GJM willing to talk to ’stable’ govt only

FROM SAHARA SAMAY

Siliguri, July 11: The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), agitating for a separate Gorkhaland state, was interested in holding tripartite talks only with a ’stable’ government at the Centre, GJM president Bimal Gurung said today.

“We are keeping a close watch on the political development in Delhi,” Gurung told newsmen.

GJM would prefer any date before the monsoon session of Parliament slated to begin on August 11. But, the party general secretary Roshan Giri said, the Delhi situation should normalise first. “If the government fails to survive what is the use of the talks?,” he said.

It was expected that the picture would be clear by the last week of this month. “We will prefer any date after that, but before August 11,” he told newsmen over phone.

Gurung expressed happiness that West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has initiated a parley involving GJM, the state and central governments. He had asked Bhattacharjee on June 8 requesting him to take the initiative.

Gurung himself would lead the GJM delegation in the tripartite talks in New Delhi.

Fake press releases with SDF letterhead

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 10: The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party has objected strongly on the use of the party’s letter head in fake press releases.

In a press release issued today, the party said that press releases issued under the letter head of the SDF party with the name of BB Rai, the youth convener of East District is fake and non-existent.

The party has informed that all the press releases issued by the SDF party are made public only after verification by the publicity wing of the party.

The party has further cautioned media houses from entertaining fake press releases.

Mountain Magic – Presenting Rajeev Thapa

By JYOTI THAPA MANI

“Thulo kadam rakhe chha, Jeetna ko laagi rakhe chha” is how Rajeev Thapa explains his determination to win the Lux Junoon Kuchh Karke Dikhana Hai Singing Contest on NDTV Imagine. “Haami Gorkhali haru seedha hunchha pheri pani mero koshish chha aaphno mehnat le public ko man jeetne ko” [ Inset: Rajiv Thapa performing at NDTV IMAGINE JUNOON. Photo by Jyoti Mani Thapa]

Rajeev is a singer from the Gorkha community of Himachal Pradesh. His parents, Late Shri Bodhraj Thapa and mother Mrs Chaman Devi Thapa hail from Bakloh, a HP Gorkha heritage town set up when the 4^th Gorkha Rifles settled there in 1866. Centuries ago their ancestors hailed from Pokhara. The family currently live in village Mehla in District Chamba, Himachal Pradesh.

It was while Rajeev was doing his graduation in Sociology from the Chamba College, that his music lecturer Pandit Vidyasagar ji, guided him to participate in the 1997-98 Shimla University Ghazal Competition. Rajeev won this competition to his utter surprise and of everybody else. His voice and diction acclaimed as flawless. Life has been a long struggle for this aspiring singer from a remote small village with no backing or mentor for a big-time singing career. A local cablevala and well-wisher Aameen from Mehla village has proved a great support for Rajeev. Since Sa Re Ga Ma days, Aameen has been posting ads for Rajeev free of cost on the local cable and had been a great support when Rajeev first when to Mumbai. “Nai ta hamiharulai kole pooschha” says Rajeev’s mother Chaman Devi, “Aameen ta mero thulo chhora jaiste chha”

In year 2005, Rajeev came to Delhi and received his first break. He was selected for the ‘Sa Re Ga Ma’ show where he did well to reach among the top 10 position.

Lepchas trek to Pendam Di – SLYA appeals State Govt to include the Lepcha Palace in the list of cultural heritage

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 10: The Sikkim Lepcha Youth Association (Renjyong Mutanchi Rong Ong Shejum) West Pandam Branch in collaboration with Sikkim Lepcha Youth Association Central Committee, Gangtok carried out a one day trekking programme to Pendam Di (Palace) at Pendam in East Sikkim on July 9 under the Chairman of Ongden Tshering Lepcha, president of Central Committee, Gangtok.

As informed in the press release, the 84-year-old Bongthing from Pendam, Ren Tanger Lepcha highlighted the significance of Pendam Di.  Pendam Di, which belongs to Lepcha Community was built by Lepcha King Gaeybo Achak, Tanger Lepcha said adding Gaeybo Achak has built many palaces out of which Pandam palace is one. He used to throw stones to other palaces from Pendam Palace to alert the sepoys of Pandi (Queen), which was little far away from main palace. The point for separate palace for king and queen is to safeguard the queen from foreign attacks. Tales of serpent (Python), which used to guard the food items of Gaeybo Achok sepoy was also narrated.

