Kidney patient tortured by jawans - Woman on catheter molested during raid... Nishantha Sinha pride of Gorkha musicians.... Hills workers threaten to boycott election duty

Morning Headlines

KalimNews: Motorcade of President disrupted at Medical More, Bagdogra due to breaking down of an ambulance.

GJM will file nomination for 12 assembly seats of North Bengal. 
Terai Dooars Adivasi Bikash Parishad to file nominations for 7 seats of Dooars.

Students face difficulty for postponement of NBU exams.

IOC launched 5 kg LPG cylinder.
JEE exams postponed.
ITBP Jawans molested lady kidney patient.
कालेबुङमा नारी दिवस पालन
कालेबुङ, 8 मार्च। आज 8 मार्चको दिन विश्वभरि नै अन्तराष्ट्रिय नारी दिवस पालन गरिन्छ। यसैगरी आज कालेबुङमा पनि हिल सोसियल वेलफेयर सोसाइटीले एक कार्यक्रमबीच अन्तराष्ट्रिय नारी दिवस पालन गर्‍यो। महकुमा मोर्चा अध्यक्षा सरिता राईको सभापतित्वमा सम्पन्न भएको उक्त कार्यक्रममा नारी मोर्चा कोर कमिटी सदस्या आशा गुरूङ प्रमुख अतिथि रहेकी थिइन्‌। उक्त कार्यक्रममा समाजसेवी ज्योति कार्की, पूर्व विधायिका रेणुलीना सुब्बा, युडेन भोटिया सोसाइटीका सभापति दिनेश पौड्याल, सचिवा शोभा छेत्री लगायत विभिन्न सङ्गठनका प्रतिनिधिहरूको पनि उपस्थिति रहेको थियो। 

आजको कार्यक्रममा विशेष रूपले सिप्सु गोलीकाण्डमा शहीद हुने वीर-वीरङ्गनाप्रति श्रद्धा अर्पण गर्दै शहीदहरूको तस्वीरअघि दीप प्रज्ज्वलन साथै खदा अर्पण गरी कार्यक्रम शुरू गरिएको कार्यक्रममा सोसाइटीको पक्षबाट नारी उत्थानको निम्ति एक गीत पनि प्रस्तुत गरियो। हिल सोसियल वेलफेयर सोसाइटीले यसपल्ट निकै भव्यताको साथ नारी दिवस पालन गर्ने भएको भए तापनि सिप्सु गोलीकाण्डको कारणले चाहेको जस्तो गर्न असमर्थ बनेको सोसाइटीकी सचिवा शोभा छेत्रीले बताइन्‌। उनले भनिन्‌, हाम्रो अहिले जुन माहौल छ, त्यो रमाउने माहौल होइन। यसर्थ सिप्सुको दुःखद घटनालाई शहीद बनेकी दुई चेली अनि एक छोराको आत्मा शान्तिको निम्ति हामीले भव्यताका साथ कार्यक्रम गर्न सकेनौं। उनले नारीमाथि भइरहेको उत्पिड़न र शोषणबाट उन्मुक्ति केवल सचेतनाको माध्यमबाट मात्र हुन सकिने बताइन्‌।  

