लेप्चा समुदायले भोट हाल्ने-नहाल्ने कुरामा अन्योलता - समितिले निर्णय गर्नेछ-लेप्चा
मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,9 अप्रेल। इण्डिजेनस लेप्चा ट्राइबल एशोसिएसनले सिलगढ़ीमा जनसभा गर्दै यसपालीको विधानसभा चुनाउलाई बहिष्कार गरेको भए पनि गोजमुमो अध्यक्ष विमल गुरूङले लेप्चा प्रतिनिधिहरूलाई भेट गरेपछि हिजो भोट हाल्ने नहाल्ने कुरा चुड़ान्त नभइहालेको जनाइएको थियो, जसले व्यापक अन्योलता उपार्जन गरेको छ। आज लेप्चा समुदायले भोट हाल्ने नहाल्ने पक्कापक्की नभइहालेको इण्डिजेनस लेप्चा ट्राइबल एशोसिएसनका सहसचिव एनटी लेप्चाले पनि बताएका छन्। तिनले भने, भारत स्वाधिन भएदेखि यता हामीले भोट हाल्दै नै आयौं। हामीले विभिन्न मागहरू राख्दै नै आयौं तर हाम्रो कुरा न त एसेम्ब्लीमा उठ्यो न त संसदमा।यसकारण भोट हालेर धेरैलाई जिताएर पठाए पनि हाम्रो समस्यालाई कसैले सम्बोधन नगरेको कारण नै यसपल्टको विधानसभा चुनाउलाई बहिष्कार गरिएको हो।
बहिष्कारको घोषणा भइसकेको छ अनि लेप्चा समुदायमा सन्देश पुगिसकेको छ। तिनले लेप्चाहरूले चुनाउ बहिष्कारको कुरा गर्ने वित्तिकै गोजमुमो अध्यक्ष विमल गुरूङले गरेको भेट सम्बन्धमा प्रश्न गर्दा भने, उनले हामीसित भेट्ने इच्छा गरे, हामीले उनलाई सम्मान गर्दै भेट्यौं। यसरी नै धेरै पार्टी र नेताहरूले भेट्ने काम जारी छ। हाम्रो कुरालाई कसैले पनि पत्तो दिएनन्। यसकारण हामीले हाम्रो कुरा ठीकसित राख्न चुनाउ वहिष्कार गरेका हौं। हाम्रो उद्देश्य कुनै दललाई हानी र फाइदा पुर्याउनु होइन। तर हामी बङ्गालमा नै बस्न चाहेको भन्दै लेप्चा र गोर्खाहरूबीच फाटो ल्याउने कार्य मीडीयामा आइरहेको छ। लेप्चा र गोर्खाहरू एकै हौं, हामी गोर्खाहरूसित नै छौं अनि हामीलाई पनि छुट्टै राज्य चाहिएको छ। तर भोट नहाल्ने निर्णय हाम्रो उच्च समितिले नै लिएको हो। घोषणा पनि भइसकेको छ। धेरै दल र नेताहरूले भेटिरहेका छन्, हामी सबैको कुरा सुन्छौं, त्यसपछि भोट हाल्ने नहाल्ने कुराको निर्णय समितिले नै गर्नेछ।
अन्नाले बल्झायो दागोपाप भ्रष्टचारको मुद्दा
मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,9 अप्रेल। लोकपाल बीलको निम्ति अन्ना हजारेले गरेको पहलले राष्ट्रिय समर्थन पायो। हजारेलाई प्राप्त समर्थनबाट पहाड़ पनि अछुत रहेन। अन्ना हजारेले भ्रष्टचारको अन्त्य हुनुपर्ने सम्बन्धमा राष्ट्रभरिका जनताको ध्यान खिँचे। भ्रष्टचारको विरूद्ध अन्नाको युद्ध देशभरि फैलिरहेको बेला दागोपापको भ्रष्टचारको कुरा पनि उठिरहेको छ। अन्ना हजारेले आफ्नो युद्दमा जित हासिल गरेपछि यसैबाट प्रेरणा लिएर दागोपापमा भएको भ्रष्टचारको निम्ति लड्न जिल्लाका जनता पनि सड़कमा आउन पर्ने गोरामुमो-सीका अध्यक्ष कर्णल डी.के प्रधानले गरेका छन्। गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाका अध्यक्ष विमल गुरूङ पनि दागोपापको भ्रष्टचारको पर्दाफास होस् भन्ने पक्षमा छन्।
माकपा नेता तारा सुन्दासले लोकपाल बीलले दागोपापमा भ्रष्टचार गर्नेहरूलाई पनि नछोड्ने बताए।
क्रामाकपाका जेबी राईले पनि अन्ना हजारेले गरेको आन्दलनले पहाड़लाई पनि भरपुर फाइदा पुग्ने बताए। उता भागोपका राष्ट्रिय कार्यकारी अध्यक्ष एनोसदास प्रधान पनि अन्नाको प्रयासले क्षेत्रीयस्तरमा भइरहेको भ्र्रष्टचार उन्मुलनमा सहयोगी हुने बताएका छन्। अन्ना हजारेले भ्रष्टचार विरूद्ध लोकपाल बील ल्याइनुपर्ने माग गरेपछि दार्जीलिङ जिल्लाका यस्ता कोही मानिस छैनन् जसले दागोपापको भ्रष्टचारको कुरा नगरेको होस्।
फेसबुकदेखि एसएमएससम्म, फोनदेखि भेटघाटसम्म अन्नासित नै पहाड़मा भइरहेका भ्रष्टचारहरूको चर्चा चलिरहेको छ। कर्णल डी.के.प्रधान भन्छन्, दागोपापमा कति राशि आयो र कति सरकारीरूपमा प्रयोग गरियो ? यसको हिसाब किताब कहॉं छ ? मिड डे मिलदेखि साक्षारता अभियानसम्म, पञ्चायतदेखि नगरपालिकासम्म भ्रष्टचार नै भ्रष्टचार छ, यसको विरूद्धमा कसले आवाज उठाउने? माकपादेखि गोरामुमो, गोरामुमोदेखि गोजमुमोसम्मले दागोपापमा आएका राशिहरूको दुरूपयोग गरेका छन् तर यसको विरूद्ध आवाज उटाउने जनताको निम्ति सही ठाउँ छैन। करोड़ौको घोटला चलिरहेको छ, तर घोटालाबाजहरू खुल्लमखुल्ला छाती फुकाएर हिँड़िरहेका छन्। हजारेबाट प्रेरणा लिएर जनता सड़कमा आए मात्र जनताको पैसा दुरुपयोग गर्नेहरूले सही दण्ड पाउन सक्छन्।