The day long trekking programme was attended by Shejum’s vice-president Passang Dorjee Lepcha, general secretary Nim Tshering Lepcha, joint secretary Lakpa Tshering Lepcha, active member Chopel Lepcha and members of West Pendam branch.

Buddha seeks tripartite meet on Darjeeling

FROM PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

DARJEELING, July 10: In a major development, the West Bengal government has fimally requested the Centre to arrange a tripartite meeting with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJMM) to discuss the Gorkhaland demand.

This was revealed by West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in Kolkata today. A letter was sent to the Union home ministry regarding the situation in Darjeeling, asking them “to initiate the process for tripartite talks. The move comes a day after the GJMM rejected the state’s offer of bipartite talks.

“I talked with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil yesterday over phone and requested him to arrange a tripartite meeting involving the Centre, state and GJMM. The state government is also writing a letter to the Centre in this regard,” he told the WB assembly.

The GJMM chief Bimal Gurung had earlier demanded for the tripartite talks in New Delhi at the earliest.

Amalgamated Transpower India Ltd planning to take legal action against the State Govt over scrapping of three hydro projects

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

BY NIRMAL MANGAR

GANGTOK, July 10: In response to the termination of an agreement on three hydel power projects viz Rolep, Ralong and Chakungchu by the State Government, the Amalgamated Transpower India Limited, a Delhi-based Company is planning to take legal action against the State Government.

The company has already published public notices in this regards in local newspapers dated July 8, 2008.
The Amalgamated Transpower India Limited was assigned the projects with the consent of the State Government and the Sikkim Power Development Corporation (SPDC) in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) dated December 21, 2002.

Talking with SIKKIM EXPRESS, PK Das, Director, Amalgamated Transpower India Limited confirmed that they are planning to file a case on the matter. The inefficiency of the State Government in providing the infrastructure such as roads mentioned in the agreement has led to these complications, he informed.
“We had also given an interim as well as a final reply to the termination letter mentioning that if the State Government meets up with the infrastructure demand then the company would carry with the construction works,” the director told SIKKIM EXPRESS.

Mr Das also said that the State Government has no funds for setting up the infrastructure adding, “The termination of the agreemenent is all against the MoU”. Departmental sources said that the three power projects would be now assigned by SPDC and that there is no decision as such to assign the project to a third party.

The State government, in a letter written to the Director of the company dated May 2, 2008, has said that the State Government is terminating the agreement dated December 21, 2002 considering “the failure on part of the company to abide in terms and conditions laid down in the agreement and immense delay in the implementation of the projects.”

One more arrest in connection with attack on journalists

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 10: Another suspect behind the attack at the Hamro Prajashakti office was arrested yesterday by the Sikkim Police. Dawa Tshering Bhutia, 39, residence of Lachen, North Sikkim, who is also wanted in some extortion and assault cases, was arrested from Gangtok.

Talking to the reporters, DIG Range, Akshay Sachdeva said that Bhutia has been booked under section 307/147/148/149 of the IPC and was sent for five days Police remand for further interrogation.
Bhutia, presently residing at Deorali, below Khadi Office was also involved in an arson case at Pabi Publications at Ranipool.

He was first arrested in 2006 in the case of extortion and assaulting a contractor. The DIG Range also said that one of the suspects, Tingku Prasad has got bail from the court today while five other suspects, arrested on July 8 will be remanded till tomorrow. “We are 100 per cent sure that the suspects arrested by Sikkim Police are the main culprits. We have other names of the suspects as well and they will be soon arrested,” Mr Sachdeva said.

SHRPP rally to protest attack on local journalists

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 10: The Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad Party (SHRPP) today took out a rally to protest the recent attack on the journalists here in the Capital.

Carrying placards, banners and shouting slogans accusing the State Government for the incident, the leaders and supporters of the party took out the rally from Convoy Ground, Tadong and marched through the National Highway 31-A to the party office at Tibet Road demanding strong action against the culprits.

Headed by the president of SHRPP, DR AD Subba, around 200 supporters wore black bands around their heads and flaunted hoardings condemning the attack and seeking immediate arrest of the master mind behind the attack.

