कहिले हुने जीर्णोद्वार कुलैन कारखानाको? . Ghising leaves hill at night ... .Sikkim seeks place in anthem... Sikkim Liberation party accuses former and present Chief ministers ... GJM hopes Mamata will solve Gorkhaland problem... 13 die in bus crash

कहिले हुने जीर्णोद्वार कुलैन कारखानाको?

मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, 16 मई, कालेबुङ। तक्निकीय क्षेत्रमा विश्वका धेरै देशहरूले गरेको विकासको तुलनामा भारतको स्थान निक्कै तल्लो दर्जामा छ। यसको एउटै कारण रहेको छ कि देशले संसाधनहरूको विकासबाट अर्थ आर्जनको नीति निर्माणलाई लचिलो राखेको छ। भारतको पश्चिम बङ्गाल राज्यले प्रशासनिक क्षेत्रमा देखाएको अल्छेपनको कारण निक्कै ऋण बोकेको सबैलाई थाहा छ। बङ्गालको प्रशासनिक अल्छेपनको एउटा ज्वलन्त उदाहरण हो पहाड़मा रहेको कुलैन उद्योग। करोड़ौको घाटा देखाएर यो उद्योगलाई नष्ट गर्ने प्रशासनिक कुटनीतिले कुलैन उद्योगसित संलग्न श्रमिकहरूको भविष्यलाई नै सङ्‌कटमा पार्ने जुक्ति भइरहेको थियो, तर राजनैतिक कारण बङ्गाल सरकारले यो उद्योगलाई पूरै नष्ट गर्न सकेन।
अहिले येनकेन प्रकारेन उद्योग चलिरहेको छ, तरै पनि यसलाई विश्व बजारसित जोड्‌दै खेती प्रणालीलाई हाइटेकरूप दिने पक्षमा सरकार रहेन। अहिले मङ्‌पूमा कुलैन कारखाना बन्द छ। कारखाना बन्द हुनुको एउटै कारण थियो, कारखानामा जड़ित मशिनहरू युगौं पुरानो छ, जसले उत्तम उत्पादन दिन सक्दैन। पुरानो कारखानामा धेरै लागतमा थोरै उत्पादन हुने कारण यसलाई बन्द नै गरिएको थियो। जब कि विश्व बजारमा कुलैनको मूल्य प्रशस्त छ।
हिजो यही समस्यालाई लिएर गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाको श्रमिक युनियन दार्जीलिङ, तराई डुवर्स प्लान्टेशन युनियनले कुलैन बगानका प्रबन्धन पक्षलाई लिएर नै दार्जीलिङका सांसद जसवन्त सिंहसित चर्चा गर्‍यो। युनियनका अध्यक्ष गोपाल रूचालले भने,कारखाना मरमत्ति गर्न वा कारखानालाई हाइटेकरूप दिन पश्चिम बङ्गाल सरकारले एउटा प्रोजेक्ट बनाएको थियो जसको निम्ति 51 करोड़ रुपियॉं अनुमोदन पनि गरिसकेको थियो। तर सोझै राशि उपलब्ध गर्न नसक्ने आधिकारिक असुविधाको कारण बङ्गाल सरकारले यस प्रस्तावलाई दिल्ली पब्लिक कमिशनमा पठाएको थियो, जो अहिलेसम्म अल्झिएर बसेको छ।
यस सम्बन्धमा कमिशनसित कुराकानी गर्न जसवन्त सिंहसित बैठक गरिएको थियो। युनियन अनुसार कुलैन बगानको भविष्य सुनिश्चितताको कुरा यहॉंको कारखानासित जोड़िएको छ। यसकारण कारखानाको नविनिकरण हुनुपर्छ। उपकरणहरू हाइटेक हुनुपर्छ, जब कि कम लागतमा कुलैनको उत्पादन धेरै यहीं हुन सकोस्‌। यसो हुन सकेमा श्रमिकहरूको भविष्य सुनिश्चित हुने छ। गोपाल रुचाल अनुसार बगान प्रबन्धन पक्षबाट निर्देशक डा. जीसी सुब्बा पनि बैठकमा थिए। सांसद जसवन्त सिंहले युनियनलाई यस सम्बन्धमा आफ्नो पक्षबाट सक्दो कार्य हुने आश्वासन दिएको रुचालले बताएका छन्‌। जसवन्त सिंह अनुसार यसप्रकारको समस्याको उठान मोर्चाका चार विधायकहरूले उठाउनुपर्छ। विधायकहरूलाई समस्या समाधानको निम्ति जिम्मेवारी दिइनुपर्ने पनि सिंहको भनाइरहेको रुचालले जनाएका छन्‌।
Headline Sms

