HAVE YOUR SAY: DEMAND OF SILIGURI/DOOARS IN GORKHALAND

BY UTTAR BANGA JANA JAGARAN MANCH

Ethnic riots in the North Bengal seems imminent. The state of West Bengal stands at a crucial juncture, where an ethnic riot in the North Bengal region of Darjeeling seems imminent. The fresh demand of Gorkhaland that has been brought forth by the newly formed political front of Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM), rejecting the option of including the Darjeeling hills under the Sixth Schedule provisions of the Constitution, has brought in a new dimension to Bengal politics. Demanding the inclusion of Siliguri and the Dooars belt in the proposed state has turned into a perturbing issue for the Left Front government of West Bengal and remain a difficult matter to handle. Siliguri remains to be the corridor of not only the hill cities of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Gangtok but also the North Eastern states of India, which provides the city not only a strategic fore point but has also turned it into an economic hub in the last two decades.

When the previous Gorkhaland issue was taken up in the eighties, Siliguri was a junction from where a traveler used to choose ones conveyance to travel to the tourism destinations of the Hills. Today, one comes to Siliguri in search of business making it a lucrative economic destination. Due to such development, there has been a systematic ethno demographic movement of the hill people towards the valley before the GJMM demand was made, of including Siliguri and the Dooars belt within the demanded separate state of Gorkhaland in India. The GJMM, a suddenly formed political front, established after a rioting in Siliguri last September, in relation to the incident of a private radio channel’s critical remarks regarding the sudden rise of Prashant Tamang, an Indian Idol aspirant, has fully changed the political dimension of the politics of North Bengal.

The Government of West Bengal had remained passive regarding the issue of development of the hills after the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) was provided significant autonomy in the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Accord in 1988. But the DGHC has been more or less irresponsible in the handling of the situation of the hills, looking into the increasing water crisis, land distribution problems, education and employment, health and sanitation issues, and a basic lack of transparency in the distribution of economic packages to various sectors of the hill economy. No proper democratic elections, auditing and public accountability in seat sharing within the council created a sense of alienation amongst the GNLF party members and the masses. The demand for including the Darjeeling Hills in the Sixth Schedule by the GNLF which was tacitly supported by the West Bengal Government and the Central government was a death knell to the aspirations of ever having a separate state of ‘Gorkhaland’.

SIKKIM: SDF celebrates completion of 14 years in power in Sikkim

FROM THE HINDU

Gangtok (PTI): The ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) led by Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling on Fridaycelebrated the completion of 14 years of its rein in the Himalayan State.

At a function held at the party office near Deorali to mark the 15th foundation day of the SDF government, the party spokesman and former MP Bhim Dahal eulogised the contributions of Chamling in making Sikkim one of the developed States.

Sikkim has come a long way in terms of infrastructure and overall development under the stewardship of Chamling earning him and the state accolades for its achievements in various fields, Dahal said and urged the electorate to give a thumping mandate to his party in the assembly polls due next year.

The Urban Development Minister and the SDF Vice-President D.D. Bhutia, while presiding over the celebration function in the absence of the Chief Minister, flayed the opposition parties for making baseless allegations against the Chamling government and said that the ruling party was happy with its work so long as the electorate and the people of the state continued to repose their trust in them.

DOOARS TERAI: Woman hurt in clash between GJMM supporters and locals

FROM THE STATESMAN

SILIGURI: A GJMM woman supporter was mildly injured in a skirmish with the locals of Devidanga on the outskirts of Siliguri this morning. The trouble erupted over the GJMM activists trying to close down the local shops as part of its 12-hour shutdown convened against the violence at Kalchini yesterday. 
Tension gripped the area soon after the skirmish, prompting the SP Darjeeling, the ASP Siliguri and the special IG Darjeeling to rush to the spot and bring the situation under control. According to the SP, Mr Rahul Srivastava, a police picket led by a DSP-ranked officer has been deployed in the troubled area and regular patrolling was being carried out. The SP confirmed that a GJMM supporter, Ms Lakhi Limbu (23), was mildly injured by stone pelting and was released on first aid at a Siliguri hospital. 

As per the police sources, the trouble at Devidanga erupted as the local shopkeepers opposed a GJMM move to shut down their shops forcefully. Soon both the groups took positions and started pelting stones at each other. But a timely intervention by the police saved the situation from escalating.

