Rajeev Thapa singing Himachali Folk Song at NDTV IMAGINE Junoon

Why not Gorkhaland?

FROM THE DAILY PIONEER

By CS Thapa (The writer is a retired Indian Army brigadier)

The demand for a separate Gorkhaland has brought a prompt nay from the Centre, while the State Government is indulging in politicking. West Bengal Transport Minister Subhas Chakrabarty’s terming the Gorkhas “foreigners” is evidence of this, and overlooks the fact that Indian citizens of Nepalese origin came to this country more than 200 years ago.

The formation of States in India is a case of dithering politics where sectarian, linguistic and communal aspects have been more pronounced. To resolve the issue, a commission was set up in the 1950s called the States Reorganisation Commission (SRC). It recommended the formation of 16 States and three Centrally Administrated Territories (CATs); the Government in turn settled for 14 States and six CATs.

In 1960, Maharashtra and Gujarat were granted Statehood. The same happened with Haryana in 1966; then it was Himachal. Old Assam broke up into Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1962 and became a full-fledged State in 1987.

After protracted agitation, the three new States of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand were created. Besides, there is now a demand for Vidarbha and Telangana. Then why not Gorkhaland? The Gorkhas are only asking for what the rest of the country is — space for themselves.

Unfortunately, political expediency has begun to play an important role in meeting or rejecting such demands. Witness the Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan where the Centre resorted to inaction possibly because a rival party was in the dock, and the campaign against north Indians in Mumbai where the State Government and Centre stepped in late allegedly because the unrest benefitted them politically.

It is now politically expedient for the Centre to tell the Gorkhas to keep quiet. For, though relations between the UPA and the Left have soured, the Congress might still need the Left’s support after the forthcoming general elections.

Sikkim Press Fraternity comes out to the streets to condemn attack!

All Photos by Himalaya Darpan

Wounded Journalists – Shekhar Khawas, Vijay Gurung, Anup (DB) Rai

Junoon Episode 8 Highlights – NDTV Imagine

Gorkha body extends shutdown relaxation till Aug 7

FROM INDIA GAZETTE

The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), fighting for a separate Gorkhaland state in northern West Bengal, Saturday extended the relaxation period for its indefinite shutdown in the Darjeeling hills till August 7, but threatened to close down all government offices from Monday.

GJM president Bimal Gurung wrote a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee urging him to prevail upon the central government to call an immediate tripartite meeting on the issue.

Briefing reporters after the party’s central committee meeting in Darjeeling, GJM press and publicity secretary Benoy Tamang said: ‘The relaxation period for the shutdown has been extended till August 7.’

The GJM had last month decided to keep its indefinite shutdown in abeyance till Saturday.

However, in an apparent effort to keep its workers’ morale high, the GJM leadership announced a series of protests.

The party declared it would not allow felling of trees in the forests in the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseyong. ‘We also won’t allow anybody to take timber out of the hills.’

Tamang said that his party activists would not allow offices of the central and the state governments as well as of the hill governing body Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) to open from Monday. ‘They will be shut down for an indefinite period,’ he said.

Banks, post offices and food and supply offices would remain open only Monday and Friday from July 7, he said.

Fulfill Constitutional obligation to Limboo, Tamang STs: CM to PM

FROM SIKKIM REPORTER

Gangtok: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has lauded the initiatives of Sikkim Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling and his Government in successfully tackling sensitive issues and steering the State to an accelerated socio-economic development path. The two leaders had a detailed discussion when the Chief Minister called on the Prime Minister in Delhi on July 4. The Prime Minister also assured expeditious consideration of all critical issues of Sikkim and all possible help and assistance to overcome problems faced by the State, it is officially learnt.

The Chief Minister thanked PM for his kind gesture in issuing prompt directions for deputing a very high level central team comprising of the Union Home Secretary and Defence Secretary to the State on 24th June 2008 to assess the impact of the bandh disrupting movement of traffic on national highway 31 A, the lifeline of Sikkim. Dr. Chamling also discussed with Dr. Singh important issues and critical problems of the State that are to be expeditiously addressed. Briefing the Prime Minister on frequent and prolonged disruption/ closure of vehicular traffic on National Highway 31A caused by “bandh / strike” calls given by various outfits in the neighbouring district of West Bengal, CM said Sikkim is suffering a huge economic loss to the tune of Rs. 7.00 crores a day besides incalculable hardships to the people, tourists, students and patients. He informed the Prime Minister that though this saga of bandhs on NH 31A started in 1986, their frequency, extent and scope have assumed alarming proportions and the State of Sikkim is taken to ransom for no reason or fault of ours.

