DHARAMSALA: Dharamsala residents take to streets

FROM THE TRIBUNE

NEWS SHARED BY JTM

Residents holding a demonstration against shifting of a proposed central university to Dehra at Dharamsala on Monday. Photo: Kamaljeet

Hundreds of residents of Dharamsala today took to the streets against the government decision to shift the venue of the proposed central university to Dehra.

The protesters were led by members of the ‘sangharsh committee’ formed by them to take up their cause. They alleged the government was doing injustice to the Dharamsala area.

Kangra Congress MP Chander Kumar also joined the protest. He said the Centre had approved the university for Dharamsala. The announcement in that regarding was made by P Chidambaram when he visited the state on behalf of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. However, the present government was trying to shift the university venue to Dehra.

Chander Kumar said the Congress would take up the issue with the Union Ministry of Human Resources. If the CM wanted to cater to Dehra, he should get new projects approved for it.

The CM has been stating that the venue of the proposed central university will be decided by the Centre, although the government has offered land for the project near Dehra. To assuage the feeling of residents of the Dharamsala area, the government recently announced to set up a food and craft institute at Khaniara village. The CM would lay the foundation stone of the project later this month.

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Suspected LeT linkman arrested in West Bengal

FROM EXPRESS BUZZ

KOLKATA: A suspected Bangladeshi linkman of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) group who helped its terrorists to infiltrate into India was arrested Tuesday from West Bengal’s Malda district, the police said.

A six-member team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) took Safikul into custody from Harishchandrapur area, Deputy Inspector General Siddhinath Gupta told reporters.

Gupta said Safikul, a resident of Nababganj in Bangladesh, used to help LeT terrorists to enter India illegally. India has blamed the LeT for the Mumbai terror attacks.

“He also used to supply RDX to terrorist organisations,” Gupta said. “We have proof that he supplied 20 kg RDX to an unidentified organisation in 2006. We are interrogating him to find if the same explosives were used for the train blasts in Mumbai in 2006.”

Safikul was hiding at the residence of a retired Indian army driver, Haji Akhtar Hussain, at Jangipur town in Murshidabad district since Dec 18, 2008.

KURSEONG: Five arrested for court violence

FROM THE STATESMAN

 Kurseong/ Siliguri, Jan. 13: Police in Kurseong have arrested five persons in connection with the 2 January Kurseong court hostilities against the alleged murderers of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader Subodh Pradhan at Rohini on the night of 31 December.

According to police, the arrested persons are Subash Rai of Kurseong, Pramod Chettri of Lower Sirubari, Rohini, Robin Singh of Lower Dumaram Busty, Bijay Thapa of Singel Tea Estate and Devendra Subba of Ranikoop Naya Bazaar; Kurseong.

The arrested persons were produced in the additional chief judicial magistrate court, Kurseong, and later remanded in to jail custody. According to court officials, the next hearing on the case would be on 27 January. The five have been charged under Sections 147,148,149,341,353,186,323,325,326,307,427 and 507 of the Indian Penal Code.

The Kurseong  SDPO, Mr Rakesh Singh, said that the five people were arrested last night. “They were arrested for attacking the five accused persons in the GJM leader murder case, at the Kurseong Court. He also added that police were conducting more raids at several places.”

SIKKIM: Rubbished dual citizenship

FROM THE STATESMAN

 GANGTOK, Jan. 13: The ruling Sikkim Democratic Front has strongly refuted the allegations regarding dual citizenship, leveled by BJP, against party leader and the chief minister of Sikkim Mr Pawan Chamling.

The BJP regional in-charge, Mr H Prasad had said here on 11 January that Mr Chamling had acquired Nepalese citizenship and had demanded his resignation. The SDF has rejected the BJP’s claim as a “bogus one.” The SDF publicity secretary today issued a statement, which reads as: “Mr Chamling’s Nepali citizenship documents being talked about by the BJP leadership time and again, are fake. It is being done to malign the chief minister.” The SDF officials further said that the Sikkim state unit of the BJP has used Mr Prasad. “His statement regarding the dual citizenship is reactionary, doubtful and baseless,” the SDF leader said. Political observers here believe the whole episode is stunt with an eye on the forthcoming Assembly polls in the state.

SILIGURI: Exclusion of Nepali citizens from voters’ list demanded

FROM THE STATESMAN

Siliguri, Jan. 13: Jana Chetana, a Siliguri-based pressure group, demanded a thorough revision of the existing state voters’ list deleting the names of the Nepali citizens. “The voters’ list should be revised taking into account the serious question of the citizenship rights of the Nepali speaking people living in the state. The year 1950 should be taken as the cut off year while examining citizenship claim,” said the Jana Chetana president Dr Debaprasad Kar.