KalimNews:A delegation of GJM met with MK Gandhi, District Magistrate of Darjeeling and demanded to send Subhas Ghising GNLF supremo back from Darjeeling.
Ghising with his son left Darjeeling in the night.
GJM MLAs will take oath in Nepali language.
GJM MLAs will meet the Mamta Banerjee, the would be CM and other TMC leaders today in Kolkata and will discuss on the possibility of induction in TMC's proposed hill development ministry.
Sikkim observed state day.
Buddhists all over world observing 2555th Buddha Jayanti.

NGFC met Sikkim Congress leaders with future plan

2 arrested in connection with Sonada GNLF versus GJM clash in which a GJM supporter was seriously injured.
GPTO has announced that all hill primary schools will remain closed from 18-20 May.
Jaswant Singh MP has promised to raise the matter of lathi charge by police on Ex army personnels during a rally on 9th April 2008, in Parliament.

Ghising leaves hill at night - Morcha supporters assaulted, finger at GNLF chief’s provocative speeches

Morcha supporters out on a road in Sonada on Monday, demanding the arrest of the culprits responsible for the attack. Picture by Suman Tamang

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, May 16: Subash Ghisingh left Darjeeling tonight, hours after his supporters were accused of attacking Gorkha Janmukti Morcha members, one of whom was stabbed on the neck and had to be put on ventilator.

>Three other Morcha supporters too suffered injuries after the clash during an election victory celebration in Sonada last night.

The Morcha, which retaliated by vandalising the houses of five GNLF supporters in the area, has blamed Ghisingh for the unrest. The GNLF chief left Darjeeling with his son Mohan Ghisingh at 9.30pm today, his nocturnal exit indicating that he may not return to the hills soon. Sources said he would be staying in Uttarayan, a satellite township, in Siliguri for the night.

The Morcha said the provocative nature of Ghisingh’s speech last month had prompted his followers to attack those who were celebrating the election results in Raghubir busty.

Rabin Rai, a 28-year-old, is on ventilator at a nursing home in Siliguri after a “vein in his neck was damaged”. Bimal Tamang, Subodh Tamang and Sanjay Tamang were discharged from the Sonada block primary hospital early this morning after being administered the first aid.

Four persons — Suren Rai, Rabin Lama, Bishal Rai, and Sky Tamang — have been arrested. All of them had been named in the FIR filed by the Morcha. Police said they were looking for one Sanjib Tamang.

Armed GNLF goons started pelting our party members with stones. Soon after, they attacked our supporters with sharp weapons. Rabin Rai was stabbed. He is now on ventilator. One of his veins has been damaged,” the MLA said.

The house of Kalyan Lama that was vandalised on Sunday night. Picture by Suman Tamang

At 10 last night, almost three hours after the attack, Morcha supporters ransacked the houses of at least five GNLF supporters at Sonada, 20km from Darjeeling town. One of the houses belonged to Kalyan Lama, the convener of the Sonada GNLF committee.

