and close down the presses by March 31, 2010.

The London-based DHR Society is trying to move international public opinion against the decision, which has been greeted by protests from workers’ unions in India which are apprehensive about the loss of livelihoods.

In the May issue of The Darjeeling Mail, a quarterly published by the Society, Peter Tiller has defended the existence of the printing presses.

Self-help to fight landslides

From The Telegraph

A newly constructed drain at Alainchikhop. Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha

Kalimpong, June 19: Residents of Alainchikhop and Chota Bhalukhop here have pulled in money to put in place a functioning drainage system in their localities to avert landslides, which many believe are certain to strike the hills this monsoon.

The initiative was taken after repeated appeals to the government on the impending disaster elicited no response.

Phurba Tshering Bhutia of Alainchikhop said: “We managed to collect about Rs 1.10 lakh from 67 houses to construct a network of drains to flush out rain water. Having averted a near disaster last monsoon, we did not want to take any chances this time round.”

Their neighbours in Chota Bhalukhop and surrounding areas took advantage of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s indefinite bandh in the hills to clean the drains in the area. Today, volunteers cleared the drain that runs from below the Kalimpong subdivisional hospital to the Mane Jhora. Yesterday, they had tackled the drain from McFarlane Church to Daragoan.

Hill relief centres opened

From The Telegraph

Kurseong, June 19: The subdivisional administration has opened relief centres at three places to evacuate landslides-affected families in Kurseong. Thirteen houses had been damaged yesterday in the calamity triggered by heavy rain.

Five affected families have been shifted to the relief centres, while the others have taken shelter at their relatives’ houses.

The centres have been opened at St Joseph’s Girls’ Primary School at Ward 2 and Raj Rajeshwari School and Municipal Boys’ School both in Ward 6. “Relief centres can also be opened at every government building and school in all the blocks, if necessary,” said Asha Mukhia Lama, the relief officer at the subdivisional office.

A quick response team and civil defence volunteers have been kept ready at the subdivisional office for any eventuality. “We have opened a relief cell in our office despite the bandh in view of the incessant rain that has been lashing the hills for the past few days,” Lama said.

Relief material like blanket, tarpaulin and clothes has been given to the municipality and foodgrain and other essential commodities have been stocked up for relief operation, she added.

Shutdown Day III: time to bear the cost – Bandh cloud on Saturday tea salary

From The Telegraph

Tea workers on their way to a garden at Giddhapahar on Thursday. (AFP)

Darjeeling, June 19: The 70-odd tea gardens in the Darjeeling hills may be open during the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s indefinite shutdown, but workers are likely to go without their salary and ration this Saturday with banks remaining closed and Siliguri inaccessible.

Keeping in mind the 2.5 lakh people dependent on plantations (tea and cinchona), the Morcha had kept them outside the bandh’s purview from June 12.

There are 55,000 permanent workers in the tea estates while an additional 70,000 are recruited temporarily during the plucking seasons in February-April, June-July and October-November.

“The gardens follow two patterns of payment. While some pay on a weekly basis others give the salary every fortnight. This Saturday, the day for wage disbursement, the workers might not get their pay because banks in the hills are closed and we cannot go down to Siliguri,” said a member of the Darjeeling tea industry.

If the payments are deferred for long, it could create problems for workers who get daily wages of Rs 53.90 and have a hand to mouth existence.

Darjeeling strike fills Assam – Demand for Northeast beverage rises as bandh stalls supply from hills

From The Telegraph

BY SANJAY MANDAL

The tea consignment on way to the cargo plane on Thursday

Calcutta, June 19: Darjeeling’s loss is Assam’s gain — and Calcutta’s pride.

Calcutta airport clocked its largest single consignment of tea when 48 tonnes were loaded into a Singapore Airlines cargo carrier today.

But the tea was from Assam, not Darjeeling, because the indefinite bandh for Gorkhaland has choked supplies from the hills and stepped up demand for the beverage from the northeastern state. Chests carrying more than a million kg of tea are said to have piled up in the warehouses of Darjeeling gardens following the strike.

“Today’s consignment is going to London through Amsterdam. The export order was received by us at a short notice of five days,” said Amin Khan, manager, eastern India, Singapore Airlines cargo division.

Usually, orders are given a month in advance and big consignments weigh around four tonnes, Khan said. Yesterday, a 6-tonne consignment was sent to Melbourne by the airline.

Cargo officials at the airport, too, said more Assam tea had been passing through the airport in recent days. Excluding today’s consignment, around 30 tonnes of Assam tea have been carried by different airlines out of the city over the past 10 days, they said.

Thanks, but no thanks

FROM TODAY’S WORLD VIEWS ONLINE

I could not make a difference between a Media and a Political Party Mouth Piece writes Blogger and Columnist Barun Roy

It all began with the hope of deliberating on the issue of Gorkhaland with a panel and a live Television Feed. 24 Ghanta, a Bengali Television Channel had done a yeoman’s work by putting on the panel, at Darjeeling, a group of learned local elders and intelligentsia. Of course, 24 Ghanta did also have their own panelist back in studio at Kolkata on whom they ultimately relied upon.

The live show started at 8 pm with standard questions on how and why the question of Gorkhaland rose. And the panelists back in Darjeeling answered wisely and promptly. Their remarks however were further deliberated upon by the panelist at Kolkata who declared solemnly and resolutely that the blame of disillusionment among the ‘hill people’ laid on the fact that Subash Ghisingh ruled upon the Hill people as an absolute ruler. “Their outrage is not against Bengal but against Ghisingh.” The awkwardness of the show ultimately found vent in Uday Mani Pradhan, a former Governor of the Rotary District’s remark, when the grandson of Dr. Parasmani Pradhan rose up in arms crying, “What an absurd question?” The 24 Ghanta correspondent who had filled in the shoes of an impromptu host had asked, “Mr. Uday Mani, is Gorkhaland viable?” Uday Mani controlling himself did go on to on to explain the viability of Gorkhaland but all of his remarks were of no consequence since the show ended with a 24 Ghanta declaration…. “We would like to end this show hoping that everything is resolved and peace returns back to Darjeeling Hills, without ever having to divide Bengal”. An anticlimax for sure… I was so shocked that I immediately dropped writing the names of the panelists and the hosts of the show…what a farce….if the verdict was already set even before the show was started… what was use of the show itself…unless, a distinct attempt had been made to malign the panelists back in Darjeeling – To debunk the aspirations of Gorkhaland and to make it known to all that ‘Autonomy’ was all that the ‘Hill People’ ever wanted. How did 24 Ghanta reached to the conclusion that Bengal should not ‘ever’ be divided? How did 24 Ghanta reached to the conclusion that peace ‘return back’ to Darjeeling Hills? Is there a Civil War going on in the Hills – An armed mutiny where the people have been forced to face mortal threat. Has the nation been held to ransom as the national media have been ranting all along? Absurd, is the only word that comes to my mind…. The presumptions that our fellow Television and National Daily Scribes seem to make even though being stationed in Darjeeling leaves much to be asked for. I wake up early in the morning, go for a walk, return home and pursue all my endeavours without ever having to for once being worried for the safety of my well being. I wonder what kind of violence are these scribes and these Television News Reporters talking about. The violence, they are talking about never did occur in the Hills or the Dooars Terai. In fact, whatever, violence that occurred, occurred at fringes of Siliguri like Hamiltonganj, Kalchini, Methibari etc where Amra Bangali and Jana Jagaran Cadres Gorkha dominated areas. If the Government or the media has to wish for the return of peace, it would have to be these areas.