यस कार्यक्रममा प्रमुख आतिथ्य दिन आइपुगेकी मोर्चा नेत्री आशा गुरूङले कार्यक्रमलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै समाजमा भइरहेको नारी शोषण अनि उन्मुक्तिको निम्ति घरको आमा नै शिक्षित अनि अनुशासित हुनपर्ने बताइन्‌। उनले भनिन्‌, आमा शिक्षित छ भने घर शिक्षित हुन्छ, घर शिक्षित भए समाज अनि समाज शिक्षित भए देश। 
आजको कार्यक्रमलाई पार्टीगत रूपमा नहेरेर केवल नारी दिवसको कार्यक्रममा उपस्थित बन्न आइपुगेकी बताइन्‌। यसरी नै पूर्व विधायिका रेणुलीना सुब्बाले यो दुःखद क्षण भएकोले भव्यतासाथ कार्यक्रम  गर्ने स्थिति नरहेको बताइन्‌। उनले भनिन्‌, आज हामी गद्गद् हुनपर्ने, यहॉं रङ्गारङ्गी हुनपर्ने, तर हामी दुःखीत छौं। शहीदको रूपमा हामीले तीनजना भाइ र बहिनी गुमायौं। हाम्रो हृदय भारी छ। वीरङ्गना नारीहरू वलभद्र र नालापानीको युद्धमा लड़ेको सुनेका थियौं। सावित्री र इन्द्रेणीहरूको नाम सुनेका थियौ, तर डुवर्सको धरतीमा पनि वीर योद्धाहरू पायौं। शहीदको मृत्यु त्यसै खेरो जानु नहुने बताउँदै उनले भनिन्‌, जसले शासन र शोषणको विरूद्धमा माटोको निम्ति लड़ाइँ गरेर निधारमा गोली थापे उनीहरूको योगदानलाई कदर गर्दै हामीले शहीदको मरण भुल्नु हुँदैन। उनले पहाड़ी क्षेत्रमा पनि अझै नारीहरूमाथि शोषण भइरहेको अनि देश-विदेशमा गोर्खे चेलीहरू बेचच-बिखन हुने कार्य भइरहेकोले केवल शिक्षाद्वारा नै नारीहरूको उन्मुक्ति हुनसक्ने बताइन्‌। उक्त कार्यक्रमको अवसर पारी सोसाइटीले मोर्चा नेत्री आशा गुरुङलाई भेटस्वरूप एक स्मृति चिन्ह पनि प्रदान गर्‍यो। 
Veteran journalist R K Singhal dies
Prabin Khaling, KalimNews, Gangtok, March 8: Press Club of Sikkim organized a condolence meeting today on the demise of Veteran journalist R K Singhal, one of the pioneer in the field of journalism in Sikkim in late 1970. Former Chief Minister and Chairman Shri B.B. Gooroong was the chief guest on the occasion while the octogeneriaan journalist C.D.Rai, Senior Journalist Amelendu Kundu, Shri Subash Deepak, Bijay Bantawa and others were present on the occasion.
On his condolence speech, Shri Gooroong lauded the role of late R.K. Singhal in the field of journalism. He also recalled his past experience in the field of journalism in 1961 up to 1967 before actively joining the politics and fighting election He recalled the reporting  and joining of many journalists from reputed media of the country and abroad during the chinese aggression in 1962 and his long association with journalist fraternity. He emphatically said that it was journalsts through their reportings that Sikkim was known to the world and appreciated the importance of media. He also recalled his days when Sikkim Express and the Nation, two leading newspapers were edited by Shri R.K. Sighal.
Shri C.D. Rai too highlighted about the role of the press in ushering democracy in Sikkim during Kazi’s regime. He lauded the role of R.K. Singal as a fearless and brave journalist of his time. Shri Subash Deepak recalled his association with late R.K. Singal and highlighted his contribution. Bijay Bantawa too spoke about the role played by R.K. Singal and his team in laying the real foundation of  journalism in Sikkim It may be recalled that  vVeteran journalist R K Singhal died in New Delhi on March 3.A former Special correspondent of UNI, Singhal died at a local hospital after a brief illness. He was 70 and is survived by his wife, son, daughter-in-law and a grandson. Born in 1942, Singhal retired from UNI in 2002 at the age of 60. 
After his retirement, he also took out a newspaper 'news sense' and later 'Hindon Times'. The condolence meeting was conducted by Shri Paras Mani Dungal, the President of Press Club of Sikkim.
Hills workers threaten to boycott election duty
TNN, DARJEELING: The Janmukti Karmachari Sangathan (JKS) affiliated to the GJM has threatened to boycott election duty if the demand for retention of the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) in Kurseong is not met immediately.
WBSEDCL human resource director had issued an order on February 28 to the Kurseong division office, stating that the unit would be merged with the Darjeeling division office from April 1. The JKS has given time till March 11 for WBSEDCL authorities to revoke the order, threatening to stage a pen down strike in all offices across the Hills. "We will first go for a pen down strike and if authorities concerned remain unaffected, then we will boycott poll duty," said Raju Lama, central committee member of the Kurseong WBSEDCL unit and senior employee.
JKS alleged that the idea of merger initiated by the director HR to provide better services to consumers would be detrimental to the interest of employees and Hills people. "The number of consumers is increasing in the Hills but instead of setting up new divisions, the government is gradually shifting offices to the plains. Employees, too, will face transfer and accommodation problems," he said, adding, "people in Kurseong will have a harrowing time with electricity bills and other related issues. We will definitely not allow such a thing to happen".
MK tells varsity to ask for more posts - Ambulance breaches President convoy

