GNLF bid to rekindle statehood

TT, Siliguri, Jan. 4: The GNLF is planning to organise a political programme here soon to revive itself on the separate statehood plank. Rajen Mukhia, a GNLF leader from Panighata, located 40km from here, said party members held a meeting at Jalpaiguri yesterday to discuss how to arrange the programme. “Our supporters from the hills and the plains had attended the Jalpaiguri meeting. But our president Subhash Ghisingh did not attend. We are waiting for his consent on how and when to restart our movement for the demand of separate state which we had raised 20 years ago for the first time in the region,” Mukhia said. In yesterday’s meeting, the GNLF supporters also discussed their future stand on the separate statehood issue. Sources in the GNLF, however, said Ghisingh was waiting for the outcome of an all-party meeting on Telangana in New Delhi tomorrow. Mukhia had earlier said Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung would not be able to fulfill his promise that they would achieve Gorkhaland by March 2010. Blaming the Morcha for playing with the sentiments of the hill people, Mukhia said Gurung’s outfit had been claiming to achieve Gorkhaland within a fixed timeframe. “Our (proposed) programme (in Siliguri) will highlight that we had raised the demand for Gorkhaland for the first time and we are going for it cautiously.” Mukhia said they were keeping in touch with their supporters in the hills and the Terai and the Dooars regularly. “We told our supporters not to hurry for holding any movement. If our rivals can achieve the separate state within the time they claim, we will salute them. But if they fail, we will start our own programme from March.” GJMM activists to join protest SNS, SILIGURI, 4 JAN: Five Bengali GJMM activists are likely to join the ongoing relay fast programme in support of Gorkhaland in Darjeeling tomorrow. According to a GJMM leader, Mr Subhamay Chatterjee, they would start fasting from 9 a.m. along with other minority community members. Demand for Terai-Dooars inclusion in Sixth Schedule intensified SNS, JALPAIGURI, 4 JAN: The Akhil Bhartiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad leadership today threatened aggressive demonstrations in the Dooars and Terai of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts if the state government did not respond positively by 18 January to their demand of including the Adivasi community in the Dooars and Terai in the Sixth Schedule. The ABAVP leadership today submitted a memorandum to the commissioner, Jalpaiguri division Mr Amarendra Sing on the issue. “We need the Sixth Schedule for the development of the Adivasi people of this region,” claimed the ABAVP Dooars Terai regional unit secretary Mr Rajesh Lakra today. Demanding the state government to announce a meeting on the issue by 18 January, the AVABP DTRU president Mr John Barla said: “If the state government does not respond to the deadline, we would block roads for an indefinite period throughout the Dooars and Terai. “The programme would continue for three hours from 9 a.m. to 12 noon everyday till 31 January. If the state government still fails to respond, we would step up the agitation and bring the entire transportation system to a halt in the Dooars and Terai for an indefinite period,” Mr Barla added. The ABAVP leadership also demanded an increase in the tea industry workers’ wage. “Tea workers get Rs 62.50 as daily wage. By our calculations, the wage should go up to Rs 250 per day. Our workers’ union wing the ‘Cha Sramik Vikas Parishad’ is expected to receive registration by this month and after that it would start functioning properly in the tea estates of the region,” Mr Barla added. Distribution of land deed among the tea workers, inclusion of the National Highway 31C into the four-lane project are some of the ABAVP's other demands. Chill back to numb Siliguri after 5 years Who’s afraid of winter? TT, Siliguri, Jan. 4: The sun remained behind the cloud-hazed sky, people refused to come out of the houses, and the few who did, looked longingly at the roadside fires as the mercury dipped to a five-year low in Siliguri on Saturday. “The cold wave is because of the north-westerly winds blowing from the northern part of the country,” said Subir Sarkar, the in-charge of North Bengal University Weather Observation Centre. The lowest minimum temperature of 7.2 degrees Celsius was recorded in Siliguri on January 2. A maximum temperature of 15.8 degrees Celsius was recorded today, the lowest for this season and in the past five years too. This is 8 degrees lower than the normal 24 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature recorded was 9.1 degrees Celsius, nearly two degrees below normal. “The day temperature (maximum) has dipped drastically to 15.8 degrees Celsius which explains why the weather was so cold. So far the lowest maximum temperature in five years was recorded as 16.9 degrees Celsius on January 23, 2008,” said G.N. Raha, an official of the Jalpaiguri Met Department. “It is the north-westerly winds combined with western disturbances that have caused a drop in temperature.” Western disturbance is a phenomenon in which clouds bearing moisture that form over the Mediterranean Sea move west and reach northwestern India, Raha explained. “The temperature is expected to drop by two degrees tomorrow. This usually happens when the disturbance passes over the region.” Moderate fog, reducing surface visibility by less than 500 metres is likely to prevail at a few pockets in the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar, Malda, North and South Dinajpur. The cloudy weather