Tripartite talks will bring positive results: Gurung

Milling (Kurseong) 22 NOV: “The proposed tripartite talk slated on 21 December will be a positive one and it definitely will be a one step forward”, said the GJMM chief Mr. Bimal Gurung, while addressing a program at Rangmanch Bhawan at Beechgaon in Milling Tea Estate, today.
Mr. Gurung said that even after the 63 years of Independence, Gorkhas were never given justice in this country. Hence, keeping in mind, the contribution of Gorkha community to the nation, the nation should also do justice to the Gorkhas.
He further added that if the talks fail to create a positive outcome then he will introduce his early announced home rule in the proposed Gorkhaland area. He also warned that the central and state government should be aware and should study about the outcome of the home rule.
“But we will not leave our democratic based agitation and we will also not follow any kind of violence or confrontation. Even though, the people should be aware and alert for the demand of a separate state of Gorkhaland,” added Mr Gurung.
Mr Gurung also informed that he would place several documents on different aspects of Gorkhaland at the proposed tripartite talks. Regarding Mr Ghising’s recent news, Mr Gurung said that with the help of Mr Ghising, the state government once again was trying to create violence and confrontation in the Hills but it would not be tolerated and that added they would not indulge in any kind of viloence. “Instead, we believe the solution of any problem is by table talk and not violence,” he said
Before addressing the programme at Rangmanch Bhawan, Mr Gurung also laid the foundation stone of Sanga Chhoeling Buddhist Monastery at Lower Kalej Valley in Milling. He also donated Rs 2 lakh 50 thousand for the construction of the monastery.
Mr Ravindra Lama, the GJMM Rangbul/Dohtria Block committee president and other GJMM leaders also addressed today’s meeting at Beechgaon in Milling.

During the meeting, Mr Gurung also felicitated 16 family members of the martyrs (1986 Martyrs) of Rangbul/Dohtria Block region by putting “khadas” and “Swal”. 

ABGL reminds hills of March deadline  - CDs only hope after foiled meetings

Darjeeling, Nov. 22: The ABGL today hit out at the current form of statehood movement spearheaded by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and said with the March-10 deadline nearing, Bimal Gurung’s outfit was in a do-or-die situation.

The party also said it would circulate its views on the agitation — its history since 1907, present status and its future — through CDs, pamphlets and posters.

“Gurung has repeatedly promised Gorkhaland within March 10, 2010. If he cannot achieve Gorkhaland, he should tell the people and let other democratic forces carry forward the agitation,” said ABGL president Madan Tamang.

Although Gurung had initially promised statehood by March next year, of late, the Morcha president has been saying that the deadline was merely a vision. “Leaders have to work with a vision and I had set the deadline with the hope that the BJP would come to power at the Centre. There could be delays but we will settle for nothing less than Gorkhaland,” Gurung recently said in Darjeeling.

The ABGL president, however, iterated that the Morcha was looking for an interim arrangement instead of Gorkhaland. To the Morcha leadership, he said: “Nothing will be achieved by writing ‘Gorkhaland’ on signboards, you should be able to write it in the district magistrate’s office. If you need help, I am there.”

Tamang’s party has been repeatedly stymied by the Morcha from holding public rallies in the hills. In the past one year, at least two meetings of the ABGL were stalled in Darjeeling by the Morcha, which described the disruption as caused by the “general public”.

“We will analyse the current movement and also draw parallels with other agitations, including the one led by Ghisingh (Subash Ghisingh, the GNLF chief). We will look into every aspect of the demand that is being raised since 1907. Our analysis will be distributed through CDs and other mediums like posters and pamphlets,” said Tamang.

Tamang accused Gurung of being insincere. “The leaders are not being sincere. Bimal Gurung is acting like the chairman of the DGHC. The moment he is making promises of any development projects in any area the council is immediately starting work. Some central committee leaders of the Morcha are distributing contracts for the projects,” alleged Tamang.

The ABGL also had a strong message for the Nari Morcha, which is currently busy implementing the Morcha ban on flow of liquor in the hills. “Instead of checking luggage for liquor bottles, I advise them to track down the people who have been behind various scams in the DGHC. There has been problems in the mid-day meal scheme, funds for 102 schools have been embezzled and distribution of free text books have not taken place,” said Tamang.

Residents here feel that Tamang’s contention that the Morcha was controlling the DGHC suited the state government. “The Morcha is calling the shots at the DGHC in a de facto manner that Writers’ Buildings is tolerant to as it is buying time on the statehood issue,” a resident of Darjeeling said.