Sharma admitted that his party had attacked the houses of rivals. “We have a large number of supporters in Sonada and on hearing about the attack on our members, the public vented their anger. The incident is the fallout of Subash Ghisingh’s speech on April 9 in Mirik where he had asked his supporters to un-sheath their rusty khukuris,” said Sharma. The GNLF said the Morcha was the first to threaten its supporters. Palden Bhutia, president of the GNLF Kurseong branch committee, said: “The Morcha supporters organised a picnic at Raghubir busty and late in the evening they went about threatening our supporters in their houses. It is then that our supporters came out and retaliated.”

Darjeeling police chief D.P. Singh said the attack seemed to have been orchestrated by the GNLF supporters. He confirmed that Ghisingh left the hills around 9.30pm today. “There was some celebration and feast in the area by the Morcha supporters to which the GNLF supporters seem to have objected. There was some heated exchange of words but everybody had dispersed after that. It was later that some GNLF people came back and attacked.” Even though a large number of Morcha supporters came out into the streets in protest and also demonstrated before the Sonada police outpost today, the Morcha has not called any strike in the hills.

“We are keeping in mind various aspects. Tomorrow happens to be Buddha Jayanti, which is a major festival for the Buddhist community in the hills. We are closely monitoring the condition of our Rabin Rai. Depending on the emerging situation we will chart our future course of action,” said Sharma.

The Bharatiya Bhutpurba Sainik Adra-Sainik Morcha will meet Morcha chief Bimal Gurung in Darjeeling tomorrow to chalk out their future programmes.
Lt. Col. (retd) Ramesh Allay, president of the Sainik Morcha, said: “We have also decided to approach the high court to demand that the content of the one-man inquiry commission on the lathicharge on our members at Siliguri on April 9, 2008 be made public."
The ex-servicemen were lathicharged when they tried to enter Siliguri town forcefully.
Hills cool, others reel under the sun
SNS, KOLKATA, 16 MAY: While the Hills enjoyed rains, the city remained deprived of the much-awaited showers and had to put up with high humidity today.
Several places over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and isolated places in Purulia district of Gangetic West Bengal received rainfall, while rest of the areas remained dry. High humidity increased the discomfort index to a large extent so much so that people on the streets sought comfort in stalls selling coconut water, juice and cold drinks.
Such conditions were due to yesterday's trough of low pressure on sea level from East Madhya Pradesh to Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura that now runs from East Madhya Pradesh to Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura across Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, central parts of West Bengal and Bangladesh. The upper air trough from East Uttar Pradesh to Orissa has become less marked. However, a cyclonic circulation lies over Bihar and adjoining Sub-Himalayan West Bengal extending up to 1.5 km.
The Alipore Meteorological office have warned of thunder squall with wind speed reaching between 50 and 60 kmph at isolated places over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal in the next 24 hours, but the city dwellers are unlikely to get respite as the temperatures would remain high and the moisture incursion with the southerly and south westerly hills would increase the humidity. Adding to the trouble would be the hot westerly winds, said an official of the Met office.
Such conditions are, however, not unusual at this time of the month, said the official adding the highest maximum temperature ever recorded was 44.1 °Celsius on 31 May 1924. The maximum and minimum temperatures recorded in the city today were 36.7 °Celsius and 28.7 °Celsius, respectively.