and fog took a toll on flight landings at the Bagdogra Airport delaying arrivals by more than an hour today. “A Jet Airways flight scheduled to arrive at 1.20pm from Calcutta was delayed by 30 minutes. Another Spicejet flight, supposed to arrive at 1.35pm could land only at 3pm. We are expecting more delays because of the cloudy weather condition,” an airport official said. With a biting chill in the air, socks, mittens and woollen jackets came out of the wardrobes. “Winters in Siliguri had started to lose its chill in the past few years and I had almost started thinking that it was a result of global warming. Today’s cold reminds me of the weather we used to have five years ago. It really feels good,” said Palash Roy, a resident of the town. Those in need of new woollens headed for the Bhutia Market, which did brisk business. “The sales of caps, stockings, socks and jackets have gone up in the past few days. We expect more sales in the coming days,” said Samden Bhutia, a stall owner at the market. Democracy search replays after 18 yrs - SDF legislator rebels against CM, evokes memories of Chamling’s rebellion Golay (top) and Chamling: Tables turned? VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Gangtok, Jan. 4: After a gap of almost two decades, a replay of sorts is unfolding in the political firmament of the Himalayan state of Sikkim. On September 9, 1992, Pawan Chamling, then a rebel Sikkim Sangram Parishad MLA, had famously lit a candle during the zero hour of the Assembly and “searched for democracy” before a stunned House to generate a tide against his party leader and then chief minister, Nar Bahadur Bhandari. Prem Singh Golay, a three-time minister in Chamling’s Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) government and currently the MLA from Upper Burtuk constituency, along with Bhojraj Rai, an adviser to Chamling’s party, are in the forefront of a movement against their leader. “I have come to search for democracy, not with a candle, but a torch,” said Golay. The similarity of the movement does not end here. Chamling, too, had been a minister in Bhandari’s cabinet much like Golay. The chief minister in his biography, Pawan Chamling – Daring to be Different, talks of his initial days of struggle after his expulsion from the Sikkim Sangram Parishad following the candle incident. “My position after my removal was not easy. Bhandari, after removing me from his party, was not satiated yet. Threats and intimidation like amputation of my limbs, burning of my house were hurled at me. Not just my political life, Bhandari seemed in a hurry to stop my very lifeblood,” he wrote. The SDF rebels have not yet been expelled from the party, but Golay is no longer visible in Sikkim. After taking oath as MLA on May 22, Golay has virtually gone underground — only making a rare public appearance near Jorethang on December 21 — and skipping all sessions in the Assembly since then. On the other hand, Bhojraj, who is seen as a spokesperson for the rebel MLA, has alleged that Chamling is baying for both their bloods. “They tried to burn my house in Namchi. A youth was caught with a German-made revolver in Namchi recently. They want to eliminate us,” claimed Bhojraj. The charges that the rebels are talking about are same as those Chamling had brought against Bhandari. “Where is democracy in Sikkim? The entire system is now corrupt. The poor have become poorer. The people are fed up with the communal politics of Sikkim. The entire show in Sikkim is being orchestrated by Chamling’s wife,” said Bhojraj, who is a Rai, the same community as Chamling’s. The SDF has, however, denied the allegations levelled by the “vested interests”. “His Namchi house must be worth Rs 5 crore to Rs 7 crore. How can you even imagine that it can be burnt down by a few bottles of petrol filled beer bottles? It defies logic and smells of an inside job,” said Bhim Dahal, spokesperson for the SDF and a former MP from Sikkim, referring to Bhojraj’s charge of burning his house. Golay has always been seen as a youth leader. Many believe that Chamling did not deny him a ticket during the last Assembly election, when 21 sitting MLAs, including eight ministers, were dropped, largely because of his popularity. Chamling, however, changed Golay’s constituency from Chakung-Soreng (in West district) to Upper Burtuk (in East) and this perhaps sparked the rebellion. “All I can say is that some people with vested interests have come together but for how long can politics based on allegations, without an ideology or principle, last,” said Dahal. However, despite, Dahal’s confidence that the rebellion will be a non-starter, the party is not taking things lightly. On December 30, Cheli Morcha, the women’s front of the SDF, brought out massive rallies across the state to protest the alleged circulation of “sleaze pamphlets” against party leaders. The rallies followed after a rebel group within the Cheli Morcha came out openly against Chamling. Dahal, however, denied that the SDF had pressed the panic button. “We have 10 frontal organisations within the SDF. It was the Cheli Morcha who decided to protest on its own. There is no question of pressing the panic button,” said Dahal. Golay and Bhojraj might have generated a wave but its ripple effect has not come out in the open yet. Chamling, an astute politician, has kept his cards close to his chest but everyone, including the rebels, know that they face more challenges than the chief minister does. Tripartite meeting demanded for Kamtapur SNS, JALPAIGURI, 5 JAN: Kamtapur Progressive Party, which is a breakaway faction of the Kamtapur Peoples’ Party, today demanded a tripartite