KalimNews, Kalimpong, 14 Dec: In an accident near 29 Mile of NH 31A a driver was killed and 14 others injured. The ill fated savari SK 04-7627 heading towards Namchi from Siliguri fell about 150 ft down in a gorge along the river Teesta in the evening at around 6 pm. Driver Milan Rai (25) of Namchi died on the spot while 5 women and 9 men were injured and admitted in Rambi Hospital. Most escaped with minor injuries, a hospital staff said.
DALAI LAMA blessed devoteesKalimNews, Kalimpong, 14 December : Thousands of devotees of His Holiness 14th the Dalai Lama thronged from the different parts of India and neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Nepal today in Kalimpong to receive the blessings from their spiritual leader in the form of Wang at a convocation held at Central School for Tibetan located at Topkhana 3 kms from the township. The devotees were seen trespassing from the barbed fencing of the school premises to take a glimpse of their beloved leader and Nobel laureate the Dalai Lama. The devotees included minor children to the age old people who had assembled in the premises since 4 AM.
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| (Above photos: Samsher Ali) |
The Dalai Lama is scheduled to leave for West Sikkim tomorrow on 15th December to attend other functions there.
Asok stricture on truancy
TT, Siliguri, Dec. 13: The Bengal urban development minister today said he would issue an administrative order to the district magistrate of Darjeeling, asking him to bring to an end the closure of government offices on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s diktats.
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TT, Siliguri, Dec. 13: The Bengal urban development minister today said he would issue an administrative order to the district magistrate of Darjeeling, asking him to bring to an end the closure of government offices on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s diktats.
“I will soon ask the district magistrate to issue an order to the heads of all government departments, instructing them to ensure that employees in their offices across the three hill subdivisions join duties regularly,” Asok Bhattacharya today said. “In case, the employees abstain from their duties, the heads of departments will be directed by the district magistrate to consider their absence as leave and necessary changes should be made in their records.”
Observers said the directive, if issued, would be the first of its kind in the district where the Morcha had time and again closed government offices during the past three years and the employees stayed away from duties. The move aims to mount pressure on the hill party, which has announced closure of offices in the hills since December 6, demanding finalisation of the interim set-up by December 20.
“We will not allow the employees to stay away from offices for days. They must join duties and police will have to take necessary steps to ensure their safety and security,” Bhattacharya said.
Kharak Bikram Subba, the Janmukti Karmachari Sangathan’s Kalimpong branch president, however, made light of the minister’s statement.
“Being a frontal organisation of the Morcha, our members fully support the statehood movement now going on in the hills. If any action is taken against the state employees following such a directive, the government has to take responsibility for its consequences,” he said.
Around 10,000 employees of the state, central and other agencies are the members of the association in the hills.
CPM plans to hold rallies in Hills
Sabyasachi Bandopadhyay, IE, Kolkata, Dec 13 2010: With the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in the backfoot over Centre’s silence on the next tripartite talks on Darjeeling that will be held on political level, the CPM has planned to hold rallies in Hills by December or January.
“We want democracy to return to the Hills because the Morcha has unleashed mayhem and disorder in Darjeeling. It may be an uphill task but we cannot sit idle,” said state minister for urban development Ashok Bhattacharya, who represents Siliguri in the West Bengal Assembly.The GJM, meanwhile, has threatened to launch a ‘do or die’ movement if the Central and the state governments fail to give a green signal to an interim council by December 20. “The state government is not concerned about national security. They are talking of division of Bengal but they do not know where Bengal ends. They have neither respect of history nor do they have any knowledge of ethnicity,” said GJM spokesperson Harka Bahadur Chhetri.
Bhattacharya, however, said that GJM’s popularity is waning and its threat of strike and intense agitation will not create any strong impact. “The GJM’s writ no longer runs absolutely. We will oppose the bandh tooth and nail,” added Bhattacharya.
But the local administration is nervous. A senior official of Darjeeling district said that supporters of GJM may do anything out of desperation. “The situation is under control now but we don’t know what will happen after December 20. We are, however, prepared to tackle any eventuality,” the officer added.
Police swoop on hill smokers
TT, Kalimpong, Dec. 13: Police got into action mode yesterday to enforce a ban on smoking at Chowrastha in Darjeeling, arresting 24 people and slapping a fine of Rs 200 each on them.
The famous shopping promenade in the hill town had been declared a non-smoking zone five months go. But the law enforcers had not been spotted before to catch the smokers.
Among those who were fined included a foreigner, but the police refused to disclose his identity.
“All of them were picked up in Chowrastha, fined and released. We have decided to enforce the ban very strictly from now on,” said Indrajit Thapa, the inspector in-charge of Darjeeling Sadar police station.
The police, he said, would carry out similar drives in other public places like cinema halls, hospitals and hotels. After word spread about the arrests and imposition of fine, Chowrastha today was smoke-free as no one was seen lighting up. The police, too, said no arrest had been made for violating the ban today.