DOOARS TERAI: Two more govt offices locked

FROM THE STATESMAN

JALPAIGURI: Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha supporters today locked up the Birpara II gram panchayat office and the Dalgaon forest range office in addition to observing a sit-in- demonstration at Dalgaon, in continuation of the party’s closure programme of state government offices in the proposed territory of Gorkhaland.

GJMM supporters also demonstrated at the Banarhat rail station and forced back the Alipurduar- NJP up passenger train to Alipurduar station from Banarhat despite prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC being in force in Hamiltanganj and Kalchini areas. The SP Jalpaiguri Mr Manoj Varma said that police were organising a “march” in the area and did not allow picketers to stage any agitation in the region. “The overall situation of Alipurduar sub-division is peaceful. Some places in the Dooars region, like Malbazaar, Nagrakata, Binnaguri were affected by the bandh and the shops and market places of those areas remained closed. Transportation was hampered initially but returned almost to normal as the day progressed,” the SP said.

The SP further added that 45 persons of the GJMM, Jana Jagaran Mancha and some troublemongers had been arrested in six different cases from yesterday’s hostilities in Kalchini and Hamiltonganj.

DARJEELING HILLS: Assam based outfits back ‘Gorkhaland’

FROM THE STATESMAN

DARJEELING: Three Assam based socio-political organisations representing the Nepali community in North-East have proposed to champion the Gorkhaland cause in their region.

A four-member delegation from Karbi-Anglong, Assam’s largest district, representing Nepali Suraksha Parishad Asom (NSPA), the All Karbi-Anglong Nepali Students’ Union (AKNSU) and Akhil Assam Nepali Chattra Union (AANCU) met the GJMM president Mr Bimal Gurung yesterday and expressed solidarity. “We are a progressive front working for the political, social, economic and educational upliftment of the Gorkhas in Uttar Purvanchal. Since Gorkha’s are deprived of their identity and birthright all over India, we felt the need for a home state to assert our identity. The GJMM’s democratic movement for Gorkhaland seems to be the right platform for us to express solidarity for the demand,” Mr LN Subba, chairman, NSPA said. He said that in his state Nepalese were tagged as foreigners and infiltrators since the ethnic cleansing drive by indigenous tribes began in Assam and demanded that the revision of the 1950 Indo-Nepal treaty is the only solution.

“Economically, educationally, socially and politically we are deprived. But the tag of infiltrators is our main challenge. People entering India from Nepal should be registered and the Indian Gorkhas should not be at the receiving end,” he said.

Earlier this year, the All Gorkha Students’ Union (AGSU) of Assam and the Assam Gorkha Sammelan (AGS) of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) had met the GJMM leadership too and extended support for Gorkhaland. “The Gorkhas are scattered in Purvanchal and so we have different organisations. We are trying to come under one umbrella,” Mr Tilak Rizal, the AANCU secretary said. The organisations would concentrate in generating public opinion for Gorkhaland in the mainstream politics of North-East. More than 30 lakh Gorkhas that form the electorate in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya and Nagaland would definitely help sway a favourable opinion. “During our interaction we reached a mutual understanding with the GJMM leadership. In the future we will jointly chalk programmes and agendas for North-East,” Mr Rizal said.

Leaders upset 

The Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha activities in Kalchini and Hamiltonganj yesterday, came in for some scathing remarks from the West Bengal minister for the development of backward classes Mr Jogesh Barman and the minister of state for PWD Mr Manohar Tirkey today.

NORTH EAST: Govt upgrading medical institutions in North-East

NEWS SHARED BY AARDEE

FROM PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Government today said it is in the process of upgrading several medical institutions in the North-East to ensure that people from the region do not need to venture out to other parts of the country for treatment.

“The North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) has been set up in Shillong on the lines of AIIMS with the objective of providing advanced specialised healthcare to the people of the region,” Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said.

He was replying to supplementaries in Rajya Sabha on whether the Government is planning to include the North-East in its mission of setting up AIIMS-like institutions.

The Minister said an amount of Rs 1,166.38 cr has been allocated for the institute in the 11th Plan.

There are plans for a 500-bed referral hospital with 35 teaching departments at PG level in various specialities and super-specialities at NEIGHRIHMS, the Minister said.