Dr. Chamling took up the issue of providing reservation of seats for the Limboo and Tamang communities in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly. He apprised the Prime Minister that except for Sikkim, where there is no specific provision for reservation of STs in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, in all other States all the 145 communities which got recognized as STs got their due benefits as STs, including the reservation of seats in their respective State Legislative Assemblies.

Thukchuk gets regular bail

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 04: Former minister and government contractor, Thukchuk Lachungpa, who was arrested in connection with the bridge collapse in Chenzey in East Sikkim last month was granted regular bail by the Session Court on July 2, 2008.

The bail petition was moved by Mr Lachungpa’s advocate KT Bhutia in the lower Court on the same day. Mr. Lachungpa, who was granted interim bail on medical grounds till July 2 need not surrender before the investigation officer as the regular bail petition was moved following strict suggestions from the doctors.
According to a source, Mr. Lachungpa, who underwent medical treatment at Met Life, New Delhi is presently on bed rest in Siliguri. Doctors have advised him to take six weeks bed rest, sources inform.

The government contractor was charged under three sections of the IPC in the bridge collapse case, which occurred on June 2, last month.

CM takes up critical issues concerning Sikkim with members of the Union Council of Ministers

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 04: The Chief Minister Pawan Chamling called on some of the members of the Union Council of Ministers in New Delhi today to discuss important and critical issues pertaining to the State including the ones warranting expeditious redressal. Mr. Chamling briefed the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, on the hardships caused by the recent calls of “Bandhs” and “counter-Bandhs” given by different outfits in the neighbouring district of West Bengal which resulted in complete disruption of vehicular traffic on the National Highway 31A, the life line of Sikkim.

Considering the gravity of the situation, the Union Home Minister assured the Chief Minister for all assistance and support to the State in tackling this kind of situation whenever necessary. He, however, advised the State Government to enhance the storage capacity of essential commodities including petroleum products to take care of any unavoidable exigency.

The Chief Minister reiterated the expeditious consideration of the long pending demand of the State to provide for seat reservation for the Limboo and Tamang communities as Scheduled Tribes in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly duly retaining the existing reservation of 12 seats for the Bhutias and Lepchas and one seat for the Sangha. On the connectivity aspect, the Chief Minister drew the attention of the Union Home Minister for allocating an additional Helicopter service with enhanced seating capacity till the new Airport at Pakyong is commissioned.

The Union Home Minister praised the State Government’s initiatives for preservation of the diverse genetic wealth of Sikkim and suggested growth of Genetic Industry in the State. He opined that if this is harnessed judiciously, Sikkim has the potential of becoming one of the most prosperous States not only in the country but in the world.

Border trade at Nathu La suffers due to trader apathy

GANGTOK, July 4: The annual border trade at Nathu La on the Sino-Indian frontier has failed to evoke interest among Indian traders this year as reflected in the low volume of business at about Rs. 7 lakh in the first five weeks since the opening of the bilateral trade on May 19. [Inset: Nathula Trade Site. Photo by China Daily]

Not only has the volume of bilateral trade been poor at Nathu La, but an apparent lack of interest among Indian traders to participate in the annual trade has been a cause of concern, official sources said here. While the value of traded goods on both sides has been much below expectation at about Rs seven lakh, Indian traders have also shown reluctance to visit the Renquingang Mart in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) to sell their products citing non-profitability of the business, the sources said.

The number of Indian traders visiting the Renquingang Mart in TAR on a daily basis has been seven at the most, while on some other days a mere one to two, they said.

In an alarming indication that the annual border trade has become unviable for Indian traders due to the non-revision of the trade list by the Centre, a good number of traders who had participated in the annual trade in the past have not bothered to obtain the mandatory pass from the district authorities this year, the sources said.

The Indo-Chinese Traders Association of Sikkim (ICTAS) vice-president, D D Mundhra, admitted that he has not obtained the trade pass this year as the border trade did not make sense in terms of profitability so long as the Centre failed to revise and upgrade the list of items for export from India.

