SUCI bandh total in Siliguri

Ghisingh to return to Darjeeling?

KURSEONG, 25 NOV: Is the GNLF chief Mr Subash Ghisingh planning to return to the Darjeeling hills ahead of the 21 December tripartite talks in Darjeeling? The possibility cannot be ruled out claimed his followers today.
It is learnt that after two years in political limbo, the GNLF chief is likely to attend a rally at Panighatta in Kurseong sub-division on 6 December.
According to Panighatta based GNLF leader, Mr Rajen Mukhia, they would organise a three-day programme under the banner of ‘Gorkha Jan-Jati Manyata Samittee’ at Panighatta from 4 to 6 December. “Mr Ghisingh has been invited to address the rally and he is very much expected at Panighatta on 6 December,” he claimed.
Mr Mukhia also informed that the three-day programme would emphasise that all from the Gorkha community should get tribal status as per the 1931 British Census. He also said that the programme was being held to highlight the tribal status issue for the Gorkha community and no other issue. “We are awaiting the proper time to speak on the political situation in the Darjeeling hills,” he added.

Before talks, battle on new hill set-up

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Darjeeling, Nov. 24: A war of words between the ABGL and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has started in the hills ahead of next month’s tripartite meeting with Madan Tamang’s party alleging that an understanding has already been reached for an administrative set-up within Bengal.

The Morcha under Bimal Gurung on its part has clarified that it has not budged an inch from the demand for Gorkhaland but added that once the DGHC is dissolved, an administrative set-up may be necessary till the talks are on.

“Circumstantial evidence suggests that the Morcha wants another council which means that they want to stay within Bengal. This is a betrayal of their promise and the people’s aspiration,” said ABGL president Madan Tamang.

The ABGL has alleged that the Morcha had never launched a strong agitation but had always been enacting a drama. “During agitation, people go to jail but here it has been picnic time,” said Tamang. He also alleged that that five Morcha central committee members were ready to accept a set-up which is less than statehood and that he would disclose their names at an appropriate moment.

Harka Bahadur Chhetri, the spokesperson for the Morcha, however, denied the allegations. Instead he alleged that Tamang was trying to mislead the people for his political survival.

“We want the DGHC to be dissolved immediately. Once it is dissolved, there may be an administrative vacuum. We have only said that till talks with the Centre and the state on the creation of Gorkhaland concludes, we may have to think of some administrative set-up to fill this vacuum,” said Chhetri. The Morcha claimed that it had not yet agreed to such an arrangement. “There is a distinct possibility that the proposal may be shot down if confusion is created about our commitment towards the creation of a separate state,” said Chhetri.

The issue of an interim set-up has stirred up a hornet’s nest. “Even Subash Ghisingh (GNLF chief) had said the DGHC was a temporary set-up,” said Tamang.

Chhetri, however, pointed out that Ghisingh had signed a document saying that the council was a full and final agreement. “He had also agreed to drop the demand for Gorkhaland in writing while signing the DGHC Accord in 1988,” said Chhetri.

According to a home ministry release issued after the tripartite meeting in New Delhi on August 11, apart from dropping the Sixth Schedule Bill and scrapping the DGHC, a new administrative framework would be created.

Darjeeling divided before tripartite talks

SNS,SILIGURI, 25 NOV: Public opinion across the Darjeeling hills seems sharply divided over the developments in the run up to the 21 December tripartite talks slated in Darjeeling. A section looks amenable to a more empowered autonomous council as an issue out of the prolonged agitation rut, while another appears strongly poised to reject anything short of a separate state.
The GJMM looks prone to arrive at an understanding with the Centre on an interim hill council as a necessary administrative prelude to do away with the existing Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. As per the comments made by the GJMM leadership on the issue, it seems probable that the hill-based agitating outfit would not insist on the statehood demand in course of the ensuing three-way parleys.
A young GJMM activist in Darjeeling, Mr Amrit Yanjon sounded invincibly affirmative regarding the paramount Gorkhaland demand. “I am unshakably convinced that our party would not budge an inch from the statehood demand. My community has sacrificed a great deal for the cause and is still prepared for more. We would not accept anything short of the Gorkha homeland demand,” he averred.
But taking a diametrically converse stand, an ecclesiastic from Lava in Kalimpong sub-division, Mr Joseph Tamang said that a revamped autonomous council was the best option left for the hills for the time being. “I, for one, would be sad if the GJMM dilutes its stand on the Gorkhaland. Yet, pragmatism counsels me to accept the interim hill council, though it is still confined within the realm of speculations. We do not want more disturbances. For another protracted spell of obstructionist agitation might wreck havoc with the already dwindling economy in the under-developed hills. We hope, development would occupy centre- stage and the people would earn money for a better living,” Mr Tamang opined.
According to a Darjeeling-based GJMM leader, Mr Subhamoy Chatterjee, his party would have to do a great deal of homework before thrusting another hill council on the common people. “We would have to reach out to the people at large and explain a lot why acceptance of a council is a necessary evil on the way to Gorkhaland.
If convinced of the imperative of such a step as a stopgap, the people might accept such an arrangement for there is no alternative to the leadership of Mr Bimal Gurung given the present political equations in the long restless terrain,” Mr Chatterjee said.;Romit Bagchi