“I did not dare to venture out from my shop with a cigarette stuck between my lips. Otherwise, whenever I felt the urge to light up, I used to go outside and smoke,” said Rupendra Pradhan, the owner of Chowrastha Tea Store bang on the promenade.
Witnesses said a group of about 10 policemen, led by the inspector-in-charge, himself a non-smoker, had arrived at Chowrastha around 4pm yesterday.
“Since it was Sunday, the shops were all closed and Chowrastha was not as crowded. The police team approached a group of youths smoking and asked them to hand over their cigarettes and stub the lighted ones out. Then they were told to accompany them to the police station. At this, some others, with lighted cigarettes, caught on to what was going on and scampered off from the scene,” said a witness.
The police team remained at the spot till around 5.30pm and rounded up others who sauntered into the promenade and lighted cigarettes.
The ban on smoking in public places has been in place throughout the country since October 2, 2008 under the Indian Tobacco Control Act, 2003.
The central government notice banning smoking in public places lists hotels, restaurants, coffee houses, pubs, airport lounges, workplaces, shopping malls, cinemas, educational institutions, libraries, hospitals, auditoriums and railway stations as no-smoke zones among others.
However, non-smoking groups complain that the ban is not enforced effectively in many parts of the country.
“It is good that the police have finally decided to act against the smokers. Chowrastha is a place frequented by many people, including tourists, to relax and enjoy the breathtaking view of the snow-laden mountain it offers. Smoking violates the right of non-smokers to protect their health,” said Ratan Tamang, a teacher and a resident of Chandmari, who advocates complete ban on smoking.
Sikkim boy to get bravery award - 12-year-old saves girl from fall
-बी पी बजगाईं
नसम्झ यहॉं खोलाको सुसेली गीत भनेर,
त्यो त प्रवाहको विरुद्ध ढुङ्गाको थप्पड जलकणलाई हो।
नसम्झ यो घर जहॉं तिमी छौ आफ्नो भनेर,
त्यो त तिम्रो विरुद्ध एक भ्रम र एक षडयन्त्र पो हो।
के खोलाको गीतमा जलकणहरुको मृत्यु छैन र?
घरको संस्कारमा पन्साई नसक्नु जाल माकुराको छैन र?
खोलाको गीत र सुसेलीमा-
प्रवाह र विरोधको युद्ध त हेरिदेउ,
घरको बचाईमा संस्कारले बेह्रेको-
असंस्कृत मान्छेलाई त सम्झाईदेउ।
घरको नियम दलदलमा भासिएको ए मान्छे,
नसम्झ तिमी बॉंचेको अरुलाई थाहा छ भनेर।
त्यो त अरुको जीवन बोध भयो होला तिमीलाई।
तिमीलाई थाहा छ के?
आजकल यहॉं मायाहरु शोकेश-मा सजाएर राखिन्छन्,
कॉंचहरुमा बन्द गरेर सुरक्षाका भ्रममा पालिन्छन्।
नरमाउनु तिमी यहॉं,
तिम्रा मायाहरु कॉंचभित्र पो छन्
सानो भुइँचालो अर्थात् ठूलो हल्ला-
सहन सक्दैन पातलो कॉंच,
आफूलाई छरपस्टयाउँछ त्यो अनि...
वाष्पीभूत बन्छन् तिमीले दिएका मायाहरु।
यसैले नसम्झ मान्छे यहॉं तिम्रो कोही छ भनेर,
त्यो त नहुनुको यथार्थमा तिम्रो डरमात्र हो।
त्यसैले त तिम्रो प्रितमसँग नॉंच्ने इच्छाहरु-
केवल, केवल अनि केवल,
रहरमात्रै हो।
खोलाको सुसेलीमा एक प्रयोगमात्रै हो।
मुकुटसित
टीका भाइ
कहॉं जाने ?
समयका म्याग्नेटहरु
चौखुर्याएर दाम्लो हालिएका पराधीन गलाहरु
मुट्ठ्याउन खोज्छ
भ्रान्त स्वाधिनताको रुमानी बादल।
ए! आकाशमा छ स्वाधिनता ?
ससंकित छन् मुकुटहरु
सधैँ सतर्क छन्
उभिएको वरिपरि देखिएको संसार
बेस्सरी मुठ्याएर
भुँई छामिबस्छ रङहरुमा।
मर्छ त
किरामाथि माछा
माछामाथि सर्प
सर्पमाथि गरुड़।
बाटो बाटोमा एम्बुस थापेर बसेको छ
जहीं पनि युद्ध छ
युद्ध त छ।
युद्ध बॉंच्ने पनि हुन्छ
युद्ध मार्ने पनि
र युद्ध बचॉंउने पनि।
लड़्नै पर्ने आकाशगङ्गामा
तिमी कस्तो लड़्दैछौ कस्को?
