“We have made it possible for Bimal Gurung to differentiate from the right and the wrong”, DRFY

Democratic Revolutionary Youth Federation Leader Tulsi Rai speaking to the people at Gorubathan.

Photo by Himalaya Darpan

Religious ceremonies for Gorkhaland at Darjeeling

[CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO MAGNIFY]

Religious ceremonies being carried out in different parties of Darjeeling Hills for the attainment of Gorkhaland

All Photos by Sanjit Nandi (Himalaya Darpan)

MLAs STAGE ACT ONE BEFORE PRESS

Former GNLF Member of Legislative Assembly now two member GNLF Rebels stage walk out before Bengal State Assembly. Seen in the picture are Pranai Rai and Gaulan Lepcha.

Limbu Shamans invoke Nature God for the sake for Gorkhaland

Limbu shamans sway mystically to invoke God at Chowrasta Darjeeling

Photo by Himalaya Darpan

Gorkha Welfare Society – Helping Hands

AN UPDATE FROM GORKHA WELFARE SOCIETY

I have been noticing that lots of people especially Girls are trying to fly abroad for Jobs. Recently, I received a call from two girls (presently in Delhi) who have been cheated by their agents. I came to know that one girl is from Namchi, Sikkim and the other one is from Siliguri.

They informed me that their agents from Darjeeling named Manjila Tamang (phone number could not be obtained as she has changed her number) had taken some money showing a hope that they will take them to Dubai. After a month they came to know that this lady had given this responsibility to Subash Tamang, Bagdogra – (Phone Number: 98324 39086)

Subash Tamang, brought them to Delhi six months back and put them in a small room with other three girls (total five)in Punjabi Busty near Maju na Tilla. For the first week they were given some training as Subash was with them.

After a week Subash vanished like anything. He could not be traced in Delhi. These poor girls tried to call Subash but in vain.

Afterwards, they tried calling Manjila Tamang in Darjeeling. However, she avoided these girls saying that now the responsibility lies with Subash Tamang.

Anyhow these girls were surviving in Delhi.

After, two months of hard time in Delhi they met other agents named Bharat Mangar from Nepal and Rana from Delhi.

These guys promised these girls to take Dubai. However, these guys also cheated these poor girls. They took Rs. 40,000/- and passports from these girls promising them that they will send them to Dubai in 10 days. Now, it’s been 6 months that nothing has happened.

These poor girls went to Sikkim House and someone from Sikkim House referred these girls Gorkha Welfare Society, Delhi.

I met these girls with one of our lawyer.  Due to the intervention of this lawyer the agents has promised either to send these girls to Dubai or to return passport and money within 10 days.

Few years back when I was working in Bombay few years back. I had met 7 girls from Darjeeling in Bombay. They were there to go Dubai. However, the same story. Agents had cheated them. Their condition was even worst. Their parents had thought that their daughters were in Dubai but…. These, girls were forced to work in bars and/or restaurants after all they had no option.

Without their consent I informed their parents and I can say that they were rescued.

I personally would discourage people from Hills (esp. girls) going abroad if they don’t have proper knowledge where they are heading towards. I feel that they should be well informed about visas.

Balmiki Prasad Singh the new Governor of Sikkim

New Governor Mr.Balmiki Prasad Singh taking salute at a Guard of Honour in Rangpo on July 8. Picture by Sanjay Agarwal [Sikkim Reporter]

Masked Attackers

DIG RANGE AKSHAY SACHDEVA WITH SEIZED WEAPONS OF CRIMINALS WHO ATTACKED JOURNALISTS IN GANGTOK

The arrested individuals are Suraj Gurung (29 yrs) of Daragaon, Tadong, Ashish Subba (24 yrs) of Sombaria, Milan Rai (27 yrs) of Melli, Roshan Gurung (23 yrs) of Sonada, Darjeeling and Rupesh Gurung (22 yrs) of Daragaon, Tadong, all arrested fromSikkim, and Tinku Prasad arrested in Siliguri.

