KalimNews, Khumani, February 22, 5.00pm: A relief to all was announced today by GJM, "all schools and offices will remain open and function normally". During the central committee meeting held today at Khumani it was decided that there will be no strike till 7th March.
Dr HB Chhetri addressing the press announced that minority forum members of GJM will organise a Dharna in Delhi on 27th February and from 24th February fast unto death will be organised in Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong, Mirik and Gorubathan in which three GLPs and 2 ex service men will participate.
About 300 GJM supporters of Chamarchi area bordering Bhutan arrived at Khumani via Shibsu. They had started from Chamarchi yesternight at about 10 pm and by sneaking the police barricades and marching through Red Bank TE highway and Khunia more in 31C arrived Khumani at 8 am in the morning of 22nd February and met Bimal Gurung.
Dr HB Chhetri addressing the press announced that minority forum members of GJM will organise a Dharna in Delhi on 27th February and from 24th February fast unto death will be organised in Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong, Mirik and Gorubathan in which three GLPs and 2 ex service men will participate.
About 300 GJM supporters of Chamarchi area bordering Bhutan arrived at Khumani via Shibsu. They had started from Chamarchi yesternight at about 10 pm and by sneaking the police barricades and marching through Red Bank TE highway and Khunia more in 31C arrived Khumani at 8 am in the morning of 22nd February and met Bimal Gurung.
Meanwhile Debjani Bhattacharya SDO Mal bazar visited and met hunger striker of Bagrakote and requested them to take medical aid. But all the GJNM women protesters refused to take any such aid. Condition of 3 of them is still critical.
4 company ITBP has arrived Darjeling and posted to Kurseong, Mirik, Bijanbari and Darjeeling.
Businessmen of Dooars are constituted Dooars Chamber of Commerce. Members of DCC said that their business is suffering due to bandhs called by various parties off and on and their organisation FOCIN is doing nothing for them.
Dawa Pakhrin President of GRNM court arrested in Hyderabad during a 48 hrs bandh organised by Telangana Youth Forum demanding creation of Telangana. He said that TRS and Keshav Rao, Ajit Sing and RK Tomar has assured of full support to Gorkhaland.
अब अनिश्चितकालीन बन्द नहुने
-24 देखि जीएलपी र भूतपूर्व सैनिकले गर्ने आमरण अनशन
-27 देखि अल्पसंख्यक तथा अन्यले गर्ने जन्तरमन्तरमा रिले अनशन
-24 देखि प्रत्येक विहिबार भातृसङ्गठनहरूले गर्ने जुलूस
-परीक्षा, स्कूल कलेजलाई पूर्णरूपले छुट
-फ्याक्ट्रीबाट बाहिर लैजान नदिने चिया
मनोज बोगटि, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 22 फरवरी। केन्द्रले सीमाङ्कनबारे आज दिनभरिमा पनि कुनै आधिकारिक निर्णय मोर्चालाई पठाएन। मोर्चाले पनि केन्द्रले दिएको आश्वासनलाई पर्खिएन। दिउँसो नै कुमानीमा भएको मोर्चाको केन्द्रिय कमिटीको बैठकले अब अनिश्चितकालीन बन्द नगर्ने निर्णय लिएको छ। बन्दको साटो मोर्चाले अन्य कार्यक्रमहरू नै तयार पारेको छ जसको घोषणा आज मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा.हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले गरेका छन्। तिनले भने, अब अनिश्चितकालीन बन्द हुँदैन। जनताले पाउने दुःख, परीक्षा अनि तिब्बतीय लोसारलाई ध्यानमा राख्दै यो निर्णय गरिएको हो। तिनले मोर्चाले अनिश्चितकालीन बन्दको साटो अन्य कार्यक्रमहरू नै तयार पारेको बताए।
तिनले बताए अनुसार 24 फरवरीको दिनदेखि जीएलपीका तीन सदस्य अनि भूतपूर्व सैनिक मोर्चाका दुइ सदस्यले प्रस्तावित गोर्खाल्याण्ड क्षेत्रभरि नै एकैचोटी आमरण अनशन गर्नेछन्। 27 देखि दिल्लीको जन्तर मन्तरमा अल्पसंख्यक अनि अन्य समुदायले 50 जनाको टोली बनाएर रिले अनशन गर्नेछन्। सोही दिनदेखि प्रत्येक विहिबार मोर्चाका सम्पूर्ण भातृसङ्गठनहरूले थानामा धर्ना लगायत, जुलूस र नाराबाजी गर्नेछ। विभिन्न परिक्षा, स्कूल कलेज तथा शैक्षिक संस्थानहरूलाई पूर्णरूपले छुट दिइएको छ।
यसैगरी अबोप्रान्त दार्जीलिङको चियालाई फ्याक्ट्रीबाट बाहिर लैजान दिइने छैन। यी कार्यक्रमहरू तराई-डुवर्सलाई गोर्खाल्याण्डको मानचित्रमा समावेश गर्न, सिब्सुकाण्डमाथि सीबीआई जॉंच अनि गोर्खाल्याण्ड दाबीको निम्ति गरिएको डा. छेत्रीले जनाएका छन्। यता सिब्सु र बाग्राकोटको अनशन जारी रहनेछ भने डुवर्सको पदयात्रा पनि जारी रहनेछ। मोर्चाले डाकेको बन्दलाई सीमाङ्कनबारे केन्द्रले आश्वासन दिएको भन्दै चारदिनको निम्ति स्थगित गरिएको थियो। बन्दको स्थगन आजसम्म रहेको थियो भने केन्द्रले दिएको आश्वासनअनुरूप कुनै पनि निर्णय नगरे मोर्चाले नयॉं कार्यक्रमहरूको घोषणा गर्ने भनेको थियो।
मोर्चाले यसो भनेको कारण जनतामा बन्द हुने नहुने कुराको भय छाएको थियो। मोर्चाले बन्द नगरेर अन्य कार्यक्रम बनाएकोले जनताले राहतको सास फेर्न पाएको छ। 8 फरवरीको दिन बङ्गालको पुलिस प्रशासनले सिब्सुमा गोली ठोकी तीन मोर्चा कार्यकर्ताहरूको हत्या गरेपछि त्यसकाण्डको विरोधमा मोर्चाले अनिश्चितकालीन बन्द डाकेको थियो, जो 9 दिनसम्म चलेको थियो। कलकत्ता मोर्चा युनिटको सभाको निम्ति गएको भन्दै कलकत्ता प्रस्थान भएका मोर्चा महासचिव रोशन गिरी, स्टडी फोरमका एलबी परियार अनि डा. आरबी भूजेल केन्द्रियगृह सचिवको निम्तोमा दिल्ली पुगेका थिए जहॉं त्रिपक्षीय बैठक नै भएको थियो।
