आमरण अनशन उठ्यो, विद्यार्थीहरू सड़कमा क्रामाकपा अघि पनि मोर्चासित थिएन-आशा .... जसले गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति कमिट्‌मेन्ट दिन्छ- उसैलाई सहयोग गरिनेछ-मोर्चा

HEADLINES:

Fast-unto-death of GLP and Sainik Morcha of all places lifted by GJM.

Asha Gurung, Nari Morcha Chief visited Kalimpong.

Students brought out rally in Kalimpong.
Anil Verma joined DGHC as administrator

आमरण अनशन उठ्यो, विद्यार्थीहरू सड़कमा : क्रामाकपा अघि पनि मोर्चासित थिएन-आशा
मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,3 मार्च। मोर्चाको आमरण अनशन चुनाउको आचार संहिताले उठायो। महुकुमा अधिकारीको कार्यलयको 200 फिट वरिपरि कुनै पनि दलले कुनै पनि कार्यक्रम गर्न पाउनेछैन। यसैकारण मोर्चाले तीनोटा दाबीमा गरेको आमरण अनशन उठायो। न त सिब्सुघटनामाथि सीबीआई जॉंच नै भयो, न त विमल गुरूङलाई डुवर्स जाने अनुमति नै दियो, न त तराई-डुवर्स र पहाड़ लगाएर छुट्टै राज्य गठन नै गर्‍यो। चुनाउ आइरहेको अनि कोड अफ कन्डक्ट लागू हुने अगावै थाहा रहेको भए पनि मोर्चाले आमरण अनशन गर्‍यो, जसको कुनै प्रभाव सरकारलाई परेन। महकुमा अधिकारीको कार्यालयमा पूवर्र् सैनिकका दुइ अनि जीएलपीका तीन जना सदस्यहरू आमरण अनशनमा बसेका थिए। उनीहरूलाई मोर्चा प्रतिनिधिहरूले जुश खुवाएर अनशन उठायो। अनशनकारीहरूलाई महकुमा अस्पताल लगियो। 

उनीहरूसित भेटघाट गर्न नारी मोर्चा कोर कमिटी सदस्य आशा गुरूङ कालेबुङ आइपुगेकी थिइन्‌। तिनले भनिन्‌, हामी गणतान्त्रिक आन्दोलनकारी हौं। गणतन्त्रको पूजा गर्ने भएकोले चुनाउलाई सफल बनाउन नै आचारसंहितालाई सम्मान गर्दै अनशन उठाइएको हो। यता क्रामाकपाले मोर्चासित गठबन्धन नगर्ने भनेर दिएको टिप्पणीमाथि बोल्दै तिनले भनिन्‌, क्रामाकपा अघि पनि कहॉं मोर्चासित थियो र? यता तिनले  जसले गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठन गर्न सहयोग गर्छ उसैलाई मोर्चाले चुनाउमा सघाउने पनि जनाइन्‌।
मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा.हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले चुनाउ आयोगलाई पहाड़मा चुनाउको परिवेश छ अनि मोर्चाले चुनाउलाई सफलसित सम्पन्न गर्ने बताइसकेकोले पनि अनशन उठाएको जनाए। यता विद्यार्थी मोर्चाले आज पनि विभिन्न विद्यालयका विद्यार्थीहरूलाई सड़कमा उतार्‍यो। विद्यार्थी मोर्चाले हातमालिएको कार्यक्रम अनुसार नै सिब्सुकाण्डमाथि सीबीआई जॉंच हुनुपर्ने, विमल गुरूङलाई डुवर्स जान दिइनपर्ने अनि गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको तीन सूत्रीमागमा विद्यार्थीहरूले नगरमा नारा जुलूस गर्‍यो।

