GJM RELAXES BANDH IN HILLS, RIVALS STRIKE BACK

ENS, Kolkata,26 July: Even as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha relaxed its ongoing indefinite strike in the Darjeeling Hills for 12 hours on Saturday to enable people to stock up on essential commodities, anti-Gorkhaland organisations based in the foothills resorted to a blockade of all roads leading to the Hills for nearly four hours, demanding that the tripartite talks with the GJM involving the state and Central governments be called off immediately.

The road blockades were set up at Darjeeling More and Khaprail More in Siliguri by anti-Gorkhaland outfits Amra Bangalee, Bangla O Bangla Bhasha Bachao Committee and the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad (ABAVP). Amra Bangalee Darjeeling district secretary Shambu Shatrudhar said the protesters were opposed to talks being held over possible division of Bengal for a separate Gorkhaland.

“Why should there be any talk of creating Gorkhaland? We want the talks to be called off immediately. We’re also demanding that no more strikes be called and the ongoing strike be withdrawn immediately. Every few months, the GJM calls a strike that cripples the region. People in the Hills face tremendous problems. Schools remain closed. Business in the plains and foothills gets affected,” Shatrudhar said.

He added that their blockade was withdrawn today after requests from the district administration. “Our blockade was only on roads leading to Darjeeling. We left the Sikkim road open. We are planning more intensive agitation before August 11, the date set for the third round of tripartite talks.”

Meanwhile, in the Dooars region of the neighbouring Jalpaiguri district, the GJM began relay hunger-strikes at three places — in front of police stations at Meteli, Banaghat and Birpara - to demand a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for their supporters whose property was damaged during the GJM-ABAVP clashes in the Dooars in January this year.

They are also pressing for the transfer of IGP (north Bengal) K L Tamta, ASP Darjeeling A Chaturvedi and SDPO Kurseong Partha Pal while demanding the state government keep its promise, made during post-clashes dialogues in February, of reopening tea gardens at Sumsing, Ramjoda and Kathalguri.

ABAVP spokesperson Rajesh Lakra said the Dooars tribals would continue to oppose the demand for Gorkhaland. “They (GJM) can hold any form of democratic protest, but if there is any violence, the blame will rest with the GJM and the state government,” Lakra said.

Do You Think That the Creation of a separate State would justify the Gurkha Issue?

The hills of Darjeeling are abuzz with chaos. The Gurkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has been demanding a separate state for their ethnic Nepali community. The indefinite bandh called by the GJM supporters last week, demanding Gurkhaland, saw clashes between GJM activists and anti-Gurkhaland supporters. The hills' tourism sector was also badly hit due to bandh, which is a major source of revenue in the region. Moreover, the clash has created rift between the Bengali and Nepalese community living in the region. The Gurkhas are the natives of Nepal who have settled in India since British regime. The Gurkhas are known for their history of bravery and strength in the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Indian Army's Gurkha Regiment. GJM led by its leader Bimal Gurung has been demanding separate state of Gurkhas, which comprises of Darjeeling, Dooars, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Terai and Siliguri in West Bengal, besides opposing the Sixth Schedule status for Darjeeling district. The people of the hills feel that the government has neglected the Hill community for long and that no major development have taken place in the region. Moreover, they want to go separate ways because of ethnic differences of the people in hills with those in plains. Do you think that the creation of a separate state would justify the Gurkha issue? Participate on this debate and voting by logging on the following site of MERI NEWS

http://www.merinews.com/debate?debateId=81

12 Hr RELAXATION IN GJM's Bandh

UNI, Darjeeling July 25: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) today indicated that it could call off its indefinite strike in Darjeeling if the administration conceded its demand of taking stern action against the police officers allegedly involved in the July 10 Panighata clash.

GJM Assistant General Secretary Binay Tamang told UNI, ''We have written to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and demanded the transfer of several police officers, including IGP, North Bengal, Kundan Lal Tamta and two other police officers involved in the Panighata clash.

''If the state government takes positive steps we may consider withdrawing the bandh,'' he added.

''We are also happy that the Gorkhaland issue has been raised in Parliament by BJP MP from Darjeeling Jaswant Singh,'' GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri said.

Shops and business establishments, meanwhile reopened owing to the 12-hour relaxation in the bandh given by the GJM. Huge crowds thronged the markets in a bid to stock essential commodities.

However, schools and educational institutions, government and private offices remained shut despite the relaxation.

Tea gardens functioned normally as usual and NH 31A, the lifeline of Sikkim, also remained open for traffic movement.

The Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad (ABAVP), which is against the formation of a separate state, raised a road blockade at Pintail village near NH 65 to protest the GJM's atrocities.

