Centre takes note of Sikkim resolution... I Was never a muscleman of Ghising- Bimal... भोटको बजार हेरेर सिक्किमले गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताव ल्याएको होइन-विमल ... विमल कोर्टमा, पाए जमानत .. सलोन कार्थकलाई डा.पारसमणि पुरस्कार प्रदान

Headlines, KalimNews:
Bimal Gurung surrendered before the SDJM court in Kalimpong and granted bail.
Nomination of Dilip Pradhan of INC cancelled, 6 candidates for Kalimpong Assembly constituency.
Solon Karthak a travelogue writer received Paras Mani Pradhan Award.
Centre takes note of Sikkim resolution
SNS, NEW DELHI, 2 APRIL: The Centre has taken strong note of a resolution passed by the Sikkim Assembly in favour of the formation of Gorkhaland and is contemplating what steps need to be taken next. Asked about the Sikkim resolution and the West Bengal government’s subsequent protest, a senior home ministry official said the Union government has taken “note of the development in Sikkim” and was keeping tabs on the situation. He refused to comment on whether the Centre would seek a report from the state government.
On 29 March the Sikkim Assembly passed a resolution supporting the formation of a separate state of Gorkhaland. The Sikkim resolution may give a boost to the GJM, which has an alliance with the BJP.
The West Bengal government termed the Sikkim move “unfortunate” and said it was “not in tune with Parliamentary norms and tradition”.
Pillai sends letter to Pawan
SNS, DARJEELING, 2 APRIL: The Sikkim chief minister, Mr Pawan Chamling, is reported to have received a letter from the Union home secretary, Mr GK Pillai, asking him to explain why a resolution in the Sikkim Assembly was passed supporting the demand for Gorkhaland during electioneering in West Bengal.  
Bimal Gurung says...
SNS SILIGURI/KURSEONG, 2 APRIL: Taking strong exception to what the GJMM president, Mr Bimal Gurung, said in an interview published in The Statesman today regarding the Madan Tamang murder, Mr Amar Lama, a former GJMM leader and the younger brother of the slain AIGL leader, said that he might file a defamation suit against Mr Gurung for insinuating at his involvement in the murder. Meanwhile, Mr Gurung surrendered before the ACJM Court in Kalimpong today in connection with several cases that have been pending against him. Later he was released on bail.
‘I was never a muscleman of any individual’
SNS: Emerging from the shadows of Mr Subash Ghisingh, Mr Bimal Gurung has been the chief proponent of the demand for Gorkhaland since 2007. Being the president of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM), he has been blamed for all the unrest in the Darjeeling Hills. Braving all criticism, his party has now jumped into the election bandwagon virtually without their old ally, the BJP. In a no-holds-barred interview with Romit Bagchi, the GJMM president, reveals his plans. Excerpts...
 Q. An undercurrent of tension has been running in the Hills with GNLF and the AIGL having entered the electoral fray. Mr Subash Ghisingh may return to Darjeeling any day to campaign for his party. Would you allow him to campaign freely?
A. One thing I want to make clear. The common people would not allow Mr Ghisingh to stay in the Hills a day after the electoral process is over. We would not do anything till the elections are over. Ours is a party committed to the democratic canon India boasts of. We would not disrupt the electoral process. He is free to campaign. But once the elections are over, the common people would not allow him to stay even a single day in the Hills. The security would definitely be relaxed after the electoral process is completed. Then we would see...
Q. You were once a muscleman of Mr Ghisingh. What happened in 2007 that made you alienate yourself from your former mentor?
A. First of all, I was never a muscleman of any individual. Of course, I did things in those turbulent days when the people of the Darjeeling Hills got afire with dreams of statehood and identity. Mr Ghisingh happened to be leading the movement at that point of time. I was a ground-level warrior for the cause. What I did, I did for the cause and not for any individual. The appellation (muscleman), though apparently disparaging, was like an adoring recognition of the work I did.