जसले गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति कमिट्‌मेन्ट दिन्छ- उसैलाई सहयोग गरिनेछ-मोर्चा
मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,3 मार्च।कुमानीमा जनसभा गर्दै मोर्चा अध्यक्ष विमल गुरूङले सिब्सुकाण्डको जवाबमा जनताले माकपालाई बुलेटको जवाब व्यालेटले दिने आह्वान गरे। तिनले माकपालाई एकै भोट पनि दिइन नहुने मात्र होइन विधानसभा चुनाउमा माकपा बाहेर अरू दलहरूसित कुराकानी गर्न सकिने पनि बताए। सबैले मोर्चाले विधानसभा चुनाउमा कसलाई लघाउने हो भन्ने जिज्ञासा राखेका छन्‌। यता मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा.हर्कबहादर छेत्रीले पनि गोर्खाहरूको जनादेश देखाउन विधानसबा चुनाउमा मोर्चाको अंशग्रहण महत्वपूर्ण रहेको जनाएका थिए। 

बिमल गुरूङले माकपा बाहेक अन्य दलहरूसित कुराकानी गर्ने भनेर दिएको टिप्पणीले माकपालाई नै फाइदा हुनसक्ने विश्लेषकहरूको अड़ान रहेको थियो। किन भने बङ्गालमा जुनदलले गोर्खाल्याण्डको कुरा गर्छ  त्यसलाई बङ्गभङ्ग गर्ने शक्तिकोरूपमा प्रचार गर्ने संस्कार रहेको छ। मोर्चाले माकपा बाहेक अरू दल भनेकोले माकपा जसले पनि गोर्खाल्याणअडको निम्ति सकरात्मक छ उसलाई बङ्गभङ्गपक्षधरको रूपमा प्रचार गर्न मुख बाएर बसेको छ।  राजनीति बुझ्ने र बङ्गालको राजनैतिक संस्कार जान्नेहरूले विधानसभा चुनाउमा बङ्गालमा मत बटुल्न गोर्खाल्याणअडको मुद्दालाई प्रयोग गर्ने कुरा बुझ्ने गरेको छ।
बङ्गभङ्ग हुन नदिने अड़ानलाई नै भोट बटुल्ने मशिनकोरूपमा माकपा, भाजपा मात्र होइन बङ्गालको सबै दलले ग्रहण गर्ने गरेको छ। यसैकारण पहाड़मा विधानसभा चुनाउलाई लिएर अझ पनि व्यापक अन्योलता रहेको छ। यसै सम्बन्धमा मोर्चा प्रवक्ता डा.हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीसित खासैरुपमा विधानसभा चुनाउलाई लिएर मोर्चाको स्पष्ट अड़ान के छ ? भन्ने प्रश्न गर्दा तिनले भने, विधानसभा चुनाउलाई लिएर मोर्चा इच्छुक छैन। यो मोर्चाको टाउको दुखाइ होइन। यो अहिले नै गरिने निर्णय पनि होइन। यति हो कि जुन दलले गोर्खाल्याण्डबारे लिखित र व्यवहारिक कटिबद्धता देखाउँछ उसैलाई सम्झौताको आधारमा चुनाउमा सहयोग गर्नेछ। जसलाई गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति कमिट्‌ गराउन सक्छौं, उसैलाई जिताउनेछौं, यो अन्तमा लिइने निर्णय हो, अहिले नै यो विषयमा मोर्चाले कोही सोंचेको छैन।
तिनले स्पष्ट भने, विधानसभा चुनाउको विषय मोर्चाको प्राथमिकता सूचीमा नै छैन। तिनलाई विधानसभा चुनाउको निम्ति दलीय सहमति वा दलीय मतऐक्यता निर्माण गरिन्छ कि गरिँदैन भनेर सोधिएको प्रश्नको जवाबमा तिनले भने, यो चुनाउको कुराबारे मोर्चाले केही सोंचेको छैन। अन्तिम क्षणमा केन्द्रिय समितिले जे निर्णय गर्छ, त्यतिबेला नै सबै कुरा प्रकट हुन्छ। यता क्रामाकपा अध्यक्ष आरबी राईले मोर्चासित चुनाउलाई लिएर गठबन्धन हुन नसक्ने भनेर दिएको टिप्पणीमाथि प्रतिक्रिया गर्दै तिनले भने, क्रामाकपालाई जोसित गठबन्धन गर्न इच्छा छ, गर्दा हुन्छ। तर लोकतन्त्र भनेको जनता हो। मोर्चासित जनता छ।
विधानसभा चुनाउ भनेको गणतान्त्रिकरूपले हाम्रो कुरा सुनाउने मौका हो। अहिले नै कसलाई सघाउने भन्ने विषयमा दलहरूसित कुरा गर्नथाल्यौं भने आन्दोलन कसले गर्छ? प्राधिकरणमा त मोर्चा नजाने भएको छ भने विधानसभा के हो? यसैले विधानसभालाई लिएर मोर्चा गम्भीर छैन। मोर्चाले जनतालाई जबरजस्ती गरेर दलमा ल्याएको छ भन्ने माकपा र अन्य दलहरूलाई जवाब दिन पनि यो चुनाउ मोर्चाको निम्ति एउटा अवसर रहेको छ। जसरी होस्‌ चुनाउलाई गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति कसरी फाइदाकारी बनाउन सकिन्छ भन्ने कुरा मोर्चाले सोंच्दैछ। यो चुनाउलाई पनि गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलनको रूप दिइने आधारहरू हेरिँदैछ। अर्कोतिर जसवन्त सिंहलाई भाजपाले गरेको खै-माथि प्रश्न गर्दा तिनले कसैलाई पनि संवैधानिक दाबीलाई नकार्ने अधिकार नरहेको जनाए।  गोर्खाल्याण्ड आन्दोलनलाई जसवन्तले नेतृत्व गरेको होइन। यो आन्दोलन अघिबाट नै थियो अनि गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति नै जसवन्तलाई जिताइएको हो।
भाजपाको कुनै नेतालाई गोर्खाल्याण्डको विरोध गर्ने अधिकार छैन-तिनले भने।
Tea wage link with polls 