DARJEELING HILLS: Gorkhaland issue will be focus of talks: GJM

FROM TIMES OF INDIA

SILIGURI: The demand for carving out a separate state of ‘Gorkhaland’ would be the focus of the second round of tripartite talks, the agitating Gorkha Janamukti Morcha said on Firday.

GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri said the party was yet to receive any formal invitation for the talks.

While the GJM said that the parleys, originally scheduled in November, will be held on December 29 in New Delhi, West Bengal Urban Development Minister Asok Bhattacharjee said the talks were likely to be held at the end of the month but did not confirm the date.

Giri claimed that the GJM did not create any pressure either on West Bengal or on the Centre for the talks in view of the militant attack in Mumbai.

He said that only GJM leadership would participate in the December 29 talks and there would be no representation of any other party like in the first round of tripartite talks in New Delhi on September 8 this year.

It was not yet decided whether party president Bimal Gurung would join the talks. Gurung would decide about the delegation only after receiving formal invitation, he added.

OBITUARY: The sister of the Chogyal of Sikkim has died

FROM RADICAL ROYALIST BLOGSPOT.COM

Princess Pema Tsedeun Yapshi Pheunkhang Lacham Kusho of Sikkim

In an obituary published by The Daily Telegraph on 11th December 2008, I learned of the death of Her Highness, Princess Pema Tsedeun Yapshi Pheunkhang Lacham Kusho of Sikkim. The sister of Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, Twelfth Consecrated Ruler of Sikkim, has died on 2nd December 2008. Her brother has predeceased her in 1982:

Princess Coocoola of Sikkim, who has died aged 84, was the beautiful widow of a Tibetan governor and a champion of the distinct culture of the northern Indian state of Sikkim.

Embodying a combination of oriental charm and western sophistication, she relayed messages to the outside world as the Chinese invasion of Tibet began in 1950, then devoted ten years to running a rehabilitation centre for Tibetan refugees in Sikkim. Twenty-five years later, when Sikkim was annexed by India, she played an active role in trying to retain its separate political status and unique character, giving a press conference in Hong Kong to protest at its loss of independence.

Acting as the hostess for her brother, the Chogyal (King) of Sikkim, at State functions until he married his American wife, she travelled widely to lobby politicians in New Delhi. She mixed with John Kenneth Galbraith, Senator Edward Kennedy and presidential aides in Washington and presented an 18-in high Buddha to a Tibetan children’s village at Sedlescome, Sussex.

When the Indian prime minister Pandit Nehru offered her a pension, the Princess turned it down, and asked instead for trading rights. Working from a single room in Calcutta, she and her younger sister Princess Kula started a business importing turquoise from Iran. Later she joined the boards of a company which produced jewels for watches and of the State Bank of Sikkim.

Princess Pema Tsedeun Yapshi Pheunkhang Lacham Kusho (known as Coocoola) was the daughter of Sir Tashi Namgyal, KCSI, KCIE, the 11th Chogyal, and the granddaughter of a Tibetan general. She was born at Darjeeling on September 6 1924, when the Himalayan kingdom, which had been established in the 1640s, was a protectorate of the British Empire.

Young Coocoola was educated by the nuns of St Joseph’s convent at Kalimpong, a hill station near Darjeeling. The Tibetan Pheunkhang family then wrote to the palace, saying that they wanted a Sikkimese Princess to marry their 23-year-old eldest son. Her father did not force her to accept, and she asked a secretary to reply that she wanted to go to university first. On being pressed, she accepted Sey Kusho Gompo Tsering Yapshi Pheunkhang, the governor of the Tibetan city of Gyantse and a son of one of the four ministers of Tibet. But she broke precedent by declining to marry both the bridegroom and his brother, as was the custom. “I replied that I would only marry the eldest,” she recalled in later life.

MEDIA: Nine FM partners Goal.com

FROM RADIO AND MUSIC.COM

MUMBAI: People of entire northern part of West Bengal and Sikkim are now making themselves updated with all information and recent happenings in and outside of the soccer stadiums around the globe from their favorite radio station ‘Nine 91.9 FM’.

NINE 91.9 FM in its constant endeavor to bring the world to this region and vice versa, has joined hands with one of the leading football website of the world – goal.com. Listeners of North Bengal and Sikkim can now get their daily dose of all the International and National Football news that they want by just tuning in to their favorite radio station – NINE on 91.9FM. With updates and summaries aired throughout the day, as it happens, football lovers now have a reason to smile.

