Ambulance and Press Vehicles blackened in Kalimpong

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Photo by Himalaya Darpan

Two GL cars seized in Siliguri

THE HIMALAYAN BEACON [BEACON ONLINE] EXCLUSIVE

BY BARUN ROY & ABHINAV GHOSH

Siliguri/Darjeeling, August 28: Two vehicles with Gorkhaland (GL) vehicle registration numbers were seized by police from  Pradhannagar police station. The news of vehicles plying from Siliguri to Darjeeling being told that they would have to have GL vehicle registration numbers if they are to enter the hills and the subsequent blacking of their WB vehicle registration numbers have led to great resentment among the people in the city. Business Communities across the city have submitted petitions to the District Administration requesting the Government to intervene.

“What is going on is madness,” said Subroto Das, a local trader from Pradhannagar. “We have nothing to do with Gorkhaland. We are neither against it nor in favour of it. All we want is to do our business. Our vehicles transport essential food products to the hills like cooking oils, sugar, wheat, rice and the rest. Now we can’t operate in Siliguri with the Gorkhaland vehicle registration plates and we can’t operate in the Hills with West Bengal registration plates.”

“What’s remarkable about this situation is the lack of will shown by the Government, District Administration and the Police to deal with the issues. The Government Agencies in the Hills are busy hiding and dumping their official vehicles in Garages and hiring taxis as their official transport. But does that complete their responsibilities. What about the common people, the vehicle owners, the drivers etc. No statement has been made by the District Magistrate whose silence in the entire issue has begun suggesting that the District Administration is afraid of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. What this might lead to cannot be summed up in words. While the Government and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha plays their threat cards and the Police and the District Administration remains a silent bystander, plains and hills might be forever antagonized. The divide that would be wedged between the hills and plains will perhaps never be filled again,” said N. Sharma, a local political observer and a Professor associated with a local college in Darjeeling.

The GL vehicles seized by Pradhannagar Police are GL – 02 – 3963 (Blue Bolero) and GL – 02 – 2121. The Pradhannagar Police has also arrested the drivers of both the vehicles. The vehicles were stopped at Darjeeling More and Champasari More. The drivers are Pravin Sonam and Roshan Pradhan.

Darjeeling District Private Cars and Taxi Drivers Association declares ‘Vehicles from Plains will no longer ply to the Hills”

THE HIMALAYAN BEACON [BEACON ONLINE] EXCLUSIVE

BY BARUN ROY

Siliguri, August 28: Siliguri based CITU affiliated Darjeeling District Private Cars and Taxi Drivers Association (DDPCTDA) has declared that no vehicles from plains will ply to Hills from today. According to sources within DDPCTDA the decision has been made keeping in mind the impending trouble the GL and WB vehicle registrations numbered vehicles plying to and fro Siliguri and Darjeeling would lead to. No vehicles of WB registration numbers are being allowed to ply in the Hills by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha while anti-Gorkhaland organizations based in Siliguri and the Communist Party of India Marxists have vowed that no vehicles with GL vehicle registration number would be allowed to enter the plains. [Inset: CITU supporters blocking road after news of a CITU leader's car registration number being blackened by GJM supporters at Sukna reaches the city. Photo by Himalaya Darpan].

Former Councilor given 96 hours to leave house

THE HIMALAYAN BEACON [BEACON ONLINE] EXCLUSIVE

BY BARUN ROY

Gorubathan, 27 August: Former Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council Councilor from 27^th Gorubathan Constituency has been given 96 hours to leave his two houses at Gorubathan by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha and Gorkha Janmukti Nari Morcha. The supporters and cadres of Gorubathan unit of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Yuva Morcha and Nari Morcha took out a procession and pasted notices on the doors of the former Councilor demanding that he left his two houses within 96 hours. The notice reads “Because of 21 years of cheating the people’s trust, K. N. Subba must leave his two houses situated at Gorubathan within 96 hours.”

Press release on the same was also issued to the press by Gorubathan GJM Unit President Mahendra Rai. “K. N. Subba does not even live in these two houses,” Mahendra Rai said. “He has disappeared a long time back. His brother-in-law however, is living in one of the houses and we have asked him to leave taking with him only his personal belongings. He had asked us to offer him three days’ times to leave the house. We have given him 96 hours.”

When asked why was the party forcing former GNLF leaders and supporters to leave, Mahendra Rai said, “No, this is not the party forcing these people to leave but the people themselves. The people want these scrupulous leaders to pay for what they had done in the 21 years of misrule. We have worked democratically and asked them to leave without destroying the house. However, in the event of their failing to leave the house within 96 hours could lead to things which GJM or its subsequent wings will not be responsible of.”