तिनले गोरामुमोले गरेको भ्रष्टचारको पर्दाफास गर्छु भन्ने गोजमुमोले सबै कार्यालयहरूको घोटला सम्बन्धित सरकारी कागज हात पारिसकेपछि चुपचाप बसेको अनि आफुले पनि गोरामुमो कै राग अलापेको कुरा गर्दै भने, बङ्गाललाई कुनै मतलब छैन। घोटला गर्न दिन्छ अनि त्यसैलाई कमजोरी बनाएर आन्दोलनकारीहरूलाई दुर्बल बनाउँछ। गोरामुमोले गरेको भ्रष्टचारको के कुनै खोजतलास हुँदैन? बीएल मिनाले खुलासा गरेको घोटलाबारे कसैले चासो नलिने? चुपचाप बसेर जुन दल आउँछ उसलाई भ्रष्टचार गर्न प्रेरित गर्ने? अब अहिलेसम्म भ्रष्टचार गर्दै पार्टी चलाउनेहरूको टुप्पी उखेल्न सचेत र शिक्षित समाज अघि आउन पर्छ। यता विमल गुरूङले पनि भने, दागोपापमा प्रशस्त भ्रष्टचार भएको छ, यसको खुलासा हुनपर्छ। दोषीहरूले दण्ड पाउनपर्छ।
दागोपापमा रहेको भ्रष्टचार मात्र होइन, विभिन्न सरकारी निकायहरूमा चलेको भ्र्रष्टचारहरूको पनि खुलासा गर्न बुद्धिजीवीहरूले कार्य गर्नुपर्ने कालेबुङका युवावर्ग पनि बताउँछन्। एक युवक डी.के. वाइबाले भने, भ्रष्टचार भनेको जनताको अधिकारमा अवरोध ल्याइने अपराध हो। यस्ता अपराधीहरूलाई दण्ड दिलाउनको निम्ति युवाशक्तिको प्रयोग गरिनुपर्छ। पहाड़मा यस्ता व्यक्ति छैनन् जो भ्रष्टचार मनपराउने होस्, यसैकारण अन्ना हजारेले अहिले सबैको आँखा खोलेको एक गृहणी देवीमाया गुरूङ भन्छिन्। चुनाउपछि पहाड़मा भइरहेका भ्रष्टचारको विरूद्ध सचेकवर्गले अन्ना हजारेबाट प्रेरणा लिएर आन्दोलन नै गर्नुपर्ने पक्षमा अहिले धेरै नै रहेका छन्।
GORKHAS JOIN THE NATION IN SUPPORTING ANNA HAZARE
BGPMC, KalimNews, New Delhi, 9 Aprl: Joining lakhs of people across India, a team of Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh led by its CPC General Secretary Munish Tamang met Anna Hazare and his team at Jantar Mantar to express its solidarity in the fight against corruption. The team presented a letter of solidarity and greeted Anna Hazare, Medha Patkar, Swami Agnivesh and Arvind Kejriwal with traditional Gorkha scarves. Members of the team included BGP Secretary General Sukman Moktan, Pappu Pradhan, D K Pradhan and others.
In the brief interaction with Hazare’s team, the BGP reiterated that the Gorkhas, who have richly contributed to the Indian Freedom Movement and to the security and well being of the country, are fully committed to fighting against corruption much the same way they have fought against the enemies at the borders.
The interaction also briefly touched upon the state of the areas in which the Gorkhas live. Shri Sukman pointed out that in some of those areas, the stranglehold of corrupt leaders is even more and lamented that many leaders of those areas, though completely corrupt, are hailed as the messiahs of the people.
Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh intends to hold further interactions with Anna Hazare and his team.
SIBLAC-Memorandum
Prabin Khaling, KalimNews, Gagntok, 9 April:The Bhutia-Lepcha organizations of the State have reiterated their demand of having proportionate increase in the number of the BL reserved in the seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly ,maintaining the present ratio even if the strength of the House is increased to any extent. In a Memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister, they have requested the Centre to involve them also in any matter pertaining to this particular subject.
They stressed that the matter is of immense importance with regard to their political survival since , what they claimed, the Government of Sikkim’s resolution adopted in the recently concluded Sikkim Legislative Assembly Session intends to reduce the present ratio of the BL’s reserved seat in the House.
A six member delegation of different Bhutia-Lepcha Organisations led by the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) Convenor Mr.Tseten Tashi Bhutia called on the Governor at Raj Bhavan in Gangtok today and submitted the Memorandum to him . These included National Sikkimese Bhutia Organisation (NASBO), Concern Lepchas of Sikkim (CLOS), Denzong Chyarig Tsogpo (DCT) and Monks of Sikkim.