यसै बैठकमा मोर्चाले दाबी गरेको प्राधिकरणमा जुन सीमाङ्कनको समस्या छ, त्यसको समाधानको निम्ति 22 फरवरीसम्म लिखितरूपले मोर्चालाई केन्द्रले जनाउने आश्वासन दिएको बताएर मोर्चाले बन्द फिर्ता लिएको थियो। केन्द्रले दिएको आश्वासनबारे जान्न चहॉंदा मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा.हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले भने, केन्द्रलाई भन्नुपर्ने कुरा सबै भनिसकेका छौं। अब भन्नु केही छैन। केन्द्रले नै आश्वासन दिएको थियो। त्यो पुरा गर्ने कर्तव्य पनि केन्द्र कै हो। तर आजसम्म केन्द्रबाट त्यस्तो कुनै निर्णय गरेको खबर आएको छैन। हामीलाई लागेको छ, यसैको निम्ति बैठकहरू चल्दै होला। मोर्चाको केन्द्रिय कमिटीको बैठकमा विमल गुरूङ लगायत विनय तामङ, कल्याण देवान तथा अन्यको पनि उपस्थिति रहेको थियो।
Hill strike suspended but bar on tea
VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Darjeeling, Feb. 22: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today “suspended” the general strike but announced that it would not allow the first flush of Darjeeling tea to move out of the gardens.
The first flush of Darjeeling tea, which accounts for 20 to 25 per cent of the total tea production in the hills, fetches a “premium” price and is the most sought after in the global market, industry sources said. Almost 90 per cent of the first flush tea is exported.
Raju Pradhan, the Morcha assistant general secretary who attended the party’s central committee meeting at Kumani, said: “The strike has been suspended… mainly for two reasons: the board exams that are about to start and the general inconvenience it was causing the people.”
Sources, however, said the real reason for the strike withdrawal was the adverse impact it was having on the Morcha’s image. The shutdown, among the many in four years, has caused a lot of hardship to the people.
The agitation for Gorkhaland would, however, continue with an indefinite hunger strike in the hills from February 24 and a dharna at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on February 27. Besides, rallies would be held every Thursday.
By threatening to block the movement of tea, the Morcha is trying to pressure the state government, which did not convey its decision on the formation of the joint verification committee to the Centre today. The JVC would look into the issue of the territorial jurisdiction of the proposed interim set-up for the hills.
“So far, the first flush of Darjeeling tea has not been hit as plucking starts from end-February or the beginning of March and continues till mid-April. If we are not allowed to despatch our tea, we will not be able to meet the export deadline and this would hit the industry hard,” said Sandeep Mukherjee, the secretary of the Darjeeling Tea Association.
TH, Kolkata:“We are keen to revive all democratic institutions in the region”
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), that had relaxed for four days, till Tuesday, the bandh that began in the Darjeeling hills earlier this month, has decided to call it off even as the agitation for a separate State of ‘Gorkhaland' continues.
The GJM leadership has threatened to stop the despatch of tea — the first flush crop which is highly valued in the market — from tea-gardens in the hills from February 27 as part of the on-going agitation.
“Our decision to call off the bandh is in keeping with the assurance given by us recently to a team of observers from the Election Commission that we, as the largest party in the hills, will ensure normality in the region in the run-up to the coming Assembly polls in the State,” senior GJM leader and member of the party's central committee Harka Bahadur Chettri told The Hindu over telephone from Kalimpong sub-division.
“This move should dispel any doubts being raised in certain quarters about our democratic credentials. We are keen to revive all democratic institutions in the region,” he added.
The GJM, which has intensified its statehood campaign and has been trying to take it to the Dooars and the Terai region, had called an indefinite bandh in the region from February 9, a day after the police fired at its supporters at Sipchu in the Dooars, claiming three lives.
TNN, DARJEELING: GJM decided on Tuesday to call off its strike in the Hills as the Centre has not yet communicated on the issue of including additional areas in the interim council.
The Centre and the state government were supposed to decide on the formation of a Joint Verification Committee ( JVC) to survey the areas of the Terai and the Dooars that could be included in the council.
"I reckon the response of the two governments won't be positive," said a GJM leader. "I have not received any information about the JVC report from the government," said GJM general secretary Roshan Giri from Delhi on Tuesday.
"We don't want to inconvenience people. So, we have decided not go ahead with the bandh," said GJM leader Harka Bahadur Chhetri on Tuesday.
