EC poser: What’s stalling Gurung arrest- Backlash fear, force crunch, says govt
MEGHDEEP BHATTACHARYYA AND AVIJIT SINHA, TT, Feb. 15: The Election Commission’s observer team today quizzed the Darjeeling district administration on the prospect of arresting Bimal Gurung, which, according to the poll panel, could ease problems in the hills.
District magistrate Mohan Gandhi, police chief Devendra Prakash Singh and other Darjeeling district officials were asked why the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief could not be arrested despite several pending non-bailable warrants against him.
In an FIR filed by the Jalpaiguri police after the Sibchu firing, Gurung has been charged with rioting armed with deadly weapons, attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon and obstructing a public servant in the discharge of public function. Most of the charges are non-bailable.
If convicted under these charges, Gurung could face imprisonment for a period ranging from three years to a life term.
Gurung’s name was also mentioned in the FIR filed by the ABGL after the killing of their chief Madan Tamang last year. However, in the chargesheet filed by the CID in this case, Gurung’s name was not mentioned.
An official privy to the content of today’s discussion, said: “Gandhi (DM) and Singh (SP) explained that Gurung’s arrest would solve few problems. On the flip side, it could lead to a drastic escalation of unrest and violence in the hills, to counter which the administration would need the assistance of a much larger presence of central forces.”
Commission sources in Delhi today said the poll panel, preoccupied with the Maoist-affected belt and other trouble-prone areas of south Bengal, had not been giving the situation in the hills its due priority. “Darjeeling had not been in prime focus until the firing last Tuesday opened our eyes to the situation in the hills,” said a senior poll panel official from Delhi.
For its renewed focus on the hills the commission today sent Zaki Ahmed, the deputy director of the National Crime Records Bureau, to assist the team in Siliguri.
On arriving in Siliguri this afternoon, the team, led by Bihar’s chief electoral officer Sudhir Kumar Rakesh, held a string of meetings with the district administration and political parties.
“If elections are held in the hills anytime soon, it would not be possible for us to depute polling agents, booth agents, or campaign due to the terror unleashed by the Morcha,” said CPM state committee member Jibesh Sarkar after meeting the observers.
Later at night, the team met a Morcha delegation in Darjeeling. Jyoti Kumar Rai, a central committee member of the party, said the observers had been told that the Morcha wanted the elections to be held in the hills. “We have apprised the team about the police atrocities on the hill people. We have also told them that it was the Left Front, which did not want elections. An example is the Subash Ghisingh-run DGHC functioned without holding any polls.”
Rai also said the team had been told that the state government had wanted elections to the proposed interim set-up, to which the Morcha had agreed. “But now it is they (the government) who are saying that elections could not be held.”
At the meeting with the district administration, the team discussed the following:
@ The progress of the Madan Tamang assassination probe.
@ The seizure of arms: Why only two firearms were recovered from the district between January 9 and 31? The seizure count, the team pointed out, should be substantially higher for February.
@ The 2,000 pending non-bailable warrants. The administration was asked to step up preventive arrests and prevent intimidation by the Morcha.
@ The team wanted to know what the challenges in conducting elections in Bijanbari, Sonada, Kalimpong and Garidhura were as the Left memorandum to the commission had marked these places as trouble zones. The team, said Rakesh, would split itself in three groups and visit the areas tomorrow.
@ Whether there was any truth in the Left’s allegation that the Morcha had rigged the 2009 Lok Sabha polls to help its supported candidate, Jaswant Singh, secure victory. Gandhi was asked to show “zero tolerance” for violators of the polling process.
“Some have mentioned that situation is not conducive to hold elections in the hills. We have taken note of everything. We will visit the region, talk to people,” said Rakesh.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY VIVEK CHHETRI
TitBits
KalimNews: Anil Verma former CPS of DGHC will be the new Administrator of DGHC as BL Meena present Administrator is retiring.
A PIL is filed at Kolkata High Court demanding probe in the Shibshu firing.
GJM will organise sit in protest at Kolkata.
Police is searching for 23 GJM leaders of Madarihat, 5 have already been arrested. All have been booked under non bailable cases. It is alleged by Morcha leaders that the incident of Madarihat violence was caused by outsider GJM supporters. GJM leaders are trying to get shelter from other political parties.
Strike empties hills of ‘sweetness’
Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, Feb. 15: Every ounce of sweetness in Darjeeling was dumped today: a fallout of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s indefinite strike, which entered the seventh day.
MEGHDEEP BHATTACHARYYA AND AVIJIT SINHA, TT, Feb. 15: The Election Commission’s observer team today quizzed the Darjeeling district administration on the prospect of arresting Bimal Gurung, which, according to the poll panel, could ease problems in the hills.
District magistrate Mohan Gandhi, police chief Devendra Prakash Singh and other Darjeeling district officials were asked why the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief could not be arrested despite several pending non-bailable warrants against him.
In an FIR filed by the Jalpaiguri police after the Sibchu firing, Gurung has been charged with rioting armed with deadly weapons, attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon and obstructing a public servant in the discharge of public function. Most of the charges are non-bailable.
