Questions to counter govt query - Morcha chalks out strategy for August 11 talks

TT, Darjeeling, July 31: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha said it was its turn this time to question the central and state governments — instead of answering their “why Gorkhaland” query — at the tripartite meeting on August 11. The strategy was formulated at a three-day session of the Morcha’s Study Forum in Kalimpong. “We have been demanding a political-level meeting but the government thinks that there should be another round of talks at the secretary-level. We think we have submitted enough documents in favour of Gorkhaland. Since they are harping on a secretary-level talks, we have decided to ask them ‘why not Gorkhaland?’ instead of speaking on statehood ourselves,” said Harka Bahadur Chhetri, the spokesperson of the Morcha. Apart from nine members of the forum, various “apolitical people” also attended the session that ended today. Since the Morcha has decided to make the governments speak their mind, the forum also concentrated on probable questions that the hill delegation might face. “The letter from the state government inviting us to the tripartite talks mentions that the agenda will be on Gorkhaland and its implications. We are largely concentrating on the ‘implication’ aspect and expect to be questioned on it,” said Chhetri. The Morcha also believes that the “implications” could even mean the discussion of the Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty of 1950. According to this treaty, all Indian and Nepalese citizens can move about freely in each other’s country and even buy and sell properties. Pro-Gorkhaland supporters feel that since the citizens of the neighbouring country often come over to this side, the Nepali-speaking population of India faces an identity crisis. Another area that Bimal Gurung’s Morcha wants to highlight is national security. Jaswant Singh, the BJP MP from Darjeeling, while raising the Gorkhaland issue in Parliament, had maintained that a separate state would strengthen national security. “This is the only district in the country that is surrounded by four international borders. While it shares borders with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, it is merely 12km away from China,” Singh had told Parliament. “Jaswant Singh has already talked about national interest and this could be another aspect that could come up for discussion,” said Chhetri. The Morcha said Delhi had not understood the significance of the statehood demand and the importance of the location of the Darjeeling hills. “This area is still an obscure place as far as the Centre is concerned,” said Chhetri. Going by its general strategy, the Morcha will not be submitting any documents this time. The members, however, will be equipped with data concerning the socio-economic problems of the region. This would be largely to negate any arguments by the state that the government has done enough for the development in the region. The forum is scheduled to meet once again in Darjeeling on August 6 to fine-tune the strategy before the third round of the talks. Tamang slams BJP over Gorkhaland apathy SNS, Kurseong, 31 JULY: The All India Gorkha League (AIGL) chief, Mr Madan Tamang (in picture), today criticised the BJP party for not seriously attempting to further the Gorkhaland demand. Mr Tamang said that Mr Jaswant Singh and Mrs Sushma Swaraj have only just mentioned the demand of Gorkhaland, recently, in Parliament during the discussion on the financial Bill. He added that the BJP hasn't raised question officially in the parliament in favour of Gorkhaland, so far. Mr Tamang also clarified that to raise the demand of Gorkhaland in Parliament officially, the BJP have to first pass a resolution in support of Gorkhaland in the BJP's National Executive. "In this manner the BJP party is playing with the Hills people's aspirations," said Mr Tamang. Regarding the indefinite strike, Mr Tamang said: "To pressurise the government we have used calls for strikes but by exempting the tea gardens from the bandh preview and by paying tea taxes we are not pressurising them enough and the calls for such strikes become useless, hence we have to think hard and take decisions to put pressure on the government in totality." In the meantime, Mr Tamang said that over the last 20 years there has been no administration in the hills and presently even the police administration is moving around only under the permission of the GLP. He also said that the AIGL has recently sent a deputation to the Union home ministry, demanding the implementation of Article 357 in the Darjeeling hills. He added that the sixth schedule has yet to be abolished and this must be done if Gorkhaland is going to be furthered. Indian shot across border - Bhutan foresters challenge ‘timber mafia’ from Dooars TT, Alipurduar, July 31: A 55-year-old man was shot dead allegedly by forest guards of Bhutan yesterday when, according to police, he entered the country with some others to fell trees. However, Saddam Hossain said his father Ahiruddin Miyan had been shot while fishing in the Torsa river. The incident took place at Chankhola in Bhutan, adjacent to the border town of Jaigaon, about 2.30pm. “He was clutching on to a air-filled rubber tube when he was shot. He somehow kept afloat and came near his Guabari village. He shouted for help and the villagers brought him home where he died,” said Saddam. “Before dying, my father said he had been shot by Bhutan forest guards.” “My father was a simple man. He used to go out fishing regularly. Yesterday, he went out at 9am and people carried him home at 4.30pm,” said Saddam. Police sources said the man had been shot in the leg and had probably died because of profuse bleeding. The family members lodged an FIR with Jaigaon police who sent the body for post-mortem. Bimal Mandal, the circle-inspector of Kalchini police station, however, said Ahiruddin had entered the Bhutan forest, along with some other men, to collect timber illegally. “We do not know what exactly happened. A case of unnatural death has been registered.” An officer investigating the incident said a gang of five had entered the Jampuna forest in Bhutan’s Chukha district that lies just across the Torsa river from Jaigaon. “When challenged by Bhutan forest guards, four of them managed to flee by jumping into the river and swam back across India. However, Ahiruddin was shot and died later at home,” said the officer. Police sources said people from Jaigaon frequented the Bhutan forests to collect firewood and even cut trees. “They enter the Bhutan forest in groups and fell trees and throw them into the Torsa. The timber is later collected by the members of a mafia operating in the Dooars,” said an officer. WHAT NEXT AFTER THE PARLIAMENT?