Photo by Sikkim Reporter

Traffic chaos hamper work on NH 31 A

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

PAKYONG, July 08: Chief Engineer Project Swastik, Brig RK Patyal visited the landslide spot near Mile 29 on the National Highway 31 A and urged passengers to exercise restrain and show patience during traffic  jams.  BRO personnel were seen toiling hard to clear the slide and continuous slush which is formed at the slide point.  The Chief Engineer said that the commuters must understand the fact that dozers are required to be employed after certain intervals to keep the road open.  According to BRO sources, there are sufficient machineries and manpower placed in the site to tackle any eventuality, for which BRO has sought cooperation from the public. Keeping in view the heavy flow of traffic on NH 31 A, there is a need for more police personnel to be deployed near Gyelkhola Market. This will help smooth regulation of traffic and will avoid double lining of vehicles thereby avoiding traffic jams for hours together, BRO sources said. The further said that there is an urgent need of restricting the load of freight carriers which are carrying more load than their capacity.
This matter has already been taken up with DM, Darjeeling.

GJMM now looking for divine intervention

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

DARJEELING, July 08: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJMM) has turned towards religion and spirituality in its efforts to realize their desire for a separate state of Gorkhaland. As a step towards removing obstacles on the path to get their demand for a separate State being fulfilled, a month-long puja is being organised at the Chowrasta here from yesterday. Addressing the people, the Morcha chief Bimal Gurung said the puja sought blessings from Mahakal Baba in fulfilling their goals. “Have faith on Mahakal Baba and he will deliver,” he told the gathering. The day also saw 46 executive members of the Morcha replace their vehicle plates with GL numbers as a part of the disobedient movement against the West Bengal Government.

The Morcha chief also said that number 7 was lucky for the Gorkhas and that the date is auspicious for them to start new events.

On the first day of the puja, Khas Bharatiya Hitkar Sammelan performed Hindu rituals. The GJMM also offered water at the puja shrine, which is claimed to have brought from 101 rivers, including River Sankosh and Sirikhola falling under the proposed Gorkhaland.

CPI-M condemns attack on scribes

GANGTOK, July 08: The Communist Party of India (M) has condemned the attack on six journalists in Sikkim. In a press conference held at a local hotel, CPI (M) MP from West Bengal, Suman Pathak said that the State Government should take serious actions and arrest the master mind of the attack on the fourth estate.
Raising doubts that Sikkim is a peaceful State, Mr Pathak questioned as to how masked men entered the office of a newspaper and assaulted journalists adding “even terrorists fear to attack journalists.”

The CPM leader also threatened to take the matter to the Parliament should the State Government fail to maintain law and order in Sikkim.

Newly appointed Governor welcomed at Rangpo

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

RANGPO, July 08: The newly appointed Governor of Sikkim, Balmiki Prasad Singh arrived in Sikkim this evening. He was heartily welcomed by the Minister for the State Rural Management and Development Department, KN Rai, Chief Secretary ND Chingapa, Home Secretary Jasbir Singh, DG CM Ravindram, Chief Secretary ND Chingapa, Home Secretary Jasbir Singh and District Collector, East, Vishal Chauhan by offering khadas.

Mr Singh was also given a guard of honour by the Sikkim Armed Police. The former Union Home Secretary was accompanied by his wife, and other family members.  He will be sworn in as the 14th Governor of Sikkim at Raj Bhawan in Gangtok tomorrow. Mr Singh replaced Sudarshan Agarwal, who left Sikkim this morning.

Press Club of Sikkim withdraws decision to boycott Govt functions; wants Govt to ensure security of journalists

GANGTOK, July 08: The Press Club of Sikkim has withdrawn the decision to boycott all State government functions in a meeting held here today. This decision came after the assurance from the DIG Range in a press conference held today at Sadar Police station that the suspects named by Anjan Upadhaya, publisher-Editor, Hamro Prajashakti had been nabbed by the Police.

Mr Upadhaya was one among the seven journalists who were physically attacked by a group of six masked goons on the night on July 4 at the office of Hamro Prajashakti. Held under the chairmanship of the working vice president, Amit Patro, the meeting unanimously decided to cover the swearing in ceremony of the new Governor which the Club members had decided to boycott.

The meeting also decided to request the State Government to ensure security of the working journalists as well as of the media houses in Sikkim in future. Attended by all the executive members of the Club, publishers, Editors and working journalists of various newspapers, the meeting passed a resolution that the State Government should bear all the medical expenses of the injured journalists.