If convicted under these charges, Gurung could face imprisonment for a period ranging from three years to a life term.
Gurung’s name was also mentioned in the FIR filed by the ABGL after the killing of their chief Madan Tamang last year. However, in the chargesheet filed by the CID in this case, Gurung’s name was not mentioned.
An official privy to the content of today’s discussion, said: “Gandhi (DM) and Singh (SP) explained that Gurung’s arrest would solve few problems. On the flip side, it could lead to a drastic escalation of unrest and violence in the hills, to counter which the administration would need the assistance of a much larger presence of central forces.”
Commission sources in Delhi today said the poll panel, preoccupied with the Maoist-affected belt and other trouble-prone areas of south Bengal, had not been giving the situation in the hills its due priority. “Darjeeling had not been in prime focus until the firing last Tuesday opened our eyes to the situation in the hills,” said a senior poll panel official from Delhi.
For its renewed focus on the hills the commission today sent Zaki Ahmed, the deputy director of the National Crime Records Bureau, to assist the team in Siliguri.
On arriving in Siliguri this afternoon, the team, led by Bihar’s chief electoral officer Sudhir Kumar Rakesh, held a string of meetings with the district administration and political parties.
“If elections are held in the hills anytime soon, it would not be possible for us to depute polling agents, booth agents, or campaign due to the terror unleashed by the Morcha,” said CPM state committee member Jibesh Sarkar after meeting the observers.
Later at night, the team met a Morcha delegation in Darjeeling. Jyoti Kumar Rai, a central committee member of the party, said the observers had been told that the Morcha wanted the elections to be held in the hills. “We have apprised the team about the police atrocities on the hill people. We have also told them that it was the Left Front, which did not want elections. An example is the Subash Ghisingh-run DGHC functioned without holding any polls.”
Rai also said the team had been told that the state government had wanted elections to the proposed interim set-up, to which the Morcha had agreed. “But now it is they (the government) who are saying that elections could not be held.”
At the meeting with the district administration, the team discussed the following:
@ The progress of the Madan Tamang assassination probe.
@ The seizure of arms: Why only two firearms were recovered from the district between January 9 and 31? The seizure count, the team pointed out, should be substantially higher for February.
@ The 2,000 pending non-bailable warrants. The administration was asked to step up preventive arrests and prevent intimidation by the Morcha.
@ The team wanted to know what the challenges in conducting elections in Bijanbari, Sonada, Kalimpong and Garidhura were as the Left memorandum to the commission had marked these places as trouble zones. The team, said Rakesh, would split itself in three groups and visit the areas tomorrow.
@ Whether there was any truth in the Left’s allegation that the Morcha had rigged the 2009 Lok Sabha polls to help its supported candidate, Jaswant Singh, secure victory. Gandhi was asked to show “zero tolerance” for violators of the polling process.
“Some have mentioned that situation is not conducive to hold elections in the hills. We have taken note of everything. We will visit the region, talk to people,” said Rakesh.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY VIVEK CHHETRI
TitBits
KalimNews: Anil Verma former CPS of DGHC will be the new Administrator of DGHC as BL Meena present Administrator is retiring.
A PIL is filed at Kolkata High Court demanding probe in the Shibshu firing.
GJM will organise sit in protest at Kolkata.
Police is searching for 23 GJM leaders of Madarihat, 5 have already been arrested. All have been booked under non bailable cases. It is alleged by Morcha leaders that the incident of Madarihat violence was caused by outsider GJM supporters. GJM leaders are trying to get shelter from other political parties.
Strike empties hills of ‘sweetness’
 |
| The sweets on one of the trucks before they were dumped. Picture by Suman Tamang |
Sanitary officials of the Darjeeling municipality today checked all the sweet shops in town and found out that at least 15 outlets had sweets unfit for consumption.
“We thought that since the shops have been closed for a number of days many of the items might have started rotting. This could pose health hazards to the residents and could be a starting point for various diseases. In the interest of the general public we decided to check these shops,” said Sailesh Chhetri, sanitary inspector of Darjeeling municipality which is being run by a board of administrators appointed by the government since 2009.
The shopowners had been asked to open their outlets for inspection today.
From rosogollas to sandesh and laddoos, every sweet item stored in the shops were loaded on two trucks and taken to the dumping chute near Murdahatti, 2km from Darjeeling. “We found insects crawling on singaras (samosas) in some shops,” said Chhetri.
The raids, however, have peeved the shop owners.
Pappu Gupta, who owns a sweet shop, said: “Items like khajjur (made of flour) do not get spoilt but they took away everything. In any case we would not have sold these items even after the strike had been lifted. No one will take spoilt sweets which can be easily identified.”
Around 8-10kg of sweet from Gupta’s shop were seized. Om Narayan Gupta, another shopowner, said the officials should have given prior notice before the raids. “There was no information,” he said.
In Darjeeling, laddoos and rosogollas sell for anything between Rs 120 and Rs 160 a kg. It is estimated that around 100-150kg of sweet were confiscated.