In Black and White

GJM President Bimal Gurung address the Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarthi Morcha

Photo by Himalaya Darpan

A Gorkha Janmukti Rally making its way through the Darjeeling Town

Photo by Himalaya Darpan

Students felicitated for participating in hunger strike by Bimal Gurung

Photo by Himalaya Darpan

Christian community in Darjeeling prays for Gorkhaland

Nuns attending prayer for Gorkhaland at Chowrasta, Darjeeling

Photo by Himalaya Darpan

An All India Gorkha League Poster in Darjeeling

Photo by Barun Roy

Is right to move freely in India valid?

FROM THE TIMES OF INDIA

By Dhananjay Mahapatra

NEW DELHI: India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States,” declares the very first Article of our Constitution. “Fraternity” is a key word in its Preamble that assures individual dignity to Indians and exhorts us to maintain unity and integrity of the country through brotherhood.

Article 19(1)(d) gives us a fundamental right to “move freely throughout the territory of India”, from one state to another, with a sense of security and freedom. The rail network and national highways are important facilitators of this right, which is essential to inculcate in every citizen a sense of belonging to India and spread the sense of brotherhood.

Recent times have witnessed many an assault on this fundamental right. Both Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena have worked hard to give a sense of insecurity to north Indians, who do not feel safe to move about freely in Maharashtra, especially in the commercial capital of India — Mumbai.  The lessons in vandalism imparted by the Gujjars — uprooting rail tracks and blocking national highways — to get their demands met was learnt fast by the Sikhs who took identical measures demanding arrest of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief. A similar mode of protest is on in West Bengal where the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), seeking a separate state, blocked NH-31 — severing the only link that connected Sikkim to the rest of the country.

Apart from these publicized events, there are many more which continue to disrupt the free movement of citizens within the country. Can one move freely in the Naxal infested areas of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh? Or, for that matter, in the insurgent choked northeastern states, where the fight between the outlaws and law enforcers makes life difficult for the innocent? We have lived with these obstacles to our free movement hoping and praying that governments would come up with an acceptable solution for agitationists to end the road and rail blockades.

AGP ready to show Cong the door

FROM THE TIMES OF INDIA

GUWAHATI: A staunch rival of Congress, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), is pulling out all stops to see the party bite the dust in the next Lok Sabha elections.  “We’re ready. Even if the polls are declared tomorrow, we are ready to show Congress the door,” Opposition leader in the Assam assembly Chandramohan Patowary said in Guwahati on Thursday. Assam sends 14 MPs to the Lok Sabha, of which AGP has two and Congress nine.
AGP is now holding talks with BJP and Assam United Democratic Front despite their ideological differences. The party is likely to go for seat-sharing adjustments with the two parties, the leader said.

AGP is also holding discussions with smaller parties in the state. “Congress claims that it will win 13 seats and the 14th seat will go to its partner,Bodoland People’s Front of Hagrama Mohilary. But, we are going to prove them wrong,” Patowary said.

Centre to intervene in Darjeeling only after GJM abjures violence

FROM THE TIMES OF INDIA

By Vishwa Mohan

New Delhi: There seems to be no takers for West Bengal’s request for a tripartite meeting with the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) at the Centre to resolve the Darjeeling crisis until the group allows state and central government offices to open in the hill region and abjure all kind of violence.

The matter came up for discussion here on Thursday in the wake of West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s request over the issue with the Union home minister Shivraj Patil a day before. The chief minister, in fact, asked the home ministry to intervene (through tripartite meeting involving Centre, state and GJM) considering the demand of the Morcha which wrote to the state government requesting it to take the initiative for talks in New Delhi.

Officials in the home ministry said that though the West Bengal government had been asked to keep the GJM leaders engaged in talks at the state level, the Centre would pitch in only after the Morcha agrees to go ahead with its demand in a peaceful manner and allows government offices to function smoothly. In any case, as officials believed, the tripartite talks would take place only after clearing of political uncertainty at Centre in the wake of Left parties’ withdrawal of support to the UPA.

Insect heist: Arrested Czech traded on web

FROM HINDUSTAN TIMES

By Jay Mazoomdaar

As international and domestic pressure mounts on the West Bengal forest department to release the Czech duo arrested for illegally collecting a large number of endangered insects from Singalila National Park in Darjeeling Hills, Hindustan Times has tracked one of them, as a self-proclaimed trader in insects.

