सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउने महाधुर्त?
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,10 अप्रेल | गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाका प्रवक्ता डा. हर्कबहादुर छेत्रीले विधानसभा चुनाउमा प्रतिद्वन्द्विता गर्न नामाङ्कनपत्र बुझाउने एक दिन अघिसम्म भनेका थिए-सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउँछु भन्ने कि त महाधुर्त हुन् कि त महामुर्ख। तिनले यसो भनेको केही दिनमा नै विधानसभा चुनाउलाई ताक पार्दै निर्वासित दल गोरामुमोका नेताहरू पहाड़ फर्किए। डा. छेत्रीले यसो पनि भनेका थिए, इन्द्रेको ठाउँमा चन्द्रे नै आए पनि गोर्खाल्याण्ड अहिले नै हुँदैन। यसपालीको विधानसभा चुनाउमा मोर्चाले निकालेको चुनावी घोषणापत्रमा गोर्खाल्याण्ड बाहेक अन्य कुनै कुरा मोर्चाले नगर्ने कुरा उल्लेख गरिएको छ। यसको अर्थ हो, जति समय लागोस् मोर्चा गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति नै लड्ने छ।
सोझै र छिटो गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउने महाधुर्त हुन् अथवा अहिले नै गोर्खाल्याण्ड हुँदैन अनि कुनै व्यवस्था भएर नै गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्न सकिन्छ। अब केही पछि फर्किएर हेर्यौं भने गोरामुमोले पनि यसै भनेको थियो, सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड हुँदैन, केन्द्रमा छुट्टै राज्य दिने परिस्थिति छैन। अहिलेको निम्ति छैटौं अनुसूची नै उत्तम व्यवस्था हो। केन्द्रले संविधान अनुसार दिन सक्ने वैधानिक विकल्पहरूमा छैटौं अनुसूची, युनियन टेरिटोरी र छुट्टै राज्य हो-सबै दलले मानेको कुरा हो यो। यसमध्ये अहिले नै गोर्खाल्याण्ड हुँदैन। गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति अरू व्यवस्थाहरू भएर नै जानुपर्छ-मोर्चाले पनि 11 पल्ट गरेको वार्ताको अनुभवमा भनेको कुरा हो यो। गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्ने अरू वैधानिक व्यवस्थाहरूमा एउटा गोरामुमोले उठान गरेको छैटौं अनुसूची हो अर्को हो कंग्रेसले उठान गरिरहेको छैटौं अनुसूची। गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्नको निम्ति चाहिने व्यवस्थामा मोर्चाले केन्द्रलाई पठाएको(सेटअप)दागोपापको वैकल्पिक व्यवस्था पनि प्रशस्त छ, तर यो वैधानिक छैन।
केन्द्र सरकार सोझै छुट्टै राज्य दिने पक्षमा छैन। यही कुरा बुझेर हिल कंग्रेसले युनियन टेरिटोरीको मुद्दा हातमा लिएको छ। एउटा कुरा स्पष्ट छ गोरामुमो होस् वा गोजमुमो-ले सोझै छुट्टै राज्य हुन नसक्ने कुरा बुझिसकेको छ। किन भने सरकारसित यो दुइ दलले मात्र वार्ता गरेको छ। सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड हुन सक्दैन भन्ने सोंच यी दुइ दलले त्यसै विकास गरेको होइन। आन्दोलनको प्रारूप र कार्यचरित्र राज्य सरकार केन्द्रित रहेकोले अनि मुद्दाको बहस राज्य केन्द्रित रहेकोले अहिले नै राज्य हुन नसक्ने स्पष्ट छ। तर के सॉंच्चै गोर्खाल्याण्ड सोझै ल्याउन सकिँदैन? यस विषयमा कुनै पनि दलले
उचित छसफल गरेको छैन।
यता अन्य दलहरू जस्तै क्रान्तिकारी मार्क्सवादी कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी, अखिल भारतीय गोर्खा लिग सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउँछु भन्ने खेमाका दलहरू हुन्। छुट्टै राज्यभन्दा अघि गणतन्त्र बहालीलाई अनिवार्य मान्दै राजनैतिक कार्यक्रमलाई मौका हेर्दै अघि बढ़ाइरहेका यी दलहरूले चौतारी, खुड़्किलो, बिसाउनीको अवधारणालाई सोझै नकारिरहेको छ। मोर्चाको भाषामा हो भने सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउँछु भन्ने महाधुर्त दलहरू हुन्। सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउँछु भने पनि यी दलहरूले छुट्टैराज्य प्राप्तीको निम्ति दाबी गर्ने सूत्रहरू, दाबीयोजनाहरू खुलस्त गरेको छैन। केवल मुखले मात्र छुट्टै राज्य ल्याउने भन्ने यी दलहरूको रणनीतिबारे जनता स्पष्ट छैन। कसरी छुट्टै राज्य लाउने हो त? खै कस्तो योजना छन्, कसरी काम गर्छ त? कुनरूपले कार्यनीति तयार पारेको छ?यी दलहरूलाई बारम्बार सोधिने यी प्रश्नहरूको उत्तर कुनै पनि दलले दिएको छैन।
लीगको घोषणापत्र अनि क्रामाकपाको चुनाउ नहालिदिने अपीलपत्रमा कतै पनि कार्ययोजनाहरूको उल्लेख छैन। केवल अनेकताको बखान अनि आश्वासनहरूको मात्र उल्लेख गरिएको छ। यी दलहरूबाहेक सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड नल्याएर अरू व्यवस्थाबाट नै गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्न चहाने गोरामुमो र गोजमुमोबीच नै चुनावी युद्ध हुने स्पष्ट छ। चुनाउसम्म मात्र होइन यो युद्ध चुनाउपछि पनि हुने छ। अहिले नै दुइदलमा एकार्काको निम्ति क्रोध चरममा छ। अब चुनाउपछि पहाड़मा अशान्ति निश्चित छ। यो अशान्ति गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति होइन अरू नै व्यवस्थाको निम्ति हुने पनि स्पष्ट छ। यस्तोमा सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड भन्ने धुर्तहरूको अवस्था मात्र होइन सॉंड़ेको जुझाईमा बाछाको मिचाई हुने जनताको मात्र पनि होइन सम्पूर्ण जिल्लाको अर्थनैतिक क्षेत्र अझ कति तहस नहस हुने हो, यस बारे सचेतहरू अहिलेदेखि नै सुर्ता गर्न थालेका छन्।
चुनाउले रोप्यो अशान्तिको बीऊ - चुनाउपछिको लड़ाई गोरामुमो भर्सेस गोजमुमो?
