Morning Headlines:
KalimNews, March 2nd: Election of west Bengal will be held in six phases, 1st phase starts from 18th April which includes constituencies of Darjeeling and North Bengal.
Code of conduct implemented in all the states.
Physical Science paper of Madhyamik Pariksha scheduled on 3rd March is leaked and W.B. Board of Secondary Education postponed it to 22 March.
A court here has found Amit Maheswari guilty of murdering the 20-year-old girl by strangulating her and pushing her from a multi-storey building on Hill Cart Road in Siliguri in 2006.
KalimNews, March 2nd: Election of west Bengal will be held in six phases, 1st phase starts from 18th April which includes constituencies of Darjeeling and North Bengal.
Code of conduct implemented in all the states.
Physical Science paper of Madhyamik Pariksha scheduled on 3rd March is leaked and W.B. Board of Secondary Education postponed it to 22 March.
Nirmalaya Diyali and Brinda Lama broke their fast by taking biscuits and fruit juice, a hospital source said. They were admitted in Jalpaiguri Hospital after their health condition deteriorated due to fast unto death at Bagrakote. The condition of the other three GJM women supporters on fast for seventeenth day in Bagrakote has deteriorated further but still they have denied any medical aid.
Members of Darjeeling Hill INC led by KB Chhetri former MP met Sonia Gandhi, Congress Chairperson at Delhi.
A team of six CPRM members will attend the seminar of National Federation for small states on 4th March at New Delhi. They will organise a sit in demonstration on 5th March at Jantar Mantar. The team members will also meet left front like minded party members from 9th to 13th March at Kolkata and discuss on the matter of Gorkhaland.
Members of Darjeeling Hill INC led by KB Chhetri former MP met Sonia Gandhi, Congress Chairperson at Delhi.
A team of six CPRM members will attend the seminar of National Federation for small states on 4th March at New Delhi. They will organise a sit in demonstration on 5th March at Jantar Mantar. The team members will also meet left front like minded party members from 9th to 13th March at Kolkata and discuss on the matter of Gorkhaland.
मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,1 मार्च। केवल क्षेत्रियस्तरमा मात्र चर्किरहेको तर राष्ट्रीयस्तरमा भने कतै पनि सहमति नबटुलिएको छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दालाई अब क्रामाकपाले राष्ट्रिय बहसमा ल्याउने भएको छ। क्रामाकपाले ठानेको छ कि दोस्रो चरणको आन्दोलनले गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति राष्ट्रिय सहमति जुटाउन सकेन। यसैकारण मुद्दा दाबीको निम्ति कुनै पनि कार्यनीति निर्माण गर्न अनि त्यसलाई कार्यान्वयनमा ल्याइन अघि देशभरिका बौद्धिक जमातलाई मुद्दाको तथ्यपरक जानकारी उपलब्ध गराइनु अनिवार्य मान्दै क्रामाकपाले अब मुद्दालाई राष्ट्रिय बहसमा ल्याउने भएको क्रामाकपा महासचिव तारामणि राईले जनाएका छन्। तिनले भने, भोली यसै क्रमलाई निरन्तरता प्रदान गर्दै साना राज्यहरूको गठन चहाने घटक दलहरूको संयुक्त सङ्गठन नेश्नल फेडेरेश फर स्मलर स्टेटको आयोजनामा क्रामाकपाको पॉंच सदस्यीय टोली दिल्लीमा भइरहेको सङ्गोष्टीको निम्ति प्रास्थान हुनेछ।