The raids also revealed that contrary to civic apprehensions, the meat shops had no leftovers. “We had heard that the meat stored in some shops were emanating stench. We checked all the meat and fish shops but found that there were no leftovers,” Chhetri said.
This, however, does not mean that people of Darjeeling are going without meat. Villagers come to town with goats and pig. “Soon, you get to know about it and buyers queue up. In fact, we do not even have to go to the slaughter sites as sellers come to the doorstep with the meat,” said a resident of the town.
Bandh threat to March
TT, Jalpaiguri, Feb. 15: The Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad today warned that it would call a bandh in the Dooars from February 17 to 27 if Bimal Gurung’s supporters marched across the region to meet him at Kumani.
“The Morcha has been camping in Kumani specifically to create tension and violence in the Dooars. We have written to the Jalpaiguri police superintendent making it clear that if the administration fails to prevent the Morcha from carrying out its march to Kumani, we will declare a bandh in the Dooars from February 17 to February 27,” said John Barla, the Terai-Dooars regional committee president of the Parishad.
He added that the decision to call the bandh had been taken at a meeting held at Banarhat yesterday.
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung has been staying at Kumani since January 19 after he was prevented from proceeding with a padayatra to the Dooars. He told journalists yesterday that a march would begin from Jaigaon on February 17 and around 40,000 supporters would congregate at Kumani on February 27.
Barla also threatened that Parishad members would take to the streets if the Morcha decided to ignore their bandh call and carried out the rally.
The Parishad communiqué to the district administration has also said the Morcha’s agitation and the fallout of its strike following the February 8 police firing at Sibchu had hit normal life in the Dooars as well.
“We are also appealing to the members of the Election Commission, who are in the Darjeeling hills currently, to come and see for themselves the impact of the Morcha’s agitation on the normal life and economy of the region. They should come and listen to the people of the Dooars also,” said Sukra Munda, the assistant secretary of the Parishad.
Kumani is about 14km from Sibchu in the Nagrakata block of Jalpaiguri district.
Jalpaiguri district magistrate Vandana Yadav said Section 144 was in force in the Nagrakata, Birpara, Kalchini, Madarihat, Jaigaon and Banarhat police station areas. “We have already made it clear to the Morcha leadership that no marches will be allowed in the Dooars as we apprehend a law and order problem,” shesaid.
However, the convener of the Dooars unit of the Morcha, Madhukar Thapa, said preparations had already begun to organise the march. “We have sent a letter to the administration seeking permission to hold a peaceful march.”
KalimNews: ABAVP, Janjagaran Manch, BOBBC, Dooars Millatey, Terai and Dooars Nagarik Manch in a joint meeting held in Jaigaon on Monday decided to oppose the Padyatra of GJM on and from 17th February. The joint committee will organise a Road march at Kalchini on 17th February. It has also said that if permission is granted to GJM by the District administration then indefinite bandh will be called in Dooars from 17th.
फेरि जन्मियो मोर्चामा शंका - मुद्दामा मोर्चा स्पष्ट हुनुपर्छ-विपक्षKalimNews: ABAVP, Janjagaran Manch, BOBBC, Dooars Millatey, Terai and Dooars Nagarik Manch in a joint meeting held in Jaigaon on Monday decided to oppose the Padyatra of GJM on and from 17th February. The joint committee will organise a Road march at Kalchini on 17th February. It has also said that if permission is granted to GJM by the District administration then indefinite bandh will be called in Dooars from 17th.