“Once they have left the houses, we will open our offices there,” Mahendra Rai added.

CM tells people to feel proud being a citizen of Sikkim

FROM SIKKIM REPORTER

BY PRAKASH CHETTRI

Namchi: South District government employees felicitated Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling Wednesday at Namchi Indoor Stadium. Addressing the gathering Chief Minister said government. He said “getting exemption from the Central Income Tax was not only the biggest achievement of SDF (Sikkim Democratic Front) government but it has also made the entire people of Sikkim proud; hence every Sikkemese should feel proud to be a citizen of this state”.

He said “democracy in Sikkim has provided equal rights to the people” but due to the innocence and ignorance they are unable to take benefits of the rights provided by the Constitution. “Politics is meant for the prosperity, peace, happiness and security of the people of every class of the society”, he added. He urged the employees to make good use of the tax exemption and also warned that, if misused, the Government of India can rethink this IT exemption to Sikkim.

Stating that this exemption will have multiple benefits, Dr. Chamling said that this has brought all the Sikkim Subject holders of different posts and different castes on one platform, showing that all are same and has, therefore, increased the value and importance of Sikkim Subject. The people and the associations who were claiming that they were working for the upliftment of a particular caste are, in fact, using them for personal benefit, he observed. He urged the officials to be more responsible and to place their suggestions to the government.

Students from Sikkim on a Gorkhaland mission in Kolkata

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

By Shashibhushan Dwivedi

SILIGURI, August 27: Around 100 students from Sikkim is informed to have expressed their willingness to participate in the massive student rally proposed to be taken out at the West Bengal capital on September 1 in support of the Gorkhaland demand.

It is learnt that students from different hill areas of North Bengal have received support from their Sikkimese counterparts for the proposed rally at Kolkata. The combined strength of students from North Bengal and Sikkim for the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) backed rally has crossed 500, it is learnt.

According to GJM sources, the rally will take place near the citadel of CPIM government in West Bengal, the Writers Building to garner support and draw national and international attention for the formation of the new state of Gorkhaland.

Close GJM sources have informed telephonically that the party is also in touch with Sikkim based employees who by origin belong to North Bengal but living in the Hill state for livelihood. Many of them have their roots in Bengal’s various parts but their hearts lie within the hills.

TRIPARTITE TALKS ON SEP 8 – Wave of optimism descends on Darjeeling

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

DARJEELING, August 27: The tripartite talks between Center, West Bengal and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha will be held on September 8 at New Delhi. GJM general secretary Roshan Giri informed the media that West Bengal Home secretary Ashoke Mohan Chakravorty has formally informed about the meeting through a letter to the party president Bimal Gurung.

“This time the tripartite talks will be on main demand for Gorkhaland. The matter will be discussed between GJM, Centre and West Bengal governments”, said Mr. Giri. Since Gorkhaland is our main demand, the talks will be only on Gorkhaland, he said.

The GJM president has already announced that the party will ‘walk out’ if Gorkhaland is not on the agenda during the upcoming tripartite talks. GJM chief Bimal Gurung had earlier declared that representatives from other political parties and minority communities will be taken by the party for the tripartite talks.

When questioned about this, the GJM general secretary said that this will be first discussed between the central committee members of the party. The meeting will be held on an urgent note, he said. Meanwhile, a new vigour has replaced the political atmosphere in Darjeeling. The new movement based on non-violence has caught the imagination of the people here.

Unexplained stone pelting at Pakhurel village

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, August 27: Residents of Pakhurel village in Banthang Pancheykhani in East Sikkim are living under a constant shadow of terror due to regular stone pelting incidents by unknown forces.

The stone pelting incidents had started from Saturday and many houses have been targeted since August 24, says one local resident Deepak Sharma. Till now, the persons behind this stone pelting could not be found despite best efforts.

Finally Pakyong police were informed about this by the terrified villagers. The police also could not reach to conclusion after visiting the village. Now, some villagers are sacred some mysterious or Godly forces could be behind the stone pelting incidents, it was informed.

Though it is easy to reject mysterious forces or Godly forces in today’s age but the people of this village have been left with no answers till now, Mr. Sharma said indicating the helplessness of the villagers.

