GLP policing spurs protest for first time Couple hauled up for holding hands

The GLP members: Fitness regime for baton-wielding volunteers TT, Darjeeling, Sept. 3: The Gorkhaland Personnel yesterday hauled up a young couple for holding hands in the Mall, fuelling resentment and triggering protest in the hills — the first against the uniformed brigade of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. The policing of the GLP had come under scanner much earlier, but the inspector general of police of north Bengal had said the administration could do little till the people spoke up. According to sources, GLP members who were stationed at the Mall — the famous promenade that identifies Darjeeling — called up the couple in their mid twenties while they were walking across the square and told them they could not walk holding hands. “The couple did not take it kindly and immediately retorted. They said they had been married for the past eight years. The lady had vermilion on the forehead (indicating she was married),” said a witness. When the couple challenged the GLP role, a huge crowd of local people gathered and joined the protest. “Do we have to take your permission even to procreate?” the couple had reportedly shot back at the four GLP members. “All the while, the GLP remained quiet and the crowd made it clear to them that they had no right to infringe on personal freedom. It was good to see them slink away,” said the witness. When the GLP was first formed last year, the Morcha had claimed that the baton-wielding group would be entrusted with maintaining traffic and the crowds during the party’s public meetings. However, since the Morcha strike from July 14, the GLP dressed in green and yellow tracksuits have taken over the responsibilities of the police, seizing “illicit liquor” being smuggled in from Sikkim. The administration had tagged such seizures illegal. Apart from patrolling the streets, the GLP do not allow people to smoke in the Mall, a favourite haunt of tourists. They also enforced a ban on the sale of gutka. “Stopping illegal inflow of liquor and banning gutka was acceptable, but not hauling up couples merely for holding hands. Moreover, old people come to Chowrastha (Mall) to bask in the sun, smoking cigarettes and sipping tea. The GLP role as moral guardians must stop,” said a resident of the area who refused to be named. Local people said young couples have virtually stopped walking around the Mall because of the GLP presence. “They are gradually turning into another Bajrang Dal, Sri Ram Sena or a Shiv Sena for the colourful, fun-loving youth here,” said the resident. Around 30 activists of the Sri Ram Sena had in January assaulted women in a Mangalore bar for defying what they called “Indian norms and values”. Col (retd) Ramesh Allay, chief of the GLP, admitted that he had heard of yesterday’s incident from various sources. Asked if the GLP had been instructed to start moral policing, Allay said: “I will investigate the matter and find out the details.” The police have not yet acted against the GLP. K.L. Tamta, the inspector general of police (north Bengal), had earlier said his force would not confront anybody at the moment. “If the people are willing to take the diktat of the Morcha what can we do? If they (GLP) come to Siliguri and do something which residents there do not want, we will not tolerate it,” said Tamta. However, the police had filed non-bailable cases against Morcha leaders after the GLP dragged out a constable — during one of its raids — from a car on August 17, allegedly for carrying marijuana. The administration said the GLP did not have the authority to carry out raids or search vehicles or persons without police presence. The local people had not filed any complaint against the GLP till date. GJMM issues diktat against public display of affection Press Trust of India, SILIGURI, 3 SEPT: Couples holding hands while walking in the picturesque Darjeeling hills may soon be an immemorial past with the Gorkha Janamukti Mo’rcha issuing a diktat against expression of love in public. “Whatever we are doing is for the ultimate good of the society. We will keep strict vigil to ensure that the directive is strictly followed,” chief of Gorkha Land Personnel (GLP), the GJM youth wing, Mr Ramesh Ale told here yesterday. Yesterday a married couple walking at the famous Mall Chowrasta here were intercepted by GLP activists for being “indecent” in public place and was made to apologise. However, there is apprehension among the locals about this GJMM move as it might affect the flow of tourists and earn a 'bad name' to the hill station. Police have already received six written complaints against GLP, two each in Darjeeling Sadar, Kurseong and Kalimpong in this regard. “We will inquire into the allegations and take measures as per rules,” Darjeeling ASP, Mr Akhilesh Chaturvedi said. Vehicle tax pay from today to tap tourist flow Darjeeling, Sept. 3: The All Transport Joint Action Committee — an umbrella body of transport syndicates in the hills and affiliated to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha — has decided to start paying taxes to the motor vehicle’s department from tomorrow. “The committee has taken the decision considering the fact that the tourist season is about to start and our drivers could face