‘Goal.Com’ is a very popular web journal on football, which represents the biggest football community of the world. In 16 language versions this journal covers 210 different countries. The contents of the journal are given from a world network of its own journalists and photographers.

Talking about the partnership between ‘Nine FM’ and ‘Goal.Com’, the Chief Executive Officer of the private broadcasting station Mr Bobby Gupta commented, “Football is a religion in this region. This region provides many great players to the Indian National Football Team. Mr Baichung Bhutia captain of Indian National Football Team could be an example of this. He is from Sikkim. We have already got a good response from our audience and I wish this alliance will prove as a global window on soccer for the people of the region.”

NATIONAL: Hill tripartite talks on Dec 29 – Home secretary confirms Morcha president’s claim

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Bimal Gurung, the President of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. Photo by The Telegraph

Dec. 11: The tripartite meeting on the Darjeeling hills will be held on the 29th of this month.

“A state government official today called me up and told me that the meeting has been scheduled for December 29 at 3pm in New Delhi. I have told him to send a formal letter and he has promised to do so as early as possible,” Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president told The Telegraph in the Darjeeling  today.

In Calcutta, Bengal home secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti has confirmed the date scheduled for the talks to be held at the secretary-level. “Our chief secretary (Amit Kiran Deb) and myself will represent the state government,” he said. Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta and other senior officials will be present on behalf of the Centre.

The second round of meeting was supposed to be held in the second week of November, but there had been no word from either the Centre or the state. Following the silence, the Morcha announced that it would not press for the talks. Instead, it called for an indefinite closure of state government offices from December 8 onwards.

BENGAL: Darjeeling tripartite talks on Dec 29?

FROM ZEE NEWS

Kolkata: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which is agitating for a separate state of Gorkhaland, on Thursday claimed that the much-awaited tripartite talks to settle the issue will be held in New Delhi on December 29.

West Bengal Urban Development Minister Asok Bhattacharjee, however, did not confirm the date and said the talk was likely to be held at the end of the month.

GJM general secretary Roshan Giri told a news agency that the decision to hold talks among the Centre, state government and GJM, had been communicated to party president Bimal Gurung.

Asked who would represent the GJM at the meeting, he said, “That has not been decided yet”.

When told that the state government was against division of the state and instead favoured granting more financial powers and autonomy to the existing Darjeeling Gokha Hill Council, Giri said, “We are not in favour of autonomy which is a failed system and which has been rejected by the people.”

He said nothing short of a separate state would fulfil the aspirations of the people of the region who have a different identity, culture and language and do not conform to the culture of the rest of Bengal.

NEW DELHI: All Gorkha Minority Front – Heads Delhi

NEWS RELEASED BY BISHAL RAI

India, our beloved country, is the largest democracy in the world. It is our duty to abide by its Constitution and on the other had the said constitution has provided us complete safeguard towards our rights Article 3(a) of the constitution has guaranteed us creation of a State by virtue of which we are demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland within the Indian dominion. To the press the demand of creation of State of Gorkhaland, a delegation of the Member of All Gorkha Minority Front a non-political will proceed to New Delhi and also to meet different Central leaders in Support of the demand.

DEPARTURE

The date for departure of the delegation has been fixed on 12th and 13th December 2008 by Mahananda Expres, Awadh Assam Mail and Purvotter Sampark Kranti Express. Bimal Gurung, President, GJMM has consented to see off the delegation on 12th December 2008 at 4.00 pm from Chowrasta. The delegation will reach New Delhi on 14th December 2008.

An advance party led by the President, All Gorkha Minority Front Mr. Tshering Dorjee and Treasurer Mr. Nudup Dorjey Bhutia is in Delhi and making necessary arrangements with the Gorkhas residing in Delhi.

The members of Kalimpong, Sukhiapokhari, Bijanbari, Takdah and Sonada may proceed to New Jalpaiguri directly from their own places. Members of Darjeeling will assemble at Chowrasta on 12th December 2008 at 4 pm.

DHARNA
The members will sit on Dharna on 15th, 16th and 17th December 2008 from 10.00 Am to 5 pm in front of Jantar Mantar. A cultural programme in between will also be organized by all the communities.

IMPORTANT DIRECTION
All members are requested to carry their Photo Identity Card / Election Card.