Q. But what happened exactly?
A. Mr Ghisingh was a mischievous and cunning person. From the very beginning, he had been practising the Machiavellian art of divide and rule. He was inclined to using us as pawns to further his own interests. He felt no qualms in throwing us out when we could no longer be used that way. He opted for the Hill Council to gain political and administrative power. He betrayed the people and the cause. He kept me entangled in litigations for years to prevent me from raising the issue.
Q. What about Mrs Bharati Tamang?
A. She is a puppet at the hands of Mr Dawa Sherpa. She is essentially a homemaker. Now she is dabbling in the rough and tumble of politics, which is definitely not her cup of tea.
Q. Who killed Madan Tamang?
A. I cannot understand why you remain paranoid about the Madan Tamang murder. Many people were killed during the GNLF movement. Even a leader of the stature of CK Pradhan was done away with. Recently, three innocent agitators were gunned down at Sipchu. But when you have raised the issue I would like to say a thing or two. Mr Amar Lama was long involved in property dispute with Madan Tamang, who was his elder brother, and Mr Nichole Tamang, the prime accused in the crime, was very close to Mr Lama. Mr Lama was near the spot where the murder occurred. Now it is up to you to deduce the conclusion. I was the first person to demand a CBI probe. Let the CBI unravel the mystery. Nobody involved in the crime, whoever it is, should be spared. If my partymen were involved, they should be punished.
Q. You seem elated as the Sikkim Assembly passed a resolution supporting the cause of Gorkhaland. But would you accept any proposal connoting the Darjeeling Hills’ merger into Sikkim?
A. No. We want a separate state of our own. However, we are grateful to the Sikkim chief minister for the support he has extended towards the cause.
Q. Would you opt for an interim council when the elections are over and a new government is formed?
A. No. The interim chapter is closed for us once and for all.
Q. But the people believe that you keep biding time for the regime change. Because you believe that if Miss Mamata Banerjee becomes the next chief minister, she would announce largesse for you in the form of an empowered council. Is this theory true?
A. No. Let me again say categorically that the interim option is closed for us. But we would be happy if Miss Banerjee takes up the reins of the state after the election. Like the rest of the people of the state, we are for change, Gorkhaland or no Gorkhaland. We have decided to extend support to the Congress and the Trinmaul Congress candidates in all the seats in north Bengal except the six seats where we have fielded our own candidates or have already pledged support for other parties. Our single-minded objective for the time being is to end the Marxist tyranny.
Q. What about the vision of Darjeeling being turned into Switzerland?
A. We cannot be caught with such chaff. Miss Banerjee promised us a separate country which Switzerland is. But let us first have our own state. We do not need a country now. (Smiling)
Q. Finally, what was your realisation during your long stay in an out of a place like Kumani?
A. I realised the ruthless indifference of the government machinery towards the democratic aspirations of the people. Besides, the poverty the Adivasi people have suffered from for ages in the Dooars pained me a great deal. It also reinforced my conviction that the Left Front government is on its way out.
CPM criticises Opp for taking GJMM support
SNS, SILIGURI/KOLKATA, 1 APRIL: The state CPI-M leaders today slammed the Congress, the Trinamul Congress and the BJP for taking support from the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) just after its president, Mr Bimal Gurung, specifically declared that Nepali-speaking people would support anti-CPI-M candidates in the Terai and the Dooars.
The CPI-M leaders have decided to make the "grand alliance" an election issue in the state level to take on the Congress and the Trinamul Congress for "joining hands with the GJMM" and labelling them as partner of those who have been demanding division of Bengal.
Reiterating chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's views on the GJMM support to Trinamul Congress and Adivasi Vikas Parishad, CPI-M state secretary and Left Front chairman Mr Biman Bose today said: "This is nothing new. GJMM had earlier supported Trinamul and took their support in return. This time they are supporting Trinamul and Vikas Parishad in 12 seats. During earlier polls, GJMM has a record of supporting the Trinamul Congress, the Congress and even the BJP. It is now clear, which parties have been supporting partisan politics in the state and siding with parties advocating divisive tactics in the state."