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,15 फरवरी। राज्यपाल एम. के नारयणनले केहीदिन अघि मात्र राष्ट्रिय मिडियाद्वारा मोर्चाले अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणमा सहमति जनाइसकेर पनि फेरि किन भाका फेरिरहेको छ भन्ने प्रश्न तेर्साएका थिए। यता मोर्चाले अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणको च्याप्टर क्लोज गरेको भएपनि पक्कापक्कीरूपले यो मुद्दालाई मोर्चाले तिलाञ्जली नदिएको मोर्चा शिविरबाट नै आइरहने टिप्पणीहरूले स्पष्ट पारेको छ। मोर्चाले पहाड़मा अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणको च्याप्टर सधैँको निम्ति क्लोज गरेको जनाए पनि दिल्ली वार्तामा मोर्चा टोलीले यसै मुद्दामा ड्राफ्ट बनाउने सहमति दिएर आए। तर मोर्चाकै केन्द्रिय समितिको बहुसंख्याले प्राधिकरण नमानेपछि आखिरमा अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणको मुद्दालाई त्यागेको मोर्चाले स्पष्ट पारेको थियो।
मोर्चाले नै तर क्लोज गरेको प्राधिकरणको च्याप्टर घरि खोल्दै घरि बन्द गर्दै आइरहेकोले दलहरूले मोर्चाको वास्तविक अड़ानको चुरो भेट्न सकिरहेका छैनन्। हिजो मात्र पनि कुमानीमा राष्ट्रिय मिडियालाई मोर्चा अध्यक्षले अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणको मुद्दा मोर्चाले क्लोज पनि नगरेको ओपन पनि नगरेको वा प्राधिकरणको कुरामा मोर्चाको हॉं पनि नरहेको ना पनि नरहेको कुरा गरेर केन्द्रबाट चालिने पदक्षेप अनुसार दलीय अड़ानमा फेरबदल गरिरहने अवसरवादी रणनीति अप्नाएको स्पष्ट पारिएको छ। तराई र डुवर्स संलग्न रहेको प्राधिकरण दिन्छ भने थाप्ने मोर्चाको आन्तरिक निष्कर्ष हो कि भन्ने लख पनि काटिएको छ। जे भए पनि मोर्चा मुद्दामा स्पष्ट हुनु नितान्तै अनिवार्य देखापरेको छ। किन भने प्राधिकरण नै थाप्ने हो भने पनि यसले जन्माएको शंका, विवाद र वैधानिकताबारे जनता र दलहरूलाई स्पष्ट पारिनु अनिवार्य छ। नत्र थापेर पनि झगड़ा र मनोमालिन्यको आखड़ा स्थापित हुने हो र अर्को शक्तिलाई गर्भ प्रदान गर्नु हो भने यस्तो प्राप्तिको राजनैतिक महत्व रहनेछैन।
यता शुरूदेखि नै मोर्चाको अन्तरिम प्राधिकरण तथा गोर्खाल्याण्ड बाहेक पनि अरू सह मुद्दाहरूलाई लिएर विरोध गरिरहेको गोर्खालीगका कार्यकारी अध्यक्ष दावा शेर्पाले मोर्चा मुद्दामा स्पष्ट नै नरहेको जनाएका छन्। तिनले भने, राज्यपाल जस्तो आधिकारिक व्यक्तिले मोर्चाले प्राधिकरणमा हस्ताक्षर गरिसकेर पनि नचॉंहिदो कार्यक्रम गरिरहेको भनेर आरोप लगाउनुले स्पष्ट पार्छ कि मोर्चाको भित्रीखेल के हो। दिल्लीमा मोर्चासित नै वार्तामा बसेका मन्त्रीहरूले मोर्चाले गरिएको सम्झौतालाई उलङ्घन गरिरहेको आरोप लगाउनु भनेको के हो? वास्तविकता के हो त्यो मोर्चाले सबैलाई जनाउनुपर्छ। यता लीगकै प्रताप खातीले भने, हामीले मोर्चाले प्राधिकरण छोड्यो भन्ने सोंचेका थियौं यसैकारण भागोपले सामुहिक आन्दोलनको निम्ति दलीय एकताको परिवेश बनाओस् भन्ने चाहिरहेका थियौं तर कुमानीबाट अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणमाथि विमल गुरूङको गरेको दोधारै कुराले स्पष्ट पार्यो कि मौका पायो कि प्राधिकरण भनिहाल्ने विचारमा मोर्चाले राजनीति गरिरहेको छ, जब कि जनताले प्राधिकरण अस्वीकार गरिसकेको छ। मोर्चा मुद्दामा स्पष्ट हुनुपर्छ। गोर्खाल्याण्ड राज्य निर्माण मोर्चाका अध्यक्ष दावा पाखरिनले पनि भने, जबसम्म कुनै पनि दलमा केवल एउटा मात्र मुद्दा हुँदैन तबसम्म उसित कुनै पनि विचार मिल्दैन। सामुहिक आन्दोलनको निम्ति विचार, रणनीति, योजना, लक्ष्य र कटिबद्धता मिल्नुपर्छ। यस्तो हुन नै सकेको छैन। तिनले सामुहिक आन्दोलनको निम्ति ठूलोदल रहेकोले मोर्चा नै अघिसरा हुनुपर्ने पनि जनाए।
यता क्रामाकपाका मोहन पौड्यालले पनि भने, क्रामाकपाले जति पनि कार्यक्रम गर्यो एउटै मुद्दा गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति गर्यो। लक्ष्य एउटा राखेर यतिवर्ष यो मुद्दा र उति वर्ष यो मुद्दा भनेर आन्दोलन गरिन्न। एउटै मुद्दामाथि सामुहिकरूपले लगातार आन्दोलन हुनुपर्छ। विसाउनीहरू आउन थाल्यो भने आन्दोलनको रफ्तार घट्छ। तिनले अझ भने, मोर्चाले प्राधिकरण नै मात्र थुप्रैपल्ट खारेज गरिसक्यो। हिजै मात्र फेरि मोर्चा फ्राधिकरणको निम्ति हो भने हॉं पनि नभनेको ना पनि नभनेको स्थितिमा रहेको दोधारे कुरा गरेर मोर्चाको दलीय अड़ानलाई स्पष्ट पारेको छ। मोर्चा मुद्दामा स्पष्ट हुनुपर्छ। दलीय एकता र सामुहिक संघर्षको सवाल त्यतिबेला आउँछ जतिबेला दलीय मुद्दा एउटा बन्छ। हामीले त भनिसकेका छौं मोर्चाकै नेतृत्वमा सामुहिकरूपले आन्दोलन गरौं। तर खै त मोर्चाबाट पहल भएको? मिडियामा भनेर मात्र सामुहिकताको कुरा आउँदैन, यसको निम्ति आधिकारिक दलीय बैठक, विवेचना, छलफल हुनुपर्छ र नीति समिकरण र कार्यनीतिक पदक्षेप ग्रहण गरिनुपर्छ।
"मोर्चामाथि विपक्षको शंका फेरि तीब्र"मोर्चा अन्तरिममा नै?
