GJM calls off Darjeeling bandh .. in deference to a call from Pranab Mukherjee and LK Advani- GJM ... Rally on 3 January- future strategy would be worked out

UNI,Siliguri,Saturday, Dec 18 2010 :The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha(GJM), demanding setting up of an interim council in the hills, today withdrew its proposed 48-hour Darjeeling bandh from December 21.

''The proposed Darjeeling bandh has been called off after meetings with the ruling central and opposition leaders,'' GJM spokesperson Harka Bahadur Chettri told UNI over phone from Delhi.

Mr Chettri is part of a high-powered GJM delegation that includes president Bimal Gurung and general secretary Roshan Giri. He said the decision to call off the stir was taken after talking to Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and Opposition leader Lal Krishna Advani.

The GJM had called a shutdown of Darjeeling for 48 hours from December 21 demanding resumption of tripartite talks on political level before December 20 for immediate setting up of the interim council in the Darjeeling Hills and starting the process of transfer of certain administrative powers.

It had also threatened to renew the movement for a separate state of Gorkhaland if the interim set-up was not constituted soon.

''We have called off the agitation at the request of central leaders,'' Mr Chettri said, citing that they (leaders) wanted continuation of the tripartite talks and said any agitation now would derail the move.

Mr Chettri said since Union Home Minister P Chidambaram was away in Tamil Nadu, the fate of the next round of talks would be known after his arrival in Delhi.

Mr Gurung and his team complained to Mr Gandhi and Mr Mukherjee that the Bengal government was 'dragging' its feet on the interim set-up.

The GJM delegation also invited Mr Gandhi to Darjeeling 'to witness what the government of West Bengal has done to an otherwise natural haven that it used to be'.

''Rahul Gandhi has assured us to visit Darjeeling and the GJM will give him a grand welcome,'' Mr Chettri said.

PTI, KOLKATA, 18 DEC: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJMM) today suspended its proposed two-day bandh from 20 December in the Darjeeling hills in deference to a call from Union finance minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee and senior BJP leader Mr LK Advani.

“We have suspended the bandh. We met Mr Mukherjee yesterday and Mr Advani today, who asked us to wait for the outcome of the tripartite talks,” GJMM general secretary Mr Roshan Giri said from Delhi. “Christmas is approaching. In deference to the wishes of the finance minister and Mr Advani, we suspended the bandh,” he said.

He said that the GJMM delegation led by party president Mr Bimal Gurung also met Congress general secretary Mr Rahul Gandhi. “We extensively elaborated our stand to Mr Gandhi,” he said. Asked about the recent revival of the demand for Gorkhaland, Mr Giri evaded a direct reply saying: “Let's see. So many rounds of talks have taken place. We want an interim council to materialise soon.”

He said that a rally would be held on 3 January either at Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong or Siligiri where the future strategy of the GJMM would be worked out.

Yesterday, chief secretary Mr Samar Ghosh had said that the tripartite talks on Darjeeling was not taking place immediately as the Centre was yet to discuss it with the West Bengal government.

IBNS,New Delhi/Darjeeling (West Bengal), Dec 18 : The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), spearheading agitation for setting up of an interim set-up in the hills, on Saturday called off its proposed 48-hour Darjeeling bandh from Dec 21. "We have called off Darjeeling bandh after meetings with the central leaders and Opposition party," GJM spokesperson Harka Bahadur Chettri said in New Delhi.

GJM spokesman Chettri said the decision to call off the proposed 48-hour Darjeeling band was taken after a party meeting in New Delhi led by president Bimal Gurung and general secretary Roshan Giri.

The GJM had called bandh of Darjeeling for 48 hours from Monday for resumption of tri-partite talks on political level before Dec 20 for setting immediate interim set-up in Darjeeling Hills. It had also threatened to renew movement for separate Gorkhaland state if the interim-set up was not constituted immediately.

A high-powered GJM delegation camping for past few days had called on Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and Opposition leader Lal Krishna Adbvani.

"We have called off the agitation at the requests of the central leaders," Chettri said. He said the central leaders wanted them to keep peace at this juncture so that continuation of tri-partite talks was not derailed.

"Our points are we wanted to continue talks but there is no response either from the Centre nor from the West Bengal Government," Chettri pointed out.

Chettri said since Union Home Minister P Chidambaram was not in the capital and away in Tamil Nadu, the fate of the next talks would be known after his arrival here.