Pro-Left intellectuals quit posts after LF’s exit
SNS, KOLKATA, 16 MAY: With the change in regime a section of the intellectuals heading various committees and boards has submitted their resignation. Well-known film maker, Tarun Majumdar, who headed the advisory committee of Nandan Film Complex, has sent in his resignation. He had been appointed during the Left regime. So did another academician, Prof. Sanat Chattopadhyay, purported to be close to the CPI-M, from the post of secretary of the Bangla Academy.
There are a host of intellectuals who were appointed as heads of various committees, including litterateur Sunil Gangopadhyay heading the Sishu Kishore Sahitya Academy, and Mohit Chattopadhyay in Natya Academy. While Buddhadeb Dasgupta heads the Sangeet Academy, noted theatre personality Mr Manoj Mitra is on the committee overseeing Minerva Theatre. According to information and cultural affairs (I&CA) department they have only received the resignation letters of Prof Chattopadhyay and Majumdar so far.
Noted academician Prof. Subimal Sen, chairman of the Higher Education Council, has also resigned from his post. The director of State Archives, Prof. Atish Dasgupta, has also expressed his desire to resign from his post.
According to an official:” The academicians and artists were appointed on these committees and boards in the Left regime so they are stepping down to allow the new government to choose its own set of people. There are quite a few intellectuals with the Trinamul Congress and the new government may prefer to appoint them on such committees.”
Nandan, once the personal fiefdom of Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, which has a number of committees, including film festival committee and film screening committee, may also see quite a few changes.
Several CPI-M leaders, including Mr Sudhangshu Sil, who headed various corporations have also stepped down.
From marginal to mammoth wins, Bengal polls saw it all
IANS, Kolkata : From a thumping victory to just making it past the post, the margins of victories in the West Bengal polls had it all.
Among the 294 winning candidates, five managed to oust their opponents by less than 500 votes.
In Mangolkote constituency, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) candidate Sahajahan Choudhury defeated his opponent from the Trinamool Congress by a margin of just 126 votes.
In Raipur of Bankura and Pandua of Hooghly district, CPI-M candidates Upen Kisku and S.K. Amjad Hossain defeated Trinamool nominees Pramila Murmu and Nargis Begum by 182 votes and 397 votes respectively.
On the other hand, Trinamool candidates Banamali Hazra and Hiten Barman got the better of their rivals by 298 and 257 votes respectively.
Five other candidates also won by a margin of less than 1,000 votes.
The candidates who scored overwhelming victories include Gorkha Janamukti Morcha candidate Trilok Dewan from Kurseong, who won by a margin of 106,555 votes, followed by his party colleague Harka Bahudur Chhetri from Kalimpong, who finished ahead of his nearest rival by 101,675 votes.
Among the battle hardened politicians, Trinamool Congress leader Partha Chatterjee defeated his opponent from CPI-M with a margin of 59,021 votes in Behala West assembly constituency.

Sikkim seeks place in anthem

TT, Gangtok, May 16: Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling today iterated his demand that word ‘Sindh’ be replaced with ‘Sikkim’ in the national anthem to promote a sense of emotional integration, a suggestion endorsed on the spot by the governor, B.P. Singh.
“In order to strengthen our understanding of national unity and understanding of nationalism, I have given my suggestion to substitute the word ‘Sindh’ in our national anthem with word ‘Sikkim’. In the changed circumstances, we feel we richly deserve this recognition to promote further a sense of emotional integration,” said Chamling.
The chief minister was addressing the 36th State Day function here to commemorate the day when the erstwhile Himalayan kingdom merged with India.
Sikkim had merged with the Union of India on May 16, 1975 and became the 22nd state in the country.
The governor was prompt in backing the demand. “The chief minister has formally, on this day, mentioned that ‘Sikkim’ be made a part of the national anthem and I support it,” said Singh. “We amended the preamble of the constitution of India, almost at the same time when Sikkim decided to join the Republic of India, by adding the word ‘secularism,’” he added.
So, this suggestion should be seen in that wide context by the parliamentarians and national leadership,” he added.
The call for ‘Sikkim’ to be inserted in the place of ‘Sindh’ in the national anthem (Jana gana mana) had been made by Chamling at a seminar on regional parties at Jamai Milia Islamia university in New Delhi on April 25.
“In the same context, I had suggested earlier and still say why not substitute the word ‘Sindh’ in our national anthem with the word ‘Sikkim’? The basic fact is that when India became independent, Sikkim was not in the national mainstream. Has not that fact altered now? This will further cement the edifice of emotional integration and justice done to the peace-loving citizens of India. Please forgive me, if I am blamed for inviting storms into a tea cup,” Chamling had said in his Delhi speech.
Bikash Bhattacharya, a Calcutta High Court lawyer, said: In the Indian Constitution, there is provision for changing the national anthem of the country. But there is no provision to change any word in the anthem. To change such a word, a law should be enacted.