Governor MK Narayanan welcomes President Pratibha Patil at Bagdogra airport on Tuesday. Telegraph picture

TT, Siliguri, March 8: Governor M.K. Narayanan has asked North Bengal University to send a requisition to the state government for additional posts of officers, teachers and other staff, an initiative which the varsity celebrating its Golden Jubilee this year has not taken in the past two decades.

“The chancellor met the varsity officers and asked them about the different reforms undertaken by the respective departments…We pointed out to him that the varsity has not sought for additional posts of officers, teachers and non-teaching staff since 1982. The chancellor reacted by asking us to assess the number of existing posts, get the sanction for additional posts from the executive council and the (university) court and send requisitions to the state government as soon as possible,” a university official said.

The official said in 1982, when the last requisition was made, there were about 40 colleges affiliated to the university. The number has now risen to 62. “The UGC cleared the creation of 24 new teaching posts last year but the varsity has not approached the state government in this regard as yet,” the official said. The NBU has 160 teachers and 36 officials.

Narayanan had last visited the varsity in April for the convocation. Asked about the purpose of his visit this time, the governor told The Telegraph: “I am the chancellor of the university, I can come whenever I want to. I don’t need any invitation.”

Later in the evening, the governor welcomed President Pratibha Patil at the Bagdogra airport.

On the way to the circuit house, the President’s convoy was reportedly breached by an ambulance at Medical More.

The President, who will attend a programme of the Indian Air Force tomorrow morning before leaving for Imphal, arrived on a special flight at Bagdogra at 7.10pm. From there, the convoy of 25-odd vehicles accompanied her to the Siliguri circuit house 15km away.

“Near Medical More, when around six vehicles, including the President’s car had passed, an ambulance broke in, leading to disintegration of the motorcade with 19-20 vehicles remaining behind,” a source said.

Police, however, are yet to confirm if the ambulance was carrying a patient, the source said.

Kidney patient tortured by jawans - Woman on catheter molested during raid

The room where the woman was molested by the ITBP jawans. Picture by Biplab Basak

TT, Jalpaiguri, March 8: A 27-year-old woman just back from a Vellore hospital and on a catheter that helps drain urine from the body was allegedly molested and abused by two ITBP jawans during a pre-poll raid for illegal liquor on her family snacks shop last night.

No liquor was found in the roadside shop, which sellsmomos and confectionery.

The woman, who is frail as her “kidneys function only 19 per cent”, had been advised six months of bed rest by Christian Medical College, Vellore, where she was being treated for chronic renal failure. She had to be admitted to the Birpara State General Hospital after she fell violently ill because of last night’s trauma.

Her father Wang Chu Sherpa said she was on catheter for sometime. “She had been advised dialysis three months from now either in Calcutta or in Chennai. Doctors said her kidneys have been functioning only 19 per cent.”

Birpara hospital sources said she had injuries on her right hand, ankle and forehead. The sources said the marks indicated she had been manhandled and pushed around.

Chronic renal failure, according to a doctor of the Jalpaiguri District Hospital, means the patient needs utmost care. “The health is frail as the kidneys, vital organs, are in a very bad state. I cannot say more without examining the patient,” the doctor said.