Bimal Gurung and his team complained to Rahul Gandhi and Pranab Mukherjee that the West Bengal government was “dragging” its feet on the interim set-up.

The GJM delegation also invited Rahul to Darjeeling “to witness to what the state government of West Bengal has done to an otherwise natural haven that it used to be”. " Rahul Gandhi has assured to visit to Darjeeling and the GJM would give a grand welcome," Chettri said.

The GJM has threatened to start an agitation in the plains and warned of making the region “another Kashmir” if the state continued to remain “arrogant”.

Gurung reportedly told Gandhi that the state seemed “bent upon dragging the (interim) issue for its own political advantage paying no heed to the gravity of the problem in the overall interest of the nation”.

Political observers in Darjeeling said the withdrawal of bandh report received a wide welcome in the hills, especially from the tour operators, who expect a boom of traffic for Christmas.

Morcha calls off hills strike

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Darjeeling, Dec. 18: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has withdrawn its scheduled 48-hour hills strike from December 21 after meeting top Congress and BJP leaders in Delhi over the past two days.

The decision was announced at a news conference held by Morcha chief Bimal Gurung and the Darjeeling MP, the BJP’s Jaswant Singh.

Singh said there was “no need to do anything hastily” as the talks over the interim set-up for the hills had been “positive” and were going “in the right direction”.

“We met L.K. Advani today. He appealed to us to withdraw the strike,” Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said over the phone from Delhi.

“Pranab Mukherjee too had made the same request yesterday. Besides, Christmas is round the corner. Taking all these into account, we have decided to withdraw the strike.”

Gurung had set a December 20 “deadline” for inking the deal on the interim set-up for the hills. He had said the party would call a two-day strike if the deadline was not met.

But the Morcha decided to call off the strike after Mukherjee, the Union finance minister, assured it at a meeting yesterday that he would ask the home ministry about the contentious issues involving the set-up. Rahul Gandhi too was present at the meeting.

Morcha sources said Gurung had complained to Mukherjee and Rahul that the state government was dragging its feet on the set-up.

Giri said the party would “probably hold a public meeting in the hills on January 3 where our future plans and programmes will be announced”.

The Morcha has stopped work in all government offices in the hills since December 6, except banks, post offices and insurance offices, as part of its “non-cooperation movement” against the state government.

Several issues relating to the interim set-up are yet to be resolved. These include the territorial jurisdiction of the set-up, the mode of selection to the board that will govern the arrangement, and the transfer of the tauzi department, which keeps land records, to the set-up.

While the state government wants the board to be formed through an election, the Morcha wants to nominate its members.

The Morcha also wants parts of the Gorkha-majority areas in the Dooars and the Terai to be included in the interim arrangement. The state government has not agreed to this.
UPDS sets rider for talks- Karbi outfit demands council revamp for autonomy; Barua aide in net
PANKAJ SARMA, TT, Guwahati, Dec. 18: The United People’s Democratic Solidarity, a Karbi outfit, has put dissolution of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) as a precondition for laying down arms and signing of a peace accord with the government.
The general secretary of the UPDS, Saiding-Eh, said today the dissolution of the council was necessary for the formation of an interim body by their nominees to oversee a substantive reorganisation of the council as per the Sixth Schedule for greater autonomy to the Karbis.
“We are ready to lay down arms, give up the arms struggle and join the social mainstream, provided the present KAAC is dissolved to make way for our nominees to form an interim body of the council to manage and supervise a substantive reorganisation of the KAAC within the framework of the Sixth Schedule,” he said.
A delegation of the outfit, which is in ceasefire with the government since 2002, had left for New Delhi today to hold talks with the Centre’s interlocutor P.C. Haldar and senior officials of the Union home ministry.
Saiding-Eh, who heads the delegation, said the government should demonstrate sincerity towards finding a solution to problems faced by the Karbis by signing the peace accord with the UPDS without wasting time.
He said that though their initial demand was creation of a separate state for the Karbis, they later settled for “maximum autonomy” under the Sixth Schedule as the Centre is against creation of any new state.
“Under the proposed arrangement, the KAAC will be renamed as Karbi autonomous territorial council and 64 subjects in the state list will be transferred to the territorial council,” Saiding-Eh said. He said they had agreed to “greater autonomy” but wanted the reorganisation of the council to take place under the interim body which should be constituted after dissolving the present KAAC.
“Though we hope that reorganisation of the council would be able to fulfil the aspirations of the Karbi people, we will persist with our demand for statehood in a democratic and peaceful manner,” he said.
“We also want the government to ensure that whenever the State Reorganisation Commission (SRC) or any commission to examine the statehood demands is constituted, our demand for statehood shall be included in it,” the UPDS general secretary said.
SFI duo arrested for college violence- Rival outfits step up protests

TT, Calcutta, Dec. 18: Two SFI activists, both students of Asutosh College, were arrested today in connection with Thursday’s violence at the institution, prompting the CPM student arm to organise protests across the city and gherao a police station.