problems as the papers of their vehicles have not been updated. They go out of Darjeeling during the tourist season, which is the time for them to earn money,” said Pramod Srimal, the general secretary of the committee. The tourist season usually starts from mid-September and carries on till December end. Asked if the Morcha had been told about the decision, Srimal said: “We had told Bimal Gurung (president of the Morcha) about our problems. After giving us a patient hearing, he asked us to take a decision that should be in the interest of the drivers.” Sources said the committee had taken the decision in concurrence with the Morcha. According to conservative estimates, there are almost 6,000 taxis registered in the hills and many are plying without valid documents. The documents like permits and fitness certificates are renewed after a given term (usually six months to one year) by paying requisite fees. According to Section 158 of the Motor Vehicles’ Act, 1988, drivers must carry the permits and certificates of fitness with them. Driving without a valid permit can lead to a fine of Rs 2,000-5,000 when caught for the first time, and subsequently, imprisonment of three months to one year or a fine of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 or both. If the papers are not renewed, claims to insurance will be rejected after mishaps. The Morcha, as part of its non-co-operation movement launched in 2008, had asked the hill residents to refrain from paying taxes and levies. However, the party gave a relaxation on February 21, citing Lok Sabha elections and allowed the vehicle owners to pay their taxes till May 21. The Regional Transport Authority’s counter had collected about Rs 4 lakh within three days of the office being reopened in February. The government had also decided not to penalise transporters for defaulting on taxes which could not be deposited during the “non-co-operation movement” and instead given them a month’s time. Usually vehicle owners have to first clear the dues before paying the current fees. Surendra Gupta, the Darjeeling district magistrate, said if the vehicle owners applied, the administration could think of giving them time to clear the dues. Sikkim MP to raise state’s demands SNS, GANGTOK, 3 SEPT: The lone MP from Sikkim in the Lok Sabha Mr PD Rai has said that he would focus on the social and political demands of the state in the upcoming winter session of the Parliament. When asked about his priorities, during an interaction with the media here on Wednesday Mr Rai said: “We will continue to focus on social and political demands”.He further highlighted the need for sensitizing the new MPs who will take on the surging issues of Sikkim. “I think the Parliament should understand how Sikkim became a part of the Indian union.” “Around 300 new MPs do not have an overall idea about Sikkim. I will try to spread awareness among them over these issues,” Mr Rai said. He also added that there is a genuine interest among the Parliamentarians, about the problems of the state, who know what is happening in Sikkim . On being the lone MP from the state in the Lok Sabha, he said that there are both limitations and advantages of being the only state representative. “The strength is that we have flexibility while on the other side there is a need to build up a consensus to be effective” he said. Talking about the opportunities he received to place questions in the House during the first six weeks as an MP, Mr Rai said: “It was a training session for me and the other new members in the House.” The Sikkim MP is also the general secretary of the north-east MP forum among the other 39 members. The forum has already submitted a memorandum on development issues of the north-east to the Prime Minister. Panel on cards to look into fee hike TT, Siliguri, Sept. 3: The state school education department today issued notices to seven schools in and around Siliguri, informing them that a three-member committee, which will include a retired Calcutta High Court judge, was being constituted to look into the fee hike. The department has also requested the schools to refrain from charging the enhanced fees until the committee submits its recommendations to the state government. The notice, signed by Vikram Sen, secretary of school education, has been issued to St Joseph’s High School, Don Bosco School, St Michael’s School, Nirmala Convent, Jermel’s Academy and St John’s School. “There were charges that I was indulging in political gimmicks by raising the fee hike issue. On the contrary, I was sincerely working to resolve it. I flew to Calcutta at a short notice just to get this order from the school education department today,” state urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya said here today. “The committee will submit its report within 60 days.” The Guardians’ Forum of North Bengal leaders had threatened to go on an indefinite dharna if Bhattacharya failed to intervene in the fee hike issue by September 4. The minister, however, managed to meet the deadline, an achievement significant in the wake of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation elections where most of the parents are voters. The other two committee members, the notice said, would be an expert in accounting matters and the director of school education in the