प्राधिकरणमा तौजी विभाग पस्दैन भने दार्जीलिङको चिया बाहिर लैजान पाउँदैन मनोज बोगटि, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 22 फरवरी। प्राधिकरणमा तौजी विभाग पस्दैन भने दार्जीलिङको चिया पनि बाहिर कतै पनि लान नपाउने मोर्चाले घोषणा गरेको छ। दार्जीलिङलाई विश्वले चिन्छ भने चियाकै कारणले चिन्छ। चियाको निम्ति विश्व प्रशिद्ध भए पनि दार्जीलिङका चिया श्रमिकहरूको अवस्था भने दयनीय रहेको छ। मोर्चाले श्रमिकहरूको हित हुने भन्दै प्रस्तावित अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणको खेस्रामा तौजी विभाग पनि अन्तरभुक्त गरिनुपर्ने माग गरेको छ। मोर्चाले दाबी गरेको प्रस्तावहरूमा कुरा नमिलेको प्रस्ताव भनेको नै तौजी विभाग र सीमाङ्कन रहेको छ। सीमाङ्कनको निम्ति मोर्चाले भने अनुसार केन्द्रले लिखितरूपले आज निर्णय गर्नुपर्ने थियो, तर केन्द्रले खबर पठाएन।
यता तौजी विभागमा पनि कुरा नमिलेको स्पष्ट छ। किन भने मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा.हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले कुमानीमा पत्रकार सम्मेलनलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै यदि प्राधिकरणमा तौजी विभाग पस्दैन भने दार्जीलिङका चियाबगानहरूबाट बाहिर चिया पटाउन मोर्चाले नदिने जनाएका छन्। मोर्चा अनुसार चियाको निर्यात अब मोर्चाले कतै पनि गर्न दिने छैन। जसको माग विश्वभरि नै रहेको छ, त्यसैमाथि मोर्चाले रोक लगाउने भएको छ। डा. छेत्रीले भने, अहिले पहिलो मुना टिप्ने बेला हो। जसको दाम विश्वभरि नै राम्रो हुन्छ। विदेशी पैसा कमाउने यो अवसर हो। यत हाम्रो दाबी अनुसार तौजी विभागको अन्तरभुक्तिबारे केन्द्रले कुनै निर्णय नगरेको कारण फ्याक्ट्रीबाट चिया कतैपनि लैजान दिइने छैन।
राती नै हिँड़ेर 200 समर्थक पुगे कुमानी
मनोज बोगटि, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 22 फरवरी। दिउँसो मोर्चा समर्थकहरूलाई बङ्गालको प्रशासनले व्यारिकेट लगाएर रोके पनि राती भने रोक्न सकेन। चमर्चीबाट लगभग 200 मोर्चा समर्थकहरू आज विहान कुमानी पुगेपछि उनीहरू कतै पनि बाधित नहुनपरेको स्पष्ट भएको छ। मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा.हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले जनाए अनुसार राती 10 बजी चमर्चीका सैकड़ौं समर्थकहरू पदयात्रामा निस्किएका थिए। उनीहरू विहान हिँड़ेर नै कुमानी आइपुगे।
दिँउसो बङ्गालको पुलिस बल मोर्चा पदयात्रीहरूलाई रोक्न बाटोबाटोमा बस्ने गर्छन्। यता मोर्चाले पनि दिउँसो नै कार्यकर्ताहरू भेला भएपछि पदयात्रा शुरू गर्छन्। यसो हुँदा डुवर्सका मोर्चा कार्यकर्ताहरू कुमानीसम्म आइपुग्न सकिरहेका थिएनन्। यता मोर्चाले भने 27 फरवरीसम्ममा डुवर्सका कार्यकर्ताहरू कुमानी आएर नै देखाउने चुनौती दिइसकेको छ। सबै कुरालाई ध्यानमा राख्दै चमर्चीका मोर्चा प्रतिनिधिहरू प्रकाश परियार,चन्द्र शर्मा अनि कैलास कुणालको अगुवाईमा राती नै यात्रा गर्दै मोर्चा कार्यकर्ताहरू कुमानी पुगेको प्रकाश परियारले जनाएका छन्।
मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा. छेत्रीले जनाए अनुसार यसैगरी 27 सम्ममा डुवर्सका कार्यकर्ताहरू कुमानी आइपुग्ने छन्। उनीहरूलाई विमल गुरूङले सम्बोधन पनि गरेर डुवर्सयात्राबारे स्पष्ट पार्ने छन् भने 27 देखि नै डुवर्समुखी कार्यक्रम चड्किने सम्भावना पनि रहेको छ।
Kumani Marchers take night rout
TT, Jalpaiguri, Feb. 22: Using the cover of darkness, about 300 Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters from Chamurchi and Birpara in the Dooars sneaked into Kumani where party president Bimal Gurung has been camping for over four weeks.
Caught on the wrong foot, the Jalpaiguri administration said what had taken place was not a padayatra but a “covert” action that was carried out at night.
Joel Rai, KalimNews, New Delhi: As was widely reported, Lt Colonel Man Bahadur Rai, till then the oldest surviving winner of the Ashok Chakra—the peace-time equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra—passed away in Jorhat, Assam, on February 14 this year. What is little known is that the Gorkha hero received a rare honour at an international naval symposium in New Delhi on February 17.
At the symposium on “Submarine Strategies for the Future” organized by the National Maritime Foundation at India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, Lt Col Rai’s death found mention just before the valedictory address by former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral V.S. Shekhawat. Delegates attending the symposium and representing countries like the US, UK, France, Brazil, Chile, Russia, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and Japan, stood up and observed a minute of silence to mourn the passing away of an exemplary soldier and a hero. An obituary notice was also read out by National Maritime Foundation Secretary Commodore C Uday Bhaskar, an eminent strategist.
“It is probably for the first time that a soldier from the army was honoured in this manner at a naval event,” said Commodore Bhaskar later. But, he added, Lt Col Rai's heroism was something to be cherished by the world.
The National Maritime Foundation is a maritime think tank based in New Delhi and is headed by former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash and has a glittering array of naval experts and strategists as its members.
Lt Col Rai was 95 years old when he passed away in Jorhat on February 14. Born in 1914, he was enlisted in 1/10 GR in 1930 and was later commissioned into 5/11 GR in 1948. The Gorkha officer was awarded the Indian Distinguished Service Medal (IDSM) for action against the Japanese in World War II in the Chin Hills. The IDSM was awarded by Britain to Indian soldiers in the British forces and was the third highest gallantry award after the Victoria Cross and the Indian Order of Merit.
Lt Col Rai was also awarded the Military Cross by the British in 1945 for exemplary gallantry in action against the Japanese in Manipur.
In 1961, he was awarded the Ashok Chakra, the highest Indian gallantry award in peace time, for his bravery in action against Naga insurgents.