तिनले मुद्दालाई राष्ट्रिय बहसमा ल्याएर मुद्दा दाबीको आधारभूत तथ्यलाई बौद्धिक जमातमा राख्न सके केन्द्रमा दबाव बनाउनको निम्ति शक्ति निर्माण गर्न सकिने विश्वास क्रामाकपालाई रहेको बताउँदै यस कार्यक्रममा छुट्टैराज्य पन्थी सबै राजनैतिक-अराजनैतिक सङ्गठनहरूको सहभागिता रहने जनाए। भागोप अनि क्रामाकपाले गोर्खाल्याण्डको पक्षबाट सङ्गोष्टीलाई सम्बोधन गर्नेछ।
क्रामाकपा कार्यकारी अध्यक्ष एलएम लामा, केन्द्रिय सदस्य शेखर छेत्री, रबिन राई, केन्द्रिय महापरिषद सदस्य निरज राई, केन्द्रिय समिति सदस्य किशोर प्रधान अनि गक्रायुमो महासचिव अरूण घतानी दिल्ली प्रास्थान गर्ने तिनले जनाएका छन्। सम्पूर्ण उत्तरपूर्वी क्षेत्रहरूबाट सङ्गोष्टीमा प्रतिनिधिहरू रहनेछन् भने तेलङ्गनाका पी. निरूप, बन्देलखण्डका राजा बुन्देला तथा सबै छुट्टैराज्य गठनको निम्ति आन्दोलनरत सङ्गठनहरूका प्रतिनिधिहरूको उपस्थिति हुनेछ। सङ्गोष्टीमा उपस्थित बौद्धिक जमातमा राख्न छुट्टैराज्य गठनका सम्भाव्य पक्ष तथा तथ्यपरक दस्तावेजहरू साथै लिएर जाने बताउँदै राई भने, 4 तारिकको दिन यो सङ्गोष्टी हुनेछ अनि यसको भोलीपल्ट जन्तरमन्तरमा धर्नाको कार्यक्रम रहनेछ। क्रामाकपा टोलीले केही दिन दिल्लीबास गर्दै त्यहॉंका बौद्धिकसमाजलाई गोर्खाल्याण्डबारे शिक्षित गराउनेछन्।
गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दालाई राज्यका मुख्यमन्त्री समेतले साम्प्रादायिक बनाइरहेका छन् अनि दार्जीलिङका वर्तमान सांसदले पनि मुद्दाको वास्तविकतामाथि दिल्लीको बौद्धिकसमाजमा कुनै पनि तथ्यपरक कुरा राख्न नसकेकोले हाम्रो मुद्दालाई अर्कै दृष्टिकोणले हेर्न थालेको अनुभव क्रामाकपाले गरेको छ। यसैकारण हाम्रो समस्यालाई विकासको मुद्दा बनाइन चलखेल भइरहेको लागेको छ। हाम्रो जम्मै समस्याको समाधान छुट्टै राज्यले मात्र गर्छ, तर यो कुरा प्रमाणित गर्न राष्ट्रिय बहस र बौद्धिक जमातसित अन्तरक्रिया अनिवार्य मानिएको छ। क्रामाकपा आञ्चलिक समितिका सचिव किशोर प्रधानले पनि भने, दिल्लीमा अगोर्खा छुट्टैराज्यपन्थी वामपन्थी सङ्गठनहरूसित क्रामाकपाले ठाउँठाउँमा नै अन्तरक्रियात्मक कार्यक्रम गर्नेछ। यसरी नै राष्ट्रिय शक्ति निर्माणको निम्ति दिल्लीमा 12 मार्चसम्म रहेर क्रामाकपाले बौद्धिक व्यक्तिहरूसित भेटघाट गर्नेछ।
जादवपुर युनिभर्सिटीका वामपन्थी छात्र सङ्गठन आइसासित मिलेर 2008 झैं राष्ट्रिय सेमिनार गर्ने तयारी पनि गरिनेछ। तिनले गोर्खाल्याण्ड पक्षधर युनिभर्सिटीका प्रोफेसर अभिक मजुम्दारसित पनि भेटघाट गरेर सङ्गोष्टी सम्बन्धमा सहमति माग्ने पनि जनाए। तिनले दिल्लीको कार्यक्रम सकिएपछि क्रामाकपाको एकटोली दिल्लीबाट नै कलकत्ता आउने अनि त्यहॉं पनि सङ्गोष्टी-अन्तरक्रियात्मक कार्यक्रम गर्ने तिनले जनाए। तिनले भने, छुट्टैराज्य पक्षधर मोठ 12 वटा वामपन्थी सङ्गनहरूसित गोर्खाल्याण्डको विषयमा कलकत्तामा क्रामाकपाले अन्तरक्रिया गर्नेछ।
Question leak postpones Physical science exams
KalimNews: Physical Science subject of Madhyamik Pariksha leaked out in one of the school and it is postponed to 22 March.On the day of History examination held on 1st March, a set question paper of Physical Science was distributed in a classroom of the Nigamnagar Nigamananda Saraswat Vidyalaya in Dinhata, Cooch Behar. An investigation on the negligence of the question collector from the police station is ordered by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education.