माझ खोजेर ढुक्क
कहॉं छ तिम्रो जुठो मुटु
रहरका वान्ता गर्दै बसेको
तिमी मेरो राजा
साना साना साना मुकुटहरु
तिमीलाई म राख्न सक्दिन अब मेरो पवित्र तीन ढुङ्गामा
आस्सै हुङ्दा कुप्मारी ताम्मारी लिसा....
मेरो चुल्हा ढुङ्गाको आगोमा
मैले रोपेको स्वाभिमान
पगाल्न सक्दैन थोत्रा अभिमानले
मैले टेकेको एउटा पाईला गनेर जति उफ्र
भेट्न सक्दैनौ भोका हत्केलाहरुले।
हत्केला
अहो ! आज हात धोएकै छैन
यी कलुषित रागहरुको रौँ
टालिएका होलान्
धुन्छु अब
हरिया गाछहरुमा अल्झिएका भक्कानोहरुले।
ए है !
भक्कानोहरु तरल नहुदोरहेछ
कति ठोस
कति चिरेर लॉंदो हो जम्मै छात्ती।
छात्तीमा बिझ्ने घाउ पनि त बराबर हुन्छ
जान्न अब भनेर फर्किन्छु
लहरोहरु जहीँको त्यहीं छन्।
हिँड़न दे अब
लहराहरु!
तैले फुलेको फूल हेर्न मात्र आएको
चुँढ़न तेरै उमेर काफी छ !
उमेर न तँलाई थाहा
न मलाई
पुग्नु कहॉं छ कहॉं ?
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| Bivek with his parents at their house in Gangtok. Picture by Prabin Khaling |
TT, Gangtok, Dec. 13: A 12-year-old boy, who had grabbed a girl moments before she was to crash on ground after a fall from a two-storeyed building, has been chosen for the national bravery award.
Bivek Sharma, a Class VIII student of Prashanti Vidya Mandir, will receive the award from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi in January. He will also take part in the Republic Day parade in New Delhi along with other award recipients.
The boy’s family received a letter from the Indian Council for Child Welfare on December 9 stating that he had been selected for the award.
Bivek had saved the seven-year-old autistic girl on June 15 when she lost balance and fell from the window of the two-storeyed building at Development Area here.
Bivek was going to a shop when he spotted Sai Priya hanging precariously from the window almost 17 feet above the ground.
“Someone shouted that the girl was about to fall. But she could not understand the danger she was in and could not follow the people on the road below who kept asking her to move away from the window. Suddenly, the girl lost her grip and fell. My son who was passing by reacted quickly and grabbed her before she fell on the road,” said Bivek’s father Bhakti Prasad Sharma.
A block development officer from Pakyong who was passing by also saw the incident, he said.
While Sai Priya lost consciousness after the fall, Bivek suffered minor injuries and bruises in his knees and neck.
The boy’s brave act was written about in many local newspapers following which the East district authorities and the Sikkim State Council for Child Welfare submitted his name for the National Bravery Award to the state government.
The state government forwarded his name to the Indian Council for Child Welfare.
“We had forgotten about the incident. But when the letter arrived I was almost sure that my son had been selected for the award. I was over the moon to read the contents of the letter,” said Bhakti, who works in the administrative section of Sikkim High Court.
The child welfare council has asked the family to send the body measurements of the boy for stitching a suit for the award ceremony and the Republic Day parade.
Bivek and his parents will have to reach New Delhi by January 17.
However, the date on which the award will be presented has not been mentioned in the letter. The council will give the date in the next letter.
“I am happy that I could make the name of Sikkim heard at the national level,” said the shy and quiet Bivek.
Recalling that day’s event Bhakti said: “I thought it was an ordinary incident because my son merely told us that he had saved Sai Priya, the daughter of our neighbour. Later, he showed us the bruises and scratches in his neck, body and knees. It was then that I went to the spot to verify and found what my son had actually done.”
The girl did not suffer any serious injuries.
“We are proud of Bivek. He has given a new life to someone at a very young age,” said mother Bhumika.
Paddler eyes gold in Bahrain meet
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| Soumyajit with the medal at Bagdogra airport on Monday. (Kundan Yolmo) |
TT, Siliguri, Dec. 13: Soumyajit Ghosh, who bagged bronze in the mixed doubles event of the World Junior Table Tennis Championship in Slovak capital Bratislava last week, would try to excel himself in next year’s meet.
“I did not expect to win a medal in a big event like this. The tournament was tough and on way to semi-finals — where we lost to China — we had beaten South Korea, Germany and Chinese contenders,” Soumyajit said on his arrival from Delhi at Bagdogra airport. “My partner Ng Wing Nam from Hong Kong, who is world number 20, and I had to face tough fight in the competition. Now my target is to perform better and win gold in the next year’s world junior championship to be held at Bahrain.”