बहिष्कारको घोषणा भइसकेको छ अनि लेप्चा समुदायमा सन्देश पुगिसकेको छ। तिनले लेप्चाहरूले चुनाउ बहिष्कारको कुरा गर्ने वित्तिकै गोजमुमो अध्यक्ष विमल गुरूङले गरेको भेट सम्बन्धमा प्रश्न गर्दा भने, उनले हामीसित भेट्ने इच्छा गरे, हामीले उनलाई सम्मान गर्दै भेट्यौं। यसरी नै धेरै पार्टी र नेताहरूले भेट्ने काम जारी छ। हाम्रो कुरालाई कसैले पनि पत्तो दिएनन्। यसकारण हामीले हाम्रो कुरा ठीकसित राख्न चुनाउ वहिष्कार गरेका हौं। हाम्रो उद्देश्य कुनै दललाई हानी र फाइदा पुर्याउनु होइन। तर हामी बङ्गालमा नै बस्न चाहेको भन्दै लेप्चा र गोर्खाहरूबीच फाटो ल्याउने कार्य मीडीयामा आइरहेको छ। लेप्चा र गोर्खाहरू एकै हौं, हामी गोर्खाहरूसित नै छौं अनि हामीलाई पनि छुट्टै राज्य चाहिएको छ। तर भोट नहाल्ने निर्णय हाम्रो उच्च समितिले नै लिएको हो। घोषणा पनि भइसकेको छ। धेरै दल र नेताहरूले भेटिरहेका छन्, हामी सबैको कुरा सुन्छौं, त्यसपछि भोट हाल्ने नहाल्ने कुराको निर्णय समितिले नै गर्नेछ।
अन्नाले बल्झायो दागोपाप भ्रष्टचारको मुद्दा
मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,9 अप्रेल। लोकपाल बीलको निम्ति अन्ना हजारेले गरेको पहलले राष्ट्रिय समर्थन पायो। हजारेलाई प्राप्त समर्थनबाट पहाड़ पनि अछुत रहेन। अन्ना हजारेले भ्रष्टचारको अन्त्य हुनुपर्ने सम्बन्धमा राष्ट्रभरिका जनताको ध्यान खिँचे। भ्रष्टचारको विरूद्ध अन्नाको युद्ध देशभरि फैलिरहेको बेला दागोपापको भ्रष्टचारको कुरा पनि उठिरहेको छ। अन्ना हजारेले आफ्नो युद्दमा जित हासिल गरेपछि यसैबाट प्रेरणा लिएर दागोपापमा भएको भ्रष्टचारको निम्ति लड्न जिल्लाका जनता पनि सड़कमा आउन पर्ने गोरामुमो-सीका अध्यक्ष कर्णल डी.के प्रधानले गरेका छन्। गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाका अध्यक्ष विमल गुरूङ पनि दागोपापको भ्रष्टचारको पर्दाफास होस् भन्ने पक्षमा छन्।
माकपा नेता तारा सुन्दासले लोकपाल बीलले दागोपापमा भ्रष्टचार गर्नेहरूलाई पनि नछोड्ने बताए।
क्रामाकपाका जेबी राईले पनि अन्ना हजारेले गरेको आन्दलनले पहाड़लाई पनि भरपुर फाइदा पुग्ने बताए। उता भागोपका राष्ट्रिय कार्यकारी अध्यक्ष एनोसदास प्रधान पनि अन्नाको प्रयासले क्षेत्रीयस्तरमा भइरहेको भ्र्रष्टचार उन्मुलनमा सहयोगी हुने बताएका छन्। अन्ना हजारेले भ्रष्टचार विरूद्ध लोकपाल बील ल्याइनुपर्ने माग गरेपछि दार्जीलिङ जिल्लाका यस्ता कोही मानिस छैनन् जसले दागोपापको भ्रष्टचारको कुरा नगरेको होस्।
फेसबुकदेखि एसएमएससम्म, फोनदेखि भेटघाटसम्म अन्नासित नै पहाड़मा भइरहेका भ्रष्टचारहरूको चर्चा चलिरहेको छ। कर्णल डी.के.प्रधान भन्छन्, दागोपापमा कति राशि आयो र कति सरकारीरूपमा प्रयोग गरियो ? यसको हिसाब किताब कहॉं छ ? मिड डे मिलदेखि साक्षारता अभियानसम्म, पञ्चायतदेखि नगरपालिकासम्म भ्रष्टचार नै भ्रष्टचार छ, यसको विरूद्धमा कसले आवाज उठाउने? माकपादेखि गोरामुमो, गोरामुमोदेखि गोजमुमोसम्मले दागोपापमा आएका राशिहरूको दुरूपयोग गरेका छन् तर यसको विरूद्ध आवाज उटाउने जनताको निम्ति सही ठाउँ छैन। करोड़ौको घोटला चलिरहेको छ, तर घोटालाबाजहरू खुल्लमखुल्ला छाती फुकाएर हिँड़िरहेका छन्। हजारेबाट प्रेरणा लिएर जनता सड़कमा आए मात्र जनताको पैसा दुरुपयोग गर्नेहरूले सही दण्ड पाउन सक्छन्।
तिनले गोरामुमोले गरेको भ्रष्टचारको पर्दाफास गर्छु भन्ने गोजमुमोले सबै कार्यालयहरूको घोटला सम्बन्धित सरकारी कागज हात पारिसकेपछि चुपचाप बसेको अनि आफुले पनि गोरामुमो कै राग अलापेको कुरा गर्दै भने, बङ्गाललाई कुनै मतलब छैन। घोटला गर्न दिन्छ अनि त्यसैलाई कमजोरी बनाएर आन्दोलनकारीहरूलाई दुर्बल बनाउँछ। गोरामुमोले गरेको भ्रष्टचारको के कुनै खोजतलास हुँदैन? बीएल मिनाले खुलासा गरेको घोटलाबारे कसैले चासो नलिने? चुपचाप बसेर जुन दल आउँछ उसलाई भ्रष्टचार गर्न प्रेरित गर्ने? अब अहिलेसम्म भ्रष्टचार गर्दै पार्टी चलाउनेहरूको टुप्पी उखेल्न सचेत र शिक्षित समाज अघि आउन पर्छ। यता विमल गुरूङले पनि भने, दागोपापमा प्रशस्त भ्रष्टचार भएको छ, यसको खुलासा हुनपर्छ। दोषीहरूले दण्ड पाउनपर्छ।
दागोपापमा रहेको भ्रष्टचार मात्र होइन, विभिन्न सरकारी निकायहरूमा चलेको भ्र्रष्टचारहरूको पनि खुलासा गर्न बुद्धिजीवीहरूले कार्य गर्नुपर्ने कालेबुङका युवावर्ग पनि बताउँछन्। एक युवक डी.के. वाइबाले भने, भ्रष्टचार भनेको जनताको अधिकारमा अवरोध ल्याइने अपराध हो। यस्ता अपराधीहरूलाई दण्ड दिलाउनको निम्ति युवाशक्तिको प्रयोग गरिनुपर्छ। पहाड़मा यस्ता व्यक्ति छैनन् जो भ्रष्टचार मनपराउने होस्, यसैकारण अन्ना हजारेले अहिले सबैको आँखा खोलेको एक गृहणी देवीमाया गुरूङ भन्छिन्। चुनाउपछि पहाड़मा भइरहेका भ्रष्टचारको विरूद्ध सचेकवर्गले अन्ना हजारेबाट प्रेरणा लिएर आन्दोलन नै गर्नुपर्ने पक्षमा अहिले धेरै नै रहेका छन्।
GORKHAS JOIN THE NATION IN SUPPORTING ANNA HAZARE
BGPMC, KalimNews, New Delhi, 9 Aprl: Joining lakhs of people across India, a team of Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh led by its CPC General Secretary Munish Tamang met Anna Hazare and his team at Jantar Mantar to express its solidarity in the fight against corruption. The team presented a letter of solidarity and greeted Anna Hazare, Medha Patkar, Swami Agnivesh and Arvind Kejriwal with traditional Gorkha scarves. Members of the team included BGP Secretary General Sukman Moktan, Pappu Pradhan, D K Pradhan and others.