GJMM prohibits use of cell phones & two-wheelers by school, college goers

SNS, KURSEONG, 25 NOV: The GJMM has now clapped prohibitory orders against the use of cell phones and two-wheelers by students, including college goers.
Forbidding the use of cell phones and two-wheelers by students in the hills yesterday during a programme at Kashyong, Pedong in Kalimpong, the GJMM chief, Mr Bimal Gurung said that most students misused cell phones by storing objectionable photos and movies in the gadgets, which is a dangerous trend. “Hence, to develop a clean society with moral values, we have to curb the use of mobile phones in the student community,” he said.
He also added that besides cell phones, the students would also not be allowed to use two-wheelers. According to him, several accidents have been reported in the hills from rash two-wheeler riding. “In view of the students's interest we are taking this step. The Education Monitoring Cell and institution heads have been informed of the decision,” he said.

6 die in accidents

TT, Siliguri/Gangtok, Nov. 25: Six persons were killed and nine were injured in two road mishaps in the last 24 hours.

One person died and seven others were hurt after a Jalpaiguri-bound bus collided with a pickup van on NH31D near Talmahat, 30km from Siliguri, today.

Police said the injured were taken to Jalpaiguri District Hospital and both the vehicles were seized. The deceased is yet to be identified.

In another accident, five persons were killed on the spot and two others were injured when the vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road at Eighth Mile near Gyalshing Bazar in West Sikkim last night.

The police said the accident occurred around 10.30pm yesterday, when the car carrying eight passengers, including the driver, was travelling from Singtam to Uttarey.

Those who died on the spot, 117km from Gangtok, have been identified as Harka Bahadur Sankar, Lok Nath Lamichaney, Tara Devi Lamichanay, Pushpa Maya Gaidaly, and driver Bir Bahadur Shankar. Two of the injured, Arjun Kumar Gaidaly and Jiwan Kumar Biswakarma, have been admitted to Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial Hospital in Gangtok.

The police said three-year-old Bibek Gaidaly, the son of Pushpa Maya, survived without a scratch. The families were from Singtam and were related to each other.

Book fair

TT,Siliguri: The 27th North Bengal Book Fair will begin at Kanchenjungha Stadium grounds on November 27. Actor Sabyasachi Chakraborty will inaugurate the event on Friday, said Haren Ghosh, the working president of Greater Siliguri Publishers and Book Sellers Association, which is organising the fair. Cultural programmes and interactive sessions will also be organised during the 10-day event.

Rape sentence

TT,Siliguri: Kamal Dey, the additional session judge of fast track first court, sentenced four persons of Gulma, located on the outskirts of Siliguri, to life imprisonment for raping a girl of Kamalabagan three years back. All the four, Sankha Munda, Vinod Goala, Kanchha Jhora and Manjit Kaso, have also been fined Rs 2,000 each.

‘Drugged’

TT, Jalpaiguri: A passenger was found unconscious on the Down Kanchenjungha Express on Wednesday. Kartik Burman, a resident of Cooch Behar, regained his senses at Jalpaiguri Road station and said he had fallen “asleep” after taking tea offered by a fellow passenger. Later, he realised that the Rs 50,000 and a mobile phone he was carrying were missing.