Date of Assembly elections in five states announced: Election of Darjeeling on 18th April
KalimNews: The Chief Election Commissioner Mr S Y Qureshi announced poll dates for five states going to poll this year in N Delhi on Tuesday. The states going to polls are West Bengal,Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherri.
Election in West Bengal (294 constituencies) would be done in 6 phases. The notification for the first phase for 54 seats would be made on 24th March while election would be on 18th April. Poll in constituencies of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri and others will be held in first phase.
Notification for second phase (50 seats) on 13th March and election would be on 23rd April. Notification for third phase (75 seats) on 2nd April and election on 27th April.
Notification for 4th phase (63 seats) on 7th April and election on 3rd May. Notification for 5th phase (38 seats) on 11th April and election on 7th May. The final phase (14 seats) of election would be on 10th May, notification for which would come on 14th April.
In Kerala the election would be in single phase for 140 seats. The notifications would be announced on 19 th March and date of polling is 13th April.
In Tamil Nadu again election would be in single phase for which notification would come on 19th March and election would take place on 13 th April.
In Puducherrri the notification would come on the same date as in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and election would also be on day that is 13th April only
In Assam the election would take place in two phases. The first phase notification would come on March 10th and the polling would take place on 4th April. The notification for second phase would come on18th March and the election would take place on April 11.
Mr Qyereshi said that for the first time overseas Indian would be able to cast votes as their registration process has begun in right earnest.
High ranking officers are to be put on the job of mobile observers while officer of PSUs and Central government would be stationary observers at the pollong booths.
Counting for all the states would be done on 13th May.
First phase of election includes constituencies of 01. MEKLIGANJ (SC), 02. MATHABHANGA (SC), 03. COOCHBEHAR UTTAR (SC), 04. COOCHBEHAR DAKSHIN, 05. SITALKUCHI (SC), 06. SITAI (SC), 07. DINHATA, 08. NATABARI,09. TUFANGANJ, 10. KUMARGRAM (ST), 11. KALCHINI (ST), 12. ALIPURDUARS, 13. FALAKATA (SC, 14. MADARIHAT (ST), 15. DHUPGURI (SC), 16. MAYNAGURI (SC), 17. JALPAIGURI (SC), 18. RAJGANJ (SC), 19. DABGRAM-FULBARI, 20. MAL (ST), 21. NAGRAKATA (ST), 22. KALIMPONG, 23. DARJEELING, 24. KURSEONG, 25. MATIGARA-NAXALBARI (SC), 26. SILIGURI, 27. PHANSIDEWA (ST), 28. CHOPRA, 29. ISLAMPUR, 30. GOALPOKHAR, 31. CHAKULIA, 32. KARANDIGHI, 33. HEMTABAD (SC), 34. KALIAGANJ (SC), 35. RAIGANJ, 36. ITAHAR, 37. KUSHMANDI (SC), 38. KUMARGANJ, 39. BALURGHAT, 40. TAPAN(ST), 41. GANGARAMPUR (SC), 42. HARIRAMPUR, 43. HABIBPUR (ST), 44. GAZOLE (SC), 45. CHANCHAL, 46. HARISHCHANDRAPUR, 47. MALATIPUR 48. RATUA, 49. MANIKCHAK, 50. MALDAHA (SC), 51. ENGLISH BAZAR, 52. MOTHABARI, 53. SUJAPUR, 54. BAISNABNAGAR
Issue of Notification- 24.3.2011: Last date for making Nominations-31.3.2011: Scrutiny of Nominations- 2.4.2011: Last date for withdrawal of candidature- 4.4.2011: Date of Poll-18.4.2011: Counting of Votes- 13.5.2011:Date before which election process shall be completed- 18.5.2011: Code of conduct starts from the 1st March 2011.
Poll Timings 07.00 AM to 03.00 PM.