Petr Svacha (51) and Emil Kucera (53) were caught on June 22 with over 200 beetles, butterflies and other insects and were remanded to judicial custody. On July 5, around 600 international and Indian researchers petitioned the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the West Bengal Chief Minister to release Svacha, an entomologist of repute, and his friend.

While Svacha is indeed a senior scientist at the institute of entomology at the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, his companion Kucera has a history of wildlife trading. His web site — coleoptera-kucera.com — was shut down soon after he and Svacha were arrested. But Hindustan Times has web pages from the site where Kucera offered to sell beetles (coleoptera) by post.

Under Emil Kucera’s name, Czech address and phone number (+420-381-522776), the website claimed: “I’m offer (sic) insects (Coleoptera) from palearct region (mainly from China). Contact e-mail coleoptera.kucera@quick.cz. Insects I can send by post.”

Gandhigiri all the way for Morcha supporters

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

RANGPO, July 09: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) Rangpo (West Bengal) unit started a month long puja from today for the fulfillment of the demand of a separate Gorkhaland State and also for world peace. Carrying pots of water on their heads, more than 500 party workers along with the students of Dewan Primary School organized a rally from Andheri Khola, from where the Teesta River flows to Rangpo, West Bengal side to Kali Mandir.

A special puja was organized on the banks of Teesta River where all the persons pledged to fight for a separate Gorkhaland state according to the Gandhian philosophy, said Lokesh Chettri, president Rangpo West Bengal Unit.

Parents of the suspects behind attack on journalists question the motives of the Police

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 09: The father of one of the suspects arrested by Sikkim Police in connection with the recent attack on media persons today criticised the State Police authorities for not producing the suspects along with the real weapons of offence before the Press. Calling a press conference at the Press Club here today, PS Gurung, a resident of Daragaon, Tadong questioned as to why the same Police team, who often highlighted even petty cases related to drug peddling and drug abuse through the Press and media were slack and incapable now.

Puzzled and concerned, Mr Gurung further questioned the source from where the Police had unearthed the rubber masks in red and green colours, which were exhibited before the Press yesterday. The injured journalists had earlier revealed to the Press that the attackers had worn monkey caps and had covered their faces with scarves. There was no mention of colourful rubber masks.

“I doubt that it could be part of a plan of the Police to slacken the protest movement initiated by press persons demanding the earliest arrest of the actual culprits. Showing a new set of gloves, an iron belt, dagger and rubber masks to the media, things which have no relations to the case, the Police has tried to merely divert the attention of the public from the case. This is just a cover-up by the Police,” Mr. Gurung said.

He has also questioned the authenticity of the seized articles from the suspects.

“I, as a Sikkimese citizen and a regular newspaper reader, feel that the recent attack on mediapersons is also an attack on the society that we live in,” he further added. He also condemned the attack on the journalists and prayed for their speedy recovery. Amongst the five arrested by the State Police, Rupesh Gurung is his son, while the other two, Roshan Gurung from 11th Mile in Sonada (Darjeeling) and Suraj Gurung, son of JK Gurung and a resident of Tadong are his nephews.

North Bengal University or Sikkim Central University? – Confusions reign over affiliation as even colleges across the State get ready to switch over to SCU from July 10

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

BY NIRMAL MANGAR

GANGTOK, July 09: The new session of the colleges in Sikkim, which will commence from July 10, will henceforth be affiliated with Sikkim Central University and will function under the Varsity’s newly designed semester-wise courses. This was confirmed by Prof Mahendra P Lama, the Vice Chancellor of Sikkim University here today. All the colleges in the State are currently affiliated to the North Bengal University.
Talking with SIKKIM EXPRESS, the Vice Chancellor said that the courses under the University are being introduced for the first time in the country.

“Students need not worry as the University has the best courses to offer. This will be unveiled in a press conference to be held on July 24,” he said. The Vice Chancellor said that the colleges in the State as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) automatically get affiliated with the established Central University.
Stating that Sikkim University will undoubtedly be the best University in the country, Professor Lama said that the University and its visions have been appreciated by the UGC. It was also visited by the Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development Department, he added.

The switch-over from North Bengal University to the Sikkim Central University has created some confusion amongst the students in the State. KT Chankapa, Secretary of the State Human Resource Development Department said that until the directions come from the Central Government, colleges in the State for the time being will run under the banner of Sikkim Central University. “We are hopeful that the Central Government would give the pending decision within one week,” he informed.