SUCI bandh total in Siliguri

SNS, SILIGURI, 24 NOV: The SUCI sponsored 12-hour bandh had a major impact in Siliguri today. SUCI activists brought out a rally in support of the bandh in the town and tried to set up a roadblock at Hashmi Chowk but the police removed the blockade and arrested the demonstrators. “Police arrested 19 SUCI activists from Hashmi Chowk. They were later released on PR Bond,” said the Siliguri deputy superintendent of police Mr Sitaram Sinha. The SUCI Darjeeling district secretary Mr Gautam Bhattacharya claimed the bandh was a success. “The administration tried to foil the bandh by running a few NBSTC buses but the commuters were absent,” he added.The bandh evoked a mixed response in Jalpaiguri district. The SUCI leadership in Jalpaiguri alleged three of their supporters were injured in a scuffle with the police. The Jalpaiguri SP Mr Anand Kumar said the police had arrested 67 bandh supporters throught the district. The SUCI bandh failed to make an impact in Malda district and life was normal. The police arrested a few Suci supporters for trying to picket at the Malda DM office. The bandh had a mixed response in North Dinajpur district but was almost total in South Dinajpur district. The police arrested five Suci picketers in Balurghat. The bandh had no impact in the Darjeeling Hills and the tea plantations.

Nurse kills son, admits crime

TT: Kalimpong, Nov. 24: A 34-year-old youth was allegedly killed by his mother at Primtam Road here last night. Soon after the murder, Lakshmi Bhandari appeared before police and confessed to the crime. The deceased, Pankaj, was unemployed, while his 56-year-old mother is a nurse at the Kalimpong Subdivisional Hospital. She has another son Satyam, 28, and he is also jobless. The woman’s husband had died three-four years ago. Police sources said the incident occurred around 10pm when Pankaj picked up a fight with his mother and the younger brother. “Satyam told us that Pankaj had brandished a sword-like weapon at him and the mother. To avoid any problem, Satyam walked out of the house, but returned a short time later fearing for the safety of the mother,” said a source. However, when he entered the mother’s bedroom, Satyam found Pankaj lying on the floor in a pool of blood with his throat slit. “Satyam was told by his mother that she had first struck at Pankaj with a mungro (bat-shaped wood used to wash clothes) and then slit his throat with the same weapon he had been threatening her with,” said the source. Lakshmi walked to the Thanadara police station with Satyam around midnight and confessed to killing her elder son. “We arrested her on the basis of the complaint lodged by Satyam. She told us she had been bearing with the daily fights and tantrums of her son for the past 11 years. Last night, when Pankaj threatened to kill her, she thought it better to get rid of him than to live with his constant threat,” said the source. The police and residents of Primtam said fights were frequent at Lakshmi’s house and both her sons were drug addicts. Pratima, the sister between the two brothers, has been sent word in Calcutta where she works. The police today produced Lakshmi in a court, which remanded her in judicial custody. “Even though she has taken responsibility for the death of her son, we will be carrying out an investigation to corroborate her claims,” said an officer.

Luxemburg ambassador inaugurates school at Pedong SNS, SILIGURI, 24 NOV: The ambassador of Luxemburg to India, Mr Mark Court inaugurated a school at Pedong in Kalimpong sub-division yesterday. The school would cater to the education requirements for the students residing in the rural areas. This is the first educational institution in the area coming up at the initiative of a Luxemburg-based organization. The GJMM president, Mr Bimal Gurung was present at the programme as a special guest.Addressing a gathering here and later at Algarah, Mr Court said that his country would do everything possible to build a strong education infrastructure in this region. “We value our abiding friendship with India and love this region nestled as it is in the expanse of the Himalayas,” he said. Mr Court also visited a school, St Anthony, built up in the 1950s in the Mirik area near Algarah at the initiative of the Luxemburg government. 