Three members of the Trinamul Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) had been arrested yesterday in connection with the violence that left Asutosh College student Souvik Hazra with possibly irreparable damage to his left eye. Hazra left for Hyderabad this morning for treatment.

Hours after the arrest of SFI activists Sovam Mitra and Rishav Sarkar, both second-year students, hundreds of the outfit’s members gheraoed Bhowanipore police station for half an hour.

Activists of several Left students’ organisations burnt effigies of Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in front of a few city colleges. They also held marches and meetings at various crossings across Calcutta to condemn campus violence.

The SFI, which has called a students’ strike on Monday, denied that Mitra or Sarkar were involved in Thursday’s clashes between SFI and TMCP supporters at Asutosh College. SFI state committee member Anirban Hazra said the two students were “innocent” and had been “arrested on false charges”.

TMCP supporters marched on roads around the college.

All the five students arrested were produced at Alipore court today and received bail.

Supporters of both the students’ unions were present on the court premises, where a large police team was deployed. After the grant of bail, the supporters shouted slogans.

Asked about the SFI strike on Monday, Calcutta University vice-chancellor Suranjan Das said all classes on the College Street and Alipore campuses would remain suspended that day because Vice-President Hamid Ansari would address two programmes there.

The authorities of several schools said they were yet to decide whether to keep the institutions open on Monday. Many schools have already closed for the winter vacation.

At a news conference at her Kalighat home, Mamata announced her party would organise a rally at Esplanade on December 23 to “protest the reign of terror let loose by the CPM”.

She said TMCP members would march from the Shyambazar five-point crossing to the Gandhi statue at Maidan on Monday.

The Trinamul chief claimed that armed CPM goons had killed SFI activist Swapan Koley on Thursday after “mistaking him for a Trinamul supporter”. Koley was killed during a clash between SFI and TMCP supporters at Andul’s Prabhu Jagadbandhu College.

Mamata said she had complained to Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee about the CPM’s “military rule”. She urged the Congress to “make it clear whether it supported the CPM’s misrule”.

Kabir Suman, the Trinamul MP from Jadavpur who has fallen foul of Mamata, however, said all political parties were involved in campus violence over student elections.

Governor M.K. Narayanan voiced concern at the college flare-ups while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a CII seminar at a Calcutta hotel.

“I will talk to the chief minister and others,” he said. The governor said he would speak to Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee “when it’s convenient”.

Asked if he would speak to the railway minister too, Narayanan said: “Law and order is a state subject.”

At a rally in Burdwan’s Mangalkot, the chief minister urged people to “resist Trinamul-sponsored terror in educational institutions”.
TitBits, KalimNews: SFI has called all Bengal strike on Monday 20 December, BOBBC also has called a 12 hrs strike in Siliguri and adjoining area in protest against formation of GRA in Darjeeling hills.
Widening of National highway is started from Gheesh river bridge to Parimal memorial College, Mal Bazar. NH 31 will be widened 1.5 mt on both sides and the road will measure 10 mt. A sum of 18 crore 59 lakh is alloted for the project by National Highway authority. 
Home Secretary of the state has informed the District administration to take action against the absentee staff of governmental departmental offices. With a view to implement no work no pay order, government is trying to persuade the employees to defy the GJMM and its frontal organisation's directive to observe strike in all the offices demanding immediate talks for the implement ion of GRA in the hills. 

