TT, New Delhi, Feb. 22: The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs today decided to set up a “political committee” to deliberate upon the demand for the separate state of Gorkhaland as well as explore if the DGHC should be replaced by another body with more executive powers.
At its meeting today, the CCPA asked the home ministry to request political parties to name their representatives for the “political committee”. It is not clear whether GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh, the first DGHC administrator, will be invited to be part of the committee. The president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Bimal Gurung, had been a close lieutenant of Ghisingh till he broke away, floated his own outfit and chased away the GNLF chief from the hills.
Sources said the committee was being constituted as the Centre, the Bengal government and the Morcha believed that the problem could not be solved at the bureaucratic-level but needs political intervention. Union home secretary G.K. Pillai and senior Bengal bureaucrats have negotiated with the Morcha leaders during the four rounds of tripartite talks held so far.
Railway minister Mamata Banerjee who attended the CCPA meeting refused to speak to the media after the parley. Sources, who attended the session, said the Trinamul Congress chief had vehemently opposed a separate Gorkhaland state. Sources quoted Banerjee as having said Gorkhaland was an impossibility considering that all major political parties from Bengal were against it.
The home ministry will decide upon the committee’s terms of reference in the days to come. The ministry had earlier this month constituted a committee headed by Justice (retired) B.N. Srikrishna to look into the demands of the separate Telangana state.
Ministry sources said Morcha leader Gurung had realised that it was virtually impossible for the Centre and the Bengal government to agree to Gorkhaland and needed a face- saver to bring down the political temperature in the hills. “There is little likelihood of a separate Gorkhaland. All that can be conceded to the DGHC is some more area and executive powers. It is something that the committee will look into,” said a source.
The last round of tripartite talks was held on December 23. The Morcha had demanded the fifth round within 45 days. But the CCPA has not yet decided on the date yet.
There is near unanimity among Bengal’s major political parties and the Centre that a separate Gorkhaland is not possible. Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had rejected the demand during the chief ministers’ conference in New Delhi earlier this month. He had offered to give more powers to the DGHC or any other council that would replace it.
Central force to keep vigil on Sikkim lifeline
TT, Feb. 22: Two companies of the CRPF arrived in Siliguri from the Northeast today to be deployed along NH31A, the lifeline to Sikkim, following Supreme Court directives.
While one company — each company comprises around 100 to 120 personnel — has reached Pintail Village in Dagapur on the outskirts of Siliguri, the other has been billeted in the state police lines near Darjeeling More. The third one is on the way. The inspector-general of police, north Bengal, K.L. Tamta, said the CRPF personnel had been specifically sent to keep NH31A (runs between Sevoke and Gangtok) free from blockades round-the-clock.
“There were instructions from the judiciary to keep the highway open all times and these companies have come with specific instructions from the central government to keep this stretch of the national highway open,” Tamta said. “We have thought of deploying the three companies at Rangpo on the Bengal-Sikkim border, at Rambhi located on the highway in Kalimpong subdivision and in Siliguri.”
Police sources said senior officials were in the process of trying to get a platoon of the central force each for Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong. “Discussions are on as to whether some of them could be deployed in the three hill subdivisions as well,” a source said.
In Writers’ Buildings today, Bengal chief secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti said he would be in Siliguri on February 26 to discuss how to keep NH31A open at all times. “I will meet the chief secretary of Sikkim and Union cabinet secretary K. M. Chandrashekhar in Siliguri to discuss what steps needed to be taken to keep the highway open,” he said.
Since 2005, the Supreme Court has been asking the Bengal government, the Centre and political parties that call strikes in the Darjeeling hills not to block the movement of vehicles on the highway. In recent times, it had also served a notice on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha after a petition was filed by O.P. Bhandari, a resident of Sikkim, against the NH31A shutdown.
Ever since the Gorkhaland agitation was launched by the GNLF in 1986, Sikkim has been at the receiving end with the highway getting blocked frequently during bandhs called by political parties.
TT, Siliguri, Feb. 22: Policemen were seen today salvaging whatever they could from the debris of the Sukna outpost that had been set on fire by local people last night.
Eighteen people, including a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader and 12 women, were arrested in connection with the arson and sent to 14 days’ judicial custody by a court here today. Two students were also among the arrested. Amit Lama — whom Sukna residents wanted to be arrested for allegedly murdering a woman — was also sent to jail.