meeting with the state government and the Centre being the other two parties, to discuss its statehood demand. The Progressive Party, which like the KPP also aspires for a Kamtapur state to be carved out of the six districts of north Bengal plus parts of Assam and Bihar has sent a letter to chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee demanding a tripartite dialogue on the proposed Kamtapur state. “In addition, we have also sought the recognition of Kamtapuri language, promotion of Kamtapuri culture and inclusion of Cooch Behar's history in the Madhyamik syllabus,” said the Progressive chief Mr Atul Roy (in SNS picture) at Mainaguri today. The Progressive leader threatened to boycott the chief minister's future visits to north Bengal if their demands were not fulfilled. According to Mr Roy, the state chief secretary Mr Ashok Mohan Chakraborty met them over their demands in Kolkata on 29 December. “But now we want a tripartite dialogue as our demand can not be achieved without the Centre's involvement,” he claimed. Mr Roy also demanded that the All India Radio and Doordarshan must start promoting the Kamtapur culture as they do in case of the Nepali language. “If the AIR-Siliguri station does not start programmes to promote Kamtapuri culture within 30 days, we would lock the AIR-Siliguri office after the cut off date. Similarly, we would lock the Siliguri office of the Madhya Siksha Parshad if the history of Cooch Behar is not included in the Madhyamik syllabus,” he threatened.  KPP threat to Buddha tour TT, Siliguri, Jan. 4: The Kamtapur Progressive Party today threatened to prevent Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee from entering north Bengal if he did not reply to an open letter it is planning to write on January 8. The letter will ask for tripartite talks on its demand for a separate state of Kamtapur. A meeting of the party’s central committee held in Jalpaiguri’s Mainaguri agreed to post the copies of the letter to eight MLAs and two MPs of north Bengal who are from the Rajbangshi community. “We will write the letter on January 8 and wait for 30 days. If he does not respond by then, we will stop him from entering north Bengal from March onwards,” Atul Roy, the party president, said. “We want the state and the Centre to initiate tripartite talks and accept our demand for Kamtapur.” The party, which has been raising the demand for over a decade, said it would write to school education minister Partha Dey too. “This will be our final letter to him, demanding inclusion of the history of north Bengal in the secondary syllabus and introduce Kamtapuri (Rajbangshi) language as a medium of instruction in primary schools from the next academic year,” Roy said. “If the education department remains passive to our demand, we will, as announced earlier, close down the secondary board’s regional office.” The KPP will write to the information and broadcasting minister on January 22 to broadcast programmes in Rajbangshi language from the Siliguri AIR station. On February 8, the KPP will demonstrate in front of residences of the Rajbangshi MLAs and MPs of north Bengal. “We want them to work for the statehood demand,” said Pranesh Ishore, the party vice-president. Gunners atop Teesta crest - last leg of zingata expedition flagged off The teams get ready to ride the Teesta. Picture by Prabin Khaling TT, Gangtok, Jan. 4: The “dauntless gunners” have come to Sikkim to ride the Teesta. After negotiating the rapids in the Zanskar-Indus confluence in Ladakh and the Ganges in Uttarakhand, the Trishul Gunners (also known as the dauntless gunners) of the Regiment of Artillery started off on the last leg of their expedition from Rangpo in East Sikkim today. The Sikkim part of the Zingata white water rafting was flagged off by Brigadier B.K. Goswami, Brigadier Artillery, Trishakti Corps. The expedition is called Zingata as the teams are negotiating the rapids in three rivers: the Zanskar-Indus, the Ganges and the Teesta. The expedition began with rafting on the Zanskar-Indus and Ganges in August. Two teams in two rafts followed by a rescue group in another are participating in the white water adventure here. The gunners are led by Captain Saurabh Sharma. The expedition will conclude at Coronation Bridge at Sevoke, 80km downstream from Rangpo, on January 6. Each team consists of seven members and have been trained by the Black Cat Gunners, the army formation responsible for conducting adventure activities at Aqua Node, Bardang, in East Sikkim, on behalf of the Black Cat Division. While flagging off the expedition, Brigadier Goswami said expeditions like this served to inculcate grit, determination, courage and a spirit of adventure in a soldier besides cultivating bonhomie between the army and the peace- loving, friendly people of Sikkim. “The determination and hard work of every member of the expedition team and their training at the army Aqua Nodal Centre will help the teams to achieve the peak of success,” Goswami added. Brigadier S. B. Singh, Commander of the Black Cat Gunners Brigade, in his address highlighted the significance of such adventure activities in army life. “The gunners have always been in the forefront in their quest for adventure and such opportunities will enhance the camaraderie between the participants to work as a cohesive team,” he said. Army sources said the Zingata expedition was first flagged off on August 29 at Chilling in Ladakh by Major General A. K. Oberoi, the General-Officer-Commanding of the Trishul Gunners. The Ladakh part of the expedition was flagged in at Saspol. The distance between Chilling and Saspol is 60km, the sources said.