World Record of Non-stop theatrical performance

KalimNews (with additional inputs from Times of India): Breaking the world record for longest play, the artistes of Prerna Kala Manch (PKM) succeeded in setting a new world record by staging a series of marathon plays for over 33 hours at Nagari Natak Mandali Auditorium, Varanasi on Sunday evening. It may be recalled that `The Warp', written by Neil Oram and directed by Ken Campbell is listed in the Guiness Book of Records as the longest play of the world. It was written as a series of 10 plays but performed in one continuous marathon. In this play that was staged in UK in late '80s, around 30 artistes lived about a hundred characters in 29 hours. The PKM artistes including Bhola Singh Rathore, Vivek Gupta, Harish Pal, Ajay Roshan, Mukesh Jhanjharwala, Dr Awanish Dwivedi, Aslam Azad, Ajay Thapa and Dhan Ratan Yadav, staged 37 plays in a series that took a time of 33.5 hours to complete under the direction of Moti Lal. Their only musician and singer Deepak Pandey performed without a break. Though some of these artistes suffered from cold-cough, throat irritation, backache and itching of the eye, they never let it stop them in their goal and a team of seven doctors monitored their health condition continuously. More surprising was the presence of audience to watch this marathon event. More than 50 theatre lovers enjoyed the event the entire night while in the day and evening hours, maximum seats of this auditorium remained occupied. The atmosphere became jubilant with the beginning of 34th play `Ek Aur Ek' as with it the earlier record of 29 hours was broken. Father Pranoy of Vishwa Jyoti Jansanchar Samiti, the organiser of the event, said: "We are proud to have given a record breaking performance in Varanasi." The series of marathon plays started at 11.02 am on Saturday with Amanat, based on communal harmony. All the plays touched social and various other issues like 'Dunia ka Mela' based on fellowship and love. The artistes raised the issue of corruption with their play 'Gandhi Ne Kaha'. Followed by 'Bure Kaam ka Bura Natija' (on the issue of superstition), 'Maiku' (alcoholism), 'Hai Re Pani' (natural resource), 'Parivartanam' (conversion), 'Sayit Sagun' (untouchability), 'Panch Parmeshwar' (Panchayati Raj), 'Sapna Sajal Ba' (self-rule), 'Kala Badal' (environment), 'Kya Kare Kya Na Kare' (pre-natal care), 'Jab Jago Tabhi Savera' (education and development) and 'Daud Daud Daud' (globalisation). Two plays 'Do Boond Zindagi Ki' and 'Pyar Ki Chhaya' that were staged after mid-night were based on health issues. The artistes raised the issue of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act with a play `Sathi Hath Badhana'. 'Raja Nahi Seva Chahi' (Panchayati Raj) and 'Ghoos Ko Ghusa' (right to information) continued till wee hours. These plays were followed by 'Lagan' (based on the theme of education), 'Sui-Pani' (health), 'Kal Ka Samrat' (child labour), 'Dal-Dal Par Jaan' (environment), 'Punarmilan' (youth problems), 'Bolte Kyun Nahi' (duties of citizens), 'Satyapath' (fight against corruption), 'Asli Dhan' (consequences of greed), 'Badhiye Aur Bhadhaiye' (girls education) and 'Girohband' (politics). Despite completing 24 hours of continuous performance the artistes kept the audience entertaining as loud applause could be heard when 'Kafan', based on the issue of Dalit development and story of Munshi Premchand was performed. It was followed by two plays on the theme of communal harmony `Hinsa Parmo Dharma' and `Purvagrah'. Importance of girl education was highlighted again with the plays `Kamla Ka Kamal' and with the beginning of `Ek Aur Ek' these artistes left the record of over 29 hours marathon plays by British artistes behind. Their effort to set a new milestone started with `Bhagwan ki Den' (based on the issue of family welfare). The last two plays Sava Ser Gehu based on the issue of bonded labourers and 'Prem Ki Boli' on the issue of fellowship and love not only helped making the conclusion of marathon plays memorable but artistes also made audience emotional with their performances. The opening ceremony of this historical event was witnessed by C.K. Shresthan, Natyabhushan, a reputed name of the Indian Gorkha theatre as chief guest in presence of other prominent theatre personalities of India. Swami Anil Dev, Father Aanand, S.S. Ganguly, Dr. Anand Tiwari, Chairman, Pragatishil Lekhak Manch, Father Subash were other guests in the occasion. While addressing packed audiences in the hall, Shrestha thanked the organiser of the event for inviting him and stated that this was a recognition to the Indian Gorkha theatre. He claimed that this would definitely add more energy to the theatre groups in Darjeeling hills and other parts of India where the Nepali speaking Gorkhas are engaged in theatrical works.