The mob torched the police outpost, demanding that Amit be brought to Sukna from Pradhannagar police station in Siliguri, where he had surrendered yesterday evening.
In the morning, police officers, including superintendent of police of Darjeeling D.P. Singh and additional superintendent of police of Siliguri Gaurav Sharma, reached Sukna, 10km from here, and took stock of the situation.
Apart from the outpost, a car was also set ablaze by the group, demanding that Lama be brought to Sukna from Pradhannagar police station in Siliguri where he had surrendered yesterday evening.
Constables rummaged through the remains of the outpost and picked up half-burnt files, butts of rifles and cartridges.
Asked about the role of the Morcha in the incident, Singh said: “We cannot say for sure that the Morcha was involved in the arson. However, we have information that some Morcha supporters were present when demonstrations were going on in front of the outpost.”
Vishal Chhetri, one of the arrested persons, is a former convener of the Dooars-Terai committee of the Morcha.
Singh said the police were yet to obtain a list of items lost in the fire. “Once the debris is cleared, we will begin the task of putting in place necessary infrastructure.”
Shops and establishments were shut in Sukna today, but traffic was normal.
Of the two arrested students, one studies at Surjya Sen College in Siliguri, while the other at North Bengal University.
The 18 people were brought to the additional chief judicial magistrate’s court in the afternoon. As the policemen guided them to the court lock-up, supporters of the Rashtriya Shiv Sena shouted anti-Gorkhaland slogans. They dispersed after 10-15 minutes.
The accused were represented by four lawyers. While Abhaypada Chatterjee, one of the defence counsels, said the police had arrested innocent women, government lawyer Subrata Saha objected to the bail petitions.
Lama was also produced in the same court and remanded in 14 days’ judicial custody. He did not engage a lawyer to argue for him in court.
Speaking to journalists, family members of the 18 accused persons said the police had entered their houses and forcibly taken them away. “We were at home when the police suddenly came and took away my sister. They said she was involved in the arson,” said Nandita. “We have no idea how this happened.”
Morcha leaders continued to distance themselves from the violence
“The allegation against the Nari Morcha is baseless. The Morcha or any of its affiliates was not part of the vandalism at Sukna. We feel it was the handiwork of some outsiders,” said Dina Rai, a Nari Morcha leader from Sukna.
No Talks if GJM conitnues violence
PTI, Kolkata , Feb 22 A day after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha torched a police out post at Sukna to press for its statehood demand, the West Bengal government today ruled out any tripartite talks in the face of such violence.
"The kind of violence that they are indulging in is not conducive to the statehood demand, "state Chief Secretary Ashoke Mohan chakaborty told newsmen.
EFR families received Govt compensation
PTI, Kolkata , Feb 22 West Bengal government today gave cheques amounting to Rs 15 lakh each to families of the four Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) personnel killed in a Maoist attack last November in Gidhni Bazar in Bnakura district. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee handed over the cheques to the families of Naresh Thapa, Vinode Tamang, Bhakta Limbo and Dhankumar Viswakarma, who were killed in the attack on November 8 last year, secretariat sources said. while handing over the cheques, the chief minister expressed his sympathies to the bereaved families. In addition to Rs 15 lakh given today, the families would also receive full salary for the full tenure of service, the sources said.
while handing over the cheques, the chief minister expressed his sympathies to the bereaved families.
In addition to Rs 15 lakh given today, the families would also receive full salary for the full tenure of service, the sources said.
Scared by GJM attack, MLA makes hospital her home
Sabyasachi Banopadhyay, IE, Kolkata, Feb 22: Since the murderous attack on the house of GNLF legislator from Kurseong allegedly by members of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on February 17, Shanta Chhetri has taken refuge in a small cabin at Kureong sub-divisional hospital.
Chhetri along with her son and daughter-in-law shares the hospital cabin where her husband, Deochand Karki, has been undergoing treatment for the last 15 days. She doesn’t venture out of the cabin even once, as she fears that she could be attacked again.