Does Star Universal Resource Company Inc really exist?

I read with great interest the news report that an American company has shown interest in building an express highway to Sikkim. This news is indeed great news to the people of Sikkim. Finally, there will be an alternative to the ill-fated National Highway 31A, which is perpetually closed either through natural calamities or political unrest in the neighbouring regions of North Bengal.

As someone with Sikkimese origins now based in the USA, I keep track of what is happening in Sikkim, especially in the areas of economic development. In May 13, 2008, I first read about the news regarding the express highway. Star Universal Resource Company Inc, an American company with its head quarters in New York, had shown interest in constructing the Sevoke-Gangtok–Nathula expressway, meeting of the long-pending demands of the State. I also read that the representatives of the Company met with the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling in Gangtok regarding this proposal.

Yesterday’s online edition of SIKKIM EXPRESS carried the story that a MoU would be signed between the company and the Sikkim Government later this month on this important project. The news report, which was credited to the Sikkim Department of Information and Public Relations, also mentioned that construction company, Star Universal Resource Company, “is a leading international engineering, financing, construction and service conglomerate well positioned in the fast-growing segment of the third world economies. The company is presently working in seventeen countries in North and South America, Europe, Middle East, South Korea, Thailand, Iraq, Afghanistan and other South Asian Countries.”

I was really impressed that such a big multi-national company was going to invest in Sikkim. So far, so good. In order to find out more about the company, I decided to do a little research on my own into this company, which was going to pump in millions of dollars into our small State.

Assault on journalists – Six suspects in Police net

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 08: Six suspects behind the July 4 attack on local journalists were arrested by Sikkim Police late last night. Suraj Gurung (29) s/o of JK Gurung, Dara Goan, Tadong, Ashish Subba (24) s/o Suk Raj Subba of Rumbuk, Sombaria, Milan Rai (27) s/o Kazi Rai of Melli, Roshan Gurung (23) s/o Bijay Gurung, Sonada, Darjeeling and Rupesh Gurung s/o KS Gurung of Tadong were arrested from Upper Syari, near Hotel Royal Plaza and have been booked under sections 147, 148, 149 and 307 of the IPC. [Inset: DIG Range, Akshay Sachdeva briefing the press: Seen are masks used in the attack. Photo by Sikkim Express]

This was revealed in press conference held at the Sadar Police Station here today addressed by the DIG Range, Akshay Sachdeva. The DIG Range also said that Tinku Prasad, a resident of Baluwakhani, Gangtok and a suspect named by the Publisher-Editor, Hamro Prajashakti, Anjan Upadhaya was also nabbed by the Sikkim Police in Siliguri and was brought to the Sadar Police Station yesterday evening. He said that these six have been taken into custody under suspicion.

Army to hold memorial service for Manekshaw

FROM HINDUSTAN TIMES

After the government’s poor representation at the funeral of Sam Manekshaw generated a controversy, the army is now taking the initiative to honour Independent India’s best-known soldier. In a fitting tribute to the Field Marshal, who passed away after a prolonged illness in Wellington on June 27, the army has decided to hold a memorial service at the Delhi Cantonment in honour of Manekshaw.

Army chief General Deepak Kapoor, war veterans who served with the Field Marshal, top officers of the Gorkha Regiment and over 700 serving and retired officers will attend the service to be held on July 15. “Military leaders like Manekshaw are not born everyday. The service is just a way of showing that the legendary Field Marshal shall live on in our hearts forever,” a senior army official said.

The indifference of the UPA government and the service chiefs towards Manekshaw’s funeral has been widely criticised. Many had accused the UPA government of not assuring dignity in death to India’s first Field Marshal. Neither Defence Minister A.K. Antony nor any of the three chiefs turned up to salute the Field Marshal for the last time. Minister of State for Defence M.M. Palam Raju was the lone representative of the government at the funeral. The army chief could not make it to the funeral as he was on an official visit to Russia.