मनोज बोगटि, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,15 फरवरी।कुमानीमा राष्ट्रिय मिडियासित कुराकानी गर्दै विमल गुरूङले मोर्चाको मूलमुद्दा सीमाङ्कनको रहेको अनि अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणको निम्ति मोर्चाको अझसम्म न त हॉं नै रहेको न त ना नै रहेको बताएपछि एकपल्ट फेरि मोर्चामाथि विपक्षले शंका गर्ने मौका पाएको छ। यता राज्यपाल एम. के नारयणनले केहीदिन अघि मात्र राष्ट्रिय मिडियाद्वारा मोर्चाले अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणमा सहमति जनाइसकेर पनि फेरि किन भाका फेरिरहेको छ भन्ने प्रश्न तेर्साएका थिए। यता मोर्चाले अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणको च्याप्टर क्लोज गरेको भएपनि पक्कापक्कीरूपले यो मुद्दालाई मोर्चाले तिलाञ्जली नदिएको मोर्चा शिविरबाट नै आइरहने टिप्पणीहरूले स्पष्ट पारेको छ। मोर्चाले पहाड़मा अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणको च्याप्टर सधैँको निम्ति क्लोज गरेको जनाए पनि दिल्ली वार्तामा मोर्चा टोलीले यसै मुद्दामा ड्राफ्ट बनाउने सहमति दिएर आए। तर मोर्चाकै केन्द्रिय समितिको बहुसंख्याले प्राधिकरण नमानेपछि आखिरमा अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणको मुद्दालाई त्यागेको मोर्चाले स्पष्ट पारेको थियो। मोर्चाले नै तर क्लोज गरेको प्राधिकरणको च्याप्टर घरि खोल्दै घरि बन्द गर्दै आइरहेकोले दलहरूले मोर्चाको वास्तविक अड़ानको चुरो भेट्न सकिरहेका छैनन्।
हिजो मात्र पनि कुमानीमा राष्ट्रिय मिडियालाई मोर्चा अध्यक्षले अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणको मुद्दा मोर्चाले क्लोज पनि नगरेको ओपन पनि नगरेको वा प्राधिकरणको कुरामा मोर्चाको हॉं पनि नरहेको ना पनि नरहेको कुरा गरेर केन्द्रबाट चालिने पदक्षेप अनुसार दलीय अड़ानमा फेरबदल गरिरहने अवसरवादी रणनीति अप्नाएको स्पष्ट पारिएको छ। तराई र डुवर्स संलग्न रहेको प्राधिकरण दिन्छ भने थाप्ने मोर्चाको आन्तरिक निष्कर्ष हो कि भन्ने लख पनि काटिएको छ। जे भए पनि मोर्चा मुद्दामा स्पष्ट हुनु नितान्तै अनिवार्य देखापरेको छ। किन भने प्राधिकरण नै थाप्ने हो भने पनि यसले जन्माएको शंका, विवाद र वैधानिकताबारे जनता र दलहरूलाई स्पष्ट पारिनु अनिवार्य छ। नत्र थापेर पनि झगड़ा र मनोमालिन्यको आखड़ा स्थापित हुने हो र अर्को शक्तिलाई गर्भ प्रदान गर्नु हो भने यस्तो प्राप्तिको राजनैतिक महत्व रहनेछैन।
यता शुरूदेखि नै मोर्चाको अन्तरिम प्राधिकरण तथा गोर्खाल्याण्ड बाहेक पनि अरू सह मुद्दाहरूलाई लिएर विरोध गरिरहेको गोर्खालीगका कार्यकारी अध्यक्ष दावा शेर्पाले मोर्चा मुद्दामा स्पष्ट नै नरहेको जनाएका छन्। तिनले भने, राज्यपाल जस्तो आधिकारिक व्यक्तिले मोर्चाले प्राधिकरणमा हस्ताक्षर गरिसकेर पनि नचॉंहिदो कार्यक्रम गरिरहेको भनेर आरोप लगाउनुले स्पष्ट पार्छ कि मोर्चाको भित्रीखेल के हो। दिल्लीमा मोर्चासित नै वार्तामा बसेका मन्त्रीहरूले मोर्चाले गरिएको सम्झौतालाई उलङ्घन गरिरहेको आरोप लगाउनु भनेको के हो? वास्तविकता के हो त्यो मोर्चाले सबैलाई जनाउनुपर्छ। यता लीगकै प्रताप खातीले भने, हामीले मोर्चाले प्राधिकरण छोड्यो भन्ने सोंचेका थियौं यसैकारण भागोपले सामुहिक आन्दोलनको निम्ति दलीय एकताको परिवेश बनाओस् भन्ने चाहिरहेका थियौं तर कुमानीबाट अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणमाथि विमल गुरूङको गरेको दोधारै कुराले स्पष्ट पार्यो कि मौका पायो कि प्राधिकरण भनिहाल्ने विचारमा मोर्चाले राजनीति गरिरहेको छ, जब कि जनताले प्राधिकरण अस्वीकार गरिसकेको छ। मोर्चा मुद्दामा स्पष्ट हुनुपर्छ।