TT, Siliguri, Feb. 22: The number of girls appearing for Madhyamik examination exceeds that of boys by 11, 929 in north Bengal this year, reflecting a trend noticed across the state.
4 company ITBP has arrived Darjeling and posted to Kurseong, Mirik, Bijanbari and Darjeeling.
Businessmen of Dooars are constituted Dooars Chamber of Commerce. Members of DCC said that their business is suffering due to bandhs called by various parties off and on and their organisation FOCIN is doing nothing for them.
Dawa Pakhrin President of GRNM court arrested in Hyderabad during a 48 hrs bandh organised by Telangana Youth Forum demanding creation of Telangana. He said that TRS and Keshav Rao, Ajit Sing and RK Tomar has assured of full support to Gorkhaland.
अब अनिश्चितकालीन बन्द नहुने
-24 देखि जीएलपी र भूतपूर्व सैनिकले गर्ने आमरण अनशन
-27 देखि अल्पसंख्यक तथा अन्यले गर्ने जन्तरमन्तरमा रिले अनशन
-24 देखि प्रत्येक विहिबार भातृसङ्गठनहरूले गर्ने जुलूस
-परीक्षा, स्कूल कलेजलाई पूर्णरूपले छुट
-फ्याक्ट्रीबाट बाहिर लैजान नदिने चिया
मनोज बोगटि, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 22 फरवरी। केन्द्रले सीमाङ्कनबारे आज दिनभरिमा पनि कुनै आधिकारिक निर्णय मोर्चालाई पठाएन। मोर्चाले पनि केन्द्रले दिएको आश्वासनलाई पर्खिएन। दिउँसो नै कुमानीमा भएको मोर्चाको केन्द्रिय कमिटीको बैठकले अब अनिश्चितकालीन बन्द नगर्ने निर्णय लिएको छ। बन्दको साटो मोर्चाले अन्य कार्यक्रमहरू नै तयार पारेको छ जसको घोषणा आज मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा.हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले गरेका छन्। तिनले भने, अब अनिश्चितकालीन बन्द हुँदैन। जनताले पाउने दुःख, परीक्षा अनि तिब्बतीय लोसारलाई ध्यानमा राख्दै यो निर्णय गरिएको हो। तिनले मोर्चाले अनिश्चितकालीन बन्दको साटो अन्य कार्यक्रमहरू नै तयार पारेको बताए।
तिनले बताए अनुसार 24 फरवरीको दिनदेखि जीएलपीका तीन सदस्य अनि भूतपूर्व सैनिक मोर्चाका दुइ सदस्यले प्रस्तावित गोर्खाल्याण्ड क्षेत्रभरि नै एकैचोटी आमरण अनशन गर्नेछन्। 27 देखि दिल्लीको जन्तर मन्तरमा अल्पसंख्यक अनि अन्य समुदायले 50 जनाको टोली बनाएर रिले अनशन गर्नेछन्। सोही दिनदेखि प्रत्येक विहिबार मोर्चाका सम्पूर्ण भातृसङ्गठनहरूले थानामा धर्ना लगायत, जुलूस र नाराबाजी गर्नेछ। विभिन्न परिक्षा, स्कूल कलेज तथा शैक्षिक संस्थानहरूलाई पूर्णरूपले छुट दिइएको छ।
यसैगरी अबोप्रान्त दार्जीलिङको चियालाई फ्याक्ट्रीबाट बाहिर लैजान दिइने छैन। यी कार्यक्रमहरू तराई-डुवर्सलाई गोर्खाल्याण्डको मानचित्रमा समावेश गर्न, सिब्सुकाण्डमाथि सीबीआई जॉंच अनि गोर्खाल्याण्ड दाबीको निम्ति गरिएको डा. छेत्रीले जनाएका छन्। यता सिब्सु र बाग्राकोटको अनशन जारी रहनेछ भने डुवर्सको पदयात्रा पनि जारी रहनेछ। मोर्चाले डाकेको बन्दलाई सीमाङ्कनबारे केन्द्रले आश्वासन दिएको भन्दै चारदिनको निम्ति स्थगित गरिएको थियो। बन्दको स्थगन आजसम्म रहेको थियो भने केन्द्रले दिएको आश्वासनअनुरूप कुनै पनि निर्णय नगरे मोर्चाले नयॉं कार्यक्रमहरूको घोषणा गर्ने भनेको थियो।
मोर्चाले यसो भनेको कारण जनतामा बन्द हुने नहुने कुराको भय छाएको थियो। मोर्चाले बन्द नगरेर अन्य कार्यक्रम बनाएकोले जनताले राहतको सास फेर्न पाएको छ। 8 फरवरीको दिन बङ्गालको पुलिस प्रशासनले सिब्सुमा गोली ठोकी तीन मोर्चा कार्यकर्ताहरूको हत्या गरेपछि त्यसकाण्डको विरोधमा मोर्चाले अनिश्चितकालीन बन्द डाकेको थियो, जो 9 दिनसम्म चलेको थियो। कलकत्ता मोर्चा युनिटको सभाको निम्ति गएको भन्दै कलकत्ता प्रस्थान भएका मोर्चा महासचिव रोशन गिरी, स्टडी फोरमका एलबी परियार अनि डा. आरबी भूजेल केन्द्रियगृह सचिवको निम्तोमा दिल्ली पुगेका थिए जहॉं त्रिपक्षीय बैठक नै भएको थियो।
यसै बैठकमा मोर्चाले दाबी गरेको प्राधिकरणमा जुन सीमाङ्कनको समस्या छ, त्यसको समाधानको निम्ति 22 फरवरीसम्म लिखितरूपले मोर्चालाई केन्द्रले जनाउने आश्वासन दिएको बताएर मोर्चाले बन्द फिर्ता लिएको थियो। केन्द्रले दिएको आश्वासनबारे जान्न चहॉंदा मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा.हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले भने, केन्द्रलाई भन्नुपर्ने कुरा सबै भनिसकेका छौं। अब भन्नु केही छैन। केन्द्रले नै आश्वासन दिएको थियो। त्यो पुरा गर्ने कर्तव्य पनि केन्द्र कै हो। तर आजसम्म केन्द्रबाट त्यस्तो कुनै निर्णय गरेको खबर आएको छैन। हामीलाई लागेको छ, यसैको निम्ति बैठकहरू चल्दै होला। मोर्चाको केन्द्रिय कमिटीको बैठकमा विमल गुरूङ लगायत विनय तामङ, कल्याण देवान तथा अन्यको पनि उपस्थिति रहेको थियो।
Hill strike suspended but bar on tea
VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Darjeeling, Feb. 22: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today “suspended” the general strike but announced that it would not allow the first flush of Darjeeling tea to move out of the gardens.