In the brief interaction with Hazare’s team, the BGP reiterated that the Gorkhas, who have richly contributed to the Indian Freedom Movement and to the security and well being of the country, are fully committed to fighting against corruption much the same way they have fought against the enemies at the borders.
The interaction also briefly touched upon the state of the areas in which the Gorkhas live. Shri Sukman pointed out that in some of those areas, the stranglehold of corrupt leaders is even more and lamented that many leaders of those areas, though completely corrupt, are hailed as the messiahs of the people.
Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh intends to hold further interactions with Anna Hazare and his team.
SIBLAC-Memorandum
Prabin Khaling, KalimNews, Gagntok, 9 April:The Bhutia-Lepcha organizations of the State have reiterated their demand of having proportionate increase in the number of the BL reserved in the seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly ,maintaining the present ratio even if the strength of the House is increased to any extent. In a Memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister, they have requested the Centre to involve them also in any matter pertaining to this particular subject.
They stressed that the matter is of immense importance with regard to their political survival since , what they claimed, the Government of Sikkim’s resolution adopted in the recently concluded Sikkim Legislative Assembly Session intends to reduce the present ratio of the BL’s reserved seat in the House.
A six member delegation of different Bhutia-Lepcha Organisations led by the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) Convenor Mr.Tseten Tashi Bhutia called on the Governor at Raj Bhavan in Gangtok today and submitted the Memorandum to him . These included National Sikkimese Bhutia Organisation (NASBO), Concern Lepchas of Sikkim (CLOS), Denzong Chyarig Tsogpo (DCT) and Monks of Sikkim.
भूपू सैनिकले निकाल्यो र्याली - भोट लड्न मोचाको बाध्यता
मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,9 अप्रेल। आजकै दिन 2008मा सिलगड़ीमा गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाको भूतपूर्व सैनिक मोर्चाका कार्यकर्ताहरूमाथि ढुङ्गामुड़ा भएको थियो। धेरैलाई कुटपिट गरिएको थियो भने हात खुट्टा पनि भँचाइएको थियो। जसको निम्ति एक सदस्यीय जाचँ आयोग बस्ने भनिए पनि यस आयोगले कुनै पनि परिणाम अघि ल्याएन। भूपू सैनिकहरूले आफ्नो अपमान भएको भन्दै देशले देशरक्षा गर्ने गोर्खा पूर्व सैनिकहरूलाई देशलाई दिएको अवदानको साटो अपमान दिएको भन्दै आज धिक्कार जुलूस निकाल्यो।
सैनिकमोर्चाको यस र्यालीलाई सफल बनाउन मोर्चाका भातृ सङ्गठनहरूले सहभागिता दिएको थियो भने कर्णल रमेश आलेले र्यालीलाई अगुवाई गरेका थिए। बङ्गाल सरकारले गोर्खा सैनिकहरूलाई अन्याय गरेको आरोप लगाउँदै निकालिएको जुलूस डम्बरचोकमा आइपुगेर पथसभामा परिणत भएको थियो। पथसभा चुनावी प्रचारमा रुपान्तरित बनेको थियो जसलाई मोर्चाका नेतृत्वहरू विजय सुन्दास, कर्णल रमेश आले, कल्याण देवान, देशभक्त सुब्बा, ननिता गौतम, सामुएल गुरूङ तथा अन्यले सम्बोधन गरेका थिए। उनीहरूले मोर्चा चुनाउ लड्नु राजनैतिक बाध्यता रहेको बताउँदै भने, गोर्खाल्याण्ड निम्ति अहिलेसम्म जुन जनमतलाई देखाएर कुरा गरिरहेका छौं अब त्यसलाई आधिकारिक बनाउनको निम्ति चुनाउ लड्नुपर्ने भयो। यसमा कसैले पनि गतल अर्थ लगाउनु हुँदैन। मोर्चाले चुनाउ जितेर गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति पूर्ण जनमत रहेको देखाउनुपर्नेछ।
सिक्किमको पूरानो भूभागको विवाद चर्किने सम्भावना दार्जीलिङलाई कानुनी र संवैधानिक रूपमा भारतमा गाभ्नुपर्छः गोरांक