गोर्खाल्याण्ड राज्य निर्माण मोर्चाका अध्यक्ष दावा पाखरिनले पनि भने, जबसम्म कुनै पनि दलमा केवल एउटा मात्र मुद्दा हुँदैन तबसम्म उसित कुनै पनि विचार मिल्दैन। सामुहिक आन्दोलनको निम्ति विचार, रणनीति, योजना, लक्ष्य र कटिबद्धता मिल्नुपर्छ। यस्तो हुन नै सकेको छैन। तिनले सामुहिक आन्दोलनको निम्ति ठूलोदल रहेकोले मोर्चा नै अघिसरा हुनुपर्ने पनि जनाए। यता क्रामाकपाका मोहन पौड्यालले पनि भने, क्रामाकपाले जति पनि कार्यक्रम गर्यो एउटै मुद्दा गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति गर्यो। लक्ष्य एउटा राखेर यतिवर्ष यो मुद्दा र उति वर्ष यो मुद्दा भनेर आन्दोलन गरिन्न। एउटै मुद्दामाथि सामुहिकरूपले लगातार आन्दोलन हुनुपर्छ। विसाउनीहरू आउन थाल्यो भने आन्दोलनको रफ्तार घट्छ। तिनले अझ भने, मोर्चाले प्राधिकरण नै मात्र थुप्रैपल्ट खारेज गरिसक्यो। हिजै मात्र फेरि मोर्चा फ्राधिकरणको निम्ति हो भने हॉं पनि नभनेको ना पनि नभनेको स्थितिमा रहेको दोधारे कुरा गरेर मोर्चाको दलीय अड़ानलाई स्पष्ट पारेको छ। मोर्चा मुद्दामा स्पष्ट हुनुपर्छ। दलीय एकता र सामुहिक संघर्षको सवाल त्यतिबेला आउँछ जतिबेला दलीय मुद्दा एउटा बन्छ। हामीले त भनिसकेका छौं मोर्चाकै नेतृत्वमा सामुहिकरूपले आन्दोलन गरौं। तर खै त मोर्चाबाट पहल भएको? मिडियामा भनेर मात्र सामुहिकताको कुरा आउँदैन, यसको निम्ति आधिकारिक दलीय बैठक, विवेचना, छलफल हुनुपर्छ र नीति समिकरण र कार्यनीतिक पदक्षेप ग्रहण गरिनुपर्छ।
Blockade ends in vehicle ransack - Traffic disrupted for arrest of attackers
TT, Siliguri, Feb. 15: A blockade by local people on Burdwan Road to demand the arrest of a few persons accused of assaulting a youth turned violent when police tried to disperse the protesters.
D P Singh, the Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling, said, “The observers will start visiting several places in the district tomorrow.”
“We want election to be held in the Hills and we will carry out our movement peacefully without hindering the process of democracy,” a senior GJM leader said. “Ashok Bhattacharya is trying to conspire against us and hamper the election in the Hills by saying the situation is not favorable. But actually he fears defeat if we contest.” he added.
Blockade ends in vehicle ransack - Traffic disrupted for arrest of attackers
 |
 |
| Police chase away agitators on Burdwan Road; (above) a bus damaged in the violence in Siliguri on Tuesday. Pictures by Kundan Yolmo |
Four vehicles, including a police jeep, were ransacked by the residents of Santoshinagar and Goalapatti, who were demanding the arrest of Udai Sha and his cohorts for allegedly beating up the youth four days back.
“We asked the protesters to withdraw the blockade and tried to have a dialogue with them. They didn’t listen to us and vowed that the agitation would continue till the arrests (of Udai and his accomplices) were made. When we tried to remove bamboo poles from the spot, the agitators started pelting us with stones,” said a police officer.
“They threw stones at vehicles parked in the area also and smashed them with poles. A police jeep, truck, pick-up van and a bus were damaged. But we could clear the road and traffic was restored soon,” said the officer.
The road was blocked by around 50 people from 12 noon to 1pm.
Birju Sha, a resident of Goalapatti, had allegedly been beaten by Udai and his accomplices on February 11. “They had assaulted Birju, saying he had helped Udai’s daughter elope with his friend Surinder. The attack took place even after the issue had been settled with the help of ward councillor Kajal Chanda on January 28,” said Birju’s father Shyamsundar Sha. Following the assault, Birju, a bus cleaner, was admitted to Siliguri district hospital and later released.