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,10 अप्रेल। यसपालीको विधानसभा चुनाउले पहाड़मा अशान्तिको बीऊ रोपेको छ। चुनाउपछि पहाड़मा अशान्ति हुने संकेत अहिलेको परिवेशले स्पष्टरूपले दिइरहेको छ। गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाले खेदेको गोरामुमो नेताहरू फेरि पुरानै राग अलाप्दै आफ्नो मुद्दाको पक्षमा जनमत संग्रह गर्न आएपछि गोजमुमोको छटपट्टी बढ़ेर गएको छ। छैटौं अनुसूची, जो गोर्खाल्याण्ड सोझै हुन नसक्ने सरकारसित भएका वार्ताहरू अनि राज्य र केन्द्रले गोर्खाहरूमाथि राखेको नियतको कारण गोरामुमो प्रमुख सुवास घिसिङले उठाएको मुद्दा हो। तर यो मुद्दाले चरमरूपमा दलीय अस्वीकृति प्राप्त गर्यो। छैटौं अनुसूची, दलीय विरोधको केन्द्र बन्यो।
प्रशान्त तामाङलाई सुवास घिसिङले कुनै सहयोग नगरेपछि घिसिङको असंवेदनशीलता र प्रशान्त तामङले उपार्जन गरेको जातीय भावनाले ग्रस्त भीड़बाट विमल गुरूङले सुवास धिसिङ विरोधी राजनैतिक शक्तिको अवधारणा निर्माण गरे। जन्मियो गोजमुमो। त्यसपछि खेदाइए गोरामुमो नेताहरू। कारण थियो छैटौं अनुसूची। मोर्चाले भन्यो, छैटौं अनुसूची जनताको आकांक्षा विरोधी मुद्दा हो, यसले जातजातमा विभाजन ल्याउँछ। छैटौं अनुसूची होइन गोर्खाल्याण्ड चाहिन्छ। अनेकौं वार्ता र दागोपाप सञ्चालनको बीस वर्षे अऩुभवलाई काममा ल्याउन दाबी गरेको गारमुमोको छैटौं अनुसूचीको मुद्दा हस्ताक्षर भएर पनि संसदमा नै थन्कियो।
गोजमुमोले गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलन गर्यो, वार्ता गर्यो अनि अहिले आएर भन्यो, सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउने कि त धुर्त हो, कित महामुर्ख हो। यसको सोझो अर्थ हो कि अब मोर्चाले सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउन सक्दैन। कुनै व्यवस्था भएरै गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्न सकिन्छ। सरकारसित तीनोटा वैधानिक विकल्पहरू छन्। एक हो छैटौं अनुसूची, अर्को युटी अनि अर्को छुट्टै राज्य। छुट्टै राज्य अहिले नै हुँदैन-गोरामुमो र गोजमुमोले यही भनिरहेको छ। अब छैटौं अनुसूची र युटी रह्यो। गोरामुमोले छैटौं अनुसूची भनिरहेको छ तर गोजमुमोले युटी भनेको छैन।
गारामुमोले भन्यो, मोर्चाले गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउन सक्दैन भनेर स्पष्ट पारेपछि नै हामी पहाड़ आएका हौं। यता गोजमुमोले चुनाउ अवधी प्राधिकरण त्यागेको छ अनि चुनावी घोषणापत्रमा केवल गोर्खाल्याण्ड भनेको छ। त्यही गोजमुमोले वार्ताहरूको अनुभवबाट सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउने धुर्त हो भनिरहेको छ अनि त्यही गोजमुमोले चुनावी घोषणापत्रमा गोर्खाल्याण्डबाहेक केही नल्याउने बचन दिएको छ। यता सुवास घिसिङ पहाड़ छिरे अनि छैटौं अनुसूचीको वकालत गर्न शुरू गरे। मिरिकमा देखापरेका जनलहरले स्पष्ट संकेत गरिरहेको छ कि अधिकांश जनता छैटौं अनुसूचीको पक्षमा पनि छ। गोरामुमोलाई पहाड़ छिर्न विधानसभा चुनाउ सुनौलो अवसर रहेको भएपनि चुनाउपछिको अवस्था के हुन्छ? यो खुवै जटिल प्रश्न भएको छ।
19 अप्रेलदेखि गोजमुमोले अर्को चरणको आन्दोलनको घोषणा गरेको छ अनि भनेको छ, घिसिङ अब जनाक्रोषको शिकार हुनेछन्। यसको सोझो अर्थ हो कि अब फेरि जनताको नाममा नेताहरूमाथि जाइलाग्ने, तोड़फोड़, आगलागी, कुटपिट र काटमारको परिवेश हुनेछ। गोरामुमोले पनि यस्तो परिवेशको पूर्वानुमान गरिसकेको छ अनि कुनै पनि परिस्थितिसित सामना गर्न तयार रहेको छ। अब चुनाउपछि फेरि गोरामुमो र गोजमुमोबीच लड़ाई हुने छॉंटकॉंट छ। 2007 मा गोजमुमो गठनपछि गोरामुमो नेताहरू खेद्ने काम भएको थियो, त्यो फेरि दोहोरिने सम्भावना छ। त्यसबेला पनि गोरामुमो र गोजमुमोबीच नै भीडन्त भएको थियो, जसको इतिहास चुनाउपछि फेरि दोहोरिने सम्भावना व्यापक छ। चुनाउमा आचार संहिता लागू गरेर, कानून व्यवस्थालाई कड़ा बनाएर शान्ति कायम राख्ने बङ्गाल प्रशासनले चुनाउपछि कस्तो भूमिका निर्वाह गर्ने हो, यसबारे केही निश्चित छैन। अब हुने गोरामुमो र गोजमुमोबीचको लड़ाईमा पहाड़ फेरि कुनरूपले लथालिङग हुने हो, हिंसामा विश्वास नगर्नेहरू चिन्तित देखिन थालिएको छ।
भागोप सिक्किम राज्य शाखाको कार्यालय उद्घाटन - हेलेन लेप्चाको परियोजना यथासिघ्र पुरा गरिनेछः डॉ. गुरूङ
प्रविण खालिंग, गान्तोक ,10 अप्रेल। भारतीय गोर्खा परिसंघ सिक्किम राज्य समितिको केन्द्रिय कार्यालय राज्य अध्यक्ष डॉ. कमल गुरूङ अनि सल्लाहकार तथा पूर्व डीजीपी सीपी गिरीको वाहुलीबा संयुक्तरूपमा उत्घाटन गरियो। तादोङस्थित सरकारी महाविद्यालय नजिक 31 ए राजमार्गमा शुरु गरिएको राज्य समिति कार्यालयबाट अब उसो भागोप सिक्किम राज्य समितिद्वारा राज्यभरिको शाखा कार्यालय अनि समितिहरूसितको सम्पर्कसूत्रको रूपमा कार्य सञ्चालन गरिने छ।
उद्घाटन पछि आयोजित राज्य समितिको कार्यकारी प्रतिनिधिहरूको बैठकमा कार्यालयबाट भागोपको दीर्घ प्रतिक्षित युवाहरूमा करियर काउन्सिलीङ कार्यक्रम तथा जातीय उत्थानको निम्ति नेतृत्व विकासको कार्यक्रमलाई सुचारूरूपमा सञ्चालन गरिने निर्णय गरिएको छ। यसैगरि बैठकमा सिक्किमकी एक्ली स्वाधिनता सेनानी सावित्रीदेवी (हेलेन लेप्चा) के शालिग निर्माण परियोजनाबारे विस्तृत छलफल पछि आगामी 14 अप्रेलको दिन मुर्तिकार लगायत भागोपका प्रतिनिधिहरूले उनको जन्मथलो नाम्ची पुगेर विस्तृत कार्य योजना प्रतिवेदन तयार पार्ने निर्णय गरिएको छ। यसको निम्ति स्थानीय समिति गठन गरिने पनि सभाले प्रस्ताव ग्रहण गर्दै यो सालिग निर्माण परियोजनालाई चाँडो भन्दा चाँडो पुरा गरिने निर्णय लिइयो।
यसैगरि कार्यालय व्यवस्थापनको निम्ति पनि आर्थिक योजनाहरू तयार गरिने प्रस्ताव बैठकमा ग्रहण गरियो। यसैगरि देशलाई भ्रष्ट्राचार मुक्त बनाउन गोर्खा समुदायले देश स्वाधिनताको निम्ति दिएको झै योगदान दिइन आवश्य रहेक बताउँदै समाजसेवी अन्ना हजारेको आन्दोलनलाई भागोप सिक्किम राज्य समितिको पनि पूर्ण समर्थन रहेको प्रस्ताव ग्रहण गरियो। यस अवसरमा अध्यक्ष गुरूङले भने, हामीले देशभक्ति र राष्ट्रप्रेमलाई शिरोपर गरेर संगठनमा कार्य गरिरहेका छौ भने गोर्खा समुदायले भारत देशलाई भ्रष्ट्राचार मुक्त बनाउन लोकपाल विधेयकलाई यथासिघ्र सदनमा जनताको सहभागितामा प्रस्तुत गरिनुपर्ने मागलाई समर्थन जनाउनु पर्छ।
यसैगरि भागोपको सांगठनीक विस्तार कार्यक्रममा पुनः निरन्तरता दिँदै अब विभिन्न क्षेत्रमा शाखा गठन गरिएको ठाँउमा शाखा कार्यालय खोलेर केन्द्रिय कार्यालयसित सोझो सम्पर्कमा राख्दै समाज र देश निर्माण जातितत्वको आधारमा विकास गरेर लानुपर्ने प्रस्ताव ग्रहण गरियो। जसमा आगामी मई महिनाको दोस्रो सप्ताहमा पश्चिम सिक्किमको देन्ताममा जिल्लास्तरको सभा आयोजन गर्ने प्रस्ताव ग्रहण गरियो। यसैगरि राज्यको विभिन्न क्षेत्रमा रहको शाखा समितिलाई बलिया बनाउने अनि सदस्यता वृद्धि गर्दै जातीय उत्थानको निम्ति
युवाहरूलाई व्यापक रूपमा मौका दिने निधो गरियो। उद्घाटन कार्यक्रममा कार्यकारी अध्यक्ष नारायण भट्टराई, महासचिव एस पाण्डे. सचिव प्रवीण खालिङ, राष्ट्रिय परिषद सदस्य जी गुरूङ, उपाध्यक्ष जोगेन्द्र बस्नेत, सल्लाहकार राज के श्रेष्ठ, कार्यकारी समिति सदस्य अमर बाँनिया लोहोरो, कृष्णलाल अधिकारी, रिनाक शाखाका अध्यक्ष पीएन पौड्याल लगायत पूर्व जिल्लाका विभिन्न शाखाका प्रतिनिधिहरूको उपस्थिति रहेका थिए।
Deadline for GNLF chief
Vivek Chhetri, Mirik, April 10: Bimal Gurung today said GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh’s “visa to the hills” would expire on April 18 and lakhs of people would converge on his residence if he did not leave by then.