state. ABAVP agitation for want of Puja bonus SNS, JALPAIGURI, 3 SEPT: The Akhil Bhartiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad convened a two-hour gate meeting in the tea plantations of the Dooars and Terai today demanding equal Puja bonus for workers in all tea plantations irrespective of the plantation grade and what has been fixed in the bonus negotiations last week. The ABAVP has claimed it would continue with its stir till its demand was met. According to the ABAVP Dooars-Terai coordination committee secretary Mr John Barla, they were yet to begin the movement in all the tea plantations. “We failed to send our notice on the stir to the management of every plantation. The notice would be sent today and we expect to galvanise the entire industry from tomorrow,” Mr Barla said. According to him, many Adivasi workers celebrated the ‘Karam’ festival today and so many workers did not come to work. “But we are determined to achieve our objective,” Mr Barla added. The ABAVP convened movement today had effect in plantations in the Nagrakata, Banarhat, Meteli and Malbazaar areas where the workers observed two-hour gate meetings from 7a.m. to 9 a.m. before joining work. The ABAVP Dooars-Terai coordination committee secretary Mr Rajesh Lakra said they would not allow any political party or workers’ union to collect subscription from the workers’ bonus and the plantation managements would have to ensure that otherwise agitations might continue. Commenting on the matter the all India general secretary of the NUPW, Mr Bablu Mukherjee said that they were not aware of the ABAVP movement. He also pointed out that the yield and capacity of each plantation was different. “Under the circumstances I do not understand how all plantations can provide bonus at a flat rate,” he said. “The committee will hear all parties, including the school authorities and the guardians and will submit its findings and recommendations to resolve the problem to the state government within a period of 60 days from the date of reference. The order for constituting the committee is being issued shortly. In view of this, I would once again request you to kindly refrain from giving effect to the proposed increase in school fees or at least to allow the children who have not been able to pay the fee at enhanced rate to continue studies and to sit for normal school examinations without any interruption for a period of three months till November 30, 2009 by which time the committee is expected to submit its report to the state government,” reads the notice. “We are happy that the committee is being formed and hope that it will be stronger and more effective than those formed earlier at the district level. However, the name of Auxilium Convent — one of the schools which has increased its fee abnormally — has not been mentioned in the list,” said forum president Sandeepan Bhattacharjee. St Joseph’s High School and Don Bosco School refused comments and said they had not received the order as yet. Authorities of other schools could not be contacted. Bonus’ hope in closed Kalchini TT, Alipurduar, Sept. 3: Workers of Kalchini Tea Estate have not been getting the government’s monthly dole of Rs 1,000 for closed gardens for the past five months, but there is a bonus hope before Durga Puja. Two financiers — local traders who generally purchase leaves from the closed garden and sell them to factories of other estates — have announced that they will give the Kalchini workers a “bonus-like” amount. Kalchini with 2,002 workers is closed since 2003. It was reopened in 2005 but only for six months. After the official declaration of the closure in 2005, the workers and trade union leaders formed the operating and maintenance committee (OMC) in the garden. The committee used to sell leaves, plucked by the workers, to different tea gardens of the Kalchini block. In 2007, the workers raised corruption charges against the OMC, which had then informed the administration its inability to run the garden. Bakul Thapa and Mukesh Agarwal, the two financiers, appeared in the garden in January 2008. They assured the workers of regular wages, one ration in a month, medicines and umbrellas to pluckers. A new OMC was formed. This year, the financiers agreed to pay a minimum of Rs 1,100 extra to each worker before the puja. The quantum, which may vary from one worker to another, will depend on the amount of leaves one plucks. Thapa said: “We will give this bonus-like amount to the workers to encourage them to perform better. We are providing them with one ration a month, medicines, umbrella, tarpaulin and extra money for additional kilo of leaves plucked. In the division, where bushes are more than those in the main garden, a plucker can earn Rs 2,000, which is Rs 900 more than the minimum amount.” Om Lohar, a member of the OMC, said the FAWLOI (financial assistance to workers of locked out industries) was lying due for the past five months. The workers are facing problems. “In such a situation, our financiers are ready to pay the bonus. The amount may vary but the workers are happy.” Block development officer of Kalchini R.S. Sundas, however, attributed the non-payment of FAWLOI to the delay in getting the funds. “The money has been deposited in the bank, but the bank authorities are having some problem,” he said.