NH 31A bears the brunt of monsoon fury – Vital road link remains cuts off due to landslides at several places

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

RANGPO, July 04: Several places along the National Highway 31A have been blocked by landslides following persistent rains for the past few days. Landslides at 9 Mile, 32 Mile, Bardang, 20 Mile, Rangpo, Fatak Lane have severely affected normal flow of traffic along the NH31A. In the West Bengal side, massive landslides have also occurred in stretches of Kirney, Chitey, 27th Mile, 29th Mile and Kali Jhora. During the monsoons, passengers take at least seven hours to reach Siliguri from Gangtok as compared to four hours taken during other months.

The Border Road Organisation (BRO) has already deployed personnel to clear the debris. BRO officials said that they make take some time to clear the blockage as the falling boulders have hindered the pace of the work.

Chamling calls on PM – PM assures consideration of all critical issues of Sikkim

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 04: The Chief Minister Pawan Chamling called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today to thank him for his kind gesture in issuing prompt directions for deputing a high level central team comprising of the Union Home Secretary and Defence Secretary to the State on June 24, 2008 to assess the impact of the bandh disrupting movement of traffic on the National Highway 31 A.

Mr. Chamling also discussed important and critical issues warranting expeditious redressal with the Prime Minister. Briefing the Prime Minister on frequent and prolonged disruption/closure of vehicular traffic on NH 31A caused by the frequent “bandh / strike calls” by various outfits in the neighbouring district of West Bengal, Sikkim is suffering a huge economic loss to the tune of Rs. 7 crores a day besides incalculable hardships to the people, tourists, students and patients. He informed the Prime Minister that though this saga of bandhs on NH 31A started in 1986, their frequency, extent and scope has now become alarming to the levels and it appears during those phases that the entire State has been taken to ransom for no reason or fault.

The Chief Minister also took up the issue of providing reservation of seats for the Limboo and Tamang communities in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly. He apprised the Prime Minister that except for Sikkim as there is no specific provision for reservation of STs for the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, in all other States all those 145 communities which got recognized as STs got their dues and benefits as STs including the reservation of seats in their respective State Legislative Assemblies and all necessary measure need to be urgently taken for fulfilling this Constitutional obligations to the Limboos and Tamangs. He further mentioned that as far as the State Government is concerned, the Limboo and Tamang communities have since been provided reservation in the Panchayat Bodies as well as in the State Government jobs.

The PM was also informed about the State Government firm and considered stand that in view of Sikkim’s unique socio-political history, the existing specific reservation of 12 seats for Bhutia and Lepcha communities and 1 seat for Sangha in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, should not be disturbed or tinkered with while getting the seats reserved for Limboo and Tamang communities.

Rajiv Thapa at Junoon Kuchh Kar Dikhaane Ka NDTV IMAGINE

4th Episode

Public opinion and hydro power project in Lachung

By Kunzang Namgyal,
Gangtok

MAPS

(PLATE 1) SIKKIM (GOOGLE EARTH)

(PLATE 2) LACHUNG (GOOGLE EARTH)

So much has been said about the initiation of the Power Projects in various parts of Sikkim. Lachung is one place where this particular topic has shaken up the peace creating unrest and confusion in the minds of the people. After so much of debating about the pros and cons of the upcoming projects, people are still skeptical. The larger section of the people at the base level is still in doubt.

The problem lies not in the initiation of Power Projects itself but in the lack of proper medium through which it is explained to the people. The public are not fully convinced because every time an “awareness” meeting is held on this issue, a handful of people used the public as a means to achieve their ends. Few people at the top always mislead the people. When such kinds of people push the Government too far and become uncontrollable, the Government pacified them by giving in to their demands

Moreover, the handful of people who previously put up an act of leading the public would disappear altogether from the scene after fulfilling their selfish interest. Likewise, another set of people come and take over assuming the role of leaders and the same thing continues.

This act on the part of the government has aggravated the issue and it has become even more sensitive. Public at the base level have lost faith in the government and the supposed goodwill of the Power Project. This issue of the power project has gone much beyond expected and if not checked at the right time in the right manner there will come a time when we will be left with nothing but to feel sorry for ourselves.