कृषक-पञ्चायतबीच कृषि कार्यशाला
मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज,कालेबुङ,1 मार्च। जिल्लाको कृषिप्रधान महकुमा रहेको भए पनि कालेबुङमा सरकारबाट कृषि उन्नयनको निम्ति प्रभावकारी पहल भएको छैन। यही वास्तविकतालाई आत्मसात गर्दै कालेबुङ खण्ड-1 का पञ्चायत प्रतिनिधि अनि कृषक सङ्घका प्रतिनिधिहरूबीच खण्ड विभाग र कालेबुङ कृषक कल्याण सङ्गठनले संयुक्तरूपले कार्यशाला सम्पन्न गर्यो। कृषक सङ्गठनका महासचिव विष्णु छेत्रीले भने, कृषि विकासबाट नै सामाजिक विकास सम्भव छ, तर यसैलाई सरकारीरूपले अवहेलना गरिएको छ। यसैकारण सरकारीपक्षसित मिलेर सरकारको योजनाहरूलाई उचित कार्यान्वयनमा ल्याउनको निम्ति कार्यशाला गरिएको हो। तिनले कार्यशालामा महात्म गान्धी ग्रामीण स्वरोजगार अधिनियम अन्तरर्गत खण्ड एकमा कृषकहरूसित कृषिको विभिन्न क्षेत्रमा कार्य गर्न सहमति बनेको पनि जनाए। सयदिने रोजगार अधिनियम अन्तरर्गत, स्वरोजगारको अवसर उत्पन्न गरेर मुख्यगरी किनारीकृत कृषकहरूद्वारा कृषि अनि ग्रामीण उन्नयनको पहल गरिने पनि जनाए। योजना अनुसार जलसंरक्षण,सिञ्चाई, पैह्रो रोकथाम, भूमि विकास, भूमिप्रकल्प, इन्दिरा आवास तथा यस्ता अनेकौं योजनाहरूद्वारा आयोस्रोतको अवसर निर्माण गरिनेसम्बन्धमा कार्यशालामा छलफल गरिएको थियो।
SDF Youths initiate awareness campaigns against social diseases
Shital Pradhan, KalimNews, Singtam, 1 March : Gangaa Mukhia and Karma Gyurmi Bhutia from Singtam and Pandam are among two dozen local SDF youths who has been visiting Schools and organization in and around Sikkim creating awareness among the masses against socials evils of the society. Two youth had visited Singtam Senior Secondary School and Khamdong Senior Secondary School last Saturday and interacted with the teachers and the students and later they also visited Khamdong BAC. The next day they participated at the 31st Basibiyalo literary meet at Singtam Community Hall and shared their views and motives with the gathered audiences.
Ganga Mukhia told this reporter “It was nice to receive wonderful feedbacks from the students and teachers of Singtam SSS and Khamdong SSS. The students took active parts in the interactive sessions and we discussed on different topics of aids awareness, drugs abuses and the role of youth in making better society”. Karma Gyurmi Bhutia added the time has come for the ‘survival of the fittest’ and we need to fight against all these social evils. Mukhia added that this awareness campaign conveys the vision of our honourable Chief Minister of Sikkim who had told us that “Today’s youth needs to be aware of everything and get prepared for peace revolution for the better tomorrow”.
Morcha eyes Dooars seats
Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, March 1: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership in a message to the Bengal government said its influence was not confined to the Darjeeling hills alone but was spread over the Dooars as well.
In less than an hour of the Election Commission announcing the schedule for the Assembly elections in Bengal, Morcha leaders said that other than the three hill seats of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, the party would be a “decisive factor” in five Assembly constituencies in the Dooars.
However, party leaders refused to disclose whether the Morcha would contest on its own or support Independents.
“Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee (the chief minister) had once told us to steer clear of the Dooars and Terai, saying that we had no base in these parts. But we proved our point by ensuring that Wilson Chapromary (an Independent candidate) won the Kalchini by-elections,” said Morcha spokesperson Harka Bahadur Chhetri.
The party intends to “prove its point” in the Assembly polls as well but did not specify its strategy, saying it would reveal it only “at the last minute”.