Twenty years of Mr Ghisingh's reign in the Hills coupled with slow pace of developments here, have turned many people against the party. Wooed by the idea of a separate state of Gorkhaland, a large section of the Hills people has turned towards the GJMM, led by Mr Ghisingh’s one-time protege Mr Bimal Gurung. On the other hand, Mr Ghisingh is still bent upon implementation of the New Gorkha Hill Council under the Sixth Schedule signed among the state, Centre and the GNLF on 6 December, 2005. According to Mr Ghisingh, the three-year-old issue, the New Gorkha Hill Council under the Sixth Schedule is a state but in a miniature form. Unlike leaders of various other Hills parties like the GJMM and the AIGL, Mr Ghisingh never raised the issue of Gorkhaland.
Political observers are of the opinion that Mr Ghisingh being a veteran leader is well aware that a separate state of Gorkhaland would not come in so easily. While delivering his speech yesterday, Mr Ghisingh said: “There may be many Gandhis, but there is only one Mahatma Gandhi in the Hills which is me.”
Mr Ghisingh's speech yesterday clearly stated that the political future and activities of the GNLF depend on the result of the Assembly election, or else he will be visiting places and start writing books. “ I hope that this three years have given the Hill people, the power to judge what is good for them,” said Mr Ghisingh. The upcoming election will either break or make the political future of the GNLF.
SNS, SILIGURI, 10 APRIL: Expressing happiness over the GNLF chief, Mr Subash Ghisingh's election campaigning, the CPI-M state secretary, Mr Biman Bose, today said that in order to maintain peace and democracy Mr Ghisingh should stay off controversy.
“I feel very happy that Mr Subash Ghisingh has started campaigning ahead of the poll for his party in the Hills but he should restrain from any comment against his Opposition during campaigning. His aggressive comments may disrupt normalcy and democratic atmosphere in the Hills,” said Mr Bose.
Mr Bose also criticised Union finance minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee for joining hands with the GJMM activists in Siliguri recently. “Being a Union minister, Mr Mukherjee has made an unholy alliance with the GJMM activists and other regional outfits in north Bengal. This will not affect poll results in Bengal and will fail to influence the people of the state,” said Mr Bose (in sns photo).
After returning from Cooch Behar, the Left Front chairman today attended public meetings for the CPI-M candidates in Phansidewa, Matigara-Naxalbari and Fulbari-Dabgram and took part in the march for party's candidates.
Mr Bose, while addressing the media, said: “We do not need to borrow campaigning strategies and cues from Trinamul chief Miss Mamata Banerjee. Miss Banerjee is trying to make herself more Leftist than us.”
Criticising the railway minister's manifesto, he said: “She has been highlighting railway development in West Bengal but she should know that railway department is not related to the state affairs and its politics.”
He also slammed Trinamul MPs for their double-standard. “A section of Trinamul MPs, who support the UPA-II government and its anti-people policies in Delhi, always claims that they keep the interest of the people on their minds. But they had supported the government, which has decided to invest provident and pension funds for share market,” Mr Bose alleged.
I never asked for Gorkhaland: Ghisingh
TNN, MIRIK: What Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) chief Subash Ghisingh said at a public meeting in Mirik on Saturday, his first since his return to Darjeeling after a gap of three years, will create a flutter in the Hills. "I never asked for Gorkhaland. I only used the separate state issue as a weapon to acquire citizenship for the Gorkhas of the country," said the veteran leader.
Delhi and Bengal failed to understand that I was using the Gorkhaland state issue as a brahmastar' (weapon) to achieve citizenship and identity for the Gorkhas of India. Instead, they misinterpreted it as a demand for division of Bengal," he explained to a modest gathering which braved the heat and humidity for more then two hours.
Ghisingh asserted that his true mission of Indian citizenship for Gorkhas was achieved when the DGHC was formed. "We should not use the Gorkhaland state issue as a tool to bargain for petty things. We have achieved what we wanted," he pointed out.
To bear testimony to the GNLF leader's remark, Ghisingh had dropped the demand for a separate state when the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council accord was inked in 1988. "In the overall interest of the nation and on the Prime Minister's personal request, the GNLF hereby agrees to drop the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland," said the very first paragraph of the accord.
Significantly, Ghisingh criticized the Centre for not passing the Sixth Schedule Bill but had a word of sympathy for the state government. "The central government did not pass the Sixth Schedule Bill in 2008 because their intentions were full of malice towards the Hills people. The Government must now honour the 2005 agreement, but even if they don't I will not let it go," he warned.
He added: "We have asked for nearly everything that Bengal could give. Now we cannot blame them anymore." On December 6, 2005, an agreement to include Darjeeling Hills under the provision of the Sixth Schedule was signed by the Centre, state and the GNLF, but which was rejected by a parliamentary standing committee in 2008.
Espousing the Sixth Schedule issue, Ghisingh, said: "We got the present council as a bonus which I tried to work with at the best. But the new Gorkha Hill Council (GHC) under Sixth Schedule will have constitutional guarantee and legislative powers".
The GNLF president asserted that the GHC would provide protection to the customs and culture of the Hills tribes which was the last thing to be achieved. "The English conferred us with the Hills Tribe status and united us. But after Independence, the communities were fragmented into various subcastes and that needs to change," he said.