ट्याट्टु, गिटार र विचार रचयिता Raja Puniani राजा पुनियानी kaalbodh.blogspot.com

किरिङमिरिङ रङ्गीन ट्याट्टुले नाड़ीदेखि कुहिनासम्म ड्याम्मै ढाकिएको उसको देब्रे पाखुरा कुनै लोककलाकृतिझैं लागिरहेको छ। अटोमा मेरो छेउमा बसेको छ। के हालेको छ कुन्नि, निक्कै जतन गरेर समातेको छ ब्याग। सके, उसले गिटार बोकेको हुनेथियो। तर आज उसँग गिटार छैनरहेछ। बिहान म जागीरअड्डातिर जाँदैछु। शहरको बड़ेमानको शपिङ मलमा उसको डेटिङ रहेछ प्रेमिकासँग। मसँग बात मार्न उसले अल्छी मानेको छैन। म पनि ऊसँग बात मार्न रुचाइरहेको छु। प्रायः देखिरहने उसलाई म जान्ने प्रयास गर्दैछु। ऊ मेरा र्‍याण्डम सोधाइहरूको टुक्रे जवाब दिँदै गइरहेको छ। जति सोधेको छु, त्यति नै भनेको छ। अतिरिक्त बोलेको छैन। ऊ पनि मलाई केकेहरू सोध्दै गइरहेको छ। समकालिन युवा पिँढ़ीको एउटा प्रतिनिधि युवकसँग म बात मारिरहेको छु। समकालिन युवाले के सोच्दैछ, म सोच्दैछु ऊसँग बात मार्दै। युवाहरूको पड़ताल गर्ने यो छोटो प्रयोगै भएछ पनि लाग्दैछ। लाग्छ, कूल छु म।
हाम्रो कुराकानीको वेगलाई उछिनेर अटो द्रुत गतिमा दौड़ँदैछ। जिज्ञासावश बीचबीचमा म उसको देब्रे पाखुरा हेर्छु। पाखुरामा अङ्कित त्यो देहचित्र हेर्छु। आदिम इजिप्टेली समाजको ट्याट्टु खोपेका मानिसहरू सम्झन्छु। फेरि उसको बालसुलभ अनुहारतिर हेर्छु। जेल लगाइएर ठाड़ो पारिएको उसको बुथुरे केश पनि हेर्छु। उसलाई हेर्दा वाक्क लाग्दैन। तर हेरिरहुँ पनि लाग्दैन। अङ्ग्रेजीको टिपिकल स्वराघातसँग सल्किएको उसको अप्ठ्यारो नेपाली बोलीको ठिमाहा रिमिक्स उच्चारण अनौठो सुनिन्छ। एकथरीको मज्ज पनि लाग्छ यस्तो बोली सुन्न। नेपाली पप गीततिर गरिने यस्तो अङ्ग्रेजी-नेपाली रिमिक्स उच्चारण प्रवृत्तिको छाप यसरी यताको मध्यमवर्गीय-निम्नवर्गीय युवा समाजमा सुन्न पाइन्छ। विशेष गरी "र" वर्णको उसको टिपिकल अङ्ग्रेजी उच्चारणले उसलाई आम नेपालीभाषीको बोलचालबाट बेग्लै पारेको छ। बिस्तार बोल्छ ऊ। कूल – पपुलर कल्चरमा चलेको शब्द। बिस्तारै बोल्नु, रुखो व्यवहार, अलगावपरक हावभाव, छरितो ठाड़ो केश, छोटो कमेज, फेडेड जिन्स, टिलिक्क टल्किएको सानो कानको टप र किरिङमिरिङ ट्याट्टु - यी सबलाई जोड़ेर बनिएको कुनै पनि उत्तरऔपनिवेशिक प्रतिनिधि नेपालीभाषी युवा व्यक्तित्व आफूलाई यो एकशब्दे विवरणले चिनाउन रुचाउँछ - कूल।
"कन्फ्युज्ड छु," नाकको डिलमा चश्मा मिलाउँदै उसले कूल भएर भन्यो। उसका आँखाका नानी एकपल्ट विचलित भएर चलमलाएपछि फेरि स्थिर बन्छन्। स्कूले पढ़ाइ पढ़्न ढिलो भएको छ। दशौंको बोर्ड परीक्षामा ऊ केहीचोटि अड़्किएको थिएछ। बाह्रको परीक्षा भर्खरै सकेको छ। अब के गर्ने, पढ़्ने कि नोकरी खोज्ने, निर्णय लिन गाह्रो परेको बताउँदैछ। म केही सुझाउ दिनअघि उसको मनोभाव बुझ्न खोजिदिन्छु। बुझ्छु, उसलाई नोकरी गर्नै त मन छ। बाबु रिटायर भएका छन्। भाइ छ। बिहे पनि गर्ने सोचेको छ। उसको रोजाइको पेशा हो पर्यटन। पर्यटनमा स्नातक गर्न त पढ़्नै पर्छ, त्यो पनि बुझ्छ ऊ। दूर शिक्षाको विकल्पबारे उसलाई बताइदिन्छु। उसले पनि लगभग यस्तै योजना चिताएको रहेछ। कूल योजना।