“We have to teach the CPM a lesson because the government headed by it is responsible for killing three of our supporters at Sibchu,” a Morcha leader said.
In fact, addressing a meeting of party supporters at Kumani on Sunday, Morcha chief Bimal Gurung had said: “Three of our supporters were killed and this is a God-sent opportunity for us to prove our point. In the coming elections we have to respond to the bullets with the ballot and ensure that the CPM is defeated at all cost.”
The seats where the Morcha believes it will be a decisive factor are Kumargram, Kalchini, Madarihat (as it includes Gorkha-dominated areas north of Birpara), Nagrakata and Malbazar.
Observers say the Morcha influence in Kumargram, Nagrakata and Malbazar is not decisive but the party will be a factor in Madarihat and Kalchini.
A section of the leadership said the party was also considering if its candidates should resign from their seats after winning, as the contest would be only to prove a point to the CPM.
“All that is being considered now,” a Morcha leader said. “A decision on this would be taken in the coming days.”
Another section in the Morcha feels that the party should have its representatives in the Assembly so that it can press for its demands in the House. “But we don’t know whether having a handful of representatives in the Assembly will make any difference,” he said.
Whatever the decision, the hill party is confident that it will have no problems winning the three hill seats. This was reflected in what Gurung said on Sunday. “Things are fine up in the hills and we need to concentrate only on the plains,” the Morcha chief had said.
Life for girl murder
TT, Siliguri, March 1: A 30-year-old share trader was today sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering Supriya Mitruka after his relationship with the girl had gone sour over marriage.
KalimNews: The Chief Election Commissioner Mr S Y Qureshi announced poll dates for five states going to poll this year in N Delhi on Tuesday. The states going to polls are West Bengal,Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherri.
Election in West Bengal (294 constituencies) would be done in 6 phases. The notification for the first phase for 54 seats would be made on 24th March while election would be on 18th April. Poll in constituencies of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri and others will be held in first phase.
Notification for second phase (50 seats) on 13th March and election would be on 23rd April. Notification for third phase (75 seats) on 2nd April and election on 27th April.
Notification for 4th phase (63 seats) on 7th April and election on 3rd May. Notification for 5th phase (38 seats) on 11th April and election on 7th May. The final phase (14 seats) of election would be on 10th May, notification for which would come on 14th April.
In Kerala the election would be in single phase for 140 seats. The notifications would be announced on 19 th March and date of polling is 13th April.
In Tamil Nadu again election would be in single phase for which notification would come on 19th March and election would take place on 13 th April.
In Puducherrri the notification would come on the same date as in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and election would also be on day that is 13th April only
In Assam the election would take place in two phases. The first phase notification would come on March 10th and the polling would take place on 4th April. The notification for second phase would come on18th March and the election would take place on April 11.
Mr Qyereshi said that for the first time overseas Indian would be able to cast votes as their registration process has begun in right earnest.
High ranking officers are to be put on the job of mobile observers while officer of PSUs and Central government would be stationary observers at the pollong booths.
Counting for all the states would be done on 13th May.
First phase of election includes constituencies of 01. MEKLIGANJ (SC), 02. MATHABHANGA (SC), 03. COOCHBEHAR UTTAR (SC), 04. COOCHBEHAR DAKSHIN, 05. SITALKUCHI (SC), 06. SITAI (SC), 07. DINHATA, 08. NATABARI,09. TUFANGANJ, 10. KUMARGRAM (ST), 11. KALCHINI (ST), 12. ALIPURDUARS, 13. FALAKATA (SC, 14. MADARIHAT (ST), 15. DHUPGURI (SC), 16. MAYNAGURI (SC), 17. JALPAIGURI (SC), 18. RAJGANJ (SC), 19. DABGRAM-FULBARI, 20. MAL (ST), 21. NAGRAKATA (ST), 22. KALIMPONG, 23. DARJEELING, 24. KURSEONG, 25. MATIGARA-NAXALBARI (SC), 26. SILIGURI, 27. PHANSIDEWA (ST), 28. CHOPRA, 29. ISLAMPUR, 30. GOALPOKHAR, 31. CHAKULIA, 32. KARANDIGHI, 33. HEMTABAD (SC), 34. KALIAGANJ (SC), 35. RAIGANJ, 36. ITAHAR, 37. KUSHMANDI (SC), 38. KUMARGANJ, 39. BALURGHAT, 40. TAPAN(ST), 41. GANGARAMPUR (SC), 42. HARIRAMPUR, 43. HABIBPUR (ST), 44. GAZOLE (SC), 45. CHANCHAL, 46. HARISHCHANDRAPUR, 47. MALATIPUR 48. RATUA, 49. MANIKCHAK, 50. MALDAHA (SC), 51. ENGLISH BAZAR, 52. MOTHABARI, 53. SUJAPUR, 54. BAISNABNAGAR
Issue of Notification- 24.3.2011: Last date for making Nominations-31.3.2011: Scrutiny of Nominations- 2.4.2011: Last date for withdrawal of candidature- 4.4.2011: Date of Poll-18.4.2011: Counting of Votes- 13.5.2011:Date before which election process shall be completed- 18.5.2011: Code of conduct starts from the 1st March 2011.