Private power developer’s dubious intentions

It is indeed good news that the State Government has decided to scrap two hydel power projects awarded to Gati Infrastructure Ltd. The Sada-Mangder and Bhasmey hydel projects were awarded to Gati in November 2003. Kudos to the present Government that it has been able to unmask the true picture of the Detailed Project Reports (DPR) and save our people from being ruined by private developers like Gati. When the developer has a strategy to reap benefits from the State by placing a devious DPR, we can never expect that rest of the programmes of the developer to be any better.

Besides the questionable DPR, Gati has also submitted incomplete information to the State government which include:

1. According to a legislation of the State Government, the employment of the local people should be 90 % by the private sector like Gati. But this developer has been giving false information to the State Government by showing the head counts of the locals engaged by the developer on casual basis without taking them in their pay roll. And most of these head counts belong to only the unskilled persons mostly engaged in road maintenance, survey etc.

2. Gati has never advertised their vacancies in the local newspapers nor has it submitted their manpower requirement to the State Government. Thus, they have a practice of appointing human resources directly. The developer has never appointed any local in the senior manager level positions whereas army of non locals have their presence in all areas. There are thousands of educated locals sitting unemployed with engineering, management and other relevant degrees in the state but all such appointments are made by Gati only to the outsider. Why not this developer refrained from employing the locals when they are equally capable to handle the responsibilities?

3. There are instances when non locals even a simple clerk / associates are appointed with better pay packages. If the Government makes a thorough check, then, it will find that the locals wherever they are employed like peons, drivers and associates are paid less than 50 % of what Gati pays to the non locals at the same level. Does this mean reservation and protection to the locals? The answer is a big “NO”.

Sikkim to get its own expressway

GANGTOK, July 6: Sikkim all set to ink agreement for construction of an underground Expressway. An Agreement in the form of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed on July 15 here between the Government of Sikkim and the Star Universal Resource Company for construction of the underground Expressway.

This follows the meeting of the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling with the Union Minister of DoNER, Mani Shankar Aiyar at his residence in New Delhi on July 4. The MOU will be signed in the presence of the Union Minister of DoNER, Government of India and the Chief Minister of Sikkim.

The proposed underground Expressway from eastern portion of Coronation Bridge (Baag Pul) at Sevoke in West Bengal connecting it directly to Gangtok, a distance of 53 kms by tunnels and bridge, will be the first of its kind in the region. There is another proposal to construct a set of tunnels and bridges from Gangtok to Nathula, a distance of 35 kms.

It is proposed that two pairs of tunnels of about 100 sq.mtr. area each, will be constructed. One pair will be for road connectivity and the other pair of tunnel will carry one standard broad gauge railway track in each tunnel. The project is to be undertaken on the BOT basis for construction and maintenance of the Expressway for a period of 45 years from the date of signing of Agreement. Under the standard PPP program, the project has already been approved in principle by the Ministry of DoNER, Government of India.

GJMM says no to bipartite talks

FROM THE STATESMAN

DARJEELING, July 8: The Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha has requested the chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to schedule an appointment with the Centre before the Monsoon session of the Parliament on the Gorkhaland issue. The decision comes following the CM’s acceptance of the GJMM’s demand for tripartite talks with the Centre in a letter to the party on 6 July. “The Union home minister will get busy with other engagements once the monsoon session of the Parliament begins. So we have requested the CM to fix an appointment before that,” stated GJMM general secretary Mr Roshan Giri today. The GJMM leadership has refused the CM’s proposal for bi-partite talks to arrive at a solution before going forward with the tripartite meeting.

“I am delighted that you have responded positively and agreed to accept our proposal for a tripartite meeting. I now look forward to meeting you in New Delhi,” reads the letter from GJMM chief Mr Bimal
Gurung addressed to Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

As the arrangement for the tripartite talks should be formally initiated by the state government, the GJMM has also urged the CM to communicate his consent to the Union home minister, Mr Shivraj Patil.

Meanwhle the Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha is in no mood to hold bipartite meetings with the state government. In a reply to the chief minister’s letter, the GJMM leadership has made no mention of the bipartite talks as suggested by the chief minister and instead has asked Mr Bhattacharjee to request the Centre to convene a tripartite meeting. State home secretary, Mr AM Chakrabarti, however, pointed out that the issues for holding tripartite meeting is yet to be decided upon.