Contact Persons at New Delhi

Bishal Rai ‘Kirath -’ 98730 69 068
Nelson Pradhan  - 97116 84 398
Ashok Kr. Biswa  - 97117 50 352
Kalam Khan  - 99993 91 109
Awinash Mukhia – 97114 29 259
Milan Gurung  - 99535 36 029
Uttam Chettri  - 98688 36 145
Manoj Shanker – 98108 82 342
Meena Limu – 99907 38 542
Asha Gurung – 97112 17 339

Transport Arrangement – New Delhi
Kamal Khan –                             98735 94554
Col. S. Pradhan –                         98100 25687

Besides above special help and assistance to be obtained from Col. S. Pradhan, New Delhi

Details of the Members of All Gorkha Minority Front proceeding New Delhi

Darjeeling
Bengali –             03
Bhojpuri-                        24
Harijan – 05
Marwari – 20
Muslim – 13
Roman Catholic –            10
Tibetian ‘Bhutia’ – 16
Dukpa – 11

KALCHINI CLASH : MORCHA ACTIVISTS STABBED TWO PERSONS- SEVERAL INJURED – ATTACKED MP’s HOUSE AND MORE VIOLANCE BY THE GJMM ACTVISTS

FROM VOICE OF THE PEOPLE – OFFICIAL MOUTH PIECE OF UTTAR BANGA JAN JAGARAN MANCH

Police arrest GJM supporters at outskirts of Hamiltonganj

Hamiltongonj: A handful of employees had arrived at the Kalchini block development office around 10am today when around 300 local Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters came in a procession and began shouting slogans.

This surprised the staff members as well as block development officer R.R. Sunder, who came out of their offices. Shouting pro-Gorkhaland slogans, the Morcha rallyists proceeded to lock up the block and the adjacent panchayat samiti offices. GJMM supporters then reached the Latabari Gram Panchyat Office and demanded that office to be locked up.

The employees told the rallyists to move away and not to disturb them. The Morcha supporters refused to budge and slowly a crowd started gathering. Soon, angry people surrounded the Morcha protesters.

Mr. Ranjit Ghosh, Convenor of the Bangla O Bangla Bhasha Bachao Committee, Jalpaiguri, said this incensed the locals who started the protesting. The GJMM supporters then started attacking the locals. Armed with the traditional Khukris and axes, GJMM agitators threw stones at the locals and their houses. They attacked Alipurduar MP Mr. Joachim Buxla”s house, inflicting serious injuries on his wife Malati. The GJMM supporters damaged nearly hundred houses by pelting them with stones. Morcha supporters also stabbed two persons- Mr. Harish Sarkar and Mr. R.Rastogi.

The news of the clash spread fast and a large number of Morcha supporters arrived at the Kalchini block office and began throwing stones at the handful of policemen, making them scurry for cover. But soon, the Morcha supporters were pushed back by a stone-throwing mob, while the administration tried to get more police. Shops in the Hamiltongonj market downed shutters fast.

SIKKIM – NAMCHI: Mahotsav 2008 as never before

FROM SIKKIM REPORTER

BY PRAKASH CHETTRI

Namchi: With a view to organize Namchi Mahotsav 2008 in a grand scale and in a better way this year, the organizing committee of the District Administration, South Sikkim, has geared up to make this year’s event like never before and the first of its kind in the State.

The committee has decided not to leave any stone unturned in its preparation. This was informed in a press conference held here at the District Administration Complex here Wednesday by District Collector, Mr. D Anandan.

He said Namchi Mahotsav 2008 would be held for three days from 16th December to 18th December. Bhaichung Stadium would be the main venue. Chief guest of the inaugural ceremony would be chief minister Dr Pawan Chamling. On the day he will also inaugurate beautified Namchi bazaar in the evening which would add to the attraction of the opening of Namchi Mahotsav 2008.

On 17th and 18th December, local bands will perform at Namchi bazaar in the afternoon while traditional programme will simultaneously take place at Bahichung Stadium on both the days. On 17th afternoon, fashion show on traditional bride and groom concept of various communities will be held.

SIKKIM: Sikkim pugilists outshine Orissa, Goa

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK: A host of Sikkimese pugilists, including Bir Hang Subba and Amrit Tamang fought their way successfully into the finals of their respected categories in the ongoing 24th Sub-Junior National Boxing Championship at Paljor Stadium here today.

Debutant Bir Hang Subba was declared winner against Ashish of Orissa in light weight semi-final round when the referee stopped the contest in the first round as Subba had overscored.