The 17-year-old paddler is the first Indian who won a medal in a world junior table tennis meet. In October, Subhajit Saha, another local boy, had bagged the men’s doubles title in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
Soumyajit was received at the airport by his parents Haripada Ghosh and Meena, officials of the North Bengal Table Tennis Association and members of Deshbandhu Sporting Union Club, where he practised regularly.
The Class XII student had several national-level titles — he had won the cadet, sub-junior and junior championships in 2003, 2005 and 2008 respectively — to his credit. Thanks to his consistent performance in domestic circuit, he was picked by the Table Tennis Federation of India, the apex body governing the game in the country, and was sent for a special training at Falkenburg in Sweden. There, he along with Harmeet Desai of Gujarat and G. Satyen of Tamil Nadu was trained by Peter Carlson from September to December.
The paddler dedicated his achievement to his coach Peter and mentor Mantu Ghosh, a former national champion.
Urban development minister and local MLA Asok Bhattacharya hailed the player’s achievement. “It is indeed a great achievement and we will felicitate him for his feat,” Bhattacharya said.
Siliguri deputy mayor Nantu Pal, also the secretary of Siliguri Mahakuma Krira Parishad, described Soumyajit as the pride of every resident.
Foresters send track tower plan
TT, 554Jalpaiguri, Dec. 13: The state forest department has submitted a proposal to the Centre for the erection of 10 watchtowers along the rail route in north Bengal to keep a track on the movement of elephants.
After seven elephants had been mowed down by a speeding goods train at Moraghat on September 22, Union minister of state for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh had visited the spot and asked state forest officers to prepare a project to erect watchtowers along the tracks.
The towers will be built along the 135km stretch between Alipurduar and Siliguri Junction.
According to conservator of forests, north Bengal, V.K. Sood, of the 10 towers, four will come up in non-forest areas. “The first tower has been proposed at Sevoke in the Mahananda sanctuary and the last near Rajabhatkhaowa in the Buxa Tiger Reserve,” he said.
The officer said six high-risk zones (through which elephants cross the tracks) had been identified at a meeting with the officials of the Northeast Frontier Railway in 2009 and accordingly, a report had been prepared by a team of central and state forest officers.
“However, there are other areas like Moraghat which were not listed as risk zones. That is why we have proposed the erection of 10 towers and sent the report to the union ministry of environment and forests,” said Sood. He said each tower would cost Rs 3 lakh and another Rs 40 lakh would be needed to dig trenches around them, to set up energised fences and to buy communication equipment.
The department also plans to train forest villagers to man the towers. “They will inform the nearest forest offices and railway stations as soon as they spot animals near the tracks,” said Sood.
‘Witch’ mom driven out of home - shaman accused of land grab conspiracy
 |
| Hupni Soren (left) in the district police chief’s chamber in Malda on Friday. Picture by Surajit Roy |
TT, Malda, Dec. 13: An Adivasi widow, branded a “witch” by her shaman son and on the run for the past three months, has knocked at the district police chief saying her child had driven her out of home to grab her property.
Hupni Soren, 46, a resident of Kurkuttipara village in Habibpur, had also pleaded with the local police station for her security, but the request fell on deaf ears.
On Friday, she met Malda police chief Bhuban Mondal. Hearing the complaint, the law enforcers decided to hold a conciliatory meeting in the village on December 16.
“My only crime is that I own 10 bighas of land and my son who acts as the village shaman branded me a witch three months ago. Since then, I have been living in fear that I might be killed,” Hupni told Mondal.
The woman said three months ago, her son Ajit Hembram had chased her with a sharp weapon. “I ran for my life as he told the villagers that I would cause death and destruction in the area. I went to Habibpur police station, but they did not accept my complaint,” said Hupni who is now staying with her daughter.
The woman’s husband, Charan Hembram, died about 15 years ago and the widow used to stay with her son. “It is now apparent that Ajit branded his mother a witch and drove her out of home to grab her property,” the district police chief said.
Following the complaint, the police chief asked the Habibpur police to arrest Ajit within 24 hours.
“But after Ajit was arrested on Saturday, a large number of people demonstrated at the Habibpur police station alleging that Hupni was making up trumped up charges against her son. So, we have decided to hold a meeting on December 16 in the village with local politicians, panchayat leaders and the block development officer,” Mondal said.
By arresting a person the deep-rooted superstitions in witches cannot be removed, the police chief said.
“Once he is released, he is likely to whip up the dark emotions among the villagers again. We have seen that once a person is declared to have evil powers, he or she is generally killed. We cannot provide round-the-clock security to the woman. So we have called the meeting to try to convince the villagers that Hupni is a normal person.”
Ramlal Gupta, the Malda Bar Association president who accompanied Hupni to the police chief, said: “I had also told deputy superintendent of police Joy Tudu about the woman’s plight but he did not pay much heed to the incident.”
