SNS, SILIGURI, 4 DEC: The Communist Party Revolutionary Marxists leader, Mr R B Rai sounds skeptic over the outcome of the fourth round of three-way dialogue slated in Darjeeling on 21 December. “We are of the opinion that the tripartite dialogue would bear no concrete fruit as long as it is held at the secretariat level. The next round would be a mere exchange of views on the contentious matters and no magic-fix formula in the direction of a breakthrough is likely to emerge. Besides, the consensus reached in course of the last round of talks held in New Delhi in August on providing a clean burial to the controversial VI Schedule and repealing the DGHC has not yet been acted upon. We are wondering what would be the agenda of the Darjeeling round of talks,” he said.
Asked whether his party would meet the Centre-appointed interlocutor, Lt. Col.(Retired) Vijay Madan in view of the latter's willingness to meet the non-GJMM outfits Mr Rai said that they would not meet him unless his party was officially approached. “We have not yet received any communication from the Centre. And the three-way dialogue seems to have boiled down to a pandering of the GJMM to the exclusion of all other parties concerned with the Darjeeling tangle,” Mr Rai added.
Echoing the same view on meeting the interlocutor regarding the Darjeeling logjam, the Jana Chetana president, Dr Debaprasad Kar said that there was no question of meeting Mr Madan on their own. “There is no pint in meeting him unless we are approached officially,” he said.
However, the Bangla O Bangal Bhasa Bacao Committee president, Dr Mukunda Majumder said that he was willing to meet the Centre-appointed interlocutor. “But he remains unapproachable. When approached with a request to arrange such a meeting the Darjeeling district magistrate has told him point blank that the matter was beyond his jurisdiction,” he said.
Asked whether his party would meet the Centre-appointed interlocutor, Lt. Col.(Retired) Vijay Madan in view of the latter's willingness to meet the non-GJMM outfits Mr Rai said that they would not meet him unless his party was officially approached. “We have not yet received any communication from the Centre. And the three-way dialogue seems to have boiled down to a pandering of the GJMM to the exclusion of all other parties concerned with the Darjeeling tangle,” Mr Rai added.
Echoing the same view on meeting the interlocutor regarding the Darjeeling logjam, the Jana Chetana president, Dr Debaprasad Kar said that there was no question of meeting Mr Madan on their own. “There is no pint in meeting him unless we are approached officially,” he said.
However, the Bangla O Bangal Bhasa Bacao Committee president, Dr Mukunda Majumder said that he was willing to meet the Centre-appointed interlocutor. “But he remains unapproachable. When approached with a request to arrange such a meeting the Darjeeling district magistrate has told him point blank that the matter was beyond his jurisdiction,” he said.
Terai bandh stand-off extended till Sat
SNS, SILIGURI 4 DEC: The GNLF-backed Gorkha Janjati Manyata Samaraho Samity has extended its Terai bandh relaxation by yet another day until Saturday, urging the Darjeeling DM to allow it organise a single-day cultural convention at Panighatta on 6 December.
“We had a discussion with the DM over phone this evening and have requested him to allow us hold the convention as it's a constitutional right of any citizen of India. He has assured us a re-look and we are sending him all documents describing the nature of the proposed convention. But if even after this, the administration does not relent, we would go ahead with a 72-hour Terai bandh from Sunday morning,” the Samaraho Samity secretary Mr Tikka Khati informed.
Earlier in the day, an all-party meeting convened by the Kurseong civil administration at Kadmamore near Panighatta failed to evolve any consensus on the issue.
Representatives of the GJMM, CPI-M, Congress and the Samaraho Samity attended the meeting that was chaired by deputy magistrate Mr SW Fonning, on behalf of the Kurseong SDO.
In that meeting, while the administration reiterated its stand not to grant permission for the proposed convention, the CPI-M and the Samity representatives vehemently opposed the approach giving it an “autocratic” tag. However, the GJMM as obvious found the administration's stance to be “wise and practical”.