Amrit Tamang, the silver medallist in the 23rd Sub-Junior Boxing Championship won on points (22:6) against Goa’s upcoming Nikhil in 50 kgs weight event.

In the medals tally, Services Sports Control Board is leading with 42 points followed by Uttarakhand with 20 points in the second position and Sikkim and Haryana with 19 points each in third position respectively. Chandigarh boxing team is placed in the fourth with 17 points.

RELATED STORY

FROM SIKKIM REPORTER

Four boxers reach final

Boxers struggle it out at Sub-Junior National Boxing Championship at Gangtok. Photo by Sikkim Reporter

Gangtok: Seven boxers reached final and two bronze medals were bagged by Sikkim in the ongoing 24th Sub-Junior Men’s National Boxing Championship here on Wednesday. Out of fourteen selected boxers, only nine reached to semifinal from Sikkim. In two days’ semifinals, four boxers out of six made to final. They are: Ruven Gurung, Diwakar Rai, Lalit Subba and Pappu Tamang. Sukraj Rai and Bishal Thapa won bronze.

SIKKIM: Bihari community demands ‘cut off year’ for old settlers

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK: Sikkim Bihari Jagran Manch (SBJM) has appealed the State government to take up the issue of Income Tax exemption for the old business community of the State.

SJBM working president Anil Kumar Gupta requested the State government to reconsider the case of the left out Sikkimese businessmen not only for the exemption of Income Tax but also for the socio-economic developments in other spheres of life, informs a release.

Mr. Gupta was making the above appeal during the 15th foundation day celebrations of the body yesterday at Singtam Bihari Bhavan. He added that a committee should be formed to survey and to study the case of the left out Sikkimese.

More than 300 executive members of the body were present on the occasion which was graced by agriculture minister Somnath Poudyal as the chief guest.

SBJM president Swaminath Prasad extended his warm welcome with open arms to all the members and guest of the occasion. He requested the government to decide ‘cut off year’ and grant identity to the old settlers of Sikkim.

Mr. Poudyal assured to take up the matter with the Chief Minister for the fruitful outcome. The meeting also decided to form a sub-committee to appraise the matter with the government.

SIKKIM: HC admits PK Pradhan’s appeal against his conviction

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK: The High Court of Sikkim has granted regular bail to former chief secretary PK Pradhan who had been convicted in a CBI graft case by the lower court.

Mr. Pradhan along with former Chief Minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari and eight others had been found guilty in a rural development department corruption case by the District Session Court (East and North) on October 25. The CBI designated court had sentenced all the convicted persons to 6 months imprisonment but also granted bail to them till the date of filing of appeal against their conviction.

Mr. Pradhan filed an appeal on November 24 at the High Court against the conviction and also submitted an appeal for regular bail.

Responding to the bail appeal, the single bench judge of High Court, Justice AP Subba granted regular to Mr. Pradhan. The High Court has also admitted his appeal against the lower court’s verdict.

SIKKIM: Restoration of Sikkimese Nepali seats quickest solution to LT issue: Adikhari

SNPP’S SEAT FORMULA- NEPALI: 13, BL: 13, SC: 2, GENERAL: 4

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK: Throwing another spin to the already cluttered Limboo-Tamang seat matrix, Sikkim Nationalist People’s Party (SNPP) today claimed that restoration of the Sikkimese Nepali seats in the State Assembly is the ‘simplest and quickest solution’ to political rights issue.

“We appeal the Limboo Tamang communities to support our demand for restoration of the seats for Sikkimese Nepalis. Once the Sikkimese Nepali seats are restored in the Assembly, the Limboo Tamang communities will also get their reserved seats under the umbrella of Nepali community”, said SNPP president Biraj Adikhari in a press meet here.

Mr. Adikhari said that 13 seats should be reserved for the Sikkimese Nepali community in the 32 seat-Sikkim Assembly. “Restoration of the Sikkimese Nepali seats is achievable in a shortest period and within this the Limboo Tamang communities can be accommodated”, he said.

The SNPP president appealed the Limboo Tamang communities to support his party and promised that once SNPP comes to power, their political rights will be assured.

“Seats for Sikkimese Nepalis will be restored to 13 and Limboo-Tamang communities will get their due political rights within six months of SNPP coming to power”, Mr. Adikhari asserted. The two seats for SC communities and 13 seats for Bhutia Lepcha communities will remain as such while four remaining seats are open to general, he said inviting more opinion on this.