Mondal said he had ordered a departmental inquiry against inspector-in-charge of Habibpur police station Dilip Talukdar.
Leopard mauls twoTT, Jaigaon, Dec. 13: Two workers of Changmari Tea Estate in Nagrakata were mauled by a leopard this morning.
Prakash Jha, a witness, said the animal was hiding in the garden along with three cubs. Around 8.30am the leopard suddenly attacked Sarada Unria, 18, and Dhurmu Oraon, 22 and fled when the other workers raised an alarm. The injured were taken to the Mal subdivisional hospital from where Sarada was referred to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. Divisional forest officer Sumita Ghatak said the treatment expenses would be borne by her department.
Shops gutted
TT,Siliguri: Around 12-14 shops were razed to the ground in a fire near the Tenzing Norgay central bus terminus here around 10.30pm on Monday. Four fire tenders from Siliguri station brought the flames under control. According to traders, items worth around Rs 5 lakh were destroyed in the blaze.
Ex-MLA bail
TT, Islampur: Former Congress MLA of Chopra Hamudur Rehman was released on conditional bail from jail custody by the additional sessions judge, Debabrata Sinha, on Monday. Rehman is one of the accused in the murder of CPM district secretariat member Akbar Ali. He was killed on April 30, 2003.
Leader hurt
TT, Hili: Abdul Razzak Mondol, a leader of the minority cell of the district Trinamul Congress, was allegedly attacked by CPM and RSP supporters at Gossaipur near the Indo-Bangladesh border on Sunday night. The 35-year-old leader has been admitted to the district hospital here. The CPM and the RSP have denied the charges.
Theatre fest
TT, Siliguri: Siliguri Natyamela-2011 will start at Dinabandhu Mancha here from January 2. Tickets for the week-long fest will be available at the venue from December 19.
Jumbo attack
TT, Alipurduar: Bimala Sunia, 52, a worker of Makrapara Tea Estate was trampled to death by a wild elephant on Monday. Foresters have paid Rs 20,000 as immediate compensation to the deceased’s family.
Paras is first Nepal royal to be arrestedPrakash Jha, a witness, said the animal was hiding in the garden along with three cubs. Around 8.30am the leopard suddenly attacked Sarada Unria, 18, and Dhurmu Oraon, 22 and fled when the other workers raised an alarm. The injured were taken to the Mal subdivisional hospital from where Sarada was referred to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. Divisional forest officer Sumita Ghatak said the treatment expenses would be borne by her department.
Shops gutted
TT,Siliguri: Around 12-14 shops were razed to the ground in a fire near the Tenzing Norgay central bus terminus here around 10.30pm on Monday. Four fire tenders from Siliguri station brought the flames under control. According to traders, items worth around Rs 5 lakh were destroyed in the blaze.
Ex-MLA bail
TT, Islampur: Former Congress MLA of Chopra Hamudur Rehman was released on conditional bail from jail custody by the additional sessions judge, Debabrata Sinha, on Monday. Rehman is one of the accused in the murder of CPM district secretariat member Akbar Ali. He was killed on April 30, 2003.
Leader hurt
TT, Hili: Abdul Razzak Mondol, a leader of the minority cell of the district Trinamul Congress, was allegedly attacked by CPM and RSP supporters at Gossaipur near the Indo-Bangladesh border on Sunday night. The 35-year-old leader has been admitted to the district hospital here. The CPM and the RSP have denied the charges.
Theatre fest
TT, Siliguri: Siliguri Natyamela-2011 will start at Dinabandhu Mancha here from January 2. Tickets for the week-long fest will be available at the venue from December 19.
Jumbo attack
TT, Alipurduar: Bimala Sunia, 52, a worker of Makrapara Tea Estate was trampled to death by a wild elephant on Monday. Foresters have paid Rs 20,000 as immediate compensation to the deceased’s family.
TNN, KATHMANDU: The long arm of the law finally caught up with Nepal's former crown prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah on Tuesday, a decade after his car mowed down popular Nepali singer Praveen Gurung. He has been arrested for a drunken brawl on Saturday night at a popular resort in Chitwan, where he threatened an influential guest and let fly with his pistol.
Nepal's official media said the 39-year-old had been formally charged with attempted murder in Chitwan, the dream destination for tourists in southern Nepal where a party thrown to celebrate his daughter's birthday landed Paras in deep trouble. The celebrations at the famed Tiger Topswildlife resort in Chitwan turned into violence and panic after Paras got into an argument with a fellow guest, who also happened to be a foreigner and the son-in-law of Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister Sujata Koirala.