SHRRP supports Gorkhaland

PTI, Gangtok , Nov 22 In a boost to the Gorkha Jan MuktiMorcha (GJM)&aposs crusade for creation of a Gorkhalandstate, the Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad Party (SHRRP) today urged the Centre to carve out a separate state for the Gorkhapeople of Darjeeling Hills to enable them to express their distinct cultural and linguistic identity.
"The Gorkha people of Darjeeling Hills have a right to seek a separate territorial identity under the provisions of the constitution which will enable them to express their cultural and linguistic identity and govern themselves in the best socio-economic interests of the local people,"the SHRPP PresidentA D Subba told reporters here.

The Centre had created a number of smaller states like Uttarakhand, Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand in recent years in fulfilment of the regional aspiration of the local people, he said, adding the Gorkhaland statehood demand should be considered on similar grounds.

On West Bengal&aposs opposition to the statehood demand, Subba said that it was a manifestation of'&aposregional chauvinism'&aposby the Bengali people who seek to perpetuate their domination over the people of Darjeeling Hills and exploit its natural wealth without ever caring for the needs of the local people.
Stating that an expeditious resolution of the statehood demand was in the best interests of Darjeeling Hills and the country, the SHRPP President urged the Centre to take a firm decision on the issue at the tripartite meeting slated forDecember 21 or else explain the reason as to why the separate state was not viable. PTI KDK CR CR

'Govt will never bow’

Bhattacharya: Under pressure?

TT, Siliguri, Nov. 22: Urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya today said the government would not buckle under pressure from the Janmukti Astahi Karmachari Sangathan, an organisation of DGHC contract workers affiliated to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha which has been agitating for permanent job status for its members.

“They (JAKS members) should know that the state government will never bow down under any kind of pressure. We also want them to get permanent jobs but everything should be done by following some process,” Bhattacharya told journalists here. “While scrutinising the workers’ record, it was noticed that several irregularities had taken place during their recruitment. So, the government has to check the records of the workers thoroughly which will take time.”

The minister felt the JAKS agitation would vitiate the atmosphere ahead of the tripartite talks scheduled for December 21 in Darjeeling. “It seems that the Morcha is agitating just to prove its existence ahead of the meeting. As they are scared of losing their support in the hills, they are doing such movement, which is destructive,” he said.

Trinamul Congress district president Gautam Deb, however, asked the government to make its stand on the DGHC workers clear.

“A few days ago, we came to know that the government agreed to make more than 3,000 contract workers of the DGHC permanent. But now one of the ministers, who hails from the district, is saying that the process will take time. This is confusing,” Deb said. “I will request our state leadership to demand a proper explanation on the issue in the Assembly.”

Mount Hermon boy dead

TT, Darjeeling, Nov. 22: A Class XII student of Mount Hermon School here died after he and two of his friends fell off a rock face near Bhale Dunga this evening Black Rock is situated adjacent to the school and police said the trio had reached the top of the 40-foot high cliff-like structure by grappling along its slope on their hands and feet. “It is normally the way would-be mountaineers climb. It is to be investigated how they fell off,” an officer from the Sadar police station said.

Ram Sel Puia, the student who died, Lal Singh Hanam and Joelian, all from Mizoram, had been reported missing by the school authorities around 5.30pm after the trio failed to report to the hostel. Boarders are required to be back in hostel by 5pm, police said.

"The three left the school after 3.30pm and probably without taking permission,” the officer said. A source said the boys were scrambling down after they heard the dinner bell.

While the school authorities refused to answer any calls, the police said the local people had helped recover Puia’s body after one of the two lesser injured students raised the alarm. “The body has been taken to the Sadar hospital for post-mortem, while the two injured have been admitted to Planter’s Hospital,” the officer said.

Herd trapped

The herd at Nepuchapu Tea Estate. Picture by Biplab Basak

Alipurduar, Nov. 22: A herd of 22 elephants was spotted in a garden close to Malbazar town this morning, destroying shade trees and paddy for 12 hours before moving into the adjacent Appalchand forest.

Workers of Nepuchapu Tea Estate near Malbazar, 130km from here, spotted the elephants about 6.30am. Throughout the day garden workers kept the herd encircled, making their escape almost impossible. People pelted the elephants, which brought down some of the shade trees and trampled the tea bushes, with stones too

The manager of Nepuchapu, C.D. Kinglee, said: “The elephants had entered because of the ripe paddy. Luckily, today being a Sunday there was no plucking and the workers were not near the tea bushes.” He said he would submit an estimate of the damage to the forest department for compensation.

Foresters have ruled out any compensation. “We cannot provide compensation for crops grown on leased land,” said Tapas Das, divisional forest officer (wildlife II). He said a squad to drive out the herd had been sent at 8.30am.

“But because of the large crowd, it was difficult to work,” Das said. As darkness came, the number of people decreased and the 10-member squad burst crackers to drive out the elephants. Around 6.30pm, the herd disappeared into the dense Appalchand forests.