The first flush of Darjeeling tea, which accounts for 20 to 25 per cent of the total tea production in the hills, fetches a “premium” price and is the most sought after in the global market, industry sources said. Almost 90 per cent of the first flush tea is exported.
Raju Pradhan, the Morcha assistant general secretary who attended the party’s central committee meeting at Kumani, said: “The strike has been suspended… mainly for two reasons: the board exams that are about to start and the general inconvenience it was causing the people.”
Sources, however, said the real reason for the strike withdrawal was the adverse impact it was having on the Morcha’s image. The shutdown, among the many in four years, has caused a lot of hardship to the people.
The agitation for Gorkhaland would, however, continue with an indefinite hunger strike in the hills from February 24 and a dharna at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on February 27. Besides, rallies would be held every Thursday.
By threatening to block the movement of tea, the Morcha is trying to pressure the state government, which did not convey its decision on the formation of the joint verification committee to the Centre today. The JVC would look into the issue of the territorial jurisdiction of the proposed interim set-up for the hills.
“So far, the first flush of Darjeeling tea has not been hit as plucking starts from end-February or the beginning of March and continues till mid-April. If we are not allowed to despatch our tea, we will not be able to meet the export deadline and this would hit the industry hard,” said Sandeep Mukherjee, the secretary of the Darjeeling Tea Association.
TH, Kolkata:“We are keen to revive all democratic institutions in the region”
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), that had relaxed for four days, till Tuesday, the bandh that began in the Darjeeling hills earlier this month, has decided to call it off even as the agitation for a separate State of ‘Gorkhaland' continues.
The GJM leadership has threatened to stop the despatch of tea — the first flush crop which is highly valued in the market — from tea-gardens in the hills from February 27 as part of the on-going agitation.
“Our decision to call off the bandh is in keeping with the assurance given by us recently to a team of observers from the Election Commission that we, as the largest party in the hills, will ensure normality in the region in the run-up to the coming Assembly polls in the State,” senior GJM leader and member of the party's central committee Harka Bahadur Chettri told The Hindu over telephone from Kalimpong sub-division.
“This move should dispel any doubts being raised in certain quarters about our democratic credentials. We are keen to revive all democratic institutions in the region,” he added.
The GJM, which has intensified its statehood campaign and has been trying to take it to the Dooars and the Terai region, had called an indefinite bandh in the region from February 9, a day after the police fired at its supporters at Sipchu in the Dooars, claiming three lives.
TNN, DARJEELING: GJM decided on Tuesday to call off its strike in the Hills as the Centre has not yet communicated on the issue of including additional areas in the interim council.
The Centre and the state government were supposed to decide on the formation of a Joint Verification Committee ( JVC) to survey the areas of the Terai and the Dooars that could be included in the council.
"I reckon the response of the two governments won't be positive," said a GJM leader. "I have not received any information about the JVC report from the government," said GJM general secretary Roshan Giri from Delhi on Tuesday.
"We don't want to inconvenience people. So, we have decided not go ahead with the bandh," said GJM leader Harka Bahadur Chhetri on Tuesday.
प्राधिकरणमा तौजी विभाग पस्दैन भने दार्जीलिङको चिया बाहिर लैजान पाउँदैन मनोज बोगटि, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 22 फरवरी। प्राधिकरणमा तौजी विभाग पस्दैन भने दार्जीलिङको चिया पनि बाहिर कतै पनि लान नपाउने मोर्चाले घोषणा गरेको छ। दार्जीलिङलाई विश्वले चिन्छ भने चियाकै कारणले चिन्छ। चियाको निम्ति विश्व प्रशिद्ध भए पनि दार्जीलिङका चिया श्रमिकहरूको अवस्था भने दयनीय रहेको छ। मोर्चाले श्रमिकहरूको हित हुने भन्दै प्रस्तावित अन्तरिम प्राधिकरणको खेस्रामा तौजी विभाग पनि अन्तरभुक्त गरिनुपर्ने माग गरेको छ। मोर्चाले दाबी गरेको प्रस्तावहरूमा कुरा नमिलेको प्रस्ताव भनेको नै तौजी विभाग र सीमाङ्कन रहेको छ। सीमाङ्कनको निम्ति मोर्चाले भने अनुसार केन्द्रले लिखितरूपले आज निर्णय गर्नुपर्ने थियो, तर केन्द्रले खबर पठाएन।
यता तौजी विभागमा पनि कुरा नमिलेको स्पष्ट छ। किन भने मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा.हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले कुमानीमा पत्रकार सम्मेलनलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै यदि प्राधिकरणमा तौजी विभाग पस्दैन भने दार्जीलिङका चियाबगानहरूबाट बाहिर चिया पटाउन मोर्चाले नदिने जनाएका छन्। मोर्चा अनुसार चियाको निर्यात अब मोर्चाले कतै पनि गर्न दिने छैन। जसको माग विश्वभरि नै रहेको छ, त्यसैमाथि मोर्चाले रोक लगाउने भएको छ। डा. छेत्रीले भने, अहिले पहिलो मुना टिप्ने बेला हो। जसको दाम विश्वभरि नै राम्रो हुन्छ। विदेशी पैसा कमाउने यो अवसर हो। यत हाम्रो दाबी अनुसार तौजी विभागको अन्तरभुक्तिबारे केन्द्रले कुनै निर्णय नगरेको कारण फ्याक्ट्रीबाट चिया कतैपनि लैजान दिइने छैन।