Back in Kathmandu after his vacation with his family was cut shot rudely, a visibly shaken Rubel Chowdhury - the target of Paras' anger - said the former heir to Nepal's throne blamed his mother-in-law's family for the abolition of monarchy and sought to take him to the forest at midnight "to watch tigers". When he refused, Chowdhury said Paras whipped out his gun and pointed it at his head. When Paras' bodyguards and his own friends managed to separate them and smuggle him out of the resort, he said he had to stay hidden in the jungle for almost two hours wondering about his wife and three and a half year old son, who were in the hotel and whom Paras had threatened to kill in his drunken fury.
With Chowdhury being a Bangladeshi citizen, there was diplomatic pressure on Nepal's caretaker government to take stern action against Paras, as well as mounting political pressure from Koirala's Nepali Congress party, not to mention a relentless media campaign. While Koirala herself, currently out of Nepal, had asked Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal for action against Paras, stalwarts from her party met both Nepal and Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda to press for the demand. With parliament being summoned for a special session from Sunday, the prime minister had little option but to placate his biggest ally in the house and order the home ministry to go ahead with arrest procedures.
Paras, dismissing the furore as much ado over a personal spat, had proceeded to Pokhara city from Chitwan, billeting at another five-star resort, the Fulbari. Around noon, a police team headed by district police chief Keshav Adhikari surrounded the resort and arrested Paras. Reports said Paras tried to resist the arrest by refusing to sign the warrant and board the waiting helicopter that was to take him back to Chitwan. He also reportedly refused to answer questions saying he would not speak till his lawyers arrived.
Lawyer Narayan Shrestha, warning that Paras case should not become a tool to settle political scores, said the former prince could be tried for possessing an illegal weapon, creating public nuisance and attempted murder. While the first two offences can be settled by paying a fine, if the judge wills, the last one carries a maximum prison sentence of 16 years.
This is the first time that a former royal has been taken under police control. In the past, after his army-backed government fell and King Gyanendra faced the scrapping of all his privileges, regarding legal immunity, he had been summoned by a commission to answer queries about the excessive use of force during the last days of his government but refused without facing any adverse consequence.
Paras' fall comes at a time when he returned from his self-imposed exile in Singapore and was becoming active socially, inaugurating temples and appearing at religious gatherings organised by royalists. Regarded as a major factor for the abolition of monarchy, Paras had claimed he had reformed.
Back in Kathmandu after his vacation with his family was cut shot rudely, a visibly shaken Rubel Chowdhury - the target of Paras' anger - said the former heir to Nepal's throne blamed his mother-in-law's family for the abolition of monarchy and sought to take him to the forest at midnight "to watch tigers". When he refused, Chowdhury said Paras whipped out his gun and pointed it at his head. When Paras' bodyguards and his own friends managed to separate them and smuggle him out of the resort, he said he had to stay hidden in the jungle for almost two hours wondering about his wife and three and a half year old son, who were in the hotel and whom Paras had threatened to kill in his drunken fury.
With Chowdhury being a Bangladeshi citizen, there was diplomatic pressure on Nepal's caretaker government to take stern action against Paras, as well as mounting political pressure from Koirala's Nepali Congress party, not to mention a relentless media campaign. While Koirala herself, currently out of Nepal, had asked Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal for action against Paras, stalwarts from her party met both Nepal and Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda to press for the demand. With parliament being summoned for a special session from Sunday, the prime minister had little option but to placate his biggest ally in the house and order the home ministry to go ahead with arrest procedures.
Paras, dismissing the furore as much ado over a personal spat, had proceeded to Pokhara city from Chitwan, billeting at another five-star resort, the Fulbari. Around noon, a police team headed by district police chief Keshav Adhikari surrounded the resort and arrested Paras. Reports said Paras tried to resist the arrest by refusing to sign the warrant and board the waiting helicopter that was to take him back to Chitwan. He also reportedly refused to answer questions saying he would not speak till his lawyers arrived.
Lawyer Narayan Shrestha, warning that Paras case should not become a tool to settle political scores, said the former prince could be tried for possessing an illegal weapon, creating public nuisance and attempted murder. While the first two offences can be settled by paying a fine, if the judge wills, the last one carries a maximum prison sentence of 16 years.
This is the first time that a former royal has been taken under police control. In the past, after his army-backed government fell and King Gyanendra faced the scrapping of all his privileges, regarding legal immunity, he had been summoned by a commission to answer queries about the excessive use of force during the last days of his government but refused without facing any adverse consequence.
Paras' fall comes at a time when he returned from his self-imposed exile in Singapore and was becoming active socially, inaugurating temples and appearing at religious gatherings organised by royalists. Regarded as a major factor for the abolition of monarchy, Paras had claimed he had reformed.