The woman’s husband Tashi Sherpa, who owns a fast food shop at Binnaguri Chowpathy 50km from here, has filed a complaint against two jawans of the Indo Tibetan Border Patrol (ITBP). But police said he had not identified them by name in the FIR.

Around 30 jawans from the ITBP’s second battalion had entered the fast food centre along with a six-member police team during the joint raid at 7.30pm yesterday. It was part of a pre-poll exercise to find out if any illegal liquor was being sold. One company of the CRPF and two companies of the ITBP have been deployed in Jalpaiguri district for the Assembly elections.

The inspector in charge of Banarhat police station, Narayan Chandra Majumdar, was also present during the raid. He, however, said: “Whatever has been alleged took place after we came out of the shop where we had gone on a raid along with the ITBP personnel.”

Sherpa said his shop was on the ground floor of his house.

“The police did not find anything in my shop and they left. However, two of the jawans wanted to search upstairs and even though I told them that my wife was unwell, they told me to remain downstairs while they went up,” he said.

He said he soon heard his wife screaming. “I rushed upstairs and found the room in total disarray. My wife could hardly speak, she went on screaming. Two jawans had molested her after throwing her violently on the bed. They even tore off a sleeve of her T-shirt. When we rushed in on hearing the commotion, the jawans fled,” he said.

Sherpa said the couple had come back from Chennai on March 4. “She fell very ill after the trauma and we have admitted her to the Birpara hospital,” he said.

Jalpaiguri police chief Anand Kumar, away in Calcutta, said over the phone that he had instructed the inspector in charge to begin investigations and report back to him. “No one has been named in the FIR, but the ITBP has been named. The place where the raid was conducted is notorious for illegal liquor dens and last evening the police arrested two men from the area for the offence,” Kumar said.

Nishantha Sinha pride of Gorkha musicians

KalimNews: Nishantha Sinha who plays Pakhawaj (an ancient barrel shaped percussion instrument, similar to Mridangam) received an award for India's best solo performer in "All India Dhrupad Mela", at Varanasi recently. He is first and youngest Gorkha to reach such a height. 

He is been working as a CINE Musician (Pakhwaj), Flim Industry, Mumbai and got his masters in music from Visva Bharati University. His music degrees are Junior Diploma (Tabla-2000-2001)1st Div. Distinction, Prayag Sangeet Samity, Allahabad : Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.Hons.) Tabla & Pakhaawaj-2005, 1st Div Distinction from Visva-Bharati University , Shantiniketan : .Master of Music (M.Mus) Tabla-2007, 1st Div from Visva-Bharati University, Shantiniketan.

Nishantha is receiver of National Scholarship (Pakhaawaj) for the year 2005-2007 (Cultural Affairs & Human Resourses Department, Govt. of India ) : Cine Musician (Pakhaawaj) & Life Time member Cine Musician’s Association (C.M.A.) Film Industry, Mumbai Certificates of Merits : T.N.A. Silver Jubilee year 1994 (distinction) Band ‘Bass’ 4th year.

He also received appreciations from T.N.A. Brass Band certificate of distinction Appreciations from ‘Trumpet’ : Sikkim Sahitya Parishad, Gangtok, Sikkim- 1998 ( Krishna Smriti Puraskaar Samaaroha) Different Associations, Depts. & : Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, (EZCC), Kolkata 1995 : Sikkim Kalaakaar Sangha 2005.

His participation and performances are North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC) for young Talented Artiste (Tabla art form) March 13th 2007 Competitions : Stood 1st both in Dist. & State Level (W.Bengal), National Youth Festival, sub. (Pakhaawaj). Participated in the National Youth Festival at Pune, Maharastra, 2006 Performances : Performing every year in India ’s prestigious programe “ALL INDIA DHRUPAD MELA” since 2005 arranged by ‘Maharaj Banaras Vidya Mandir Trust.Dhrupad Tirtha’ Tulsi Ghat , Varanasi . Recognised as National Artiste Solo Performer (Pakhaawaj) : Performed in various Metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Trivandrum , Bhopal , Pune, Varanasi etc. : Taala Vaadya & Fusion Music with Shri Hariharan at Durgapur (Srijani Hall) composition of Guru Pt. Gobinda Bose : 