On February 17, the day Gorkha Vidyarthi Morcha, the students’ wing of GJM, called a bandh in Darjeeling after they were refused permission to hold a rally in Siliguri, the members of the outfit attacked her house and set it on fire. The legislator and her family were lucky as they were not present inside the house. Since then, the family has not returned to their house.
Though three police constables guard her at the hospital and a couple of them are also posted at her residence, Chhetri doesn’t feel secure. “Even on the day when the attack took place, the policemen were guarding my house but they could not do anything,” she said.
The police, on the other hand, say that enough security has been provided to the MLA. “We have done what we could do for her. She should not be afraid,” said Devendra Pratap Singh, Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling.
“Following the arson, the police went on the rampage, picking up anybody on sight and destroying property after entering the residents’ houses. The party is not involved in the attack but we have information that 11 students have been arrested. If the students are not released in the next 24 hours, we will be forced to launch an agitation,” Keshav Raj Pokhral, the general secretary of the Morcha’s student wing, said today.
Players at the camp organised by the Mohun Bagan Academy at the Mela Ground in Kalimpong on Sunday. Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha TT, Kalimpong, Feb. 22: Ten Under-19 footballers from the Darjeeling hills have been shortlisted for selection to the PCM Mohun Bagan Football Academy in Jalpaiguri.
‘Free students or face strike’
TT, Darjeeling, Feb. 22: The Gorkha Janmukti Vidyarthi Morcha has threatened to start an agitation in the hills if police fail to release within 24 hours the students who were arrested for their alleged involvement in setting the Sukna police outpost on fire last night.
However, leaders of the Vidyarthi Morcha could not provide the names of all the arrested. “We have the names of four students — 11-year-old Riya Thapa and three others, Santam Chhetri, Radha Thapa and Nivedita Chhetri, who are to appear for Madhyamik examinations starting tomorrow,” Pokhral alleged.
But among the 18 produced in court today, only two were students. While one studies at Surjya Sen College in Siliguri, the other at North Bengal University.
He blamed the police for the violence. “The incident took place because of the ineptness of the police in solving the murder case. If any untoward incident takes place because of the Sukna episode, the police will have to take responsibility.” said Pokhral.
Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the Morcha, denied his party’s involvement in the incident.
“The party is not involved. But all the people of Sukna are Morcha supporters and the police are indulging in excesses. They have entered homes and damaged household items. If the police fail to stop these atrocities, we will be forced to start an agitation,” said Giri.
In a knee-jerk reaction, Darjeeling police today performed riot-control drills at all police stations in the three hill subdivisions. A senior officer said the drill was being conducted to face unruly mobs and to protect government property.
“With a strength of about 2,000 police personnel, we are equipped to tackle any situation provided the force is used,” said the officer.
Apart from riot gears, police stations across the hills have been replenished with rubber bullets, fibre shields, batons and grenades.
Hill players for Bagan academy
Players at the camp organised by the Mohun Bagan Academy at the Mela Ground in Kalimpong on Sunday. Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha Of the 10 budding players who will practise under the watchful eyes of the coaches in the next few days, the talented ones will be enrolled in the academy.
Seven of the 10 are from Kalimpong. They are Cho Tshering, Choyung Sherpa, Joseph Chhetri, Tshering Bhutia, Samit Gurung, Devashis Rai and Ramesh Tamang. While Devashis Pradhan and Adarsh Gurung are from Darjeeling, Nasib Tamang is from Mungpoo. They were shortlisted from the 115 players who had turned up for a one-day trial at the Mela Ground here yesterday. “The kids from the hills have abundant talent. What they need is proper guidance. We at the academy will endeavour to hone their skills,” said Pranab Ganguly, the chief coach of the academy.
A player will be released from the academy once he reaches 19. “During their stay in the academy, we will take care of their studies by getting them admitted to schools and colleges in Jalpaiguri,” said Sarkar. He said he was hopeful that at least three or four of the shortlisted players from the hills would make it to the academy.
Cho Tshering, the striker from Kalimpong, said he was confident of making it to the academy. “I will do all I can to impress the coaches during the training. My ambition is to become a professional footballer,” said the young player, whose idol is Indian soccer skipper Bhaichung Bhutia.
Urgen (Mini) Lama, the president of the Kalimpong Sports Association that had organised the trials on behalf of the academy, said even though the event was held at a short notice, the response was fantastic.
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