“There is a clear cut instruction from the DM Darjeeling that under the prevailing circumstances, no public meeting, rallies etc can be allowed at Panighatta and we are simply carrying out that order,” Mr Fonning told the all-party delegates.
Condemning the administration's attitude, Mr Khati accused that the authorities were functioning at the behest of the GJMM.
“Otherwise, why are we being denied permission for an apolitical cultural convention at Panighatta, even after we truncated the programme to one day in place of the previous three-day schedule?” Mr Khati asked.
Refuting the allegation, the Kurseong SDO Mr Suden Bhutia said that the administration was working for the common good of the all section of people.
“Panighatta has witnessed several political clashes between the GJMM and GNLF in the recent past and by allowing the convention, we do not wish to pave way for further trouble. Unless and until the local police are confident of the law and situation, we would not allow any meeting, convention to take place at Panighatta,” Mr Bhutia said over the phone this evening.
“We had a discussion with the DM over phone this evening and have requested him to allow us hold the convention as it's a constitutional right of any citizen of India. He has assured us a re-look and we are sending him all documents describing the nature of the proposed convention. But if even after this, the administration does not relent, we would go ahead with a 72-hour Terai bandh from Sunday morning,” the Samaraho Samity secretary Mr Tikka Khati informed.
Earlier in the day, an all-party meeting convened by the Kurseong civil administration at Kadmamore near Panighatta failed to evolve any consensus on the issue.
Representatives of the GJMM, CPI-M, Congress and the Samaraho Samity attended the meeting that was chaired by deputy magistrate Mr SW Fonning, on behalf of the Kurseong SDO.
In that meeting, while the administration reiterated its stand not to grant permission for the proposed convention, the CPI-M and the Samity representatives vehemently opposed the approach giving it an “autocratic” tag. However, the GJMM as obvious found the administration's stance to be “wise and practical”.
“There is a clear cut instruction from the DM Darjeeling that under the prevailing circumstances, no public meeting, rallies etc can be allowed at Panighatta and we are simply carrying out that order,” Mr Fonning told the all-party delegates.
Condemning the administration's attitude, Mr Khati accused that the authorities were functioning at the behest of the GJMM.
“Otherwise, why are we being denied permission for an apolitical cultural convention at Panighatta, even after we truncated the programme to one day in place of the previous three-day schedule?” Mr Khati asked.
Refuting the allegation, the Kurseong SDO Mr Suden Bhutia said that the administration was working for the common good of the all section of people.
“Panighatta has witnessed several political clashes between the GJMM and GNLF in the recent past and by allowing the convention, we do not wish to pave way for further trouble. Unless and until the local police are confident of the law and situation, we would not allow any meeting, convention to take place at Panighatta,” Mr Bhutia said over the phone this evening.
AIGL meetings to start from Kurseong
SNS, KURSEONG, 4 DEC: The All India Gorkha League has decided to start its strings of public meetings from Kurseong instead of Darjeeling.
Informing, this the AIGL Kurseong branch secretary, Mr Prem Bomjon said his party had taken the decision in view of the GJMM muscle flexing being pampered by an inert district administration. “We have failed to hold a public meeting in Darjeeling over the past few years due to the seemingly clandestine understanding between the preponderant hill-based party and the pliant administration. But we cannot throw up in despair. It is our constitutional right to air our views on a matter and nobody can infringe on it without breaking the law of the land,” he added.
He further said that his party had already obtained permission for holding the proposed rally in Kurseong. “But we would not disclose the date of the meeting. It would be made public just a day before the scheduled rally for obvious reasons,” he said.
SNS, KURSEONG, 4 DEC: The All India Gorkha League has decided to start its strings of public meetings from Kurseong instead of Darjeeling.