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Gandhian movement for tax relief begins

Exemption at par with Sikkim subject holders: Old Business community

Cause extends to prospective implementation of Income Tax Act, 1961

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, August 27: Peeved at the ‘discriminatory’ attitude of the Centre on Income Tax exemption issue, the business community of Sikkim launched its ‘Gandhian’ movement from today in the State with two demands- exemption from Direct Income Tax at par with Sikkim subject holders for old business community and implementation of Income Tax Act, 1961 to Sikkim on a future date for the leftouts.

The ball was set rolling by the Sikkim Chamber of Commerce who is spearheading the movement for those not under the exempted lot in Sikkim by placing a memorandum today to the Income Tax office (Sikkim division) addressed to the Union Finance Minister.

The old business community who have settled in Sikkim for generations before April 26, 1975 (the day when Sikkim merged with India) should be given Income Tax exemption at par with Sikkimese subject holders under the Ladakh model, SK Sarda said while submitting the memorandum to the Income Tax office representative.

Citizens’ Bank achieves “Grade A” status from RBI

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, August 27: The Citizens’ Urban Co-operative Bank Limited has achieved ‘Grade A” status through innovative banking from the Reserve Bank of India. With an increase in interest rate on deposit to 12 % per annum, the bank is the only cooperative bank in the State, which has earned the highest grade on the basis of CAMELS ratings, grading a bank on the basis of financial performance, management, systems and efficiency and the strength of its assets.

This was highlighted by the chairman of the bank, PK Pradhan to mediapersons in a press meet held here today afternoon at the Press Club of Sikkim. Presently, the bank has a shareholder base of 2000 from all over the State, the highest in the co-operative sector in Sikkim alongside has an account base of over 8000 all through single retail banking counter at Nam Nang here in the Capital.
In his deliberations, the chairman informed that the Citizens Bank has a credit/deposit ratio standing tall at 75% and that the loan portfolio of Rs 320 lakhs has benefited individuals categorized in low/middle income group thereby rending a helping hand to business and agriculture sector in the state. The bank still continues to finance the micro-finance sector to help the farmer’s community become self-reliant and lead a life of dignity, he said.

Landslide buries cowshed, 2 cows killed

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, August 27: Two cows were killed when a landslide swept away a cowshed near Green Dale school, Daragaon here today morning. A third cow managed to escape from the slide after snapping the rope that had tied it to the shed.

The cows and shed belong to Sher Bahadur Karki. Incessant rainfall over the past few days had trigged the slide in which the retaining wall above Mr. Karki’s house came down into the cowshed.

The local people said that the slide was due to happen as the drain in the area has not been repaired after being constructed during the Kazi’s government. Waste water from the SNT colony located above the area directly runs through this drain which is presently damaged.

Locals said that the slide happened as the water from damaged drain has seeped into the soil. Slush and mud deposited above Mr. Karki’s house is also a factor for the slide. Gangtok SDM Dr. AB Karki reached the spot today morning and assessed the damages. He assured quick compensation to the affected person. He directed the Civil Defence personnel to immediately recover the buried cows.

Daura Suruwal – The maleattire of the Gorkha community

BY DIPAK SHRESTHA

The top is called the labeda, daura or mayelpose. It is a double-breasted kurta whose flaps are battened down in four places with ties, in a diagonal across the chest. The bottom is the suruwal; the same as what the British named jodhpurs,it is skin-tight around the calves, growing to incongruous pleated proportions around the groin.

Both labeda and suruwal came to the middle Himalaya from Rajasthan,

The topi was already there, and at some point during the time, the Western jacket arrived,to be called ‘coat’.

The dress now comes in four pieces: the topi which can be dented and fashioned to create individual signatures;

A most distinctive labeda top, the coat, which completely covers whatever is distinctive about the labeda; and the suruwal, an uncomfortable bottom that sometimes comes with a full legged inner (bhitri). Way back in 1980, a Kathmandu dignitary visiting London was spoofed in a television programme as having arrived at Heathrow in his longjohns.

Thelabeda-suruwal has come to represent the Gorkha community. Large bellies accentuated by the unflattering fall of the labeda. There is more that is comical about the dress: when the male goes to a sofa, he has first to reach tohis rear with two hands and flip the fall of the labeda up so that it rides up the back before he can sit. This is to save the ironing. Once the person is properly seated, members facing him are afforded a grandstand view of the dejected sac of pleated cloth gathered between the legs.

The greatest challenge faced by he who wears the labeda-suruwal is the visit to the bathroom is a secret.For who would want to share this embarrassment with the world? Let me lead you through the ritual step-by-delicate step.