In Siliguri, while terming the electoral alliance as Maha Morcha Jote (Grand Morcha Allaince) the state urban development minister, Mr Asok Bhattacharya, said: “The GJMM has decided to extend support to the Congress and the Trinamul Congress after seeking advice from Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Miss Mamata Banerjee. The Congress-Trinamul leaders had held meeting with the GJMM several times to make this electoral deal." "We had been claiming that there was tacit political understanding among the Trinamul Congress, the Congress and the GJMM. This understanding with the GJMM was to earn dividend for votes during elections. Thanks to Mr Bimal Gurung for the announcement of extending support to them. This official announcement would help us. It was very difficult to explain the "tacit understanding" amongst them. Now it is easy for us to campaign against the Congress and Trinamul," said Mr Bhattacharya.
Back in Kolkata, state health minister Dr Surjya Kanta Mishra said the Trinamul Congress leadership had joined hands with an anti-people reactionary force. "GJMM, which disallows All India Gorkha League supporters to enter the Hills, is laying red carpet for the Trinamul supremo Miss Mamata Banerjee there," he said. When asked to comment, the Darjeeling district Congress (plains) president, Mr Shankar Malakar, who is also contesting from Matigara-Naxalbari seat, said: "The GJMM has no faith in the CPI-M-led LF government in the state. Secondly, it was GJMM's own political decision. And thirdly, the GJMM thinks that problems in the Hills would be resolved as soon as the Congress-Trinamul comes to power."
The district Trinamul Congress president, Mr Gautam Deb, who is also contesting from Dabgram-Fulbari seat, said: "I would not comment on seeking support. But I want to say we are in favour of development in the Hills, unity between the Hills and plains and but we are against the division of Bengal."

भोटको बजार हेरेर सिक्किमले गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताव ल्याएको होइन-विमल

मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज,कालेबुङ,2 अप्रेल।मुद्दा लागेको कारण कालेबुङ न्यालयमा उभिन आइपुगेका मोर्चा प्रमुख विमल गुरूङले अहिले आफू चुनाउको निम्ति व्यस्त रहेको जनाए। मोर्चालाई चुनाउ लड्नुपर्ने परिस्थिति आएकोले यसबाट पछि नहटेको बताउँदै मोर्चाको काम हेरेर नै मोर्चाका उम्मेद्वारहरूलाई जनताले विजयी बनाएर विधानसभामा पठाइदिने कुरामा आफू विश्वस्त रहेको जनाए। तिनले विपक्षका दलहरूले पहाड़मा केही नगरेको अनि आफूहरूले चिया श्रमिकहरूको रोजवृद्दि मात्र होइन सिक्किमसित सुमधुर सम्बन्ध राखेर अपील गरे अनुसार सिक्किम विधानसभाले गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताव ल्याएको जनाए। तिनले भने, कुनै स्वार्थ नराखी जनताको निम्ति काम गरेको हुनुपर्छ। सिक्किम विधानसभाले गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताव पारित गरेर हामीलाई ठूलो बल प्रदान गरेको छ।