AN APPEAL
सेवामा,
सम्पादक महोदय,
हिमालय दर्पण साथै अरू कतिपय हाम्रो नेपाली भाषी पत्रिकाहरूमा छैटौं अनुसूचीमा दार्जिलिङ / गोर्खाको पाँच वर्ष अघिको अकार्ड छैटौं अनुसूची अन्तर्गतको एउटा समाचार प्रकाशित भएको थियो। यसै छैटौं अनुसूची अन्तर्गत सुबास घिसिङज्यु साथै वहाँका अग्रज पछौटेहरू र गोरामुमोको पोस्टर लेख्नेहरूलाई मेरो एउटा प्रश्न – “दार्जिलिङ अकार्ड छैटौं अनुसूचीमा कुन सिरियल नम्बर अनि कति तारिख�¤
�ो संविधान संसोधन अन्तर्गत भयो ? धारा 244/ 244A भारतको कुन अ-जनजाति क्षेत्रमा अहिलेसम्म लागु हुनसकेको छ ?” दार्जिलिङ अ-जनजाति क्षेत्र भएकोले संवैधानिक प्रावधान अनुसार छैटौं अनुसूची यहाँ लागु हुन नसक्ने भए तापनि यदि कुनै कारणवश केन्द्रीय सरकारले त्यो प्रावधान यहाँ लागु गरे अ-जनताजि गोर्खाहरूको अधिकार चाहिँ के हुन्छ ? गोरामुमोले यस विषयमा अनुसन्धान गरिहेरे सायद यसको कुअसर अ-जनजà
��ति गोर्खाहरूलाई थाहा लाग्ने थियो होला। भारतमा गोर्खा जातिको समस्याहरू धेरै छन्। जो गोर्खा जातिलाई लट्याउन पर्याप्त छ। यसर्थ सुबास घिसिङ जस्ता नेतारूपी व्यक्तिले जनतालाई छक्याएर नै आफ्नो नेतागिरी सक्षम बनाउने हो भने पनि यस्ता असत्य र असन्दर्भिक कुराहरूलाई लिएर जनता छक्याउनु भन्दा संविधानका सत्य तथ्यहरूलाई लिएर छक्याए ज्यादै असल हुने थियो होला।
धन्यबाद।
तपाईको विश्वासी,
एच. के. प्रधान
मेघाबास, विधानपल्ली
शिवमन्दिर, दार्जिलिङ।
(PPH: (0353) 2580506, Cell 9800490136)(N. B. I do not belong to any political or even social organization. But of course as a literate person am an avid observer of political & social developments and give my comments in media from time to time for cautioning our people and thus the above view)
केवल रहरमात्रसम्पादक महोदय,
हिमालय दर्पण साथै अरू कतिपय हाम्रो नेपाली भाषी पत्रिकाहरूमा छैटौं अनुसूचीमा दार्जिलिङ / गोर्खाको पाँच वर्ष अघिको अकार्ड छैटौं अनुसूची अन्तर्गतको एउटा समाचार प्रकाशित भएको थियो। यसै छैटौं अनुसूची अन्तर्गत सुबास घिसिङज्यु साथै वहाँका अग्रज पछौटेहरू र गोरामुमोको पोस्टर लेख्नेहरूलाई मेरो एउटा प्रश्न – “दार्जिलिङ अकार्ड छैटौं अनुसूचीमा कुन सिरियल नम्बर अनि कति तारिख�¤
�ो संविधान संसोधन अन्तर्गत भयो ? धारा 244/ 244A भारतको कुन अ-जनजाति क्षेत्रमा अहिलेसम्म लागु हुनसकेको छ ?” दार्जिलिङ अ-जनजाति क्षेत्र भएकोले संवैधानिक प्रावधान अनुसार छैटौं अनुसूची यहाँ लागु हुन नसक्ने भए तापनि यदि कुनै कारणवश केन्द्रीय सरकारले त्यो प्रावधान यहाँ लागु गरे अ-जनताजि गोर्खाहरूको अधिकार चाहिँ के हुन्छ ? गोरामुमोले यस विषयमा अनुसन्धान गरिहेरे सायद यसको कुअसर अ-जनजà
��ति गोर्खाहरूलाई थाहा लाग्ने थियो होला। भारतमा गोर्खा जातिको समस्याहरू धेरै छन्। जो गोर्खा जातिलाई लट्याउन पर्याप्त छ। यसर्थ सुबास घिसिङ जस्ता नेतारूपी व्यक्तिले जनतालाई छक्याएर नै आफ्नो नेतागिरी सक्षम बनाउने हो भने पनि यस्ता असत्य र असन्दर्भिक कुराहरूलाई लिएर जनता छक्याउनु भन्दा संविधानका सत्य तथ्यहरूलाई लिएर छक्याए ज्यादै असल हुने थियो होला।
धन्यबाद।
तपाईको विश्वासी,
एच. के. प्रधान
मेघाबास, विधानपल्ली
शिवमन्दिर, दार्जिलिङ।
(PPH: (0353) 2580506, Cell 9800490136)(N. B. I do not belong to any political or even social organization. But of course as a literate person am an avid observer of political & social developments and give my comments in media from time to time for cautioning our people and thus the above view)
-बी पी बजगाईं
नसम्झ यहॉं खोलाको सुसेली गीत भनेर,
त्यो त प्रवाहको विरुद्ध ढुङ्गाको थप्पड जलकणलाई हो।
नसम्झ यो घर जहॉं तिमी छौ आफ्नो भनेर,
त्यो त तिम्रो विरुद्ध एक भ्रम र एक षडयन्त्र पो हो।
के खोलाको गीतमा जलकणहरुको मृत्यु छैन र?