Assistant Secretary of ABAVP Rajesh Toppo said, ''We are protesting against the GJM's tyranny. They cannot call bandhs and cause inconvenience to the people according to their whims and fancies.'' Earlier, 20 of the GJM'sactivists, accused of torching rival GNLF supporters' houses, were released on bail yesterday. The additional Chief Judicial Magistate, Siliguri court, however, slapped a fine of Rs 2,000 on each of the GJM cadres.

GJM STIR SPREADS TO TERAI

Jayanta Gupta, TNN 25 July 2009,PUTONG (KURSEONG): Barely an hour's drive from Siliguri, beyond Bagdogra and the military garrison of Bengdubi, the road starts to climb through dense forests. This is an alternative road towards Mirik and Darjeeling thereafter, normally used by tourists who reach Bagdogra by air. The Naxalbari block of Siliguri subdivision ends on the banks of the Balasone soon after the Tirhanna tea estate. Kurseong subdivision starts beyond this. The small settlement of Putong rests on the steep slopes, amid picturesque settings. Residents largely of Nepali origin tend to the Putong tea estate.

Till recently, the Gorkhaland agitation had not left much of a mark on the residents. But things have changed. Three residents of Putong were among the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) supporters arrested from Panighata. One of them, Poonam Sharma, is a college student. This was the launching pad the GJM leadership was waiting for. On Thursday, leaders from Kurseong turned up at Putong with relief for the families of those arrested.

During the short programme, the village headman vowed to fight the "oppression" of the state government. "I will fight to the death for Gorkhaland," he said as villagers cheered. Family members of Sharma, Diwas Rai and Bimal Tamang the two others who have been arrested wept and narrated their woes to the leaders. Apart from clothes and food, they also received some cash.

"You have witnessed how dissent starts. The arrested GJM workers have been kept in a cramped cell. There is no explanation as to why a case of Kurseong has been shifted to Siliguri. There is a strike here as well, but we have decided not to resort to violence. That is what the West Bengal government wants us to do. We are being labeled communal. Have we done anything against any community? Today, we are receiving support from Bengalis, Marwaris and Biharis. I am a teacher at a Bengali-medium school. Can I afford to be communal? Our demands are very much within the Constitution. Have new states not been formed elsewhere in the country," said C B Singh, president of the GJM's Kurseong subdivision committee.

Vice-president Kamal Thapa went a step further and said international borders would be more secure once Gorkhaland becomes a reality. "The unchecked infiltration will come to an end," he said.

"When you go to Delhi and people ask you where you are from, you say West Bengal. When the same question is asked of us, don't we have the right to say Gorkhaland? Is it too much to ask for? The state government is trying to stall dialogue. They do not realize that the Centre will be the one deciding our fate," Singh added.

Though the GJM leadership talks about support from other communities, tension is palpable in small settlements in the Terai, like Belgachhi, which have a mixed population. The tribals who work in the tea gardens there are considerably better off than the residents of Nepali origin. With tribals not supporting the Gorkhaland cause, years of peaceful co-existence is threatened. The people of Nepali origin, however, strongly believe that only a separate state will end their troubles.

NEWS of 25th July 2008

GJM Supporter killed in Darjeeling

Kolkata, July 25 (IANS) A woman was killed, allegedly in firing by Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) leader Dipak Gurung, when a group of rival Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) supporters were protesting outside his house Friday in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district. The police said the incident took place when a few GJM activists were protesting the Martyrs’ Day of Gorkhaland movement, observed by GNLF supporters for the past two decades.

“Pramila Chhetri, 31, was shot dead when someone allegedly opened fire on the GJM gathering from inside Gurung’s house,” West Bengal Inspector General (North) K.L Tamta told IANS.

He said after the incident, disgruntled GJM activists went on the rampage and torched Gurung’s house, as also three vehicles and a motorcycle belonging to other GNLF leaders.

“The situation is quite volatile. The people are observing a spontaneous shutdown to protest the firing. Shops and markets were also closed after the incident,” Tamta said.

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Photo: Darjeeling Times.com & The Himalayan Beacon

This was the news of 2008, just one year ago. In rememberance of Pramila Sharma who was killed a year ago. Memorial services were organised by GJM and Gorkha Janamukti Nari Morcha in different places of Darjeeling Hills and Dooars today in low profile due to the ongoing indefinite strike started from the afternoon of 13th July and a 12 hour relaxation allowed from 6 am to 6 pm on Saturday. She was declared the first martyr of GJMM.

After this incident, cases of fire and arson were reported all over the places in which GNLF leaders were targeted and that ultimately demanded exodus of all hardcore GNLF leaders including Subhash Ghising. After the exodus unison in hill prevailed and its focus was diverted from the rival GNLF for organsiational dominancy to the actual agitation concentrating on the demand of Gorkhaland.