High hopes: Workers in a hill garden

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, March 3: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha hopes a decision in favour of its demand for the revision of wages for tea garden workers will impact the results of the Assembly elections not only in the Darjeeling hills but also in the Dooars and the Terai.

Bimal Gurung, the president of the Morcha, had threatened on February 27 that if the wages were not increased from Rs 68 a day to Rs 120-150 by March 6, the party would put an embargo on the despatch of the first flush of the Darjeeling tea from the next day.

However, sources said the Morcha would start blocking the despatch of the first flush from tomorrow to exert more pressure on garden owners.

The Morcha has raised the demand for the workers in 80-odd gardens in the hills. The current wage agreement is applicable only till March 31 and a revision is slated to come into effect from April 1, a fortnight before north Bengal goes to polls.

The Morcha believes if the gardens agree to raise wages substantially, then the party will be able to consolidate its position in three Assembly seats in the hills and earn goodwill in the Dooars and the Terai. Such a deal will help the Morcha make inroads into the plains, where the unions have less bargain power to fetch workers higher wages.

The majority of voters in the hills, the Terai and the Dooars are garden dwellers. According to figures with the Tea Board of India, there are about 53,492 workers in the hill gardens. While 39,680 are dependant on the sector in the Terai, the number of garden workers in the Dooars is 1,68,867.

Observers say since the Morcha is having sway over the hills and the demand for the wage increase is accompanied by a threat, there are chances that the plantations will agree to hike the workers’ wages at least partly to meet the Morcha’s demand.

“If that were the case, operating unions in the Dooars and the Terai and their political parties will be in a tight spot. They would be seen as not working in the interest of tea garden workers,” said an observer. “Besides, no parties have demanded a hike in the wages of late in the Dooars and the Terai and looking at the way unions function in the plains, it is unlikely that they will reach a consensus.”

In fact, the trade union affiliated to the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad had sometime back sought a wage increase from Rs 68 to Rs 250.

“The demand by the Parishad is unlikely to be met by the gardens in the plains as most of them are financially not very healthy,” said an industry insider.

Fast withdrawn

The Morcha on Thursday lifted its indefinite hunger strike in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Gorubathan.