कसैले थपथपाउनु बुझाउने पोलिनेशियन शब्द "ताताओ"-लाई र कसैले चिनो लगाउनु बुझाउने ताहितियन शब्द "टाटु"-लाई ट्याट्टु शब्दको मुहान मान्छन्। पाँच हजार वर्षअघि इजिप्टमा ट्याट्टु खोपाउने चलन भएको इतिहास छ। विभिन्न सभ्यताको शुरुआतमै मान्छेले निधार, छाती, ढाड़, भुँड़ी, कम्मर, तिघ्रा, हात, खुट्टा शरीरका विभिन्न भागमा चित्र खोपाउने कला विकसित गरेको पाइन्छ। विशेष गरी इजिप्टका सङ्गीतकार, नर्तकीहरू र दासहरूले ट्याट्टु खोपाउने गरेको दृष्टान्त पाइन्छ। मानिसहरूले आफ्नो संस्कृतिको अभिन्न अङ्गको रूपमा यसलाई पुस्तैनी रूपमै अघि बढ़ाएर ल्याए। आज पनि कैयौं लोक-समाजमा यसको अवशेष पाइन्छ। अर्कोतिर, पूँजीवादी मूल्यमान्यताले खोक्रिएको समाजले आफ्नो शून्यतालाई भर्ने क्रममा उपयोग गरेका विविध साधनमध्ये ट्याट्टुलाई पनि यस्तै एक साधनको रूपमा सतही प्रयोग गरेको पाउँछौं। फेशनको निहुँमा।
ट्याट्टुको शाब्दिक र साङ्केतिक अर्थले के भन्छन्। अर्थ निर्माणमा सङ्घर्ष छ। मेरो चासो यस्तै कुरामा छ अहिले। ऊसँग मेरो कुरा आधीमै चुँड़ाउने बाध्यता छ। उसलाई पनि त्यो मन परेको छैन। गाड़ीबाट ओर्ह्लिएपछि भन्छ "दादा, भेट्दै गरौं है।" ट्याट्टु खोपाउन उसले बाबुको निषेधाज्ञालाई स्वीकृतिमा फेर्न निकै कष्ट गरेछ। ट्याट्टुकार वृत्तिजीवी उसको खरसाङे साथीले हजार रुपियाँमा खोपिदिएको यो आकर्षक ट्याट्टुको सौन्दर्यशास्त्रीय व्याख्या र मूल्य कसरी गर्न सकिएला, सोचें। ट्याट्टु गर्नु त फेशनेबल पेशा नै बनेको छ पश्चिमतिर। यता पनि यसले वृत्तिकै ओहोदा लिनसक्ने छाँट छ, हामी कुरा गर्छौं। ट्याट्टुको राजनैतिक-दार्शनिक-समाजवैज्ञानिक पृष्ठभूमि, इतिहास औ विमर्शतिर विचरण गर्न मलाई खूबै चाख लागेर आएको छ।
"ट्याट्टु खोप्न एक दिन लाग्छ, मेटाउनु हो भने वर्षौं लाग्नसक्छ," कुनै ठूलै सिद्धान्तको व्याख्या गरेझैं बताउँछ। मन परेर बनाएको अरे ट्याट्टु उसले। विशेष केही अर्थ उसले जोड़्न नसके पनि रक गायकहरूले खोपाएको ट्याट्टुको देखासिकी गरेर उसले ट्याट्टु खोपाउने धोको सानैदेखि पालेको बताउँछ। कुनैकुनै साँझ सुकनाको धरोहर रेल स्टेशनछेउछाउ उसलाई केही साथीहरूसित बसेर गिटार बजाउँदै गरेको देखेको छु। कुनैकुनै स्थानीय कार्यक्रमतिर गिटार लिएर निस्किएको पनि देखेको हुँ। गिटार बजाउनु उसको जीवनको सबैभन्दा तीव्र लहड़ हो भन्छ। फन्तासी हो भन्छ। तर गिटार बजाएर जीवन धान्ने विचार गर्न बाबुले नदिएकाले सङ्गीत लिएरै उच्चाध्ययन गर्ने उसको सपनासँग उसले समझौता गर्दै द्वितीय विकल्प करियर पर्यटनतिर सोच्ने सङ्घर्षमा छ ऊ। उसको गिटारमोहलाई उसले पर्यटनजस्तो गतिशील वृत्तिमा जारी राख्न सक्ने आशा पनि ऊ गर्दो हो।निश्चित छ, ऊभित्र गिटार र विचारमाझ फाटो त आएकै हो।