Shyamsundar also lodged a complaint with Siliguri police against Udai and the other attackers. “But the police did not take any action against them. The local people were supposed to meet this afternoon to discuss the matter. But I came to know that some problems had taken place before that meeting,” said Shyamsundar. He pleaded ignorance who had disrupted traffic. “I have no idea who raised the blockade and ransacked the vehicles.”
After the violence, the police raided several localities and arrested seven persons.
Asked about Shyamsundar’s allegation, a police officer said: “When we wanted to listen to their grievances and invited them for a dialogue, they did not respond. So, it is not possible for me to comment on this issue. But I can tell you that we are conducting raids to arrest those who had roughed up Birju.”
Nobody was found at Udai’s house at Santoshinagar today and neighbours were unable to say much about his whereabouts.
Fog aborts Rahul meet with students
TT, Gangtok, Feb. 15: Scores of students waiting to interact with Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi were disappointed today as his helicopter could not land in Gangtok because of bad weather.
The chopper that had taken off from Bagdogra returned midway because of fog en route to Gangtok. The helicopter was supposed to land at Libing army helipad this morning.
“It was very disappointing. We were looking forward to hear him (Rahul). There were also some questions we wanted to ask him, especially on his vision for an India tomorrow. We hope he will come to Sikkim soon,” said a student of Sikkim University.
Rahul was invited by the varsity to attend an interactive session with the students. The event was scheduled to be held yesterday morning, but Rahul’s plane did not take off from Delhi on time because of bad weather and he went to Aizwal for a programme there.
The session was rescheduled for this morning and more than 200 students had been waiting at Chintan Bhavan here since 9am to meet the Gandhi scion. They were told at 1.30pm that Rahul would not be able to make it to Gangtok.
“Rahul Gandhi was very interested in meeting the students of Sikkim. He could not come here as planned yesterday and he went straight to Aizwal. According to the schedule, he was to have returned to Delhi from Aizwal yesterday. However, he stayed back as he wanted to meet the students here. He arrived at Bagdogra this morning but his chopper could not land in Gangtok because of bad weather,” said Rogy John, the Youth Congress member who reached Gangtok to oversee the preparations for Rahul’s visit.
Darjeeling district Congress president Shankar Malakar met Rahul at Bagdogra and apprised him of the situation in the hills. He requested Rahul to send a delegation to assess the situation in north Bengal.
Varsity vice-chancellor Mahendra P. Lama said he hoped that Rahul would come to Sikkim once the weather became favourable.
Buddha to visit Malbazar
SNS, KOLKATA, 15 FEB: Amid the turmoil in north Bengal following the death of three GJMM supporters in police firing at Sipchu, chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee will be visiting Malbazar on 19 February to kick off.
At a time when the agitation by Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha (GJMM) is entering a critical phase, the state government is considering replacing the administrator at the Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council (DGHC).
Mr Anil Verma, a 1989 batch IAS officer who had served earlier as the district magistrate of Darjeeling as well as the principal secretary of DGHC during the tenure of GNLF supremo, Mr Subash Ghisingh is likely to replace Mr BL Meena who has been serving as administrator for the past few years. A superannuated officer, Mr Meena has been on reemployment for the past few years since no other officer has been willing to join this post after trouble started brewing in the Hills. Mr Meena's tenure was extended for another six months, recently. Mr Verma who was recalled from the High Commission's office in London after allegations of wife beating surfaced against him and has been kept on compulsory wait, fits the bill, said a senior official.
The agitation in the Hills is likely to intensify because the GJMM has indicated that it will not accept Gorkha Autonomous Authority (GAA), the interim council to replace DGHC. The state is now waiting for the Centre to act because “ it is clear that the GJMM is trying to derail the process by creating trouble in Dooars. The Governor, Mr MK Narayanan too has sent a report on the Darjeeling situation.
GJM plans st-in-demonstration in Kolkata
ENS, Kolkata, Feb 15: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has decided to make their presence felt in the city by staging a dharna in Central Kolkata on February 19. The move is aimed at garnering support from the civil society and getting close to the anti-CPM parties — the Congress and the Trinamool.
The GJM general secretary, Roshan Giri, reached Kolkata on Monday evening to supervise the preparation for the dharna. He left for Darjeeling on Tuesday as the EC observers will be in the area on Wednesday. “We will strengthen our unit in Kolkata so we can intensify our movement and receive the participation of civil society,” said Giri. “We will hold a sit-in demonstration on February 19 in front of the Victoria house.”
The central committee leaders will be present on the occasion. “We want the Opposition parties to participate in the dharna. We had discussions with several leaders of Congress and Trinamool and it seems they are sympathetic to our movement.”
According to GJM sources, the senior leaders have assured Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee that they will support the party in the upcoming elections. “We are yet to decide whether we will contest the election, but we will definitely support Trinamool,” said a senior leader.
The Congress and Trinamool leaders, however, are not sure yet about joining the GJM in their sit-in demonstration. Trinamool leader Partho Chatterjee said: “We will discuss the issue with Mamata Banerjee.”
Manas Bhuniya, the WBPCC president, said: “We condemn the police firing, but we are yet to decide whether we will join the dharna.”
