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.

I expect you guys to educate our people. Let’s do something for this. Any kind of help…

Name of the Girl is: Smita (name changed)

Further intervention of Gorkha Welfare Society has forced these agents of Delhi to return their money and passport.

I on behalf of Gorkha Welfare Society would like to thank

Mr. Ashok Sharma, Advocate

Mr. Y.K. Shrestra

Mr. Barun Roy, Editor Darjeeling Times, Beacononline

Ms. Jyoti Thapa Mani

Ms. Rashmi Dewan

Ms. Deep Ranjini Rai

Mr. Kiran Rai

Mr. Jyoti Mukhia, Friends World Vision – NGO

For their support and courage.

May 19, 2008: Around five in the morning someone was trying to get in touch with me through my cell phone. I just ignored the call as I was really tired.

However, after sever attempts for the other side I was awake. A lady was on the call.

I could feel some kind of fear in her voice when she said – Hello.

She informed me that a dead body of a lady from Darjeeling is lying in AIIMS but there is no one to take care of the rituals also they had no funds for the same.

I was really shocked to hear all these. Thought of calling Mr. Yam Kumar Shrestha and Treasure of Gorkha Welfare Society but again thought that its just five in the morning so didn’t want to disturb him.

Therefore, I just left a message in his cell phone explaining the issue. It was really great of Yam Da to call me up with in 10-15 minutes.
By that time I had informed to almost all the members of Gorkha Welfare Society regarding the issue and informed them to be present by 9 in the morning at AIIMS.
Later when I reached AIIMS around 6 am, I came to know that lady (Basanti – around 55yrs) was here in Delhi for her treatment as her son (15yrs) was working in some showroom in Gurgoan.She was Christian by religion. So, I thought of calling some Pastor (priest) for rituals. It was really a tough task for me to get a hold of Pastor because I belong from Hindu religion. However, I managed to get a hold of one Pastor’s number. BUT I really had a bad experience talking to this Pastor named RAVI.
I explained him every thing. However, he was asking me about that Lady’s membership with their Church. In other words he was denying coming as she was not a member of his Church. I could make it out that he is not going to come. Therefore, I took his happiness and kept the phone.
By that time, Yam Da came and we somehow managed to take Late Basanti to Kalu Sarai Cemetery and do all the required rituals.
I would request to all the Christians to erase the question of membership. We understand that there are Catholic, Protestant, and Baptized. However, I feel that we should start thinking from Humanitarian ground.

Anyways, Gorkha Welfare Society somehow managed everything to help that poor guy.

I on behalf of Gorkha Welfare Society, would personally like to thank Yam Da and Raju Chettri for their help and support despite their busy schedule.
Also, hoping that God will be with the family of deceased.

At Last! Justice in the Offing for a Gorkha Girl

Playing pranks has been a legitimate culture on April. April fool is what everyone plays around, but for Barsha Chettri from Kurseong, Darjeeling it was not a prank call nor a common jest but the reality when she received an alert caller from her Granny. At broad day light she was mentally not prepared for any prank call, sms or joke.

Around noon her room was billowing in smoke and fire. An alert call from her Granny made her rush back home to see her belongings lay in heap of cinders and ash. No one was there to doze the fire. The cause of the fire was unknown.

However, interventions and investigations made it clear that the fire was caused due to the negligence of her neighborhood who at that time was busy renovating their house using welding machine. Sparks of the weilding rod had broken apart the window pane and ignited her clothes that caught fire and finally all her belongings in heap of cinders and ash.

The gruesome fact is that, all her belongings were presented to her last December when she was tied in a knot with Bhasker Allay.

She could not run around for help (as her husband is in London). There was no Gorkha speaking people around her. She lost consciousness and finally one of her friend rang Gorkha Welfare Society, Delhi.

GWS took quick action, and almost every member were busy finding a solution for a compensation and settlement as her neighbor was not ready for compensation.

Barsha had gone berserk and even went to police station to lodge a complaint however, she was denied.

Taking all the afore incident into consideration, members of GWS request her neighbor for compensation and settlement.

After four hours of verbal discussion at the victims house made an agreement to the Chabra family (neighbor) to compensate an amount of Rs. 25,000.00 (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand only).

Of course, Gorkha Welfare Society could not compensate her sentiments but this is our one effort to help Gorkha community in times of distress and times of suppression.

Gorkha Welfare Society is with Barsha and her family at this hour of distress and need.

I would like to thank the following members of GWS for their presence despite their busy schedule.

Neil Pradhan – Kurseong

Bijay Rai – Kalimpong

Rohit Gurung – Darjeeling

Kamal Khan – Darjeeling

Awinash Mukhia – Darjeeling

Debashish Rai – Kurseong

Regards,

Bishal Rai ‘Kirath’

Gorkha Welfare Society, Delhi