लिपि बनिनहालेको पोलिनेशियन र न्यूजिल्याण्डको समाजमा लिङ्ग, कुल, समुदायगोष्ठी, सामाजिक ओहोदा-पदको 'हाइर्‍यार्की' बुझाउने व्यक्तित्व र चिह्नारीको उपज ट्याट्टुलाई आज हाम्रा युवा साथीहरू फेशनकै मात्र लिँदा हुन्। आदिम समाजमा मानवले बाघ, साँप, कछुवा, छेपारो, रश्मिजस्ता प्राकृतिक वस्तुहरूको टङ्कन गरेर ट्याट्टुले शरीर सजाउनुको पछि गम्भीर संस्कृतिक विकासको कारण छ। एकातिर प्राकृतिक घटनाहरूलाई व्याख्या गर्ने विज्ञान उनीहरूसित नभएकोले कुनै अमूर्त्त अलौकिक शक्तिको कल्पना र उक्त शक्तिसँगको जादूमय सम्पर्क देखाउन अनि अर्कोतिर सामाजिक वर्गीकरण, श्रम-विभाजनको द्योतकको रूपमा चीन, अफ्रिका, अमेरिकाका पुरानो सभ्यतामा शरीरचित्रको प्रथा थालियो।
"शरीर परिवर्तन"-को उद्देश्यमा शरीरलाई छेंड़ेर, खोपेर आफ्नै शरीरबाट आफ्नै शक्तिमाथि विजय पाउने प्रयास मानवले प्रकृतिको प्रभुत्व स्वीकारे पनि त्यस प्रभुत्वमाथि विजय पाएर 'गैर-प्राकृतिक' बन्ने सांस्कृतिक उद्दीपनको सामूहिक पहल पनि थियो। त्यसबेलाको बाल्यावस्थाको भाषाको कमजोरीलाई भर्न सम्पर्कको माध्यमको काम पनि ट्याट्टुले गरेको हो। ट्याट्टु सपनाको अभिलेखन हो। गहिरो मनोवैज्ञानिक 'आदिम इच्छाशक्ति'-को मनोबल प्रदर्शन र बहिर्प्रकाश हो। ट्टाट्टुले व्यक्तित्वको अभिव्यक्ति दिइरहन्छ र स्व-लाई अर्थात् प्रकृतिलाई पुनर्रचना गरिरहन्छ।
इसाइहरूले पश्चिममा निषेध गरेर लगभग अस्त भएको ट्याट्टु सन् १९८०-को दशकदेखि पुनः उदय हुनुले झन् बढ़ी निर्वैयक्तिक र एकान्तिक बन्दै गएको पूँजीवादी समाजमा मान्छेले आत्मप्रकाश र परिचयको बाटो खोजिरहेको स्पष्ट हुन्छ। नजिक रहेरै पनि अलगाव भोगिरहेका मानिसहरू विचारले नजिक आउने कोशिशमा साझे संस्कृतिको अङ्ग बन्दछन्। सत्ताले थोपेको दबुवा संस्कृतिको समानान्तर वैकल्पिक गणतान्त्रिक संस्कृति निर्माणको सङ्घर्षमा थोरैले भए पनि हिस्सा लिने गर्छन्। भेड़ाबाख्राको हुलबाट छुट्टिन ट्याट्टु बनाउनु, अरू करिअरको मूसादौड़मा कुद्दा बहिष्कृत कुनातिर गिटार बजाउनु र विचारको सङ्कटको बेला कुनै विचार बोक्न खोज्नु यस्तै सङ्घर्षको दृष्टान्त न हो।
फेरि एकचोटि अटोमै भेट भएको छ ऊसँग। "आज जबको पहिलो दिनै ढिलो भएँ नि दा," भन्छ ऊ। उसको निमुखा देब्रे पाखुरा फेरि एकचोटि नियालें। धर्का, रङ्ग र आकृतिहरूले कुन्नि केकेजाती बोलिरेहको उसको निर्वाक् ट्याट्टु हेर्दै आफैलाई सोध्दैछु - दार्जीलिङलाई के साँच्चै "चिनारीको सङ्कट" छ त? दार्जीलिङले चिनारीको लड़ाइँ के सही ढङ्गमा लड़िरहेको छ? सधैं भामना र फन्तासीमै रमाउन खोज्ने हाम्रो समाजको बौद्धिक चिनारीस्वरूप खोप्नुपर्ने वास्तविकता र विचारको ट्याट्टु के हुनुपर्ला त- खुकुरी कि कलम? कम्प्युटर कि बन्दुक? यसचोटि पनि उसको नाम सोध्नै भुलेछु। करिअरको मूसादौड़को व्यस्ततामा उसले कतै गिटार बजाउन त छाड़्दैन, म गहिरै चिन्तामा छु अहिले।
My parents did not want me to marry Rajiv'- Soniya