सिक्किमका मुख्यमन्त्री पवन चामलिङले चुनाउको बजारलाई हेरेर यो प्रस्ताव ल्याएका होइनन्‌। तिनलाई रगतको सम्बन्ध थाहा छ। नजिक चीन पनि छ। यसकारण सिक्किम चिकन नेक हो। कुनै पनि अशान्ति र अप्रिय घटना भए सिक्किमलाई असुविधा हुन्छ। सिक्किमको राजनीति र पहाड़का जनताको आकांक्षालाई ध्यानमा राखेर मोर्चाले काम गरिरहेको छ। यसैकारण सिक्किमले सही समयमा सही निर्णय गर्दै यो प्रस्ताव पारित गरेको हो। तिनले सिक्किमले गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताव लिँदा बङ्गालले हेरिबस्नु नहुने भए पनि बङ्गालले 35 वर्षसम्म गोर्खा र गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दालाई दबाउने कुटनीति नै धेर गरेको बताउँदै भने, यसैकारण तराई-डुवर्समा मोर्चाले कंग्रेस र तृणमूल कंग्रेसको गठबन्धनलाई समर्थन जनाएको छ।
>माकपालाई जरैसित उखेल्न मोर्चा कटिबद्ध छ। बङ्गालमा माकपाको सत्ता ध्वस्त गर्न नै कंग्रेस र तृणमूल कंग्रेसलाई हामीले समर्थन गरेका हौं। यसमा मोर्चाको कुनै स्वार्थ छैन। तिनलाई बङ्गभङ्गको पक्षमा नरहेको ममता व्यानर्जीले स्पष्ट पारेको सम्बन्धमा प्रश्न गर्दा भने, ममता गोर्खाल्याण्ड होइन स्वीजरल्याण्डको कुरा गरिरहेकी छन्‌। हामीले त राज्यको कुरा गरेका हौं तिनले देशको कुरा गर्दैछन्‌। देश नै दिन्छन्‌ भने हामी खुशी हुनेछौं। तिनले गोरामुमोले आफ्नै समर्थकहरू सड़कमा उतारेर त्यसलाई केवल भुकम्प मात्र रहेको अनि अब चुनाउमा सुनामी ल्याउने भनेर मोर्चालाई दिएको धम्कीबारे कुरा गर्दा तिनले भने, सुनामी ल्याएर देखाओस्‌। सुनामीले सबै नष्ट गरेको हुनुपर्छ। आधाकल्चो हुनुहुँदैन। गोरामुमोका नेताहरू तल बसेर माथिका जनतालाई ढॉंट्‌ने काम हुँदैछ। 21 वर्ष गोरामुमोको सुनामी देखिएकै हो। जनतालाई गोरामुमो के हो भन्ने कुरा थाहा छ। तिनले गोरामुमोले धेरै हत्या गरेको बताउँदै भने, प्रकाश थिङ, सीके प्रधान,रुद्र प्रधानको हत्या पनि भूकम्प हो?
गोरामुमोले हत्याको राजनीति गरेको छ, मोर्चाले कसैको हत्या नगरी अहिलेसम्म जनतासित बसेर काम गरिरहेको छ। हामीले जनताको काम गरेका छौं। यसकारण बङ्गालमा तर्क गर्न सक्ने विधायकहरू पठाइरहेका छौं। उनीहरूलाई पठाइहालौं, काम गर्छ कि गर्दैन हेरौं अनि काम गरेन भने पो विरोध गर्दा हुन्छ। नपठाई किन विरोध गर्नु? तिनले मोर्चाले गरेको राम्रो काममा विपक्षका कुनै दलले धन्यवाद समेत नदिएको बताउँदैै भने, चिया श्रमिकहरूको रोजवृद्धि गर्‍यौ, सिक्किम विधानसभामा गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्ताव ल्याउन लगायौं, यति राम्रो काम भयो, खै कुनै पनि दलले धन्यवाद दिएको? जहिले पनि नराम्रो कुराको पछिमात्र लाग्ने? जनतालाई सबै दलबारे थाहा छ। यसकारण मोर्चाका उम्मेद्वारहरूलाई जनताले विपुल भोट दिएर विजय गराउने कुरामा म निश्चित छु।