The withdrawal came on a day when the Centre asked the Bengal government to shift those on fast to hospitals. Fortunately for the Left Front government, the Morcha lifted the fast before anything was to be done.

Five Morcha members each had been on fast at the four places since Friday to demand a CBI probe into the Sibchu police firing. The party withdrew the hunger strike as the government couldn’t recommend the CBI probe after the model code of conduct had come into force with the declaration of polls.

Meanwhile, the GNLF today formed its Kurseong branch committee with Palden Lama as its president.
Reading tea leaves: Weather, wages may mar Darjeeling story
Sabyasachi Bandopadhyay, IE, Kolkata:Global warming and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha are set to spell doom for Darjeeling tea — the dream brew of connoisseurs. Erratic rains has already made a dent in tea production — in 2008 it was 10 million kg but at the end of 2010 it was 7.5 million kg.
And now, the Morcha, spearheading the Gorkhaland movement, has issued a diktat that unless the daily wage of garden workers is hiked to Rs 150 — from the current Rs 67 — by March 7, they will stop tea export.
Harka Bahadur Chhetri, spokesman for the Morcha, said: “They earn a lot of money and will have to give at least Rs 150 per day to labourers. Unless they implement it by March 6 we will stop tea export. They will get to know that we are not kidding,”
“This industry is moving towards doom,” said a planter from Darjeeling. “Production is going down and now this fatwa. There is a sense a defiance among workers. Darjeeling tea is the most hankered after tea in the global market and 60 per cent of it is exported. We don’t know what future holds.”
There are 72 tea gardens in Darjeeling, in which around 70,000 people work as labourers. The three-year agreement between the workers’ unions and tea growers on minimum wages is to expire on March 30 and fresh negotiations are to start soon.
To add to the woes of the planters, who say Rs 150 is not acceptable to them, the state government, which also takes part in the negotiations on wage fixing, has said it wants the wages to be fixed at Rs 168 without ration per day.
“Prices are soaring and the labourers are suffering for this, in fact, Rs 67 is peanuts,” said Labour minister Anadi Sahu. “We don’t want the labourers to be deprived. We will bring it up in the next tripartite meeting.” But the planters are aghast.
“Apart from wages, we provide them with free ration, free quarters and free medical facilities, there are other incentives too,” the planter said. “Altogether the package comes to about Rs 110-120. Now, if we have to fix the minimum wage at Rs 150, the package for a single worker will come to Rs 250-260. And that will be a disaster for the industry.”
The Indian Tea Association says it is waiting for the government’s directive. “If the government has to say something they will let us know in writing. We will have to respond to that,” said Monojit Dasgupta, Secretary of the Association.

Homeless Madhyamik girl gets succour at last

Sabita prepares for the Madhyamik in the classroom. A file picture

TT, Alipurduar, March 3: Sabita Barman can soon study in peace and in the comfort of her own home.

The administration has given money to the family of the Class X student to build a house under Indira Awas Yojana.

The girl has been staying in a classroom of Pramodnagar Nimno Buniyadi Primary School ever since her house was washed away by flood waters in July last year.

The 16-year-old is preparing for the Madhyamik staying in the classroom and her hardship was reported by The Telegraph on February 24. She cycles three kilometres to her exam centre at Jateswar Girls High School, around 50km from here.

Two hours before the model code of conduct for the polls came into force on Tuesday, the Trinamul Congress gram panchayat pradhan of Goabornagar, Subhas Barman, handed a cheque for Rs 22,500 to Sabita’s father, a labourer. Her grandmother and a neighbour, Sarat Barman, were also given same amounts to build houses. Their houses, too, had been destroyed in the flood.

Asked about the long wait the homeless were subjected to, the block development officer of Falakata, Sushanta Mondol, said the problem lay in getting hold of a plot of land for the families to build their homes on.

“The land on which their houses had stood was completely washed away and there was a delay in finding a plot. It was only recently that a half an acre land was earmarked for the three families. Soon, we began the process of issuing the cheques. We knew that the Assembly election dates would be announced any day and we could give the money to them before the model code of conduct came into effect,” said Mondol.