प्रविण खालिंग, कालिमन्युज, गान्तोक, 9 अप्रेल। सिक्किमको पुरानो भूभाग दार्जीलिङ र डुवर्स कसरी बाङ्गालको पञ्जामा पर्न गयो यसको जानकारी भारत अनि सिक्किम सरकारसित नभएको सूचनाको अधिकान ऐन (आरटीआई)-ले उदाङ्गो पारेपछि दार्जीलिङ र डुवर्सको जमिनको विवादले अझ तिब्र मोड लिने सम्भावना बडाएको छ। यसैगरि दार्जीलिङको साँचो मालिक सिक्किमले आफ्नो जमिन कुन आधारमा बङ्गालले रजाई गरिरहेको छ त्यो पनि जान्ने दिन आएको छ। सिक्किमको पुरानो भूभागबारे गोर्खा राष्ट्रिय कंग्रेस (गोरांक) का पूर्व अध्यक्ष स्वर्गीय डीके बम्जनले सिक्किम सरकार को सास्कृतिक मामिला तथा धरोहर विभागलाई सोधेको प्रश्नको जवाफमा भनिएको छ, सिक्किम सरकारको लेखागार (आर्काइव)-मा दार्जीलिङ जिल्लालाई कसरी भारतमा सत्तान्तरित (सिडेड) गरियो त्यसको कुनै दस्तावेज छैन् ।
अर्कोतिर उत्तरमा भनिएको छ 1949 को रेजिस्ट्रेशन अफ् ल्य़ाण्ड (अपोर्शन्मेन्ट अफ् कम्पन्सेशन)- एक्ट अन्तर्गत सिक्किमको भूमी भारतमा मिलाएर क्षतिपूर्ति नै दिएको प्रमाण हामी सित छ। गोरांकले सोधेको उक्त प्रश्नको उत्तर लेखागार प्रभागका निदेशक एसटी ग्याछोले दिएको जानकारी यहाँ आयोजित पत्रकार सम्मेलनमा गोरांकका अध्यक्ष निमा लामा, राष्ट्रिय मुख्य संयोजक सुबोध पाख्रिङ, सल्लाहकार भरत दोङ, महासचिव अमर लक्सम अनि गोरांक सिक्किम अध्यक्ष निरेण राईले दिए। यसैगरि केन्द्रिय गृह मन्त्रालयले पनि सिक्किमको चोइटिएको भूभाग भारतमा कुनै तथ्य नरहेको जानकारी पाइएको बताउँदै अध्यक्ष लामाले अब सिक्किमले भारतबाट आफ्नो भूभागलाई पुनः आफ्नो राज्यमा एकिकरण गराउएपछि मात्रै यो भूमी संवैधानिक र कानुनी रूपमा भारतको अंग हुन जान्छ। उनले अझ भने, सिक्किमले भारत-सिक्किम सन्धी 1950 को आधारमा 1974 सम्म 3 लाख रूपियाँ वर्षेनी सन्धी कर लिएको छ।
जसले गर्दा सिक्किम भारतमा विलय हुँदा पनि भूल गरियो आफ्नो भूभागलाई सामेल गराएर अन्तर्भूक्त गराइएन्। यी भूलहरूले गर्दा अहिले बंगालको पञ्जामा परेर सिक्किमकै नागरिकहरू विल्लिबाँठको जिन्दगी बाँचिरहेका छन्।
उनले यसलाई उन्मुक्ति दिलाउने सक्ने क्षमता सिक्किम सरकारमैं निहित रहेको बताए। उनले भने, सिक्किम भारतमा विलय हुँदा सिक्किमको निम्ति महाजनमत संग्रह गरियो तर सिक्किम कै भूभाग दार्जीलिङको जनतालाई सोधिएऩ यद्यपी संविधानको धारा 371 (एफ)-लाई सिक्किमको सुरक्षाको निम्ति राखियो। त्यसैमा सिक्किमको गुमेको भूभागलाई फर्काउऩे प्रावधान पनि उपधारा एचमा राखिदिएको भएपनि अहिलेसम्म त्यसको उपयोग गरिएऩ् जसले सिक्किमपति राजाकै प्रजाभएर पनि दार्जीलिङका नागरिकहरूले बंगालको दासत्वमा बाँच्न बाध्य भएका छन्। उक्त धारालाई केन्द्र सरकारले पनि मोहर लगाउँदै सिक्किमले आफ्नो सम्पत्ती र माटोहरू मागेको खण्डमा केन्द्र सरकार त्यसलाई समाधान गर्न तत्पर रहेको तत्कालिन प्रधानमन्त्री इन्दिरा गान्धीले संसदको प्रोसेडिङमा बताएको उनले दावी गरे।
यसैगरि गोरांकका प्रतिनिधिहरूले सिक्किम विधानसभामा हालै पारित गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्तावबारे बोल्दै भने, अहिले मुख्यमन्त्री चामलिङलाई धन्यवाद नै भन्नु पर्छ तर प्रस्ताव भन्दा ठूलो कुरा उनीबाट हामीले आशा राखेका छौं त्यो हो आफ्नो भूभागलाई माग गर्दै विधानसभामा गोर्खाल्याण्डको विधेयक ल्याउने दिन चाँडै आउऩे छ भन्ने आशा गर्छौं। ऐतिहासिक बुँदाहरूलाई केलाउँदै संयोजक पाखरिङले भने, बंगालले सिक्किमको भूभाग मन्त्रीपरिषद,जनता र आफैलाई दिग्भ्रमित पारेर आफ्नो वशमा राखेका छन् किन भने 1975 सम्म पनि यो भूभाग भारतमा थिएन यसैगरि पटक-पटक भारत सरकारले पनि आफ्नो रेगुलर डिस्ट्रिक बनाउने प्रयास गरे पन अहिलेसम्म विभिन्न तकनीकिय गडबडीले सम्भावन हुन सकेको छैन्। तर सिक्किमबाट भारतभरिका नेपाली भाषी गोर्खाहरूले न्याय पाउने गरेको छ। नेपालीभाषामा सिक्किम बोल्दा पाइयो भने लिम्बु-तामाङलाई पनि अनुसूचित जनजाति बनाइयो अब आफ्नो भूभाग माग गरेर गोर्खाहरूलाई मुक्ति दिने कार्य गर्नुपर्छ। यसको निम्ति दार्जिलिङलाई कानुनी र संवैधानिक रूपमा भारतमा गाभ्नु पर्ने बताए। यसको निम्ति बंगालबाट हटाएर यसको सही मालिक सिक्किमलाई सुम्पिनु पर्ने उनले माग राखे।यसमामिलालाई लिएर गोरांकका प्रतिनिधिहरूले चाँडै राज्यका मुख्यमन्त्री र राज्यपाललाई भेट गरेर आफ्नो मागहरू पेश गर्ने तथा न्यायको निम्ति गुहार लगाउऩे बताए।
Ghising in Mirik
KalimNews, April 9: Subhas Ghising, GNLF supremo in the same tone and the same language addressed GNLF supporters in Mirik after three years as he had been addressing before he was dethroned. Amidst a grand rally of GNLF supporters Ghising was cheered when he addressed the crowd. Ghising is in Darjeeling for the second day.