Between the Lines Tap Kosi to change course of Indo-Nepal relations

FROM MINT

NEWS SHARED BY AARDEE

By Jyoti Malhotra

In Janakpur, capital of the Mithilanchal region that now falls in Nepal, people say a girl from the area should never marry a boy from the west (which, in this case, would be Uttar Pradesh in India). The reference of course is to the tribulations faced by Sita, daughter of Janak in the Ramayan, after her marriage to Ram from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

That negative opinion of India, which flares up every now and then in India’s relationship with Nepal, surfaced again after the Kosi river broke through its embankments in the last few days, breaching the Bhimnagar barrage located a mere 12km within Nepal, wreaking havoc in parts of Nepal and across the border in Bihar.

The floods created a wave of anti-India feeling in Nepal.

And India, for its part, claim the fault is Nepal’s.

Khom Raj Dahal, deputy director general of Nepal’s department of water-induced disaster prevention, told The Kathmandu Post that India must be held squarely responsible for the devastation because it “did not carry out repair and maintenance work on the Kosi barrage and the embankment along the river, thereby violating the 1954 Nepal-India Kosi agreement”. The Indian embassy in Nepal issued a statement saying that an Indian technical team had been ready and waiting to help, but was prevented from reaching the site on time by Nepal.

To wear or not to wear!

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Beijing done, Prachanda looks to Delhi – Hindustan Times

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Prachanda says his first ‘political visit’ will be to India

FROM TIMES OF INDIA

KATHMANDU: Amid criticism of his move to visit China first instead of India after assuming office, Nepal’s new premier Prachanda on Wednesday said his maiden “political” trip will be to New Delhi and that it will take place “very soon.”

Prachanda, who undertook a five-day visit to Beijing to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympics, was criticised in the political circle here for visiting China first in a sharp departure from tradition where India has been the first port of call for most of the previous Nepalese prime ministers.

“My first political visit will be to India,” the Nepalese Prime Minister told reporters at the Tribhuvan International Airport here after arriving from China.

Prachanda, the chief of the CPN-Maoist party, said his visit to India will take place “very soon.”

After China, Prachanda to visit US?

14 months ago: In this handout photograph provided by the Carter Center, former US President Jimmy Carter, left, shakes hand with Maoist leader Prachanda in Katmandu, Nepal, Friday, June 15, 2007. Carter met leaders of Nepal’s former communist rebels who are still listed as terrorists by the U.S. government even after giving up their armed revolt and joining mainstream politics. The U.S. insists the former guerrillas must completely renounce violence and establish credibility as a peaceful entity before they can be removed from the terrorist list.

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Kathmandu, Aug 27: After his controversial visit to China within less than a week of assuming office as republic Nepal’s first prime minister, will Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda now snub India further and make the US his next port of call abroad?

Even as a controversy rages in Nepal and India about the implications of the revolutionary choosing to break with tradition and visiting northern neighbour China first instead of southern ally India, there is new speculation that Prachanda’s next destination abroad could be New York and not New Delhi.

WB provides grant of US$ 127M (to Nepal)

FROM GORKHAPATRA SANSTHAN

Kathmandu, August 27: The World Bank has provided a grant of US$ 127 million to help the Government of Nepal consolidate the peace process and to scale up the delivery of basic services to under-served rural population.

Three agreements were signed in Kathmandu today by Finance Secretary Rameshwore Khanal and Susan Goldmark, the World Bank Country Director for Nepal, the World Bank Nepal Office stated in a press release.

Finance Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Isabel Guerrero, the World Bank Vice President for South Asia, witnessed the signing.

The US$ 50 million grant for the Emergency Peace Support project intends to help the Government of Nepal fulfill commitments made under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the subsequent 23 point Agreement.

As part of the peace process, the previous Seven Party Alliance government had authorized payments of Nepalese Rupees, 100,000 each to the families of the war deceased.

It had also authorized payment of Nepalese Rupees 3,000 per month to approximately 19,600 verified Maoists in cantonments, including arrears on these payment that have built up over the previous months. In addition, the project will also help the Government pilot reintegration initiatives.

“All three projects are anchored in the Nepali agenda- peace needs development and development needs peace,” said Ms. Susan Goldmark, World Bank Country Director for Nepal. “As Nepal continues to make progress on the crucial path of peace-building and development, Nepal can be assured of continued World Bank assistance,” she said.

China visit most successful: Prachanda

Nepals Prime Minister Prachanda has said that his China visit has been very successful.