HPLU against tripartite talks

SILIGURI, July 8: The GJMM tea workers union, the Himalayan Planters’ Labour Union came up with posters at the Darjeeling Tea Association today stating it would not accept the outcome of the tripartite talks on wage negotiation for tea industry workers scheduled in Kolkata on 9 and 10 July.

The first round of talks on the issue held on 1 July in Kolkata was inconclusive. The HPLU, which was not invited to the first round of talks, is demanding representation at the second round of talks on the subject.
Stating that the talks were tripartite in nature and convened by the state labour department, the DTA secretary Mr Sandeep Mukherjee said that his organisation had no role to play in the arrangement of the wage negotiation process

Gorkhaland Personnel recruitment begins at Sukna

FROM THE STATESMAN

SILIGURI, July 8: The Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha today initiated a two-day long recruitment drive to induct volunteers for the Gorkhaland Personnel (GLP) at Sukna near Siliguri. The All India Gorkha Ex-servicemen Morcha, a body affiliated to the GJMM is conducting the recruitment.

The GLP claimed to be a volunteer force of the GJMM is being raised to give a thrust to its demand for a separate state. The recruitment drive at Sukna began at the BB Gurung Memorial Ground at 8 am this morning and continued till 3 pm.  According to Captain (retd.) KK Neupane, Sukna unit president of the All India Gorka Ex-servicemen Morcha, 120 youths took part in the physical fitness test today. Eighty male candidates and 40 females appeared for the test today. The candidates would undergo a psychological test tomorrow,” the captain added.

The Ex-servicemen of GJMM today held similar recruitment drives at Tung in Kurseong sub-division and at Kalimpong.  Meanwhile, the central president of the GJMM’s ex-servicemen , Colonel (retd) Ramesh Allay has demanded a probe into the police lathi-charge on a Gorkha ex-servicemen rally at Darjeeling More in Siliguri on 9 April.  “The state government had constituted a one-member probe into the incident . But two months have passed and we are yet to know about the investigations ,” Col (retd) Allay said.

Tele-services disruption creates inconvenience

FROM THE STATESMAN

GANGTOK, July 8: Failed telephone services for the past six months at Rongli, about 70 kms from Gangtok is causing a lot of inconvenience in the eastern suburb of Sikkim.

The failure has disrupted smooth functioning of the government and private sector units at Rongli. “The telephone network remains disrupted for the past six months upsetting different kinds of work. Our complaints regarding it has gone in vain,” alleged Mr Dhiraj Pradhan Block Development Officer. “The delay in the public works due to non-functioning of the tele-service is creating chaos in the area. BSNL officials do come following our complaints and then the lines work for a few days only to go dead again,” he added.
Banking service is one of the most affected sectors due to faulty telephone lines much to the inconvenience of the common people. “We could not transfer money through online banking services to other banks in West Bengal and in Sikkim due to disruptions in the network,” said Mr Padam Bahadur Chettri, employee of a bank. “This has created delay in all public services for the past six-months and the villagers are the worst hit,” he added.

Scanner on road rules to tackle calamities

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

BY RAJEEV RAVIDAS

Vehicles stranded on NH31A after the road was blocked by landslide last week. Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha

Kalimpong, July 8: Police have decided to deal firmly with drivers found breaking traffic discipline on NH31A, especially during blockades brought about by landslides.

In the last couple of weeks, the road that connects Kalimpong and Sikkim to Siliguri had witnessed repeated traffic jams precipitated by landslides.

Both the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which maintains the highway, and the police blame lack of traffic discipline among drivers as the primary reason for the chaos.

Police sources said two major groups of traffic violators are army convoys and Sikkim-registered vehicles.

The army drivers are the worst as they muscle their way through jams. They demand the right of way even if they are at the end of a long queue, said a police officer posted to monitor traffic on the highway.

Uday Tamang, the officer in-charge of the Rambi police station, said the force would soon be writing to the top br-ass of the army station based at Sukna near Siliguri and request them to control their drivers.

“We will also urge the transport authorities in Sikkim to cancel the licenses of the drivers caught violating traffic rules repeatedly,” he added.