Addressing the crowd Ghising repeatedly stressed that sixth schedule is the only possible solution in lieu of Gorkhaland and is most beneficial than the GRA. He repeatedly stressed that Sixth schedule is the aspiration of Gorkhas for their betterment.
(Photos:Rabin Rai, Darjeeling Times.com)
GNLF chief steers clear of Gorkhaland
VIVEK CHHETRI, The Telegraph, Darjeeling, April 8: The roar of the once undisputed leader of the Darjeeling hills has gone. Instead, a note of caution has crept in, as though testing the waters after being exiled from the hills for three years.
Returning to Darjeeling this morning, Subhas Ghisingh did not utter a word on Gorkhaland. Instead he said that the goals that his party, the GNLF, had set was close to being achieved.
The GNLF chief arrived in Darjeeling town a little after 7.30am, having left his Jalpaiguri residence at 4.25 this morning.
During the interaction with journalists after a quick bite at his home on Zakhir Hussain Road, which has been turned into a police fortress, Ghisingh, said: “The GNLF flag consists of three stars that has been mostly achieved. When the DGHC accord was signed on August 23, 1988, we resolved the citizenship issue (the first star). Till then, there was no clear differentiation between the Nepali-speaking people of Nepal and the Nepali-speaking Indian citizens. The second issue concerning the Gorkha identity was also solved as DGHC (Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council) includes the word ‘Gorkha’. The protection of the Gorkha community will be completed by forming the Gorkha Hill Council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution,” said Ghisingh, adding: “The aim with which the GNLF was formed on April 5, 1980, is about to be fulfilled 101 per cent.”
To Ghisingh, the “final star” is achieving the Sixth Schedule status for the hills. The GNLF leader also said he had no complaints against the state government. “The 1986 agitation was not against the state government but the provisions of Article VII of the Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty (of 1950). However, this was cleared the day the accord was signed on August 23, 1988,” said Ghisingh.
Article VII of the treaty reads: “The Government of India and Nepal agree to grant, on reciprocal basis, to the nationals of one country in the territories of the other the same privileges in the matter of residence, ownership of property, participation in trade and commerce, movement and privileges of a similar nature.”
The GNLF had wanted this clause to be scrapped, interpreting the treaty that Nepali-speaking people of Darjeeling were being given equal rights like Indian citizens, instead of being recognised as Indian citizens.
In fact, during the Gorkhaland agitation, more than 13 people were killed during a police firing on a GNLF procession in Kalimpong which had brought out a rally to burn copies of the Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty on July 27, 1987. The day is celebrated “martyr’s day” not just by the GNLF but by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha as well.
After the DGHC accord was signed, the Union government came out with a notification stating that all Gorkhas who had been residing in India before 1950 were Indian citizens.
The GNLF had hailed this notification as a victory.
Ghisingh and other senior GNLF leaders were compelled to leave the hills a day after Morcha supporter Pramila Sharma was killed by a bullet allegedly fired from the house of the GNLF’s Darjeeling branch committee president Deepak Gurung on July 25, 2008.
The administration then put him up at an irrigation bungalow in Tinbatti on the outskirts of Siliguri before he shifted to Jalpaiguri a year later.
The Morcha continued to resist Ghisingh’s entry to the hills. Even the body of his wife Dhanmaya after her death on August 16, 2008 was not allowed to be taken to the family’s ancestral home in Kurseong’s Manju.
Ghisingh had been pressing for the implementation of the Sixth Schedule status for the hills, when the Morcha renewed the statehood movement.
The state, Centre and the GNLF had signed a Memorandum of Settlement on the implementation of the Sixth Schedule status on December 6, 2005, but the constitutional amendment bill tabled in Parliament in 2007 was not passed. The standing committee on home affairs, to which the draft had been referred to, told the government that it should proceed with caution considering the demands of the regional parties and the ground realities. Since then, the bill has been on the backburner.
Ghisingh said there was no question of him retiring from politics even if all the aspirations of the party were fulfilled. “I will have to stay to ensure the implementation of the provisions for the welfare of the people,” he said.
The GNLF leader was confident of a good show by his party in the elections. “If we win, we will win all the three seats,” he said.
However, later, he said that he would have to stay in Darjeeling to felicitate the candidates if they win and console them if they lose the elections. “I have come to stay here,” he said in Darjeeling.
Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri refused to read much into Ghisingh’s return. “We are not bothered. The people have rejected them. The result of the Assembly election will speak for itself.”
Jalpaiguri police chief Anand Kumar said Ghisingh had asked for security for his trip to the hills. “The police posted at his residence will remain, as he has said that he would return soon,” Kumar said.
Morcha candidate for Kurseong Rohit Sharma said his party would complain to the Election Commission that Ghisingh had come with the entire district machinery to the hills to campaign in violation of poll norms.
Ghisingh will address his party workers at Mirik tomorrow where the party’s manifesto will also be released.
Plea to Lepchas
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung today said he was saddened by the decision of the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association (ILTA) to boycott the Assembly elections without consulting his party and appealed to the Lepchas to lend their hands to the agitation for Gorkhaland.
Addressing members of the Lepcha community as part of his party’s election campaign here, Gurung said he was aware of the many grievances the community had and would always keep their interest in mind.
“We have nominated Harka Bahadur Chhetri from Kalimpong (Assembly constit-uency) and he would raise your demands in the Assembly,” he told the gathering of about 300 people.
Although Gurung did not call for the withdrawal of the boycott call, Lepcha leaders indicated that the decision could yet be reconsidered.
“The decision is not final. There is still some time (for polling which takes place on April 18), many things can change,” said. P. Simmick, the president of the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Forum.
Subhas Ghising returns to Darjeeling after 2 years -“New Gorkha Hill Council with Sixth Schedule status for region needed”
TH, Kolkata: In political limbo after being virtually forced to leave Darjeeling in the face of attacks on his supporters more than two-and-a-half years ago, Subhas Ghising, whose supremacy in the hills had remained undisputed for more than two decades, made a rather quiet return to his residence in the hill-town amid tight security on Friday evening.
The home-coming of Mr. Ghising, president of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), is being considered as a major development in the region as it could have a crucial impact on the political future of the Darjeeling hills.