Gorkha Janamuti Morcha is now concentrating on the matters to be raised in the Tripartite Meeting of 11th august 2009, the third of its kind and probably the last one also. As it is expected that the August Talk would resolve to hold the next tripartite talk within one month in the political level and discuss the matter about formation of a separate state of Gorkhaland as one and the only solution to the stalemate of DGHC and the century old unfulfilled demand of a statehood.

But in addition to that GJMM wants to highlight the legitimacy of the demand and its importance. Considering the demand of the area so called chicken neck which is located around the four neighbouring country, GJMM wants to indicate that this is a sensitive area and if it is given a well defined status it will help to defend the nation and its boundaries well.

Tripartite talk is one side of the coin while the real side is the the debate in the parliament regarding a bill for the final agreement and decision. After the raising of demand of Gorkhaland by Rajiv Pratap Rudy M.P. in Rajya Sabha on th 21st July while discussing about Bagdogra Airport followed by Sushma Swaraj on 22nd July during her speech on isurgency in the north east and Jaswant Singh on 24th July while speaking on the Financial Bill in the Lok Sabha what should be the next step, is the question arising in the minds of the Gorkhas around the globe.

Many political advisors are of the opinion that Jaswant Singh, MP of Darjeeling should introduce a Private Member Bill on the creation of Gorkhaland in Parliament which could initiate a serious discussion on the issue. The bill may be defeated but the debate which such introduction may generate and the number of votes it musters from the BJP/NDA MPs can make the Gorkhaland a national issue in the truest sense of the term, says Dr. Rajendra Dhakal, an eminent Professor of Political Science. This would also help GJMM to make preparation and do homework for the follow up before the next session in the Winter Session of November.

Regarding the shifting of debate of Gorkhaland to the Parliament Dr. Mahendra P.Lama suggests that it should have robust arguments. According to him only identity issue will not do and it could also after a point of time alienate the plain folks including Siliguri and Dooars. We shall have to make substantive inclusive arguments that generate warmth, confidence and trust among the plains people. In any case they are as badly affected by poor Bengal's attitude and treatment as we are. They should be told that Bengal would never rise and grow and it could only go down and hence there is no future for them he adds.

Regarding Bengal he is of the opinion that Bengal should be left where it is as there is no point trying to climb a mountain which it self is collapsing.

There is hush hush that Centre Govt has chucked out a plan to grant something bigger and powerful than VIth Schedule and name less than Gorkhaland. But it is presumed that both the Central and State Govt is determined to bargain till the last for something not that powerful than a Council.

MAOISTS ATTACK COPS

IE , Kolkata,Saturday , Aug 01: As the joint Central and state forces conducted search operations to trace the two policemen, who were abducted on Thursday evening, an exchange of fire took place between the police and the Maoists in Lalgarh on Friday.

Manoj Verma, SP, West Midnapore said the firing took place in various forests of Lalgarh. According to the West Midnapore police, Lakhiram Hembram, a Maoist, and two villagers were injured in the firing. Hembram was injured at Bhulagera and was admitted to the Jhargram hospital.

Two locals, Sailen Murmu and Swapan Mahato, were also injured and were taken to the Midnapore hospital.

The joint forces continued their search operations in the forests at Lalgarh and adjoining areas. But the Maoist groups escaped from the area, said Verma.

Two policemen Kanchan Giri and Sabir Molla had left the police camp at Dharampur for shopping at Lalgarh on Thursday evening. They were allegedly abducted by a group of 15-20 armed Maoists at Brindabanpur when they were returning on a motorcycle. They were reportedly taken by the Maoists to a nearby forest at Bhulagera and confined the two policemen in a hut.

According to the police, search operations at Bhulagera forest started on Friday morning. Verma said the Maoists opened fire on security forces when they entered the Bhulagera village. The two policemen were taken inside the forest amid the exchange of fire, said Verma. A search operation is on to trace the abducted cops, said Verma.

According to West Midnapore police, Maoists fired at the police in Purnapani, Bhulagera, Thakurani and its adjoining areas when the joint forces tried to enter. In retaliation, the joint forces also opened fire at the Maoists and the exchange of fire continued for two hours. No security personnel was injured, said Verma.

TRIBAL LEGEND

Shri Sonam Tshering Lepcha son of Nimgay Lepcha (Tamsang) Was born on 3rd January 1928 at Bom busty of Kalimpong also called Kalenpung (in lepcha "ka" means we, "len" means unite and "pung" means hill ) .

He enrolled himself in 10Gr as a soldier in 1954. He is a Lepcha folk singer, composer, dramatist, musician and social activist and a living legend of the lepcha culture of Sikkim and Darjeeling. He was the lepcha artist in the song and drama of folk entertainment unit of Darjeeling under the Govt. of West Bengal. He is the first Lepcha folk singer of All India Radio, Kolkata. He has composed more than 400 songs and 102 folk dances and 10 dance drama. He has written many lepcha books on various subjects like, Culture, tradition, folk lure, original lepcha names of different places etc. Mr Sonam Tshering Lepcha was honoured with National Sangeet Natak Academy Award on 1995, He was presented a highest honour Nur Mayel Kohom and Nur mayel by the District Lepcha Association, Darjeeling. He is the recipient of Padma Shree from A. P. J. Abdul Kalam , the President of India in the year 2006.