Kathmandu, Aug 27 : Nepal’s Prime Minister Prachanda has said that his China visit has been very successful.

Talking to RSS before leaving Beijing, Prachanda said that the visit has been successful. Basically, I went to Beijing to attend the closing ceremony of Beijing Olympics. We think that the political meetings we held subsequently have also been very good.”

In his first foreign visit after he was elected the Prime Minister, Prachanda went to China to attend the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

Earlier, Nepali Ambassador to China Tanka Karki has said that Prachanda visit has strengthened the relations between Nepal and its northern neighbour.

“Nepal has also hoped that China would extend more assistance to Nepal in the coming days,” he added.

Prachanda discussed with the Chinese support to Nepal in various sectors, including economic and technical in his meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.

Prachanda is scheduled to return to Kathmandu today.

Gorkha Youth wins Sword of Honour and Gold Medal at IMA

Uttarakhand Chief Minister B.C. Khanduri congratulates Lt Sanjay Singh Jeena at his official residence in Dehra Dun on Tuesday. Son of a retired honorary Captain hailing from a remote area in Pithoragarh district, Jeena was awarded the Sword of Honour and gold medal for being first in the overall merit at the passing-out parade of the Indian Military Academy on Monday. — Tribune photo by Raju William

Army integration within six months in Nepal: Defense Minister

FROM ANI

Nepals Defense Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal has said that the process of integration of army will be completed between three to six months.

Kathmandu, Aug 27 : Nepal’s Defense Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ has said that the process of integration of army will be completed between three to six months.

Talking to media persons in Itahari on Tuesday, Badal said that a special committee will be formed to initiate the process.

He also urged everyone not to doubt the process of integration at a time when the ‘Nepalese people have voted Maoists to form the government and the Nepali Army has vowed to carry out the instructions of the government,” Nepalnews reported.

Mahabir Pun receives Hem Bahadur Malla Award-2065

FROM NEPAL NEWS

Mahabir Pun received the ‘Hem Bahadur Malla Award-2065′ from President Dr.
Ram Baran Yadhav in a felicitation programme organised by the Public
Administration Association of Nepal (PAAN) in Kathmandu on Tuesday.

UN reports calls South Asia hot-bed of Child Trafficking

FROM INDIAN EXPRESS

Kathmandu, August 27: The United Nations has stressed on the need for strengthening laws in South Asia to protect child trafficking.

Launching a report on Preventing and Responding to Child Trafficking in South Asia, UNICEFs Child protection specialist Lena Karlsson said, child trafficking is a neglected form of human trafficking as children risk being picked out as undocumented migrants, juvenile delinquents or unaccompanied minors.

Though the governments of South Asia have developed national plans of action and also adopted laws to criminalise trafficking, legal frameworks needs to be strengthened to further protect children from all forms of trafficking and to assist child victims with legal and psychological support, the report states.

South Asian children are being trafficked for various forms of sexual exploitation such as prostitution, sex tourism, child pornography, paedophilia and labour exploitation in agriculture and industries.

Although India and Sri Lanka have put their signature in the Palermo Protocol, the first legal instrument to provide international definition of trafficking of human and children, none of the South Asian countries have actually ratified the protocol, Karlsson said.

The report emphasises on making judicial process child-friendly and protecting the privacy and psychological well-being of children.

According to an estimate some 1.2 million people have been trafficked worldwide annually and the child trafficking accounts for half of it.

Nepali Ambassador to China says PM’s visit strengthened Nepal-China ties

FROM SOUTH EAST ASIA NEWS NET

Kathmandu, August 26 : Nepali Ambassador to China Tanka Karki said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s China visit has strengthened the relations between Nepal and her northern neighbour.

The bilateral relations with China is believed to be extending further as Prime Minister Dahal discussed the Chinese support to Nepal in various sectors including economic and technical in his meetings with his Chinese counterpart and the Chinese president.

In an interview with Kantipur today, Karki said Dahal’s China visit has been quite an achievement.

“The prime minister was not only for the extension of bilateral ties,” Karki said. “Nepal has also hoped that China would extend more assistance to Nepal in the coming days,” he added.

Dahal’s China visit by putting off India’s invitation, though it was said to be for taking part in the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, has been considered to be of political significance in the diplomatic circle.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dahal had said on Monday that his China visit proved to be crucial for the construction of a new Nepal.

Dahal said during a dinner organised at the Nepali Embassy on Monday that he hopes that China would extend more support for the construction of a new Nepal.