Poll Timings 07.00 AM to 03.00 PM.
कृषक-पञ्चायतबीच कृषि कार्यशाला
मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज,कालेबुङ,1 मार्च। जिल्लाको कृषिप्रधान महकुमा रहेको भए पनि कालेबुङमा सरकारबाट कृषि उन्नयनको निम्ति प्रभावकारी पहल भएको छैन। यही वास्तविकतालाई आत्मसात गर्दै कालेबुङ खण्ड-1 का पञ्चायत प्रतिनिधि अनि कृषक सङ्घका प्रतिनिधिहरूबीच खण्ड विभाग र कालेबुङ कृषक कल्याण सङ्गठनले संयुक्तरूपले कार्यशाला सम्पन्न गर्यो। कृषक सङ्गठनका महासचिव विष्णु छेत्रीले भने, कृषि विकासबाट नै सामाजिक विकास सम्भव छ, तर यसैलाई सरकारीरूपले अवहेलना गरिएको छ। यसैकारण सरकारीपक्षसित मिलेर सरकारको योजनाहरूलाई उचित कार्यान्वयनमा ल्याउनको निम्ति कार्यशाला गरिएको हो। तिनले कार्यशालामा महात्म गान्धी ग्रामीण स्वरोजगार अधिनियम अन्तरर्गत खण्ड एकमा कृषकहरूसित कृषिको विभिन्न क्षेत्रमा कार्य गर्न सहमति बनेको पनि जनाए। सयदिने रोजगार अधिनियम अन्तरर्गत, स्वरोजगारको अवसर उत्पन्न गरेर मुख्यगरी किनारीकृत कृषकहरूद्वारा कृषि अनि ग्रामीण उन्नयनको पहल गरिने पनि जनाए। योजना अनुसार जलसंरक्षण,सिञ्चाई, पैह्रो रोकथाम, भूमि विकास, भूमिप्रकल्प, इन्दिरा आवास तथा यस्ता अनेकौं योजनाहरूद्वारा आयोस्रोतको अवसर निर्माण गरिनेसम्बन्धमा कार्यशालामा छलफल गरिएको थियो।
SDF Youths initiate awareness campaigns against social diseases
Shital Pradhan, KalimNews, Singtam, 1 March : Gangaa Mukhia and Karma Gyurmi Bhutia from Singtam and Pandam are among two dozen local SDF youths who has been visiting Schools and organization in and around Sikkim creating awareness among the masses against socials evils of the society. Two youth had visited Singtam Senior Secondary School and Khamdong Senior Secondary School last Saturday and interacted with the teachers and the students and later they also visited Khamdong BAC. The next day they participated at the 31st Basibiyalo literary meet at Singtam Community Hall and shared their views and motives with the gathered audiences.
Ganga Mukhia told this reporter “It was nice to receive wonderful feedbacks from the students and teachers of Singtam SSS and Khamdong SSS. The students took active parts in the interactive sessions and we discussed on different topics of aids awareness, drugs abuses and the role of youth in making better society”. Karma Gyurmi Bhutia added the time has come for the ‘survival of the fittest’ and we need to fight against all these social evils. Mukhia added that this awareness campaign conveys the vision of our honourable Chief Minister of Sikkim who had told us that “Today’s youth needs to be aware of everything and get prepared for peace revolution for the better tomorrow”.