As per the Sikkim Central University Act of 2006 section 6 (1), there is a provision in which the Central Government can take the decision of keeping some of the colleges aloof from the affiliation. But this decision may take place only in rare cases. It is also informed that several questions in the issue of affiliation were raised in the recent Cabinet meeting.

SDF to vote in favour of UPA govt on nuke deal

FROM PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

GANGTOK, July 9: The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) today endorsed the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal and said it would vote with the UPA whenever Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeks a confidence vote in Parliament.

“We fully stand by the prime minister and the nuclear deal and would accordingly support the confidence vote to be moved by the prime minister in the Lok Sabha whenever he decides to seek it,” Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling said here.

The lone SDF representative in the Lok Sabha would back the trust vote to be moved by the UPA government whenever it decides to do so, he said. Endorsing the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, Chamling said “the agreement will enable our country to generate nuclear energy in the years to come.”

Unmasking the real mastermind behind the attack on local journalists – “Seized masks displayed by Police not worn by the attackers”

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

BY MINGMA BHUTIA

GANGTOK, July 09: Even as Sikkim Police produced six suspects yesterday morning before the deadline set by the Press Club of Sikkim, journalists in the State are questioning the way the Police acted on the case.
Reacting over the display of five colourful plastic masks supposedly seized from the suspects along with drugs and knives to the journalists yesterday, some of the journalists here said that the Police failed to produce the weapons of offence-iron rods and hammers.

“I do not think that the masks, which were shown by the Police yesterday are the right ones,” Bijoy Gurung, Correspondent, United News of India (UNI) told SIKKIM EXPRESS.

He was seriously injured in the July 4 attack in the Hamro Prajashakti office.

He said that the person who attacked him had worn a woollen ‘monkey’ cap and had covered half of his face with a handkerchief. Another injured reporter, Shekhar Khawas of Himalayan Darpan said that the persons who attacked him had worn simple monkey caps and not like the ones displayed by the Police.

“Two persons who attacked me had bottom half of their faces covered by handkerchiefs and wore monkey caps. So I question the ones produced by the Police to the Press yesterday,” said Anjan Upadhaya, Publisher-Editor, Hamro Prajashakti.

ITBP personnel rescue man from gorge

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, July 09: A rescue operation was conducted by the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel saving precious human life and showing exceptional bravery and courage on July 7, 2008.

A press release issued by the Officer Commandant informed that the incident involved an accident, which took pace near 16th Mile.  Tupghal Bhutia, a resident of Rumtek while reversing his Mahindra Max taxi bearing registration no SK-04-6392 fell into a deep gorge along with his vehicle.

13 ITBP troops, who were returning from Sherathang first stopped and informed about the accident by some civilians, the release said. In the meantime Ranbir Singh, Sec-in-Command of 13 ITBP also reached the spot and took control of the rescue operation.

At the accident site, the vehicle was stuck in a defaced shaped at a depth of about 400 meters from the road. The driver was lying at a depth of about 250 meters and was in a very serious condition.
After relentless and courageous efforts of the ITBP personnel, the driver was rescued from a gradient of about 70 degree. After the first aid, Bhutia was rushed to the STNM hospital in ITBP vehicle.

Former Home Secretary sworn in as the 15th Governor of Sikkim

FROM IPR NEWS SERVICE

GANGTOK, July 09: Balmiki Prasad Singh was sworn in as the 15th Governor of Sikkim in a simple ceremony held at Ashirbad Bhawan, Raj Bhawan here today. The State’s acting Chief Justice AP Subba administered the oath of office to the new governor at 11 am. Also present during the oath taking ceremony were the Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, Speaker of Sikkim Legislative Assembly, DN Thakarpa, Council of Ministers, members of the opposition parties and the other official dignitaries.[Inset: The Governor taking a guard of honour]

Earlier the Chief Secretary, ND Chingappa read out the warrant of appointment of the Governor designate.
After the swearing in ceremony, the Chief Minister introduced the new governor to the council of ministers, judges of the high court and also to prominent politicians and citizens.

The new Governor was also accorded a guard of honour. Talking to reporters after the oath taking ceremony, Governor Singh said that he would work for the socio-economic development of the Himalayan State and ensure that infrastructure for education was strengthened for the benefit of students.