Accompanied with Pakhaawaj in Bhajans, with renouned Artistes Of South- India his performances wer telecasted in the channel ‘AMRADA’ : Performed solo Pakhaawaj at Sikkim & Darjeeling : Accompanied in Pakhaawaj with Sarod , Sitar, Esraj at Shantiniketan and Varanasi with Indian & foreign students : ( Austrailia, America , Japan , Srilanka , France , Spain , Slovania) Instruments played during various : Purvey- Maadal, Paschimey- Maadal, Dholak, Dhol (Punjabi , Assamese, Gujarati, Manipuri), Naal, Khanjari Programs & Recordings Bengal ), Kanjira (South-India), Mridangam, Gaabgubi( Bengal), Machoongaa , Djembe(Afro-drum), Tambourine, Tumbak- Taandi(Kashmiri), Congo , Bongo, Thumba, Ghatam(South- India), Trumpet, Tabal (Arabian-drum), Darbooka, Guitar, Acoustic- Drum etc. Experience : Taught Tabla to small children’s in Shantiniketan, also foreign students of Visva-Bharati (from Korea , America , Israel , Srilanka) : He arranged Rhythms & worked in some local Music Albums like (Udaaharan, Swar- Suman, Bhakti-Rasaamrit etc.). Gharaanaa : Tabla – Purab Baaj (Bangaal) Pakhaawaj – Lala Keval Kishanji Mahaaraaj (Bangaal) Tutelar : Tabla:- Late Pratap Singh Lohar, A.I.R. Kerseong (Diploma stage) Pt. Manas Dasgupta (Prof. of Visva-Bharati, Shantiniketan) Shri Nikhil Ranjan Roy (Lecturer of Visva-Bharati Shantiniketan) : Pakhaawaj:- Pt. Chanchal Kr. Bhattacharya (Ex.Sr. Lecturer of Visva- Bharati, Shantiniketan) Pt. Gobinda Bose, A.I.R Kolkata YOUTUBE Links on Solo Pakhawaj.

27 yrs old Sinha runs a musical school at 7th Mile Kalimpong. 

Tourism stares at losses - Forest strike from March 16 to 23

A pregnant Champakali had to starve during the forest watchers’ strike in February. On Tuesday, she delivered a female calf in Jaldapara. (Anirban Choudhury)

TT, Alipurduar, March 8: Dooars tourism is set to go through another phase of crisis with forest watchers deciding to go on strike from March 16 to 23 to press for a hike in wages.

Resorts and lodges in the Dooars have already incurred huge losses this year because of the strikes enforced by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the Adivasi Vikas Parishad in January and February.

The forest watchers had also shut down the offices of the forest department on February 21 and 22 and disrupted all tourism activities in the sanctuaries, demanding that their monthly wages be increased from Rs 2,900 to Rs Rs 6,600.

“Tourists come to the Dooars for enjoyment, but people who serve them are struggling to arrange for two square meals a day. Our members are doing odd jobs in the forest department and still, they are not getting minimum wages. We have no other option but to go on strike,” said Mihir Roy Choudhury, general secretary of the West Bengal Forest Watchers' Association.

The seven-day strike will synchronise with Holi, which falls on March 19. A large number of people plan to celebrate the festival in the Dooars and most of the rooms have already been booked. There are also lodges inside forests.

Car and elephant safaris in forests are the main attractions in the Dooars. As the strike will affect room services as well as the safaris, tourists will most likely cancel bookings.

“A large number of tourists like to celebrate Holi in the Dooars. Ninety per cent of rooms are booked for the period from March 15 to 25. As the forest watchers have declared a strike from March 16 to 23 in north Bengal, tour operators will be hit badly,” said Samrat Sanyal, the secretary of the Eastern Himalaya Travel and Tour Operators’ Association.

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