Morcha eyes Dooars seats
Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, March 1: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership in a message to the Bengal government said its influence was not confined to the Darjeeling hills alone but was spread over the Dooars as well.
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| Bimal Gurung: Ballot challenge |
However, party leaders refused to disclose whether the Morcha would contest on its own or support Independents.
“Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee (the chief minister) had once told us to steer clear of the Dooars and Terai, saying that we had no base in these parts. But we proved our point by ensuring that Wilson Chapromary (an Independent candidate) won the Kalchini by-elections,” said Morcha spokesperson Harka Bahadur Chhetri.
The party intends to “prove its point” in the Assembly polls as well but did not specify its strategy, saying it would reveal it only “at the last minute”.
“We have to teach the CPM a lesson because the government headed by it is responsible for killing three of our supporters at Sibchu,” a Morcha leader said.
In fact, addressing a meeting of party supporters at Kumani on Sunday, Morcha chief Bimal Gurung had said: “Three of our supporters were killed and this is a God-sent opportunity for us to prove our point. In the coming elections we have to respond to the bullets with the ballot and ensure that the CPM is defeated at all cost.”
The seats where the Morcha believes it will be a decisive factor are Kumargram, Kalchini, Madarihat (as it includes Gorkha-dominated areas north of Birpara), Nagrakata and Malbazar.
Observers say the Morcha influence in Kumargram, Nagrakata and Malbazar is not decisive but the party will be a factor in Madarihat and Kalchini.
A section of the leadership said the party was also considering if its candidates should resign from their seats after winning, as the contest would be only to prove a point to the CPM.
“All that is being considered now,” a Morcha leader said. “A decision on this would be taken in the coming days.”
Another section in the Morcha feels that the party should have its representatives in the Assembly so that it can press for its demands in the House. “But we don’t know whether having a handful of representatives in the Assembly will make any difference,” he said.
Whatever the decision, the hill party is confident that it will have no problems winning the three hill seats. This was reflected in what Gurung said on Sunday. “Things are fine up in the hills and we need to concentrate only on the plains,” the Morcha chief had said.
Life for girl murder
TT, Siliguri, March 1: A 30-year-old share trader was today sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering Supriya Mitruka after his relationship with the girl had gone sour over marriage.
A court here has found Amit Maheswari guilty of murdering the 20-year-old girl by strangulating her and pushing her from a multi-storey building on Hill Cart Road in Siliguri in 2006.According to sources, the 30-year-old Amit didn’t want to continue his relationship with the girl as his family had objected to their marriage over caste.
“But Supriya insisted on continuing the courtship. On the evening of January 30, 2006, Amit took the girl on his two-wheeler for a ride and persuaded her to climb a multi-storey building with an intention to murder her,” said Anil Basu, the government pleader. “To get rid of Supriya, he strangulated her and then pushed her from the roof.”
When their daughter did not return home, the Mitrukas contacted Amit to know where she was.
“He behaved rudely with them and denied having any information on her whereabouts. The next day, the Mitrukas were told by police that a girl’s body had been found on Hill Cart Road. They identified the body as that of Supriya,” said Basu.
The police started a probe and recorded the statements of Supriya’s family members. They alleged that Amit had killed her and he was arrested on February 9. He later secured bail.
“It was a cold-blooded murder and after going through the case details and circumstantial evidence, the court awarded him life imprisonment. The judge has also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Amit and if he fails to cough up the amount, he will have to spend one more year in prison,” said the lawyer.
Amit, a share trader, is a resident of Milanpally in Siliguri.
He was charged under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC. The verdict was pronounced by R.N. Samanta, the additional district and sessions judge of the second court here.
Supriya’s mother found some solace after hearing the judgment. “I am happy that my daughter finally got justice today,” said Santoshi Mitruka. Supriya was the eldest of her children and she has another daughter and a son. Her husband Nandalal is a realtor.
Uday Malakar, the lawyer who argued for the accused, said he would move the high court against the verdict.
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