राती नै हिँड़ेर 200 समर्थक पुगे कुमानी
मनोज बोगटि, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 22 फरवरी। दिउँसो मोर्चा समर्थकहरूलाई बङ्गालको प्रशासनले व्यारिकेट लगाएर रोके पनि राती भने रोक्न सकेन। चमर्चीबाट लगभग 200 मोर्चा समर्थकहरू आज विहान कुमानी पुगेपछि उनीहरू कतै पनि बाधित नहुनपरेको स्पष्ट भएको छ। मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा.हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले जनाए अनुसार राती 10 बजी चमर्चीका सैकड़ौं समर्थकहरू पदयात्रामा निस्किएका थिए। उनीहरू विहान हिँड़ेर नै कुमानी आइपुगे।
दिँउसो बङ्गालको पुलिस बल मोर्चा पदयात्रीहरूलाई रोक्न बाटोबाटोमा बस्ने गर्छन्। यता मोर्चाले पनि दिउँसो नै कार्यकर्ताहरू भेला भएपछि पदयात्रा शुरू गर्छन्। यसो हुँदा डुवर्सका मोर्चा कार्यकर्ताहरू कुमानीसम्म आइपुग्न सकिरहेका थिएनन्। यता मोर्चाले भने 27 फरवरीसम्ममा डुवर्सका कार्यकर्ताहरू कुमानी आएर नै देखाउने चुनौती दिइसकेको छ। सबै कुरालाई ध्यानमा राख्दै चमर्चीका मोर्चा प्रतिनिधिहरू प्रकाश परियार,चन्द्र शर्मा अनि कैलास कुणालको अगुवाईमा राती नै यात्रा गर्दै मोर्चा कार्यकर्ताहरू कुमानी पुगेको प्रकाश परियारले जनाएका छन्।
मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा. छेत्रीले जनाए अनुसार यसैगरी 27 सम्ममा डुवर्सका कार्यकर्ताहरू कुमानी आइपुग्ने छन्। उनीहरूलाई विमल गुरूङले सम्बोधन पनि गरेर डुवर्सयात्राबारे स्पष्ट पार्ने छन् भने 27 देखि नै डुवर्समुखी कार्यक्रम चड्किने सम्भावना पनि रहेको छ।
Kumani Marchers take night rout
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| The Morcha rally from Chamurchi on the way to Kumani. Picture by Biplab Basak |
Caught on the wrong foot, the Jalpaiguri administration said what had taken place was not a padayatra but a “covert” action that was carried out at night.
The authorities had earlier foiled all attempts by the Morcha to carry out a padayatra from Kumani to Jaigaon in the Dooars to press for the demand for the inclusion of the Terai and the Dooars in the new state that they want.
Attempts to breach a police barricade and enter the Dooars and the subsequent police firing at Sibchu on February 8 made Gurung change plans. He called a “reverse march” from the Dooars to Kumani on February 14.
The Morcha chief said his supporters would march from different places in the Dooars and congregate at Kumani in Kalimpong subdivision on February 27.
Morcha sources said Sandip Chhetri, a member of the Morcha’s Central Dooars committee, led about 200 men and women and started from Chamurchi in Banarhat about 10 last night. They reached Khunia More on NH31C in Nagrakata at 5.30am today. From there, they marched, shouting pro-Gorkhaland slogans via Sibchu to reach Kumani around 7.30am.
“More and more Morcha supporters will reach Kumani soon and wherever they are stopped, they will immediately start an indefinite hunger-strike,” Sandip said upon his arrival at Kumani.
The sources said another group of about 100 Morcha supporters left Birpara yesterday evening and reached Kumani, 70km away, early this morning.
Arindam Sarkar, the subdivisional police officer of Malbazar, said they had no prior information that the Morcha supporters were disregarding the prohibitory orders in the Dooars and entering Kumani.
Jalpaiguri police chief Anand Kumar said: “If someone wants to use the cover of darkness and decide to reach Kumani clandestinely, we have little to do.”
In another development, the subdivisional officer of Malbazar, Debjani Bhattacharya, today requested five Nari Morcha supporters to stop their indefinite hunger-strike at Bagrakote. “Doctors checked the women and found that they were very ill. That is why we requested them to break the fast.”
A bail plea on behalf of the Morcha-backed independent MLA of Kalchini, Wilson Chompromary, was rejected by the chief judicial magistrate’s court in Jalpaiguri today. Chompromary had been arrested on February 8 from Sibchu. The MLA’s lawyer, Pemba Tshering Ola, said the Nagrakata police had slapped fresh charges under the arms act on his client.
Test miss
“More and more Morcha supporters will reach Kumani soon and wherever they are stopped, they will immediately start an indefinite hunger-strike,” Sandip said upon his arrival at Kumani.
The sources said another group of about 100 Morcha supporters left Birpara yesterday evening and reached Kumani, 70km away, early this morning.
Arindam Sarkar, the subdivisional police officer of Malbazar, said they had no prior information that the Morcha supporters were disregarding the prohibitory orders in the Dooars and entering Kumani.
Jalpaiguri police chief Anand Kumar said: “If someone wants to use the cover of darkness and decide to reach Kumani clandestinely, we have little to do.”
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| Kalchini MLA Wilson Chompromary talks to his lawyer at the district court lockup in Jalpaiguri on Tuesday. Picture by Biplab Basak |
A bail plea on behalf of the Morcha-backed independent MLA of Kalchini, Wilson Chompromary, was rejected by the chief judicial magistrate’s court in Jalpaiguri today. Chompromary had been arrested on February 8 from Sibchu. The MLA’s lawyer, Pemba Tshering Ola, said the Nagrakata police had slapped fresh charges under the arms act on his client.
Test miss
Fifteen candidates from Dalsingpara and Toorsa tea gardens could not sit for the School Service Commission examination on Sunday as their admit cards were not delivered on time.