GJM hopes Mamata will solve Gorkhaland problem

PTI, Darjeeling (WB), May 16 : With the Trinamool Congress coming to power in West Bengal, the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha today hoped Mamata Banerjee would keep her promise of solving the Darjeeling problem.
"The GJM hopes that Mamata Banerjee will fulfil her promise of solving the hills imbroglio within 100 days of her coming to power," newly elected GJM MLA Harkabahadur Chetri told reporters here.
"We will talk to Mamata Banerjee after she assumes charge as chief minister. If she agrees to work towards resolving our demand, then further talks will be centred on Gorkhaland," he said.
"However if she does not agree to our demands, we will resign from the Assembly and the GJMM will chalk out plans for future agitation for Gorkhaland," Chetri said.
Meanwhile, Jaswant Singh, the BJP MP from Darjeeling, said he would talk to the Centre for solving the Darjeeling hill problem.
Sikkim Liberation party accuses former and present Chief ministers
KalimNews, PR, Gangtok: Sikkim Liberation party submitted a memorendum to the Prime Minister and Home Minister of India accusing that two families have hijacked the democracy of Sikkim and misused the power and have in such a rampant manner misused the funds and resources which in fact are the contribution of those humble tax payers.
The party formed on 6th May 2011 in its memorandum further says that during the past 30 years, the two Chief Minister who ran the show or rather made mockery of democracy, have been indicted in the corruption have amassed and misused the Grants in Aids and all other funds sent by the Centre as their ancestral property.
Signed by Duk Nath Nepal, convenor the press release regarding the memorandum accuses that the fund flow during the past three decades have only benefited two families and their near ones, leading to feeling of betrayal among the mass against the Government of India. It further says that " In the name of developmental activities, massive influx is being encouraged leading to depopulating and de-establishing of the indigenous Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepali community.  Sikkimese people are being subjected to feeling of insecurity by ways of flagrant violation of Constitutional safeguard under Article 371 (F). In the name of development, a diabolical force is being coerced to destroy the social structure of Sikkim."
It further states that the exemption from Central Income Tax is being blatantly abused and the leaders as well the Central Ministers and other high level officials who are being send to observe and monitor are turning blind eyes to the fact and presenting rosy picture as they are given a ceremonial treatment, they ever had dreamed of.
The memorandum warns that, "if the Government of India cannot keep the promise made to our forefathers and if there shall be any kind of disturbances or impediment during our exercise of restoring the value of democracy and if our move is tried to be suppressed, our faith would be lost; and where we would be restricted against enjoying the democracy as assured and guaranteed under the Indian Constitution, it would take no time for us to take a different course."
Goodwill Towards TMC

PTI : Ahead of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's meeting with her, Congress President Sonia Gandhi held consultations with senior colleagues on the issue of her party's participation in the next West Bengal government.

Gandhi held talks with her political secretary Ahmed Patel and senior leader Shakeel Ahmed, who is in charge of party affairs for West Bengal.

The meeting came a day after Shakeel Ahmed and Pranab Mukherjee ascertained the views of newly-elected Congress MLAs in the state.

The Congress appears to be turning positive on the issue of joining the Mamata-led government in West Bengal.

Though Mamata's party has gained majority on its own, she has invited the Congress and SUCI to join the government.

There is a talk in Congress that it might appoint an observer for holding talks with Trinamool to discuss modalities of government formation.