It was not yet dawn when he left for the hills from Jalpaiguri where he has been staying since his departure from Darjeeling in July 2008. The GNLF chief, who was the first to have raised, in the mid-1980s, the demand for a separate State to be carved out in the region and had launched a movement for it, was also the former chairman of the now almost defunct Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, which he helped to set up. The statehood demand was subsequently revived by his one-time protégé and now president of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), Bimal Gurung.
On his arrival, Mr. Ghising spoke of the need for the creation of a “new Gorkha Hill Council” with Sixth Schedule status for the region, as distinct from the GJM's demand for a separate “Gorkhaland.”
“The Bill for a new Gorkha Hill Council under the Sixth Schedule should be immediately passed by Parliament… It will have 45 departments,” he said.
The GJM, whose supporters had been threatening to prevent Mr. Ghising's return to the hills ever since his departure, made no attempt to stop him from doing so on his journey up the hills. The model code of conduct that is in place in view of the coming Assembly polls surely was reassuring to the GNLF supremo.
“Inconsequential”
The GJM leadership dismissed Mr. Ghising's return as “inconsequential.” “It will make no difference in a place where he has already been rejected by the people,” GJM general secretary Roshan Giri told The Hindu over telephone from Darjeeling.
Mr. Ghising's return is aimed at pepping up before the polls supporters of a party which has been severely marginalised ever since the GJM became the principal force in the hills shortly after it was formed in October 2007.
The GNLF has set up candidates in all the hill seats of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong and is likely to be the main challenger to the GJM in the Assembly polls.
Ghising back in Darjeeling after 3 yrs
Amitava Banerjee, HT, Darjeeling, April 08: After nearly three years, riding the Election Commission's assurances of a level playing field for all, Subash Ghising finally returned to the Darjeeling hills to reclaim his lost territory. Brimming with confidence Ghising, president of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), demanded that both the state government and the central government honour the Memorandum of Settlement (MOS) signed with him on the December 6, 2005, for the upgradation of the present Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) and to provide it with a constitutional guarantee under the 6th Schedule of the constitution.
"The government has to pass the pending Bill of the New Gorkha Hill Council immediately in the Parliament. It will provide protection to the customs and culture of the entire Gorkha community along with upgrading the DGHC from the present 19 departments to 45 departments. There will be legislative powers also," stated Ghising.
In the mid 1986 Ghising had launched a violent agitation for a separate state of Gorkhaland. The 28 month long agitation finally paved way for the formation of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) in 1988.
On October 7, 2007 dissident GNLF leader Bimal Gurung broke away from the GNLF and floated the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) launching a neo agitation for a separate state. Initially the GJM took on to themselves the task of ousting Ghising and the GNLF from the Hills.
Ghising was compelled to leave Darjeeling on July 27, 2008, following angry GJM supporters going on arson and vandalizing spree prompted by the death of a GJM supporter Pramila Sharma from a shot allegedly fired from the inside the residence of Deepak Gurung, a GNLF leader in Darjeeling. Since then Ghising has been living in Jalpaiguri town in the plains.
The biggest blow to Ghising's morale was when the GJM prevented him from bring back the deadbody of his wife (as per her wish) to Darjeeling for cremation in August 2008. Dhan Kumari, his wife, had to be cremated down in the plains of Siliguri.
However the GNLF for the past few months have been on a resurrection path, reorganizing and strengthening their organisation in the Hills, forming village and town committees. The GNLF has also fielded candidates in all three Hill seats namely Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong for the forth coming State Assembly elections.
The GNLF have been organising rallies all over the Hills with many a GNLF leader returning back to the party fold. However the party supporters had been eagerly waiting for Supremo Ghising's return. The GNLF feel that a single public speech by Ghising would definitely turn the tide in favour of the party. The return of Ghising has definitely boosted the morale of the green brigade.
Exactly at 7:40am Ghising escorted by security vehicles, arrived at the gates of his residence on Dr Zakir Hussain Road in Darjeeling.
Ghising was seen waving from the front seat of a silver-grey Scorpio (shattering the popular belief that he would be arriving dead at night to escape any blockage attempts by the GJM.) state police and CRPF personnel cordoned of the area.
Not naming the GJM, Ghising remarked "They were raising questions as to whether I would be able to come up or not. I have arrived. It is as easy for me to drive up as it is easy for me to drive down (implying that he can come and go at will.)"
Ghising will be releasing the GNLF party election manifesto at Mirik on Saturday. He is also expected to address the public in Darjeeling town on April 13.
GNLF supporters arrived at his gates, offering him "Khadas" (traditional scarves) expressing solidarity.The GNLF also held a rally in Sukhiapokhari, 22km from Darjeeling town.
"There is a possibility of us winning all three seats" remarked a plucky 75 year old Ghising. However much would depend on how much Ghising and his party men can capitalize on the pro- change undercurrent, prevalent in the Hills, feel political observers.
Jaswant plays down distance with former ally GJM
HT, Darjeeling, April 08: The BJP MP from Darjeeling, Jaswant Singh, on Wednesday tried to play down the growing rift between his party and former ally GJM. Singh has termed the GJM’s decision to extend unconditional support to the Congress-Trinamool alliance in the Terai and the Dooars as a logical move, arguing that the BJP does not have a strong presence in West Bengal.
Singh even said that, if required, he was willing to campaign for GJM candidates. But the GJM has not reciprocated to Singh’s gesture.
No GJM leader has met Singh since his arrival in Darjeeling on April 5. Backed by the GJM, Singh had managed a thumping victory in the last parliamentary election, riding high on Gorkhaland sentiments.
Taking a dig at the state BJP, which has time and again described his pro-Gorkhaland views as his personal stand and not that of the party, Singh said: “The West Bengal BJP reacts to the Gorkhaland demand giving it a Bongo-Bhongo (division of Bengal) flavour which it feels would weigh down on national integration. I would say that Gorkhaland would benefit the nation and promote national integration. The demand should not be limited to state parochialism.”
The MP suggested that the voice for Gorkhaland should not be splintered. “All Gorkhas should speak in one voice for Gorkhaland.”
“The state is poised for a change as a single party ruling for more than three decades is in itself not a very good indicator,” the BJP MP said.