Limboo-Tamang communities who got ST status in 2003 are yet to get their seats reserved in the Assembly and presently it has become a key issue for the upcoming 2009 Assembly elections scheduled April-May.

Championing the political rights cause for Limboo-Tamang communities, SNPP said that the abolition of the 16 Sikkimese Nepali seats from the State Assembly by the Parliament in 1980 was ‘illegal and unconstitutional’.

SIKKIM: Funeral procession of Late Princess Pema Tseuden Yapshi Pheunkhang Lacham Kusho

 FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

Funeral procession of Late Princess Pema Tseuden Yapshi Pheunkhang Lacham Kusho. Photo by Sikkim Express

GANGTOK: Princess Pema Tseuden Yapshi Pheunkhang Lacham Kusho, the younger sister of Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, the 12th and the last king of Sikkim was cremated in traditional manner at Lukshyama, the royal cremation hill near Hanuman Tok above Gangtok this morning. 

As a mark of respect and mourning, the State government had also declared today as a State holiday.

A large gathering of people from all walks of life attended the funeral procession and the final rites of the Princess who despite being the King’s sister was known for her own individuality, grace, charm, wisdom and intelligence.

The 84-year-old Princess died in Calcutta on December 2. She leaves behind one son and two daughters.

A funeral procession was taken out from her residence at Development area to the area near the Congress headquarters and her body was then driven to Luskhyama from there for the last rites.

The eldest daughter of Sir Tashi Namgyal, the 11th Chogyal of Sikkim, widely known as Princess Coocoola, she had married the Governor of Gyantse province in Tibet and later settled to live in India with personal business interests in Kolkata and the neighbouring region.

Despite being a princess she was widely respected for her grace, charm and intelligence and also as a social worker.

DOOARS TERAI: Cops reject dad plea to release ‘mentally ill’ youth

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Darjeeling police commandos block the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha rally at Debidanga on Thursday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Jaigaon, Dec. 11: A defence employee’s fervent appeal to police to get his “mentally ill” son released from lock-up has fallen on deaf ears. Even the doctors’ prescriptions to buttress his point failed to cut ice.

Subhomay, the son of Ashok Sarkar, an employee of the army’s military engineering service (MES) wing at Hasimara, was reportedly standing in front of his Shyamaprasad Colony house in Hamiltongonj during a clash between local people and supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha yesterday.

The rapid action force personnel appeared at the spot to disperse the crowd and picked up the 22-year-old and nine others for their alleged involvement in the clash and put them in the lock-up.

This morning, Sarkar, armed with a prescription from a psychiatrist who has been treating Subhomay, rushed to the Kalchini police station to get his son released. The MES employee was accompanied by Probhat Mukherjee, a member of the Kalchini panchayat samiti.

They met the subdivisional police officer of Alipurduar, Ujjwal Bhowmik, who was camping there, and pleaded with him to release Subhomay on “humanitarian grounds”.

TEESTA: Dam workers mull defiance

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Siliguri, Dec. 11:  People of Kalijhora are toying with the idea of joining work at the NHPC lower dam site if the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha does not heed their plea to keep the project outside the purview of the strike.

The Kalijhora United People’s Forum had said it would take up with the Morcha central leadership the plight of the residents, who are going without income after work at the Teesta Lower Dam Project-IV came to a halt because of the agitation.

“If the Morcha doesn’t budge from its stand, we will join work and break the strike,” said Bharat Chhetri, a social worker. “People who subsist on daily wages cannot go hungry and sit idle at homes for days and weeks.”

“If our appeal fails to make the Morcha reverse the decision, there are high chances that people will defy the party and join work to earn money for running their families. They are genuine supporters of Gorkhaland, but it is difficult for them to live without wages,” said Chhetri.

The NHPC employs around 2,000 people at Kalijhora and they together earn Rs 30 crore a year. The corporation is also constructing another dam on the Teesta at Rambhi.

Arun Ghataney, the president of the forum, said today that a letter would be sent to Morcha chief Bimal Gurung, detailing the hardships the people faced.