If convinced in the right manner, the public of Lachung would warmly welcome the Power Project. This is possible when the government takes a small step from its side .A tripartite meeting between the public of Lachung, representatives from the Project developers and the State government would solve the whole problem. It should be a full-fledged meeting with the participation of the public as a whole and not few people with vested interests. The right time to take this small step to eliminate this grave issue is right now. If not now, then the situation would grow even more uglier and will become impossible to handle.

Unknown assailants attack “Hamro Prajashakti” Office seven journalists grievously injured

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 04: A group of masked men in black leather jackets and armed with hammers and iron rods entered the office of “Hamro Prajashakti” around 8:30 pm today evening and attacked the journalists present in its office in Gairi Gaon, Tadong. Seven journalists associated with the Nepali daily, Hamro Prajashakti and Himalayan Mirror, an English daily were seriously injured in the attack. The injured include Editor and Publisher of Hamro Prajashakti and Himalayan Mirror, Anjan Upadhaya and reporters and office staff. [Inset: An injured scribe being treated. Photo by Sikkim Express]

Shekhar Khawas, Bijay Gurung, Pavitra Bhandari, Anup Rai, Thakur Subedi and Raj Kumar, were present in the office during the time of the attack. All the injured persons were rushed to the Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial (STNM) Hospital and were undergoing medical treatment at the time of going to press. [Inset 2: The office of the Hamro Prajashakti after being ransacked. Photo by Sikkim Express]

Office equipment including computers were also damaged by the unknown assailants. The cause of this attack is yet to be ascertained. An FIR has been lodged by Mr Upadhaya at the Sadar Thana here this evening. The Press Club of Sikkim has strongly condemned this lethal attack on local media. Bhim Rawat, general secretary of the Press Club said that the incident was a big blow to democracy in the State. “Today is indeed a sad day for journalism in Sikkim. This cowardly act has totally crushed the freedom of Press in the State,” he said.

All working journalists of the State have demanded the immediate arrest of the assailants. The journalists have called for a pen down strike until and unless the culprits are arrested, Mr Rawat said.

Call to let off beetle scientist

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

New Delhi, July 5: Over 600 scientists around the world have signed a petition seeking the release of Czech entomologist Petr Svacha, arrested in Bengal two weeks ago for illegally collecting beetles, moths and butterflies, Indian entomologists said today.

A text of the petition, signed online by the researchers who specialise in invertebrates, has been sent to the Prime Minister, the Bengal chief minister and Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, said the scientists who organised the petition in India.

Forest officials arrested Svacha, 51, and another Czech national, Emil Kucera, 52, on June 22 when they caught them with some 200 beetles and other insects, collected from the Singalila National Park, about 90km from Darjeeling. Indian laws ban the collection of large numbers of insects from protected areas.

Svacha and Kucera are expected to be produced in court on Monday when a second bail plea will be moved. They are in judicial remand at the Darjeeling Correctional Home.

Svacha, a senior scientist at the institute of entomology at the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, has impeccable credentials as a world-renowned authority on beetle larvae, the petition said.

“We are convinced Dr Svacha was motivated purely by his work and was collecting beetles for no other reason than for research,” the petition said. “He probably did not realise that he had entered a protected area.”

Morcha puts off indefinite hill bandh

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

BY VIVEK CHHETRI

Darjeeling, July 5: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today put off its indefinite hill bandh, which was scheduled to resume tomorrow, till after August 7.

But state and central government offices and those of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council will be forced shut from Monday.

On June 22, the Morcha had relaxed its indefinite strike till July 5 after a six-day bandh, citing “instability” in Delhi over the nuclear deal.

Today, it cited its own programmes for the move. “An all-faith prayer meeting is scheduled to be held at Chowrastha every day from July 7 to August 7. As the meeting is for peace and Gorkhaland, we have decided not to disturb it. Our agitation will remain suspended till August 7,” said Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri.

Observers said the Morcha leadership realised the Centre had neither the time nor the inclination to discuss Gorkhaland when the general election was due in less than a year.

Nonetheless, the party faxed a message to chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee this morning requesting him again to arrange a tripartite meeting, along with the Centre.

Bhattacharjee had earlier ruled out talks on Gorkhaland while expressing the desire to give more financial and administrative powers to the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council.