Gandhi could even attend the swearing-in ceremony in Kolkata. Banerjee has a good rapport with Gandhi as also Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Agencies: Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi will be present at her swearing-in ceremony, while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be unable to attend the occasion due to his ‘packed schedule’.
Banerjee met Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence here and invited her to the swearing-in ceremony on Monday afternoon.
"I invited Congress.I invited Soniaji for the oath taking ceremony," she said after meeting Gandhi.
After meeting Gandhi, Banerjee arrived at Singh’s 7 Race Course Road residence here on Monday evening to formally invite him to her swearing-in ceremony in West Bengal.
“Manmohanji won’t be able to attend the ceremony due to his packed schedule,” Banerjee told media after the meeting.
With Banerjee set to take over as the West Bengal chief minister, she told the PM that she wants her Railway portfolio to go to another Trinamool candidate.
"We want Railway Ministry to be with us. It is the Prime Minister who will decide the portfolio," Banerjee said.
She maintained that the relationship between her party and the Congress ‘was and will always remain strong’.
Banerjee, along with Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, reached Delhi from Kolkata late Sunday night.
She had earlier said a small cabinet with Trinamool, chief ally Congress and Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) will be formed soon.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor MK Narayanan on Monday formally invited Banerjee to form the state government.
Banerjee was on Sunday elected the leader of the Trinamool Congress Legislative Party by her newly elected lawmakers.
Partha Chattopadhayay was elected the deputy leader of the legislative party.
Addressing her legislators at the Maharashtra Niwas here, she said the party would hold its victory celebrations on July 21 at the Brigade Parade ground.
She also urged party workers and leaders to maintain peace in the state.
Earlier Saturday night, West Bengal's chief minister in waiting met Mukherjee at his south Kolkata residence after her historic election victory over the communists and invited Congress party to join the new government.
Trinamool Congress and Congress fought the assembly polls in West Bengal in alliance and defeated the Left Front ending their 34-year-long regime.
The alliance led by Mamata Banerjee won 227 seats with Trinamool alone garnering 184 seats.
Congress is yet to formally announce its decision on joining the government, but media reports suggested they are likely to take part in it.Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi will be present at her swearing-in ceremony, while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be unable to attend the occasion due to his ‘packed schedule’.
Banerjee met Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence here and invited her to the swearing-in ceremony on Monday afternoon.
"I invited Congress. I invited Soniaji for the oath taking ceremony," she said after meeting Gandhi.
After meeting Gandhi, Banerjee arrived at Singh’s 7 Race Course Road residence here on Monday evening to formally invite him to her swearing-in ceremony in West Bengal.
“Manmohanji won’t be able to attend the ceremony due to his packed schedule,” Banerjee told media after the meeting.
With Banerjee set to take over as the West Bengal chief minister, she told the PM that she wants her Railway portfolio to go to another Trinamool candidate.
"We want Railway Ministry to be with us. It is the Prime Minister who will decide the portfolio," Banerjee said.
She maintained that the relationship between her party and the Congress ‘was and will always remain strong’.
Banerjee, along with Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, reached Delhi from Kolkata late Sunday night.
She had earlier said a small cabinet with Trinamool, chief ally Congress and Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) will be formed soon.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor MK Narayanan on Monday formally invited Banerjee to form the state government.
Banerjee was on Sunday elected the leader of the Trinamool Congress Legislative Party by her newly elected lawmakers.
Partha Chattopadhayay was elected the deputy leader of the legislative party.
Addressing her legislators at the Maharashtra Niwas here, she said the party would hold its victory celebrations on July 21 at the Brigade Parade ground.
She also urged party workers and leaders to maintain peace in the state.
Earlier Saturday night, West Bengal's chief minister in waiting met Mukherjee at his south Kolkata residence after her historic election victory over the communists and invited Congress party to join the new government.
Trinamool Congress and Congress fought the assembly polls in West Bengal in alliance and defeated the Left Front ending their 34-year-long regime.
The alliance led by Mamata Banerjee won 227 seats with Trinamool alone garnering 184 seats.
Congress is yet to formally announce its decision on joining the government, but media reports suggested they are likely to take part in it. 
13 die in bus crash
TT, Bankura, May 16: A private bus on the Purulia-Calcutta route turned over thrice after hitting a roadside tree while trying to avoid a cow, killing 13 passengers at Moisana in Bankura this morning.
At least 10 seriously injured passengers were taken to Bankura Medical College Hospital, while 20 others were treated and discharged.
“Six of the deceased died on the spot, while the others succumbed to their injuries on way to or after reaching the hospital. They were mainly passengers who were travelling on the roof of the over-loaded bus,” Bankura police chief Pranab Kumar said.
The district magistrate and the police chief visited the hospital.
Moisana is about 220km north-west of Calcutta.
Garden official attacked
TT, Alipurduar, May 16: The assistant manager of Central Dooars Tea Garden was attacked today by a worker who was asked not to smoke inside the factory.TT,
Police said Prabhu Ghole was smoking inside the factory and assistant manager Rakesh Kumar asked him not to. Prabhu started abusing Kumar and left the spot. Half-an-hour later, the worker stormed into Kumar’s chamber with a dagger and tried to hit him. Kumar suffered injuries on his arm while trying to save himself. Hearing the noise, people outside the chamber rushed inside and caught Prabhu. He was later handed over to the police. He will be produced in the court tomorrow. Kumar was taken to a hospital in Cooch Behar from and has been referred to Calcutta.
Road deaths
TT, Malda/Balurghat: Two persons were killed in separate road accidents near Harirampur and Chanchol on Monday. Police said Sufal Tudu, 30, a resident of Nahid in Harirampur, died after a truck knocked him down near Danogram. Irate residents of the area stopped the truck and handed over the driver to the police. In another incident, one person was killed when the bicycle he was riding was hit by a pick-up van on the Chanchol-Malda state highway. The vehicle has been seized and the driver arrested.
Seven held
TT, Siliguri: Phansidewa police arrested seven persons, suspected to be members of an inter-state vehicle smuggling racket, from Ghoshpukur on Sunday night. Two stolen Boleros, eight cellphones and Rs 1.2 lakh were seized from them. The police said five of them are from Jhajjar in Haryana and the two others are from Delhi and Bihar.
Writers’ starts to shed Marx legacy
Sabyasachi Bandopadhyay, IE, May 17 2011, Kolkata: The seat of power in West Bengal has started to shed the legacy of Marxism and its founder.
Renovation work is in full swing at the Writers