Plains drive for special cell

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Siliguri, July 8: The scorching sun was no deterrent to the hundreds of youths who participated in the recruitment drive held here today for Gorkhaland Personnel, a special unit of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

Around 350 boys and 120 girls in the age group of 18-30 years and 17-24 years respectively had lined up at the B.B. Gurung Memorial High School grounds from 8am. For most it was the call of duty that brought them to the school grounds, 7km from here.

“I am here to serve the people and if I am selected, I will get a platform to do it,” said Anupama Barooa, a resident of Garidhura.

Dilip Sau, who lives in Salugara, echoed her. “I am ready to participate in any kind of test to get selected,” he said.

The tests included a 1.6km run — boys had to cover the distance in 5.4 minutes and girls in 6.4 — and push-ups and sit-ups. Participants also had to produce their school leaving and character certificates along with four copies of passport size photos and proof of residence. The candidates must have a minimum educational qualification of Class VIII pass.

The tests were conducted by the ex-servicemen’s organisation affiliated to the Morcha. It was the first-of-its-kind exercise in the plains and will be followed by another test in Naxalbari on July 10.

Surendra Pradhan, the Siliguri zonal secretary of the All Gorkha Ex-Servicemen Morcha, said after two days, 120 boys and girls will be short-listed for the final selection.

Jailed Czech scientist finds support

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Calcutta, July 8: The manner in which Czech entomologist Petr Svacha and his associate Enil Kucera are being detained in Darjeeling Correctional Home is an infringement of fundamental rights and therefore unconstitutional, said Arun Kumar Sarkar, the chairman of the West Bengal Bar Council.

Svacha, 51, and Kucera, 52, were arrested by forest officials allegedly while collecting beetles, butterflies and larvae within Singalila National Park on June 22. They were remanded in judicial custody and yesterday, their bail petition could not be moved at the court of chief judicial magistrate in Darjeeling as lawyers in the hills are on a ceasework and government employees are on a strike till August 7.

“It is the duo’s right to seek legal help. But they are being denied the right to justice. The Bengal government will have to be accountable about the collapsed judicial system in the hills,” said Sarkar.

The lawyer added that the high court, too, was silent on a letter sent to it a fortnight ago by the bar council to transfer cases from Darjeeling to Siliguri because of the situation in the hills. “This is a constitutional crisis and yet both the state government and the high court are silent.”

The Czech duo have been charged under Sections 27 and 29 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Section 27 covers entry without permission to sanctuaries and Section 29 deals with removing wildlife from a sanctuary without permission from the state chief wildlife warden. Foresters said that the two had violated both the provisions.

The foresters added that the 200-odd beetles, larvae and butterflies found on the duo had been sent to the Zoological Survey of India in Calcutta to verify if they were on the endangered list.

Singalaila National Park has a single large signboard at the entrance, which declares it a protected place. The foresters said the two and been staying at Srikhola on the fringes of the park and were picked up after residents reported their activities over two days.

In Darjeeling, Svacha’s defence lawyer, Seshmani Gurung, said the duo today submitted a petition to the chief judicial magistrate through the jail authorities seeking some provisions to open the court to hear their case. “The CJM visited the correctional home and met the Czechs. There is a possibility that he might hear them tomorrow,” Gurung added.

Oust Asok: RSP

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Siliguri, July 8: The RSP has demanded the removal of Bengal urban development minister and CPM leader Asok Bhattacharya from the post of the district convener of the Left Front and has hinted at the need for greater representation from the hills in the Front leadership.

The party said it wanted the Darjeeling district secretary of the CPM, S.P. Lepcha, who is from the hills, appointed the Front convener.

In a letter to state Front chairman Biman Bose yesterday, Darjeeling district secretary of the RSP Benoy Chakraborty said Bhattacharya’s continuation in the post went against the “prevalent practice in (other parts of the state), where district CPM secretaries work as district Left Front conveners”.

“Specifically speaking, when we, the Left parties, are insisting on peace and amity among the plains and hills, the district Front leadership comprises leaders mostly from plains. This is leading to a number of problems,” the letter said.

The RSP leader, however, acknowledged that the issue had not been raised at district Front meetings during Bhattacharya’s tenure for the past 10 or so years.