घरको संस्कारमा पन्साई नसक्नु जाल माकुराको छैन र?
खोलाको गीत र सुसेलीमा-
प्रवाह र विरोधको युद्ध त हेरिदेउ,
घरको बचाईमा संस्कारले बेह्रेको-
असंस्कृत मान्छेलाई त सम्झाईदेउ।
घरको नियम दलदलमा भासिएको ए मान्छे,
नसम्झ तिमी बॉंचेको अरुलाई थाहा छ भनेर।
त्यो त अरुको जीवन बोध भयो होला तिमीलाई।
तिमीलाई थाहा छ के?
आजकल यहॉं मायाहरु शोकेश-मा सजाएर राखिन्छन्,
कॉंचहरुमा बन्द गरेर सुरक्षाका भ्रममा पालिन्छन्।
नरमाउनु तिमी यहॉं,
तिम्रा मायाहरु कॉंचभित्र पो छन्
सानो भुइँचालो अर्थात् ठूलो हल्ला-
सहन सक्दैन पातलो कॉंच,
आफूलाई छरपस्टयाउँछ त्यो अनि...
वाष्पीभूत बन्छन् तिमीले दिएका मायाहरु।
यसैले नसम्झ मान्छे यहॉं तिम्रो कोही छ भनेर,
त्यो त नहुनुको यथार्थमा तिम्रो डरमात्र हो।
त्यसैले त तिम्रो प्रितमसँग नॉंच्ने इच्छाहरु-
केवल, केवल अनि केवल,
रहरमात्रै हो।
खोलाको सुसेलीमा एक प्रयोगमात्रै हो।
मुकुटसित
टीका भाइ
कहॉं जाने ?
समयका म्याग्नेटहरु
चौखुर्याएर दाम्लो हालिएका पराधीन गलाहरु
मुट्ठ्याउन खोज्छ
भ्रान्त स्वाधिनताको रुमानी बादल।
ए! आकाशमा छ स्वाधिनता ?
ससंकित छन् मुकुटहरु
सधैँ सतर्क छन्
उभिएको वरिपरि देखिएको संसार
बेस्सरी मुठ्याएर
भुँई छामिबस्छ रङहरुमा।
मर्छ त
किरामाथि माछा
माछामाथि सर्प
सर्पमाथि गरुड़।
बाटो बाटोमा एम्बुस थापेर बसेको छ
जहीं पनि युद्ध छ
युद्ध त छ।
युद्ध बॉंच्ने पनि हुन्छ
युद्ध मार्ने पनि
र युद्ध बचॉंउने पनि।
लड़्नै पर्ने आकाशगङ्गामा
तिमी कस्तो लड़्दैछौ कस्को?
माझ खोजेर ढुक्क
कहॉं छ तिम्रो जुठो मुटु
रहरका वान्ता गर्दै बसेको
तिमी मेरो राजा
साना साना साना मुकुटहरु
तिमीलाई म राख्न सक्दिन अब मेरो पवित्र तीन ढुङ्गामा
आस्सै हुङ्दा कुप्मारी ताम्मारी लिसा....
मेरो चुल्हा ढुङ्गाको आगोमा
मैले रोपेको स्वाभिमान
पगाल्न सक्दैन थोत्रा अभिमानले
मैले टेकेको एउटा पाईला गनेर जति उफ्र
भेट्न सक्दैनौ भोका हत्केलाहरुले।
हत्केला
अहो ! आज हात धोएकै छैन
यी कलुषित रागहरुको रौँ
टालिएका होलान्
धुन्छु अब
हरिया गाछहरुमा अल्झिएका भक्कानोहरुले।
ए है !
भक्कानोहरु तरल नहुदोरहेछ
कति ठोस
कति चिरेर लॉंदो हो जम्मै छात्ती।
छात्तीमा बिझ्ने घाउ पनि त बराबर हुन्छ
जान्न अब भनेर फर्किन्छु
लहरोहरु जहीँको त्यहीं छन्।
हिँड़न दे अब
लहराहरु!
तैले फुलेको फूल हेर्न मात्र आएको
चुँढ़न तेरै उमेर काफी छ !
उमेर न तँलाई थाहा
न मलाई
पुग्नु कहॉं छ कहॉं ?
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