Postmaster of Dalsingpara sub post office Prabir Das said he had not received mails in the past fortnight because of bandh in the Dooars
SINGULAR HONOUR FOR GORKHA ARMY HERO AT INTERNATIONAL NAVAL BODY EVENTJoel Rai, KalimNews, New Delhi: As was widely reported, Lt Colonel Man Bahadur Rai, till then the oldest surviving winner of the Ashok Chakra—the peace-time equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra—passed away in Jorhat, Assam, on February 14 this year. What is little known is that the Gorkha hero received a rare honour at an international naval symposium in New Delhi on February 17.
At the symposium on “Submarine Strategies for the Future” organized by the National Maritime Foundation at India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, Lt Col Rai’s death found mention just before the valedictory address by former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral V.S. Shekhawat. Delegates attending the symposium and representing countries like the US, UK, France, Brazil, Chile, Russia, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and Japan, stood up and observed a minute of silence to mourn the passing away of an exemplary soldier and a hero. An obituary notice was also read out by National Maritime Foundation Secretary Commodore C Uday Bhaskar, an eminent strategist.
“It is probably for the first time that a soldier from the army was honoured in this manner at a naval event,” said Commodore Bhaskar later. But, he added, Lt Col Rai's heroism was something to be cherished by the world.
The National Maritime Foundation is a maritime think tank based in New Delhi and is headed by former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash and has a glittering array of naval experts and strategists as its members.
Lt Col Rai was 95 years old when he passed away in Jorhat on February 14. Born in 1914, he was enlisted in 1/10 GR in 1930 and was later commissioned into 5/11 GR in 1948. The Gorkha officer was awarded the Indian Distinguished Service Medal (IDSM) for action against the Japanese in World War II in the Chin Hills. The IDSM was awarded by Britain to Indian soldiers in the British forces and was the third highest gallantry award after the Victoria Cross and the Indian Order of Merit.
Lt Col Rai was also awarded the Military Cross by the British in 1945 for exemplary gallantry in action against the Japanese in Manipur.
In 1961, he was awarded the Ashok Chakra, the highest Indian gallantry award in peace time, for his bravery in action against Naga insurgents.
More girls than boys in Madhyamik
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| Teachers paste roll numbers of Madhyamik candidates on desks at a school in Siliguri on Tuesday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo |
Officials of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education said the number of female candidates appearing for Madhyamik exam in six northern districts would be 1,12,252, while the figure would be 1,00,323 for boys.
“The number of girls writing the examination has shown a considerable increase this year. The male candidates writing the exam is 1,00,323, which is less than the number of females by nearly 11 per cent,” said Debashish Dutta, the regional officer of the board’s northern region.
The statewide figures show that of the total 10,4931 lakh students who will appear for the exam, 5,15,602 are girls and the remaining 4,89,329 boys.
Academicians have credited the rise to the increase in the number of girls attending secondary schools regularly in the past years.
“Previously, the trend was that girls would attend primary classes and then discontinue their education. However, in the past few years, various schemes of the Sarva Shiksha Mission have been implemented to encourage girls to attend secondary schools. These schemes have been successful in checking the drop-out rate of girl students,” said an academician.
This year, more than 2 lakh candidates will appear for the Madhyamik in the six districts of north Bengal. The exams are scheduled to begin tomorrow.
“The total number of candidates appearing for the exams in north Bengal is 2,12,575. This is nearly 20,000 more than the number that appeared for the Madhyamik last year,” said Dutta.
Individual figures for the six districts show that 24,313 students are from Darjeeling, 55,752 from Jalpaiguri, 42,628 from Cooch Behar, 30, 941 from North Dinajpur and 22,041 from South Dinajpur.
“In Darjeeling district, 10,714 students will write the exam in three hill subdivisions and 13,599 in the Siliguri subdivision,” said the official.
The exams will be conducted in 547 venues, of which 110 will be centres for co-ordination and supervision.
“This year, 13 candidates will be from the Jalpaiguri correctional home. Twenty-six physically handicapped and 24 visually impaired candidates will also write the exams,” said Dutta.
Authorities in the Siliguri subdivision have made necessary preparations regarding transportation and security arrangements for the Madhyamik examinees.
“We have earmarked 1,200 autorickshaws and 115 buses for the Madhyamik examinees in the Siliguri subdivision. Adequate security arrangements have been made at exam venues also,” said Saurav Pahari, the Siliguri SDO.
CLEAR UP THE MESS
FIFTH COLUMN: Sumanta Sen,
TT, Feb 23: Recently, the army refused to get involved in the maintenance of law and order in the Darjeeling hills and in the adjoining areas of the Dooars. It pointed out that this was the job of the police and the paramilitary forces. The refusal came in the wake of growing resistance within the force over the last many years to the undertaking of assignments that are not, strictly speaking, part of its normal work. Even then, if the defence ministry had insisted that the army should go to the hills, the latter would have had no other option but to obey. Fortunately, this did not happen, and it is only to be hoped that in future too, the civil authorities will pay heed to the army’s protestations. The objection is not because the men and officers in the army want to avoid responsibility. The objection stems from a growing awareness that shouldering such responsibility creates an image that the armed forces of any country can do without — namely, the image of the army occupying its home soil.
Such protests were first made in the 1980s in several states of the Northeast, where the forces were made to do normal police work, barring only traffic management. In Imphal, for instance, it was common to find jawans searching for offenders — a job which usually would have been done by the local constabulary. Raids and other peace-keeping operations gradually turned the army into an object of hatred. This, most certainly, was not a welcome sign in a state suffering from insurgency, which drew succour from Myanmar. It was common to hear senior army officers grumbling about this, but the government in New Delhi always insisted on a more-than-essential role for the force in a state covered by the Disturbed Areas Act. The result is today’s opposition to army presence in the state that often manifests itself through demonstrations on the streets. It is true that the jawans, at times, bring upon themselves such protests through their own actions. But it must be remembered that the overall atmosphere of hostility can get to sections of the men in uniform and cause them to behave as if they were dealing with an alien people.