Back from ‘exile’, Ghising stakes claim in Gorkha talks
Madhuparna Das, IE, Darjeeling: GNLF chief Subash Ghising’s return to Darjeeling after three years of forced exile and his attempts at seeking a political rehabilitation seems to have set in motion new equations in the hills. Having released his election manifesto at his very first public meeting in three years the GNLF chief has staked his claim to be a party in the ongoing talks for a negotiated settlement of Darjeeling problem and the setting up of an interim Gorkha Hill Council. So far, the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) has been the sole bargaining authority in these talks.
Talking to The Indian Express, Ghising disclosed that he has already written to Sonia Gandhi for inclusion of the GNLF as a party to the talks and for setting up of an interim Gorkha Hill Council after the polls. He said, “At present, the Central and state governments are talking to groups and people from Darjeeling who do not understand what an interim council is all about. The GNLF should be made a party to the talks. The GNLF will work actively to have the New Gorkha Hill Council Bill passed in Parliament that was passed in the West Bengal Assembly in 2005.”
While asked about the interim council, Ghising said, “We want an interim council. Earlier, we were given an interim administrator. We never wanted a bureaucratic set-up. We want autonomy. The earlier drafting of the proposed council was completely wrong. I am here to correct that blunder.” The New Gorkha Hill Council, as proposed by him will have 45 sections. “If we have legislative power we would not need legislation in the Bengal Assembly,” he added.
If Ghising’s speeches are any indication, he is keeping the demand for a separate state under the wraps for tactical reasons. “Gorkhaland is our ‘Brahmastra’ that can be used once and for all. But at present monkeys are also using this ‘Brahmastra’,” said Ghising, ridiculing the GJM, led by Bimal Gurung. He reminded that ‘Gorkhaland’ was coined by him.
Ghising’s public posturing has so far evoked mixed response, with one section terming it as the return of “Son God” of the hills while the other describing him as a spent force. According to some, in the interior villages and particularly among hill tribes such as Tamangs, Lepchas and Bhutias, Ghising still claims a fair amount of popularity. His old lieutenants have joined Ghising, including Tshering Sherpa who had joined All Bengal Gorkha League earlier. There are other who are sitting on the fence and may join him soon.
For the moment Ghising seems to be targeting the hill tribes to regain his lost grounds. This was largely explained by his announcement that the GNLF wanted the New Gorkha Hill Council to give proper recognition to hill tribes. “They should not be categorised as scheduled caste and scheduled tribes but should be given a new status and identity under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution,” said Ghising.
Reacting to the public meeting of the GNLF, Roshan Giri, the general secretary of GJM, said, “We have been hearing for months that Ghising will come to Darjeeling, but he never dared to do so. This time he might have come here for campaigning, but we are sure that he will run away again, as the people of the hills will not accept him.”
However, Ghising seems to have other plans. He said: “The people here have developed “rust” just as the khukris (Nepali daggers) due to non-use. That’s the reason I am here and will not leave under any circumstances.”
सोझै र छिटो गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउने महाधुर्त हुन् अथवा अहिले नै गोर्खाल्याण्ड हुँदैन अनि कुनै व्यवस्था भएर नै गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्न सकिन्छ। अब केही पछि फर्किएर हेर्यौं भने गोरामुमोले पनि यसै भनेको थियो, सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड हुँदैन, केन्द्रमा छुट्टै राज्य दिने परिस्थिति छैन। अहिलेको निम्ति छैटौं अनुसूची नै उत्तम व्यवस्था हो। केन्द्रले संविधान अनुसार दिन सक्ने वैधानिक विकल्पहरूमा छैटौं अनुसूची, युनियन टेरिटोरी र छुट्टै राज्य हो-सबै दलले मानेको कुरा हो यो। यसमध्ये अहिले नै गोर्खाल्याण्ड हुँदैन। गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति अरू व्यवस्थाहरू भएर नै जानुपर्छ-मोर्चाले पनि 11 पल्ट गरेको वार्ताको अनुभवमा भनेको कुरा हो यो। गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्ने अरू वैधानिक व्यवस्थाहरूमा एउटा गोरामुमोले उठान गरेको छैटौं अनुसूची हो अर्को हो कंग्रेसले उठान गरिरहेको छैटौं अनुसूची। गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्नको निम्ति चाहिने व्यवस्थामा मोर्चाले केन्द्रलाई पठाएको(सेटअप)दागोपापको वैकल्पिक व्यवस्था पनि प्रशस्त छ, तर यो वैधानिक छैन।
केन्द्र सरकार सोझै छुट्टै राज्य दिने पक्षमा छैन। यही कुरा बुझेर हिल कंग्रेसले युनियन टेरिटोरीको मुद्दा हातमा लिएको छ। एउटा कुरा स्पष्ट छ गोरामुमो होस् वा गोजमुमो-ले सोझै छुट्टै राज्य हुन नसक्ने कुरा बुझिसकेको छ। किन भने सरकारसित यो दुइ दलले मात्र वार्ता गरेको छ। सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड हुन सक्दैन भन्ने सोंच यी दुइ दलले त्यसै विकास गरेको होइन। आन्दोलनको प्रारूप र कार्यचरित्र राज्य सरकार केन्द्रित रहेकोले अनि मुद्दाको बहस राज्य केन्द्रित रहेकोले अहिले नै राज्य हुन नसक्ने स्पष्ट छ। तर के सॉंच्चै गोर्खाल्याण्ड सोझै ल्याउन सकिँदैन? यस विषयमा कुनै पनि दलले
उचित छसफल गरेको छैन।
यता अन्य दलहरू जस्तै क्रान्तिकारी मार्क्सवादी कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी, अखिल भारतीय गोर्खा लिग सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउँछु भन्ने खेमाका दलहरू हुन्। छुट्टै राज्यभन्दा अघि गणतन्त्र बहालीलाई अनिवार्य मान्दै राजनैतिक कार्यक्रमलाई मौका हेर्दै अघि बढ़ाइरहेका यी दलहरूले चौतारी, खुड़्किलो, बिसाउनीको अवधारणालाई सोझै नकारिरहेको छ। मोर्चाको भाषामा हो भने सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउँछु भन्ने महाधुर्त दलहरू हुन्। सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउँछु भने पनि यी दलहरूले छुट्टैराज्य प्राप्तीको निम्ति दाबी गर्ने सूत्रहरू, दाबीयोजनाहरू खुलस्त गरेको छैन। केवल मुखले मात्र छुट्टै राज्य ल्याउने भन्ने यी दलहरूको रणनीतिबारे जनता स्पष्ट छैन। कसरी छुट्टै राज्य लाउने हो त? खै कस्तो योजना छन्, कसरी काम गर्छ त? कुनरूपले कार्यनीति तयार पारेको छ?यी दलहरूलाई बारम्बार सोधिने यी प्रश्नहरूको उत्तर कुनै पनि दलले दिएको छैन।
लीगको घोषणापत्र अनि क्रामाकपाको चुनाउ नहालिदिने अपीलपत्रमा कतै पनि कार्ययोजनाहरूको उल्लेख छैन। केवल अनेकताको बखान अनि आश्वासनहरूको मात्र उल्लेख गरिएको छ। यी दलहरूबाहेक सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड नल्याएर अरू व्यवस्थाबाट नै गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्न चहाने गोरामुमो र गोजमुमोबीच नै चुनावी युद्ध हुने स्पष्ट छ। चुनाउसम्म मात्र होइन यो युद्ध चुनाउपछि पनि हुने छ। अहिले नै दुइदलमा एकार्काको निम्ति क्रोध चरममा छ। अब चुनाउपछि पहाड़मा अशान्ति निश्चित छ। यो अशान्ति गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति होइन अरू नै व्यवस्थाको निम्ति हुने पनि स्पष्ट छ। यस्तोमा सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड भन्ने धुर्तहरूको अवस्था मात्र होइन सॉंड़ेको जुझाईमा बाछाको मिचाई हुने जनताको मात्र पनि होइन सम्पूर्ण जिल्लाको अर्थनैतिक क्षेत्र अझ कति तहस नहस हुने हो, यस बारे सचेतहरू अहिलेदेखि नै सुर्ता गर्न थालेका छन्।
चुनाउले रोप्यो अशान्तिको बीऊ - चुनाउपछिको लड़ाई गोरामुमो भर्सेस गोजमुमो?