Three days before the new government takes charge, Writers’ Buildings is not only going through a makeover but also doing away with a Left Front tradition. For the first time in 34 years, government employees will not hold a function and a rally at the entrance to welcome a government just elected.
Starting with the one headed by Jyoti Basu in 1977, every Left Front government was welcomed by the employees’ Coordination Committee affiliated to the CPM. The rally would be addressed by the Chief Minister, after which he would lead his council of ministers into Writers’.
This time, Mamata Banerjee herself has instructed that no such rally should be held.
Marx is being removed from the walls of ministers’ chambers too; so are Lenin and Che Guevara. “We are sure the portraits of these communist leaders will be removed,” said an official with the PWD, which has taken up the job of sprucing up the complex. “At present we are sprucing up the offices. The incumbent minister will decide on the adornment on the walls.
The room in front of the Chief Minister’s chamber is being redone with the logo of a bank branch being removed. Another room is being converted into a visiting room for ministers who have offices outside but who have to come to Writers’ for work or to meet.
At the ground floor that has offices of employees’ unions, the office of the Coordination Committee is locked while those of the Trinamool-backed Employees’ Federation are packed with more and more employees turning up to become members. “Since the results were out on May 13, 300 applications for membership have been submitted,” said Sanket Chakrabarty, convener of the Employees’ Federation.
The Employees’ Federation has also alleged that important government files have been taken out of Writers’. Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh said, “We have received complaints about files of the labour, finance and backward classes departments being taken out. We are investigating.”