EC in Siliguri
The EC observers reached Siliguri on Tuesday and held a meeting with the political parties. In the evening, the observers divided into two teams and headed for Kalimpang and Kurseong.Fog aborts Rahul meet with students
 |
| Students wait for Rahul, along with vice-chancellor Mahendra P Lama (centre back row), in Gangtok on Tuesday. Picture by Prabin Khaling |
The chopper that had taken off from Bagdogra returned midway because of fog en route to Gangtok. The helicopter was supposed to land at Libing army helipad this morning.
“It was very disappointing. We were looking forward to hear him (Rahul). There were also some questions we wanted to ask him, especially on his vision for an India tomorrow. We hope he will come to Sikkim soon,” said a student of Sikkim University.
Rahul was invited by the varsity to attend an interactive session with the students. The event was scheduled to be held yesterday morning, but Rahul’s plane did not take off from Delhi on time because of bad weather and he went to Aizwal for a programme there.
The session was rescheduled for this morning and more than 200 students had been waiting at Chintan Bhavan here since 9am to meet the Gandhi scion. They were told at 1.30pm that Rahul would not be able to make it to Gangtok.
“Rahul Gandhi was very interested in meeting the students of Sikkim. He could not come here as planned yesterday and he went straight to Aizwal. According to the schedule, he was to have returned to Delhi from Aizwal yesterday. However, he stayed back as he wanted to meet the students here. He arrived at Bagdogra this morning but his chopper could not land in Gangtok because of bad weather,” said Rogy John, the Youth Congress member who reached Gangtok to oversee the preparations for Rahul’s visit.
Darjeeling district Congress president Shankar Malakar met Rahul at Bagdogra and apprised him of the situation in the hills. He requested Rahul to send a delegation to assess the situation in north Bengal.
Varsity vice-chancellor Mahendra P. Lama said he hoped that Rahul would come to Sikkim once the weather became favourable.
Buddha to visit Malbazar
SNS, KOLKATA, 15 FEB: Amid the turmoil in north Bengal following the death of three GJMM supporters in police firing at Sipchu, chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee will be visiting Malbazar on 19 February to kick off.
At a time when the agitation by Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha (GJMM) is entering a critical phase, the state government is considering replacing the administrator at the Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council (DGHC).
Mr Anil Verma, a 1989 batch IAS officer who had served earlier as the district magistrate of Darjeeling as well as the principal secretary of DGHC during the tenure of GNLF supremo, Mr Subash Ghisingh is likely to replace Mr BL Meena who has been serving as administrator for the past few years. A superannuated officer, Mr Meena has been on reemployment for the past few years since no other officer has been willing to join this post after trouble started brewing in the Hills. Mr Meena's tenure was extended for another six months, recently. Mr Verma who was recalled from the High Commission's office in London after allegations of wife beating surfaced against him and has been kept on compulsory wait, fits the bill, said a senior official.
The agitation in the Hills is likely to intensify because the GJMM has indicated that it will not accept Gorkha Autonomous Authority (GAA), the interim council to replace DGHC. The state is now waiting for the Centre to act because “ it is clear that the GJMM is trying to derail the process by creating trouble in Dooars. The Governor, Mr MK Narayanan too has sent a report on the Darjeeling situation.
GJM plans st-in-demonstration in Kolkata
ENS, Kolkata, Feb 15: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has decided to make their presence felt in the city by staging a dharna in Central Kolkata on February 19. The move is aimed at garnering support from the civil society and getting close to the anti-CPM parties — the Congress and the Trinamool.
The GJM general secretary, Roshan Giri, reached Kolkata on Monday evening to supervise the preparation for the dharna. He left for Darjeeling on Tuesday as the EC observers will be in the area on Wednesday. “We will strengthen our unit in Kolkata so we can intensify our movement and receive the participation of civil society,” said Giri. “We will hold a sit-in demonstration on February 19 in front of the Victoria house.”
The central committee leaders will be present on the occasion. “We want the Opposition parties to participate in the dharna. We had discussions with several leaders of Congress and Trinamool and it seems they are sympathetic to our movement.”
According to GJM sources, the senior leaders have assured Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee that they will support the party in the upcoming elections. “We are yet to decide whether we will contest the election, but we will definitely support Trinamool,” said a senior leader.
The Congress and Trinamool leaders, however, are not sure yet about joining the GJM in their sit-in demonstration. Trinamool leader Partho Chatterjee said: “We will discuss the issue with Mamata Banerjee.”
Manas Bhuniya, the WBPCC president, said: “We condemn the police firing, but we are yet to decide whether we will join the dharna.”
EC in Siliguri
D P Singh, the Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling, said, “The observers will start visiting several places in the district tomorrow.”
“We want election to be held in the Hills and we will carry out our movement peacefully without hindering the process of democracy,” a senior GJM leader said. “Ashok Bhattacharya is trying to conspire against us and hamper the election in the Hills by saying the situation is not favorable. But actually he fears defeat if we contest.” he added.
No comments:
Post a Comment