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,10 अप्रेल। यसपालीको विधानसभा चुनाउले पहाड़मा अशान्तिको बीऊ रोपेको छ। चुनाउपछि पहाड़मा अशान्ति हुने संकेत अहिलेको परिवेशले स्पष्टरूपले दिइरहेको छ। गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाले खेदेको गोरामुमो नेताहरू फेरि पुरानै राग अलाप्दै आफ्नो मुद्दाको पक्षमा जनमत संग्रह गर्न आएपछि गोजमुमोको छटपट्टी बढ़ेर गएको छ। छैटौं अनुसूची, जो गोर्खाल्याण्ड सोझै हुन नसक्ने सरकारसित भएका वार्ताहरू अनि राज्य र केन्द्रले गोर्खाहरूमाथि राखेको नियतको कारण गोरामुमो प्रमुख सुवास घिसिङले उठाएको मुद्दा हो। तर यो मुद्दाले चरमरूपमा दलीय अस्वीकृति प्राप्त गर्यो। छैटौं अनुसूची, दलीय विरोधको केन्द्र बन्यो।
प्रशान्त तामाङलाई सुवास घिसिङले कुनै सहयोग नगरेपछि घिसिङको असंवेदनशीलता र प्रशान्त तामङले उपार्जन गरेको जातीय भावनाले ग्रस्त भीड़बाट विमल गुरूङले सुवास धिसिङ विरोधी राजनैतिक शक्तिको अवधारणा निर्माण गरे। जन्मियो गोजमुमो। त्यसपछि खेदाइए गोरामुमो नेताहरू। कारण थियो छैटौं अनुसूची। मोर्चाले भन्यो, छैटौं अनुसूची जनताको आकांक्षा विरोधी मुद्दा हो, यसले जातजातमा विभाजन ल्याउँछ। छैटौं अनुसूची होइन गोर्खाल्याण्ड चाहिन्छ। अनेकौं वार्ता र दागोपाप सञ्चालनको बीस वर्षे अऩुभवलाई काममा ल्याउन दाबी गरेको गारमुमोको छैटौं अनुसूचीको मुद्दा हस्ताक्षर भएर पनि संसदमा नै थन्कियो।
गोजमुमोले गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलन गर्यो, वार्ता गर्यो अनि अहिले आएर भन्यो, सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउने कि त धुर्त हो, कित महामुर्ख हो। यसको सोझो अर्थ हो कि अब मोर्चाले सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउन सक्दैन। कुनै व्यवस्था भएरै गोर्खाल्याण्ड पुग्न सकिन्छ। सरकारसित तीनोटा वैधानिक विकल्पहरू छन्। एक हो छैटौं अनुसूची, अर्को युटी अनि अर्को छुट्टै राज्य। छुट्टै राज्य अहिले नै हुँदैन-गोरामुमो र गोजमुमोले यही भनिरहेको छ। अब छैटौं अनुसूची र युटी रह्यो। गोरामुमोले छैटौं अनुसूची भनिरहेको छ तर गोजमुमोले युटी भनेको छैन।
गारामुमोले भन्यो, मोर्चाले गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउन सक्दैन भनेर स्पष्ट पारेपछि नै हामी पहाड़ आएका हौं। यता गोजमुमोले चुनाउ अवधी प्राधिकरण त्यागेको छ अनि चुनावी घोषणापत्रमा केवल गोर्खाल्याण्ड भनेको छ। त्यही गोजमुमोले वार्ताहरूको अनुभवबाट सोझै गोर्खाल्याण्ड ल्याउने धुर्त हो भनिरहेको छ अनि त्यही गोजमुमोले चुनावी घोषणापत्रमा गोर्खाल्याण्डबाहेक केही नल्याउने बचन दिएको छ। यता सुवास घिसिङ पहाड़ छिरे अनि छैटौं अनुसूचीको वकालत गर्न शुरू गरे। मिरिकमा देखापरेका जनलहरले स्पष्ट संकेत गरिरहेको छ कि अधिकांश जनता छैटौं अनुसूचीको पक्षमा पनि छ। गोरामुमोलाई पहाड़ छिर्न विधानसभा चुनाउ सुनौलो अवसर रहेको भएपनि चुनाउपछिको अवस्था के हुन्छ? यो खुवै जटिल प्रश्न भएको छ।
19 अप्रेलदेखि गोजमुमोले अर्को चरणको आन्दोलनको घोषणा गरेको छ अनि भनेको छ, घिसिङ अब जनाक्रोषको शिकार हुनेछन्। यसको सोझो अर्थ हो कि अब फेरि जनताको नाममा नेताहरूमाथि जाइलाग्ने, तोड़फोड़, आगलागी, कुटपिट र काटमारको परिवेश हुनेछ। गोरामुमोले पनि यस्तो परिवेशको पूर्वानुमान गरिसकेको छ अनि कुनै पनि परिस्थितिसित सामना गर्न तयार रहेको छ। अब चुनाउपछि फेरि गोरामुमो र गोजमुमोबीच लड़ाई हुने छॉंटकॉंट छ। 2007 मा गोजमुमो गठनपछि गोरामुमो नेताहरू खेद्ने काम भएको थियो, त्यो फेरि दोहोरिने सम्भावना छ। त्यसबेला पनि गोरामुमो र गोजमुमोबीच नै भीडन्त भएको थियो, जसको इतिहास चुनाउपछि फेरि दोहोरिने सम्भावना व्यापक छ। चुनाउमा आचार संहिता लागू गरेर, कानून व्यवस्थालाई कड़ा बनाएर शान्ति कायम राख्ने बङ्गाल प्रशासनले चुनाउपछि कस्तो भूमिका निर्वाह गर्ने हो, यसबारे केही निश्चित छैन। अब हुने गोरामुमो र गोजमुमोबीचको लड़ाईमा पहाड़ फेरि कुनरूपले लथालिङग हुने हो, हिंसामा विश्वास नगर्नेहरू चिन्तित देखिन थालिएको छ।
भागोप सिक्किम राज्य शाखाको कार्यालय उद्घाटन - हेलेन लेप्चाको परियोजना यथासिघ्र पुरा गरिनेछः डॉ. गुरूङ
प्रविण खालिंग, गान्तोक ,10 अप्रेल। भारतीय गोर्खा परिसंघ सिक्किम राज्य समितिको केन्द्रिय कार्यालय राज्य अध्यक्ष डॉ. कमल गुरूङ अनि सल्लाहकार तथा पूर्व डीजीपी सीपी गिरीको वाहुलीबा संयुक्तरूपमा उत्घाटन गरियो। तादोङस्थित सरकारी महाविद्यालय नजिक 31 ए राजमार्गमा शुरु गरिएको राज्य समिति कार्यालयबाट अब उसो भागोप सिक्किम राज्य समितिद्वारा राज्यभरिको शाखा कार्यालय अनि समितिहरूसितको सम्पर्कसूत्रको रूपमा कार्य सञ्चालन गरिने छ।
उद्घाटन पछि आयोजित राज्य समितिको कार्यकारी प्रतिनिधिहरूको बैठकमा कार्यालयबाट भागोपको दीर्घ प्रतिक्षित युवाहरूमा करियर काउन्सिलीङ कार्यक्रम तथा जातीय उत्थानको निम्ति नेतृत्व विकासको कार्यक्रमलाई सुचारूरूपमा सञ्चालन गरिने निर्णय गरिएको छ। यसैगरि बैठकमा सिक्किमकी एक्ली स्वाधिनता सेनानी सावित्रीदेवी (हेलेन लेप्चा) के शालिग निर्माण परियोजनाबारे विस्तृत छलफल पछि आगामी 14 अप्रेलको दिन मुर्तिकार लगायत भागोपका प्रतिनिधिहरूले उनको जन्मथलो नाम्ची पुगेर विस्तृत कार्य योजना प्रतिवेदन तयार पार्ने निर्णय गरिएको छ। यसको निम्ति स्थानीय समिति गठन गरिने पनि सभाले प्रस्ताव ग्रहण गर्दै यो सालिग निर्माण परियोजनालाई चाँडो भन्दा चाँडो पुरा गरिने निर्णय लिइयो।
यसैगरि कार्यालय व्यवस्थापनको निम्ति पनि आर्थिक योजनाहरू तयार गरिने प्रस्ताव बैठकमा ग्रहण गरियो। यसैगरि देशलाई भ्रष्ट्राचार मुक्त बनाउन गोर्खा समुदायले देश स्वाधिनताको निम्ति दिएको झै योगदान दिइन आवश्य रहेक बताउँदै समाजसेवी अन्ना हजारेको आन्दोलनलाई भागोप सिक्किम राज्य समितिको पनि पूर्ण समर्थन रहेको प्रस्ताव ग्रहण गरियो। यस अवसरमा अध्यक्ष गुरूङले भने, हामीले देशभक्ति र राष्ट्रप्रेमलाई शिरोपर गरेर संगठनमा कार्य गरिरहेका छौ भने गोर्खा समुदायले भारत देशलाई भ्रष्ट्राचार मुक्त बनाउन लोकपाल विधेयकलाई यथासिघ्र सदनमा जनताको सहभागितामा प्रस्तुत गरिनुपर्ने मागलाई समर्थन जनाउनु पर्छ।