DOOARS TERAI: Siliguri works, Dooars shut

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

The relay fast in front of the Darjeeling police station. Picture by Suman Tamang

Dec. 11: Eleven members of the Gorkha Janmukti Nari Morcha today started a relay hunger strike in front of the Darjeeling Sadar police station even as the 12-hour general strike called by the party passed off peacefully in the hills.

Although the Morcha had said it would announce a fresh agitation unless the “culprits” involved in attacking its supporters in Kalchini block of Jalpaiguri district were arrested by 6pm, president Bimal Gurung decided to wait till 2pm tomorrow. Ten persons had already been arrested after the clashes. “We will, however, continue to hold dharnas across the region,” he added.

The bandh had shut out the hills although there were not many Morcha cadres around. General secretary Roshan Giri said: “We had decided to keep the tea gardens out of the purview of the strike.” However, the cinchona plantations, the largest public sector undertaking in the hills, were closed.

A procession was also brought out in Darjeeling to protest against the “atrocities in the plains”.

Although life in Siliguri was normal, the Dooars was crippled by two bandhs: one was the Morcha strike and the other a 24-hour shutdown called by the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad.

Train service was disrupted at several places because of the blockades set up by the Morcha and the Parishad, which was protesting against the torching of Adivasi houses in Bir Birsa Munda Colony, allegedly by foresters.

DARJEELING HILLS: Tourists stuck in hills and plains

FROM THE TELEGERAPH

Tourists wait for a Sikkim bus in Siliguri. (Kundan Yolmo)

Dec. 11: The 12-hour bandh called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha took tourists as well as the people of Sikkim by surprise, stranding them in different places in the hills and the plains.

Traffic came to a halt on NH31A as the main road link of the Himalayan state with the rest of the country was cut off. More than 100 tourists were forced to stay back in Gangtok today. It was only late in the afternoon that vehicles started moving down towards Siliguri with the bandh coming to an end at 6pm.

“I have been waiting since morning at the taxi stand where I was told by the drivers that they would start only after 4pm,” said Amit Jain, a tourist from Howrah. Jain and his family members had train tickets for Friday night from New Jalpaiguri.

Naval Kishore Sharma was more apprehensive as he has to catch a train from New Jalpaiguri tomorrow morning. “I had planned to travel to Siliguri and spend a relaxed night before going to the station tomorrow. Now I am all tensed up,” he said.

Down in Siliguri, M.D. Murthy, a resident of Bangalore, was waiting at the terminus of the Sikkim Nationalised Transport (SNT) along with four other colleagues of a Kendriya Vidyalaya. “We came to know about the bandh when we arrived here this morning after attending a seminar in Calcutta. We have to cancel our visit to Gangtok as we have to reach Calcutta by Saturday,” he said.

Tulsi Sharma, the transport inspector of the SNT in Siliguri, said the seven buses that travelled to Gangtok daily had been cancelled. “Early this morning, we tried to send a bus to Gangtok, but it was stopped by the agitators just outside Siliguri. It had to come back,” Sharma said.

DOOARS TERAI: Houses targeted in battle zone

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

A CPM leader’s house at Debidanga that was ransacked, allegedly by Morcha supporters. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Debidanga (Siliguri), Dec. 11: A stone hurled at a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha procession injured a 16-year-old girl, spurring a retaliation from the rallyists. Soon, the Morcha supporters were pelting the houses at Debidanga, 4km from Siliguri, with bricks till police brought the situation under control in an hour.

The hill party had called a 12-hour strike across the territory that it wants to be part of Gorkhaland to protest against the attack on its supporters in Kalchini yesterday, allegedly by those who are against the statehood demand. Morcha supporters, mostly women, had brought out the rally around 10.30am today to protest against the Kalchini clashes.

“We were peacefully marching on the road when some CPM supporters threw stones at us, injuring one of the girls,” said Sushma Gurung, the vice-president of the Siliguri subdivisional committee of the Gorkha Janmukti Nari Morcha. “Some youths had even chased our girls like Sita Bhujel, with sticks. The administration should take steps against the wrong-doers or else face intensive agitation.” Four persons were arrested in the evening.

Khushbu Limbu, who suffered the injury on the forehead, was taken to Siliguri District Hospital. She was released after first aid.

The incident heightened the tension in the area, charged up since yesterday. Morcha supporters – about 70-80 in number – threw stones at the houses, smashing windowpanes and bending the tin roofs. The residents of the houses, too, hit back and a brick battle followed. The police arrived 10 minutes later.