विमल कोर्टमा, पाए जमानत

मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज,कालेबुङ,2 अप्रेल।आज कालेबुङको एडिसनल चिफ जुडिसियल म्याजिस्ट्रेडको न्यायलयमा उभिनको निम्ति मोर्चा प्रमुख विमल गुरूङ हिजो नै दार्जीलिङबाट कालेबुङ आइपुगेका थिए। तिनी एक होटलमा बसेका थिए जहॉं तिनले आफ्ना कार्यकर्ताहरूसित चुनाउ सम्बन्धी कुराकानी गरे। आज तिनी कालेबुङ कोर्टको प्रमुख न्यायधीस अघि उभिए। मोठ आठवटा मुद्दा विमल गुरूङलाई लागेको छ। त्यसमध्ये 6 वटा मुद्दामाथि विमल गुरूङले दार्जीलिङ न्यालयमा आत्मसमर्पण गरेर अग्रिम जमानत पाइसकेका छन्‌। दुइवटा मुद्दाको निम्ति आज गुरूङले प्रमुख न्याधीसको अघि आत्मसमर्पण गरे। तिनलाई यहॉं पनि अग्रिम जमानत दिइएको छ। दुइ मुद्दामा एक यसैवर्षमा राजमार्गमा बन्द गरेको मुद्दा रहेको छ अनि गोरामुमो नेता के.एन. सुब्बाले घर तोड़फोड़ र चोरी गरेको आरोपमा लगाएको मुद्दा रहेको छ। गुरूङको मुद्दामा दार्जीलिङबाट तरङ पण्डित अनि दिनेशचन्द्र राईले लड़िरहेका छन्‌ भने कालेबुङमा तिनको अधिवक्ता राजिव पराजुली रहेका छन्‌। भारतीय कानूनलाई उलङ्घन नगरी संविधानलाई कदर गर्दै न्यालयमा उभिएको विमल गुरूङले जनाएका छन्‌।

सलोन कार्थकलाई डा.पारसमणि पुरस्कार प्रदान

मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,2 अप्रेल।डा.पारसमणि प्रधान पुरस्कार 2011 यसवर्ष नियात्राकार सलोक कार्थकलाई प्रदान गरियो। नेपाली साहित्य अध्ययन समितिद्वारा प्रदान गरिने यो चौधौं पुरस्कार हो। कार्थकलाई पुरस्कारले सम्मानित गर्न समितिले रामकृष्ण रङ्गमञ्चमा एक कार्यक्रमको आयोजना गरेको थियो, जसलाई डा.सरोजा राईले अध्यक्षता गरेकी थिइन्‌। 
चर्चित कथाकार विन्द्या सुब्बाले कार्यक्रमलाई मुख्य आतिथ्य दिएकी थिइन्‌। समितिका सचिव योगबीर शाक्यद्वारा सञ्चालित कार्यक्रममा कालेबुङ, दार्जीलिङ, सिक्किमका साहित्यकारहरूको उपस्थिति थियो। डा. पारसमणि प्रधानद्वारा रचित कविता पठन गर्दै प्यारामाउण्ट स्कूलका विद्यार्थीहरूले कार्यक्रम आरम्भ गरेका थिए।

कार्यक्रमबीच समितिले मुख्य अतिथि विन्द्या सुब्बाको बाहुलीबाट नियात्राकार सलोन कार्थकलाई पुरस्कार प्रदान गर्‍यो। कार्थकलाई पुरस्कारमा नगद राशि 10,001, रजत चिह्न, प्रशस्ति पत्र अनि अङ्गवस्त्र प्रदान गरियो। कार्थकले आफ्नो सम्बोधनमा डा.पारसमणि प्रधानसित रहेको आफ्नो संस्मरण सुनाए। तिनले आफूलाई पुरस्कार योग्य मानेर सम्मान गरेकोमा आभार चड़ाउँदै लेखनमा यसले उर्जा प्रदान गरेको जनाए। मुख्य अतिथि विन्द्या सुब्बाले कालेबुङमा गम्भीर साहित्यकारहरू रहेको जनाइन। यसै अवसरमा कविता वाचनको कार्यक्रम पनि राखिएको थियो, जहॉं युवा कविहरू सूधीर छेत्री, मनोज वोगटी शमशेर अली अनि विष्णु भुजेलले अंशग्रहण गरेका थिए।