Bungling forces
Such a situation could perhaps have been avoided if the state’s law-enforcement agencies were alive to their own responsibilities. But over the years, the feeling seems to have grown among various state governments, and not only of the Northeast, that their own police cannot be wholly relied upon to meet any crisis. The police, in recent times, are seen more as bungling than as anything else — perhaps secure in the knowledge that ultimately there is the army to clear any mess they may have created. This became more than evident at the Darjeeling-Jalpaiguri border. When asked to stop a procession of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha there, the police made such heavy weather of their task that ultimately firing had to be resorted to.
Another glaring instance of police incompetence was noticed some years ago in Tripura, which was then facing the brunt of separatists’ attacks. After an incident at Amarpur, one had asked the local police why they could not stop the attackers from decamping with guns from the police station. The visibly nervous cops, with rifles in their hands, had replied, “How could we? They were armed.” Ultimately, the then chief minister, Nripen Chakraborty, had to seek the army’s help. Nearer home at Barasat, and only the other day, policemen guarding the houses of their big bosses stood doing nothing as a young man was beaten to death, with his sister pleading for help. Perhaps in this case also, their argument would be that the assailants were armed — knives and rods against their guns.
Now the army has made it evident that clearing up the mess created by the police is not its responsibility. The time has come for the civilian bosses to pull up their socks.
Telangana demand raised in Lok Sabha
Agencies, IE, New Delhi, Feb 23: The demand for a separate Telangana state was today raised in the Lok Sabha by several Congress members from Andhra Pradesh.
Immediately after the Question Hour, the members including Ponnam Prabhakar and M Jagannath, were on their feet seeking to raise the issue.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Narayanasamy tried in vain to pacify them and at one point was seen consulting party chief Sonia Gandhi.
Backing their demand, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj said that a Bill for the formation of the separate Telangana state should be brought in the current session itself and her party would help in its passage.
There was no response from the government on her plea. The members were pacified when Speaker Meira Kumar assured them that one of them would be given a chance to raise the issue.
Incidentally, some Congress members from Andhra Pradesh had disrupted the Presidential address yesterday by raising pro-Telangana slogans. They had displayed pro-Telangana banners and shouted "Jai Telangana" and "We want Telangana".
CLEAR UP THE MESS
FIFTH COLUMN: Sumanta Sen,
TT, Feb 23: Recently, the army refused to get involved in the maintenance of law and order in the Darjeeling hills and in the adjoining areas of the Dooars. It pointed out that this was the job of the police and the paramilitary forces. The refusal came in the wake of growing resistance within the force over the last many years to the undertaking of assignments that are not, strictly speaking, part of its normal work. Even then, if the defence ministry had insisted that the army should go to the hills, the latter would have had no other option but to obey. Fortunately, this did not happen, and it is only to be hoped that in future too, the civil authorities will pay heed to the army’s protestations. The objection is not because the men and officers in the army want to avoid responsibility. The objection stems from a growing awareness that shouldering such responsibility creates an image that the armed forces of any country can do without — namely, the image of the army occupying its home soil.
Such protests were first made in the 1980s in several states of the Northeast, where the forces were made to do normal police work, barring only traffic management. In Imphal, for instance, it was common to find jawans searching for offenders — a job which usually would have been done by the local constabulary. Raids and other peace-keeping operations gradually turned the army into an object of hatred. This, most certainly, was not a welcome sign in a state suffering from insurgency, which drew succour from Myanmar. It was common to hear senior army officers grumbling about this, but the government in New Delhi always insisted on a more-than-essential role for the force in a state covered by the Disturbed Areas Act. The result is today’s opposition to army presence in the state that often manifests itself through demonstrations on the streets. It is true that the jawans, at times, bring upon themselves such protests through their own actions. But it must be remembered that the overall atmosphere of hostility can get to sections of the men in uniform and cause them to behave as if they were dealing with an alien people.
Bungling forces
Such a situation could perhaps have been avoided if the state’s law-enforcement agencies were alive to their own responsibilities. But over the years, the feeling seems to have grown among various state governments, and not only of the Northeast, that their own police cannot be wholly relied upon to meet any crisis. The police, in recent times, are seen more as bungling than as anything else — perhaps secure in the knowledge that ultimately there is the army to clear any mess they may have created. This became more than evident at the Darjeeling-Jalpaiguri border. When asked to stop a procession of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha there, the police made such heavy weather of their task that ultimately firing had to be resorted to.
Another glaring instance of police incompetence was noticed some years ago in Tripura, which was then facing the brunt of separatists’ attacks. After an incident at Amarpur, one had asked the local police why they could not stop the attackers from decamping with guns from the police station. The visibly nervous cops, with rifles in their hands, had replied, “How could we? They were armed.” Ultimately, the then chief minister, Nripen Chakraborty, had to seek the army’s help. Nearer home at Barasat, and only the other day, policemen guarding the houses of their big bosses stood doing nothing as a young man was beaten to death, with his sister pleading for help. Perhaps in this case also, their argument would be that the assailants were armed — knives and rods against their guns.
Now the army has made it evident that clearing up the mess created by the police is not its responsibility. The time has come for the civilian bosses to pull up their socks.
Telangana demand raised in Lok Sabha
Agencies, IE, New Delhi, Feb 23: The demand for a separate Telangana state was today raised in the Lok Sabha by several Congress members from Andhra Pradesh.
Immediately after the Question Hour, the members including Ponnam Prabhakar and M Jagannath, were on their feet seeking to raise the issue.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Narayanasamy tried in vain to pacify them and at one point was seen consulting party chief Sonia Gandhi.
Backing their demand, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj said that a Bill for the formation of the separate Telangana state should be brought in the current session itself and her party would help in its passage.
There was no response from the government on her plea. The members were pacified when Speaker Meira Kumar assured them that one of them would be given a chance to raise the issue.
Incidentally, some Congress members from Andhra Pradesh had disrupted the Presidential address yesterday by raising pro-Telangana slogans. They had displayed pro-Telangana banners and shouted "Jai Telangana" and "We want Telangana".
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