यसैगरि भागोपको सांगठनीक विस्तार कार्यक्रममा पुनः निरन्तरता दिँदै अब विभिन्न क्षेत्रमा शाखा गठन गरिएको ठाँउमा शाखा कार्यालय खोलेर केन्द्रिय कार्यालयसित सोझो सम्पर्कमा राख्दै समाज र देश निर्माण जातितत्वको आधारमा विकास गरेर लानुपर्ने प्रस्ताव ग्रहण गरियो। जसमा आगामी मई महिनाको दोस्रो सप्ताहमा पश्चिम सिक्किमको देन्ताममा जिल्लास्तरको सभा आयोजन गर्ने प्रस्ताव ग्रहण गरियो। यसैगरि राज्यको विभिन्न क्षेत्रमा रहको शाखा समितिलाई बलिया बनाउने अनि सदस्यता वृद्धि गर्दै जातीय उत्थानको निम्ति
युवाहरूलाई व्यापक रूपमा मौका दिने निधो गरियो। उद्घाटन कार्यक्रममा कार्यकारी अध्यक्ष नारायण भट्टराई, महासचिव एस पाण्डे. सचिव प्रवीण खालिङ, राष्ट्रिय परिषद सदस्य जी गुरूङ, उपाध्यक्ष जोगेन्द्र बस्नेत, सल्लाहकार राज के श्रेष्ठ, कार्यकारी समिति सदस्य अमर बाँनिया लोहोरो, कृष्णलाल अधिकारी, रिनाक शाखाका अध्यक्ष पीएन पौड्याल लगायत पूर्व जिल्लाका विभिन्न शाखाका प्रतिनिधिहरूको उपस्थिति रहेका थिए।
Deadline for GNLF chief
 |
| Bimal Gurung at Mirik on Sunday. (Suman Tamang) |
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which had organised a meeting beside the Mirik lake today, the same venue where Ghisingh had made his first public speech in more than three years yesterday, played heavily on the Gorkhaland sentiment, launching a vitriolic attack on the GNLF leader.
“You stay in foreign countries and your visa to the hills expires on April 18. Once the visa expires a person has to leave and if he does not, four to five lakh people will go to his place (to ensure it),” Gurung told the audience, whose number was nearly double the people who had come to listen to Ghisingh yesterday.
The Morcha chief was referring to Ghisingh’s trips to Myanmar, Vietnam, Bhutan, Cambodia and Thailand in the past three years.
The Morcha leader said he has come to Mirik, part of Kurseong constituency, immediately after Ghisingh to “purify” the place and advised the GNLF leader to “quietly leave” if he wanted peace in the hills. “At times I feel whether I should continue with our Gandhian movement,” Gurung warned his opponents.
Morcha leaders like B.K. Rai, a one-time close confidant of Ghisingh, reminded the crowd of the GNLF chief’s antics. “He considers himself to be a religious leader, philosopher, historian and almost everything rolled in one. He never allowed us to speak and only wanted us to hear his theories which ranged from the surface colour of Mars and Jupiter to the merger of planets,” said Rai.
The Morcha picked up on the statement Ghisingh made yesterday: that he had never demanded Gorkhaland and had only used the word as a “brahmaastra” (the ultimate weapon). Ghisingh had yesterday confessed that he had used the word “Gorkhaland” as pressure tactics to get an identity for the Gorkhas of the Darjeeling hills and had never meant it to denote a separate state.
“That leader has disrespected hundreds of martyrs who lost their lives in the agitation,” said the Morcha’s Kurseong candidate Rohit Sharma.
Hitting out hard at Ghisingh, the Morcha chief said it was time for the young generation to “learn about computers and the Internet and not about offering tongba (an alcoholic drink).” Ghisingh while campaigning for Sixth Schedule status had asked the people of the hills to offer tongba to the gods and goddesses.
GJMM chief addresses rally at mirik, asks subash to leave hills after poll
SNS, KURSEONG, 10 APRIL: Barely twenty-four hours after GNLF chief Mr Subash Ghisingh addressed his first public meeting in nearly three years at Mirik in Kurseong, the GJMM chief, Mr Bimal Gurung, today selected the same venue to hold a GJMM rally and lambasted the GNLF chief for his present moves.
Mr Ghisingh, who has returned to the Hills after a gap of nearly three years, had held a party rally at Mirik in Kurseong.
Accusing the GNLF chief of being an obstacle in the way of a separate state of Gorkhaland, Mr Gurung said that the GJMM would not tolerate any high-handedness of the GNLF. Mr Gurung said that his party knew how to break legs of those people who try to rule them by climbing on their heads and said that if needed then the GJMM would break those legs.
Addressing the rally, the GJMM chief said that Mr Ghisigh's visa will expire on 19 April and he will have to move out of the Hills. "We will keep a close watch on Mr Ghisingh and if he doesn't leave on his own, then we will gherao him with lakhs of people in a democratic way to remove him from the Hills. From 19 April onwards we will intensify our movement for Gorkhaland again." Mr Gurung said.
He said that the model code of conduct for the Assembly poll has been enforced on the GJMM candidates but not on the public, hence the people should come forward and reply through the ballot.