“Even the state administration has some people in responsible positions whose citizenship is under cloud. It must be cleansed of the alien elements though the interest of the genuine Indian citizens among the Nepali speaking people should not be compromised in the process,” he said.

Dr Kar asked the Centre and the state government not to proceed further with the tripartite dialogue on the sensitive Gorkhland issue until the paramount citizenship uncertainty was cleared once and for all.

SILIGURI: Bayern tips for budding coaches

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Siliguri, Jan. 13: Budding coaches in town will get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take lessons from “Gerd” Mueller who will arrive here on January 20 with his team FC Bayern Munich II.

Soon after his arrival, the former World Cupper will attend a workshop for the coaches. The German team will play against the Siliguri Mayor’s XI at Kanchenjungha Stadium the next day.

“About 15 coaches from town, who had obtained diplomas from the National Institute of Sports, IFA and the West Bengal State Council of Sports and other institutions, will attend the workshop,” said Shantipriya Guha, the vice-president of the the Siliguri Mahakuma Krira Parishad (SMKP). “The legendary footballer will interact with the local coaches and give them valuable tips on techniques of modern football.” This workshop will commence at 3pm in the stadium office.

Mueller, the assistant coach of the Bayern junior team, will lead a 27-member team (see chart) during the trip to Siliguri . The SMKP officials are trying to shortlist players for the match here. “We have contacted players from different clubs and the selection will be done shortly,” said Suvra Roy, the assistant secretary of the Parishad.

Before the match, Mueller will be felicitated jointly by the SMKP, Siliguri Municipal Corporation, Siliguri  Mahakuma Parishad and the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority. “We have decided to felicitate him as the soccer lovers of the town have never seen a football legend like his stature,” Roy said.

ROHINI: Rohini counts losses as relief pours in

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Roshan Giri distributes relief in Rohini on Tuesday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Rohini, Jan. 13: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today distributed relief to 15 families whose houses had been torched on New Year’s Day, by people owing allegiance to the party, following the alleged lynching of its leader Subodh Pradhan the night before.

Each of the families received a blanket, mattress, 50kg of rice, 5 litres of cooking oil, a packet of dal and sugar and potatoes. Before distributing the material, Binay Tamang, the Morcha  media and publicity secretary, apologised for what had happened and described it as a retaliation for their leader’s murder. “It was the public who had gone on the rampage. We know some innocent people have also been affected. But we will not help the Diyalis. We will distribute the material to 15 families, the ones we feel were the most affected,” Tamang said.

Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri handed over the material to the beneficiaries. Giri, however, promised more relief. “Our party is preparing a report on the number of burnt houses. After the final report is ready, party president Bimal Gurung will come to Rohini to give funds for reconstruction or repair. The amounts, however, will depend on the report,” said Giri. Sumitra Rai, a member of one of the affected families, said she would be able to feed her two daughters for a few days with what she got today. “To an extent, the relief will be of help for some days. But in the long run, it will be tough because I have lost my entire house,” she said.

Sumitra, a widow, and her daughters are currently residing with a relative here.

Devika Gurung, too, has lost her house. “It is half burnt and I have been forced to stay with my relatives. The relief I hope will last a month. I have a son in the primary school and it is difficult for me to stay with my relatives,” said Devika, a widow.

DOOARS TERAI: Mela to boost cultural bond

BY RAJEEV RAVIDAS

Gorubathan, Jan. 13: The  Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has set up camp at the playing field of the Upper Fagu tea estate to make forays into the Adivasi heartland of the Dooars for Gorkhaland.

About 15,000 Morcha  supporters gathered on the huge field of the tea estate, 70km northeast of Kalimpong, at the start of the week-long Gorkha-Adivasi Sanskritik Milan Mela to celebrate the close cultural ties between the two communities.

Almost half of them comprising members of the Morcha’s frontal organisations – Yuva Morcha, Nari Morcha  and Gorkhaland Personnel – will stay in the camps till the end of the fair. The no-show by Morcha president Bimal Gurung, who is believed to be the brain behind the Mela, did not seem to have dampened the spirits of the supporters as they made merry in a carnival-like atmosphere.

The Mela had it all: cultural items, football matches, food court, merry-go-rounds and giant wheels.

Samuel Gurung, the secretary of the Morcha’s Kalimpong unit, said the party chief would reach late in the evening, but would stay on in the area till the start of the party’s Dooars drive. “Our Dooars Chalo campaign will begin with a candle light rally on Thursday. On Friday, about 25,000 supporters will march to Nagarkatta (45km from here).”