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi receives a portrait
of Late Rajiv Gandhi at the 44th All India

IANS, New Delhi/London, December 18, 2010:Congress president Sonia Gandhi candidly admitted to the California governor's wife that her parents were against her marriage with Rajiv Gandhi, US embassy cables provided by WikiLeaks reveal. Gandhi also told Maria Shriver, wife of Arnold Schwarzenegger, in August 2006 that she would "write a book someday with the whole story" as to why she did not take up the job of prime minister in 2004.
The cable on Gandhi-Shriver meeting, dated Aug 4, 2006 and marked "confidential", is titled A garrulous Sonia Gandhi opens up to Maria Shriver, indicating how freely the Indian leader chatted away.
Shriver met Gandhi as part of her official visit to India. A reading of the cable indicates the conversation might have been taped by accompanying US embassy officials.
The cable says that Gandhi, who is "usually withdrawn and reserved in public ... revealed a rare glimpse of herself" as she spoke about herself, women's issues and compulsions of political life.
"Her comments and demeanour put the lie to cocktail party suggestions that she courts Manmohan Singh's job," the cable said.
The cable says: "Gandhi revealed that her own parents objected to her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi and she 'resented their position' and went ahead and married him anyway."
Rajiv Gandhi became prime minister in 1984 and was assassinated in 1991.
The cable said Gandhi was reluctant to provide details regarding her decision to turn down the prime minister's post after the 2004 victory of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
"I am often asked about this, but tell people that I will write a book someday with the whole story," she told Shriver.
"She would only say that she 'felt better' that someone else became PM and 'did not regret' her decision.
"She elaborated, at (former cabinet minister) Karan Singh's insistence, saying she was under lots of pressure as 'party workers' were 'very upset'. They 'could not understand' why she, as party president, was not taking up the post, since they had voted for her and won a majority."
Among other things, the cable revealed:
-- Gandhi said the situation for women in India was more troubling and traumatic as Indian women must deal with myriad problems not found in the West.
-- Gandhi repeatedly urged her husband Rajiv Gandhi to avoid politics.
-- She herself took to politics when "the Right was becoming strong in India and Congress weak". She said her children were not keen about this but told her: "Whatever you decide, we will back you."
-- Gandhi said "some (political) parties believe that women should not be in power".
-- Gandhi said that south India was "more progressive" than the north on women's issues for historical and cultural reasons.
-- Gandhi agreed with Shriver that many Indians still considered female children "a problem".
-- Gandhi jokingly pointed out that the "Indian Left is anti-American" but agreed that its stance was aimed at "American policy" rather than the American people.
-- Gandhi said that many Indian Muslims "resent certain policies of the US".
The cable said of the meeting: "Sonia Gandhi is often stiff and detached when in public. This was a more relaxed Sonia, possibly because she felt a personal rapport with Maria Shriver.
"In this more relaxed setting, Sonia Gandhi revealed a left of centre political orientation which stresses the strong role of the government in ensuring social progress and her inherent opposition to the social conservatism of the Hindu right.
"At the same time, she entertained no illusions that she or the UPA will bring about rapid social change or uplift quickly India's oppressed women."
It added: "Despite her carefully erected Indian persona, her basic Italian personality is clearly evident in her mannerisms, speech and interests.
"She presents an intriguing enigma of a warm private personality that remains concealed and is available only to her closest confidants and family members."