Commenting on the allotment of symbols in the three Hills sub-divisions, Mr Gurung said: "The Election Commission has played a bad game as the four GJMM candidates have been given different election symbols. In Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Kalchini our candidates were given the table symbol but in Kurseong a candle symbol was given to our party candidate." The meeting saw the participation of thousands of GJMM supporters. The GJMM central committee members were also present at the rally.
GJMM chief addresses rally at mirik, asks subash to leave hills after poll
SNS, KURSEONG, 10 APRIL: Barely twenty-four hours after GNLF chief Mr Subash Ghisingh addressed his first public meeting in nearly three years at Mirik in Kurseong, the GJMM chief, Mr Bimal Gurung, today selected the same venue to hold a GJMM rally and lambasted the GNLF chief for his present moves.
Mr Ghisingh, who has returned to the Hills after a gap of nearly three years, had held a party rally at Mirik in Kurseong.
Accusing the GNLF chief of being an obstacle in the way of a separate state of Gorkhaland, Mr Gurung said that the GJMM would not tolerate any high-handedness of the GNLF. Mr Gurung said that his party knew how to break legs of those people who try to rule them by climbing on their heads and said that if needed then the GJMM would break those legs.
Addressing the rally, the GJMM chief said that Mr Ghisigh's visa will expire on 19 April and he will have to move out of the Hills. "We will keep a close watch on Mr Ghisingh and if he doesn't leave on his own, then we will gherao him with lakhs of people in a democratic way to remove him from the Hills. From 19 April onwards we will intensify our movement for Gorkhaland again." Mr Gurung said.
He said that the model code of conduct for the Assembly poll has been enforced on the GJMM candidates but not on the public, hence the people should come forward and reply through the ballot.
Commenting on the allotment of symbols in the three Hills sub-divisions, Mr Gurung said: "The Election Commission has played a bad game as the four GJMM candidates have been given different election symbols. In Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Kalchini our candidates were given the table symbol but in Kurseong a candle symbol was given to our party candidate." The meeting saw the participation of thousands of GJMM supporters. The GJMM central committee members were also present at the rally.
Opp criticises Gurung’s comment on Ghisingh
SNS, DARJEELING, 10 APRIL: The GJMM chief, Mr Bimal Gurung, today drew flak from the leaders of Opposition parties for his comment on the GNLF chief Mr Subash Ghisingh. Addressing a rally, Mr Gurung said today that Mr Ghisingh will have to move out of the Hills as his visa expires on 19 April, a day after the Assembly poll is held here.
Though Mr Ghisingh made a grand return to the Hills, the GJMM had totally shunned his arrival. “This comment of Mr Gurung against the GNLF chief has once again revealed his dictatorial nature. My party condemns the statement. The government must ensure Mr Ghisingh's security,” said KB Wattar, CPI-M leader and candidate from the Darjeeling constituency.
The peace-loving people of the Hills are worried that such comments may take an ugly turn and would again lead to clashes between the GNLF and the GJMM, like the ones in the year 2008. Mr Paruka Chettri, a local, said: “The administration should ensure that the common people do not get sucked in the political war between the two rival parties as it is usually the common people who bear the brunt of such a situation.”
The CPRM has also condemned the statement of Mr Gurung. “As the righful citizen of India, Mr Ghisingh has the prerogative to reside in any part of the country. Mr Gurung doesn't have the authority to object to anyone residing in the Hills,” said CPRM general secretary Tara Mani Rai. Mr Ghisingh, on the contrary, did not make any comment on the GJMM chief in his address yesterday at Mirik, where the latter lambasted the former today.
Though Mr Ghisingh made a grand return to the Hills, the GJMM had totally shunned his arrival. “This comment of Mr Gurung against the GNLF chief has once again revealed his dictatorial nature. My party condemns the statement. The government must ensure Mr Ghisingh's security,” said KB Wattar, CPI-M leader and candidate from the Darjeeling constituency.
The peace-loving people of the Hills are worried that such comments may take an ugly turn and would again lead to clashes between the GNLF and the GJMM, like the ones in the year 2008. Mr Paruka Chettri, a local, said: “The administration should ensure that the common people do not get sucked in the political war between the two rival parties as it is usually the common people who bear the brunt of such a situation.”
The CPRM has also condemned the statement of Mr Gurung. “As the righful citizen of India, Mr Ghisingh has the prerogative to reside in any part of the country. Mr Gurung doesn't have the authority to object to anyone residing in the Hills,” said CPRM general secretary Tara Mani Rai. Mr Ghisingh, on the contrary, did not make any comment on the GJMM chief in his address yesterday at Mirik, where the latter lambasted the former today.
Poll results will either make or break GNLF: Party chief
Ambika Pradhan, SNS, DARJEELING, 10 APRIL: The Assembly election is set to play a major role in determining the fate of the GNLF in the Darjeeling Hills, said the party chief, Mr Subash Ghisingh, who has returned to the Hills recently after around three years. With this comment Mr Ghisingh has clearly indicated that his political future and activities will depend on the result of the upcoming Assembly election. A section of the Hills people is also of the opinion that the chances of GNLF winning the poll is bleak.Twenty years of Mr Ghisingh's reign in the Hills coupled with slow pace of developments here, have turned many people against the party. Wooed by the idea of a separate state of Gorkhaland, a large section of the Hills people has turned towards the GJMM, led by Mr Ghisingh’s one-time protege Mr Bimal Gurung. On the other hand, Mr Ghisingh is still bent upon implementation of the New Gorkha Hill Council under the Sixth Schedule signed among the state, Centre and the GNLF on 6 December, 2005. According to Mr Ghisingh, the three-year-old issue, the New Gorkha Hill Council under the Sixth Schedule is a state but in a miniature form. Unlike leaders of various other Hills parties like the GJMM and the AIGL, Mr Ghisingh never raised the issue of Gorkhaland.
Political observers are of the opinion that Mr Ghisingh being a veteran leader is well aware that a separate state of Gorkhaland would not come in so easily. While delivering his speech yesterday, Mr Ghisingh said: “There may be many Gandhis, but there is only one Mahatma Gandhi in the Hills which is me.”
Mr Ghisingh's speech yesterday clearly stated that the political future and activities of the GNLF depend on the result of the Assembly election, or else he will be visiting places and start writing books. “ I hope that this three years have given the Hill people, the power to judge what is good for them,” said Mr Ghisingh. The upcoming election will either break or make the political future of the GNLF.
22 hurt by halide lamps
 |
| Some of the patients at the hospital. (Mithun Roy |
TT,Balurghat, April 10:At least 22 persons were victims of a condition known as photokeratitis, or ultraviolet irradiation of the eyes, after attending a folk song recital under metal halide lamps in Ayodhya.
Fifteen of those who suffered a burning sensation in the eyes and blurred vision have been admitted to the South Dinajpur district hospital here, 5km from Ayodhya.
Eye specialist Paritosh Biswas, who is attending to them, said: “In photokeratitis, the cornea of the eyes get burnt because of ultraviolet radiation. However, the condition is usually reversed by about a week.” He said anti-inflammatory medicines were being administered.
Sadhu Charan Pala, one of the organisers of the two-day folk song festival that begun last evening, said: “Around 3am today, when folk singer from Tapan, Subhadra Adhikary, started performing, there was a clamour for better on-stage lighting. Electricians strung up a metal halide lamp without a cover,” Sadhu Charan, one of those admitted to hospital, said.
He said soon his eyes started aching and his vision blurred. “There was a splitting headache…The first batch of seven were taken to the hospital around 4am,” he said. Hospital superintendent Buddhadeb Mondol said 22 persons had been brought to the hospital.
Avoid controversy: Subash toldFifteen of those who suffered a burning sensation in the eyes and blurred vision have been admitted to the South Dinajpur district hospital here, 5km from Ayodhya.