Informing, this the AIGL Kurseong branch secretary, Mr Prem Bomjon said his party had taken the decision in view of the GJMM muscle flexing being pampered by an inert district administration. “We have failed to hold a public meeting in Darjeeling over the past few years due to the seemingly clandestine understanding between the preponderant hill-based party and the pliant administration. But we cannot throw up in despair. It is our constitutional right to air our views on a matter and nobody can infringe on it without breaking the law of the land,” he added.
He further said that his party had already obtained permission for holding the proposed rally in Kurseong. “But we would not disclose the date of the meeting. It would be made public just a day before the scheduled rally for obvious reasons,” he said.
Rohini Lake ~ from the sublime to the ridiculous
SNS, KURSEONG, 4 DEC: Rohini Lake, also known as the Jagadambha Lake is in a shambles. The once famous lake at Rohini, much favoured by picnickers, dried up in 2006. Another picnic season has crept in but the lake is still bone dry.
Rohini, about 15 Kms from Siliguri nestles in the greens between Kurseong and Pankhabari. Major hostilities broke out at Rohini on 1 January, which seems to have scared away the visitors for good. Rohini residents have been left licking their wounds with no immediate turnabout in sight.
According to the Rohini lake caretaker, K B Gole, the lake dried up after the 2006 picnic season. It is learnt that a technical error had occurred during the construction of the lake, which was not rectified. The lake lost its water retaining capacity thereafter.
The caretaker further informed that the lake also had boating facility during its heydays. “ Ten boats were in use for the visitors’ entertainment earlier but after the Rohini Lake dried up, some of the boats were sent off to the Mirik Lake and some to Ganga Maya Park in Darjeeling,” Mr Gole said.
Rohini these days wear a forlorn look. According to a local shopkeeper, the spot used to attract hundreds every day irrespective of the season and that ensured good business for them as well. “Almost no one comes here these days since the hostilities of 1 January. It has hit us hard,” he added.
And, there is no immediate plan to revive Rohini. “We have not received any proposal or information from the concerned authority regarding the restoration of Rohini Lake,” said the Kurseong SDO, Mr Suden Tshering Bhutia. According to him, the DGHC tourism department is the custodian of Rohini Lake.
The DGHC tourism department also failed to shed light on the matter. According to a senior official of the department there are no immediate plans for Rohini. He also admitted: “The department has not been able to do much at Rohini after the 1 January incident in which one person was murdered, several were injured and house and shops ransacked in a political skirmish.”
Rohini, about 15 Kms from Siliguri nestles in the greens between Kurseong and Pankhabari. Major hostilities broke out at Rohini on 1 January, which seems to have scared away the visitors for good. Rohini residents have been left licking their wounds with no immediate turnabout in sight.
According to the Rohini lake caretaker, K B Gole, the lake dried up after the 2006 picnic season. It is learnt that a technical error had occurred during the construction of the lake, which was not rectified. The lake lost its water retaining capacity thereafter.
The caretaker further informed that the lake also had boating facility during its heydays. “ Ten boats were in use for the visitors’ entertainment earlier but after the Rohini Lake dried up, some of the boats were sent off to the Mirik Lake and some to Ganga Maya Park in Darjeeling,” Mr Gole said.
Rohini these days wear a forlorn look. According to a local shopkeeper, the spot used to attract hundreds every day irrespective of the season and that ensured good business for them as well. “Almost no one comes here these days since the hostilities of 1 January. It has hit us hard,” he added.
And, there is no immediate plan to revive Rohini. “We have not received any proposal or information from the concerned authority regarding the restoration of Rohini Lake,” said the Kurseong SDO, Mr Suden Tshering Bhutia. According to him, the DGHC tourism department is the custodian of Rohini Lake.
The DGHC tourism department also failed to shed light on the matter. According to a senior official of the department there are no immediate plans for Rohini. He also admitted: “The department has not been able to do much at Rohini after the 1 January incident in which one person was murdered, several were injured and house and shops ransacked in a political skirmish.”
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