Sources said the three families would be paid Rs 22,500 each more once the first installment was spent.

The girl’s preparation for the Madhyamik is marred by the din created by children in the adjoining classrooms. At night, she has to rely on candles as there is no electricity in the school.

Monobala Barman, Sabita’s grandmother, said she was glad that their plight had come to an end. “We will never forget the help and the compassion shown by the school teachers and the villagers, they have been helping us for the past seven months,” she said.

Not only the administration, a Jalpaiguri-based NGO, Sneha Human Resources Welfare Society, has also come forward with help. “We read about the families in the paper. We have provided bedsheets, mosquito nets, clothes, books and Rs 1,000 to the Madhyamik candidate. We will stay by her side and provide all help,” said Anup Malakar, the secretary of the society.

“We are happy that the families will move to their new houses and we will be able to get the classroom back before the monsoon,” said Ashoke Krishna Dutta, the teacher-in-charge of the school.

Ever since the families started staying in the room where students of Classes I and II were taught, the classes are being held in the open.

“Sabita’s exams are going on fine. Except for English, she is doing well in the other subjects,” said Dutta.

SAMAJIK CHETANA ABHIYAN BY SSB STARTED AT SAKYONG, WEST SIKKIM
Prabin Khaling, KalimNews, Gangtok 3rd March: Four day long Samajik Chetana Abhiyan organised by Sashastra Seem Bal (SSB),Sikkim Area started today on 4th March 2011 in Sakyong village of West Sikkim.
The programme was chaired by Shri M.B. Rai, Chairman, Sikkim Milk union and the other dignitaries attended the programme were Smt. Karma Chukki Bhutia, Adhyaksha, Zilla Panchayat, West Sikkim, Shri Rajeev Ranjan, IPS, SP(West), Shri Devendra Kumar Arya,IPS, SDPO(West), Shri Santosh kumar Alley, Asst. Director, HRDD, Smt.Karma Doma Bhutia, Headmistress, Sakyong Govt.Secondary School and Smt. Pampha Rai, President, ward Panchayat Sakyong.The opening programme was attended by around 500 villagers from Yangtee GPU.
On the occasion, Shri S.K.Sood, Area Organiser highlighted the aims and objective of four days long Samajik Chetana Abhiyan and emphasized upon the importance of community participation for the better border management and close coordination between various Government functionaries for carrying out mandatory task in the right prospective. He also informed the gathering that free medical, vetinerary and Homeopathy services will be provided by the SSB Doctors and Para-medical staff during the Abhiyan period and Sports and indoor activities will be organised for the School Children and Youth of the area, in order to achieve better public police relationship, which will go a long way in managing Indo-Nepal border, where SSB has been deployed.
In his address, the Chief Guest talked about the need of better coordination between villagers and the Force personnel, which will not only help to keep the border safe from miscreants but at the same time villagers can also avail many facilities available with the Force. He showered praises on SSB for relentlessly working for the people of Sikkim by keeping vigil in the border and providing various aids and assistance like Computers, Public address system, Sports items, CGI Sheets and different training programme for capacity building to the villagers.
Smt. Karma Chukki Bhutia, Adhyaksha, Zilla Panchayat, West Sikkim also spoke on this occasion and expressed her gratitude towards SSB for providing assistance to the border population and organizing such a meaningful camps, which will certainly help villagers to understand the policies of Central Government and the importance of being border population.
The opening function winded up with the Vote of Thanks delivered by Shri D.K.Sinha, Commandant 19th Bn.SSB, Gangtok.
In the evening, a colorful musical programme was also organised by the Orchestra team of Sector Hqr. SSB, Ranidanga and presented Nepali and Hindi songs to entertain the people. Local clubs of the area also participated in the programme. 
worker mauled
TT, Jaigaon: Ghutu Mahali, a worker of Meenglass Tea Estate near Malbazar, was mauled by a leopard on Thursday. Mahali was on his way to work when the animal attacked him.