Eye specialist Paritosh Biswas, who is attending to them, said: “In photokeratitis, the cornea of the eyes get burnt because of ultraviolet radiation. However, the condition is usually reversed by about a week.” He said anti-inflammatory medicines were being administered.
Sadhu Charan Pala, one of the organisers of the two-day folk song festival that begun last evening, said: “Around 3am today, when folk singer from Tapan, Subhadra Adhikary, started performing, there was a clamour for better on-stage lighting. Electricians strung up a metal halide lamp without a cover,” Sadhu Charan, one of those admitted to hospital, said.
He said soon his eyes started aching and his vision blurred. “There was a splitting headache…The first batch of seven were taken to the hospital around 4am,” he said. Hospital superintendent Buddhadeb Mondol said 22 persons had been brought to the hospital.
SNS, SILIGURI, 10 APRIL: Expressing happiness over the GNLF chief, Mr Subash Ghisingh's election campaigning, the CPI-M state secretary, Mr Biman Bose, today said that in order to maintain peace and democracy Mr Ghisingh should stay off controversy.
“I feel very happy that Mr Subash Ghisingh has started campaigning ahead of the poll for his party in the Hills but he should restrain from any comment against his Opposition during campaigning. His aggressive comments may disrupt normalcy and democratic atmosphere in the Hills,” said Mr Bose.
Mr Bose also criticised Union finance minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee for joining hands with the GJMM activists in Siliguri recently. “Being a Union minister, Mr Mukherjee has made an unholy alliance with the GJMM activists and other regional outfits in north Bengal. This will not affect poll results in Bengal and will fail to influence the people of the state,” said Mr Bose (in sns photo).
After returning from Cooch Behar, the Left Front chairman today attended public meetings for the CPI-M candidates in Phansidewa, Matigara-Naxalbari and Fulbari-Dabgram and took part in the march for party's candidates.
Mr Bose, while addressing the media, said: “We do not need to borrow campaigning strategies and cues from Trinamul chief Miss Mamata Banerjee. Miss Banerjee is trying to make herself more Leftist than us.”
Criticising the railway minister's manifesto, he said: “She has been highlighting railway development in West Bengal but she should know that railway department is not related to the state affairs and its politics.”
He also slammed Trinamul MPs for their double-standard. “A section of Trinamul MPs, who support the UPA-II government and its anti-people policies in Delhi, always claims that they keep the interest of the people on their minds. But they had supported the government, which has decided to invest provident and pension funds for share market,” Mr Bose alleged.
I never asked for Gorkhaland: Ghisingh
TNN, MIRIK: What Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) chief Subash Ghisingh said at a public meeting in Mirik on Saturday, his first since his return to Darjeeling after a gap of three years, will create a flutter in the Hills. "I never asked for Gorkhaland. I only used the separate state issue as a weapon to acquire citizenship for the Gorkhas of the country," said the veteran leader.
Delhi and Bengal failed to understand that I was using the Gorkhaland state issue as a brahmastar' (weapon) to achieve citizenship and identity for the Gorkhas of India. Instead, they misinterpreted it as a demand for division of Bengal," he explained to a modest gathering which braved the heat and humidity for more then two hours.
Ghisingh asserted that his true mission of Indian citizenship for Gorkhas was achieved when the DGHC was formed. "We should not use the Gorkhaland state issue as a tool to bargain for petty things. We have achieved what we wanted," he pointed out.
To bear testimony to the GNLF leader's remark, Ghisingh had dropped the demand for a separate state when the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council accord was inked in 1988. "In the overall interest of the nation and on the Prime Minister's personal request, the GNLF hereby agrees to drop the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland," said the very first paragraph of the accord.
Significantly, Ghisingh criticized the Centre for not passing the Sixth Schedule Bill but had a word of sympathy for the state government. "The central government did not pass the Sixth Schedule Bill in 2008 because their intentions were full of malice towards the Hills people. The Government must now honour the 2005 agreement, but even if they don't I will not let it go," he warned.
He added: "We have asked for nearly everything that Bengal could give. Now we cannot blame them anymore." On December 6, 2005, an agreement to include Darjeeling Hills under the provision of the Sixth Schedule was signed by the Centre, state and the GNLF, but which was rejected by a parliamentary standing committee in 2008.
Espousing the Sixth Schedule issue, Ghisingh, said: "We got the present council as a bonus which I tried to work with at the best. But the new Gorkha Hill Council (GHC) under Sixth Schedule will have constitutional guarantee and legislative powers".
The GNLF president asserted that the GHC would provide protection to the customs and culture of the Hills tribes which was the last thing to be achieved. "The English conferred us with the Hills Tribe status and united us. But after Independence, the communities were fragmented into various subcastes and that needs to change," he said.
Back from ‘exile’, Ghising stakes claim in Gorkha talks
Madhuparna Das, IE, Darjeeling: GNLF chief Subash Ghising’s return to Darjeeling after three years of forced exile and his attempts at seeking a political rehabilitation seems to have set in motion new equations in the hills. Having released his election manifesto at his very first public meeting in three years the GNLF chief has staked his claim to be a party in the ongoing talks for a negotiated settlement of Darjeeling problem and the setting up of an interim Gorkha Hill Council. So far, the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) has been the sole bargaining authority in these talks.
Talking to The Indian Express, Ghising disclosed that he has already written to Sonia Gandhi for inclusion of the GNLF as a party to the talks and for setting up of an interim Gorkha Hill Council after the polls. He said, “At present, the Central and state governments are talking to groups and people from Darjeeling who do not understand what an interim council is all about. The GNLF should be made a party to the talks. The GNLF will work actively to have the New Gorkha Hill Council Bill passed in Parliament that was passed in the West Bengal Assembly in 2005.”
While asked about the interim council, Ghising said, “We want an interim council. Earlier, we were given an interim administrator. We never wanted a bureaucratic set-up. We want autonomy. The earlier drafting of the proposed council was completely wrong. I am here to correct that blunder.” The New Gorkha Hill Council, as proposed by him will have 45 sections. “If we have legislative power we would not need legislation in the Bengal Assembly,” he added.
If Ghising’s speeches are any indication, he is keeping the demand for a separate state under the wraps for tactical reasons. “Gorkhaland is our ‘Brahmastra’ that can be used once and for all. But at present monkeys are also using this ‘Brahmastra’,” said Ghising, ridiculing the GJM, led by Bimal Gurung. He reminded that ‘Gorkhaland’ was coined by him.
Ghising’s public posturing has so far evoked mixed response, with one section terming it as the return of “Son God” of the hills while the other describing him as a spent force. According to some, in the interior villages and particularly among hill tribes such as Tamangs, Lepchas and Bhutias, Ghising still claims a fair amount of popularity. His old lieutenants have joined Ghising, including Tshering Sherpa who had joined All Bengal Gorkha League earlier. There are other who are sitting on the fence and may join him soon.
For the moment Ghising seems to be targeting the hill tribes to regain his lost grounds. This was largely explained by his announcement that the GNLF wanted the New Gorkha Hill Council to give proper recognition to hill tribes. “They should not be categorised as scheduled caste and scheduled tribes but should be given a new status and identity under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution,” said Ghising.
Reacting to the public meeting of the GNLF, Roshan Giri, the general secretary of GJM, said, “We have been hearing for months that Ghising will come to Darjeeling, but he never dared to do so. This time he might have come here for campaigning, but we are sure that he will run away again, as the people of the hills will not accept him.”
However, Ghising seems to have other plans. He said: “The people here have developed “rust” just as the khukris (Nepali daggers) due to non-use. That’s the reason I am here and will not leave under any circumstances.”
No comments:
Post a Comment