Singh said the solution to the Gorkhaland crisis lies in the resumption of dialogue between the Centre, state and the GJM. “Even Union finance minister Pranab-babu has stated that the tripartite talks need to resume to resolve the impasse.”
Singh said the budget session of Parliament had witnessed important negotiations on the proposed interim authority but the matter had to be kept in abeyance because of the Assembly elections.
मनोज बोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ,9 अप्रेल। आजकै दिन 2008मा सिलगड़ीमा गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाको भूतपूर्व सैनिक मोर्चाका कार्यकर्ताहरूमाथि ढुङ्गामुड़ा भएको थियो। धेरैलाई कुटपिट गरिएको थियो भने हात खुट्टा पनि भँचाइएको थियो। जसको निम्ति एक सदस्यीय जाचँ आयोग बस्ने भनिए पनि यस आयोगले कुनै पनि परिणाम अघि ल्याएन। भूपू सैनिकहरूले आफ्नो अपमान भएको भन्दै देशले देशरक्षा गर्ने गोर्खा पूर्व सैनिकहरूलाई देशलाई दिएको अवदानको साटो अपमान दिएको भन्दै आज धिक्कार जुलूस निकाल्यो।
सैनिकमोर्चाको यस र्यालीलाई सफल बनाउन मोर्चाका भातृ सङ्गठनहरूले सहभागिता दिएको थियो भने कर्णल रमेश आलेले र्यालीलाई अगुवाई गरेका थिए। बङ्गाल सरकारले गोर्खा सैनिकहरूलाई अन्याय गरेको आरोप लगाउँदै निकालिएको जुलूस डम्बरचोकमा आइपुगेर पथसभामा परिणत भएको थियो। पथसभा चुनावी प्रचारमा रुपान्तरित बनेको थियो जसलाई मोर्चाका नेतृत्वहरू विजय सुन्दास, कर्णल रमेश आले, कल्याण देवान, देशभक्त सुब्बा, ननिता गौतम, सामुएल गुरूङ तथा अन्यले सम्बोधन गरेका थिए। उनीहरूले मोर्चा चुनाउ लड्नु राजनैतिक बाध्यता रहेको बताउँदै भने, गोर्खाल्याण्ड निम्ति अहिलेसम्म जुन जनमतलाई देखाएर कुरा गरिरहेका छौं अब त्यसलाई आधिकारिक बनाउनको निम्ति चुनाउ लड्नुपर्ने भयो। यसमा कसैले पनि गतल अर्थ लगाउनु हुँदैन। मोर्चाले चुनाउ जितेर गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति पूर्ण जनमत रहेको देखाउनुपर्नेछ।
सिक्किमको पूरानो भूभागको विवाद चर्किने सम्भावना दार्जीलिङलाई कानुनी र संवैधानिक रूपमा भारतमा गाभ्नुपर्छः गोरांक
प्रविण खालिंग, कालिमन्युज, गान्तोक, 9 अप्रेल। सिक्किमको पुरानो भूभाग दार्जीलिङ र डुवर्स कसरी बाङ्गालको पञ्जामा पर्न गयो यसको जानकारी भारत अनि सिक्किम सरकारसित नभएको सूचनाको अधिकान ऐन (आरटीआई)-ले उदाङ्गो पारेपछि दार्जीलिङ र डुवर्सको जमिनको विवादले अझ तिब्र मोड लिने सम्भावना बडाएको छ। यसैगरि दार्जीलिङको साँचो मालिक सिक्किमले आफ्नो जमिन कुन आधारमा बङ्गालले रजाई गरिरहेको छ त्यो पनि जान्ने दिन आएको छ। सिक्किमको पुरानो भूभागबारे गोर्खा राष्ट्रिय कंग्रेस (गोरांक) का पूर्व अध्यक्ष स्वर्गीय डीके बम्जनले सिक्किम सरकार को सास्कृतिक मामिला तथा धरोहर विभागलाई सोधेको प्रश्नको जवाफमा भनिएको छ, सिक्किम सरकारको लेखागार (आर्काइव)-मा दार्जीलिङ जिल्लालाई कसरी भारतमा सत्तान्तरित (सिडेड) गरियो त्यसको कुनै दस्तावेज छैन् ।
अर्कोतिर उत्तरमा भनिएको छ 1949 को रेजिस्ट्रेशन अफ् ल्य़ाण्ड (अपोर्शन्मेन्ट अफ् कम्पन्सेशन)- एक्ट अन्तर्गत सिक्किमको भूमी भारतमा मिलाएर क्षतिपूर्ति नै दिएको प्रमाण हामी सित छ। गोरांकले सोधेको उक्त प्रश्नको उत्तर लेखागार प्रभागका निदेशक एसटी ग्याछोले दिएको जानकारी यहाँ आयोजित पत्रकार सम्मेलनमा गोरांकका अध्यक्ष निमा लामा, राष्ट्रिय मुख्य संयोजक सुबोध पाख्रिङ, सल्लाहकार भरत दोङ, महासचिव अमर लक्सम अनि गोरांक सिक्किम अध्यक्ष निरेण राईले दिए। यसैगरि केन्द्रिय गृह मन्त्रालयले पनि सिक्किमको चोइटिएको भूभाग भारतमा कुनै तथ्य नरहेको जानकारी पाइएको बताउँदै अध्यक्ष लामाले अब सिक्किमले भारतबाट आफ्नो भूभागलाई पुनः आफ्नो राज्यमा एकिकरण गराउएपछि मात्रै यो भूमी संवैधानिक र कानुनी रूपमा भारतको अंग हुन जान्छ। उनले अझ भने, सिक्किमले भारत-सिक्किम सन्धी 1950 को आधारमा 1974 सम्म 3 लाख रूपियाँ वर्षेनी सन्धी कर लिएको छ।
जसले गर्दा सिक्किम भारतमा विलय हुँदा पनि भूल गरियो आफ्नो भूभागलाई सामेल गराएर अन्तर्भूक्त गराइएन्। यी भूलहरूले गर्दा अहिले बंगालको पञ्जामा परेर सिक्किमकै नागरिकहरू विल्लिबाँठको जिन्दगी बाँचिरहेका छन्।
उनले यसलाई उन्मुक्ति दिलाउने सक्ने क्षमता सिक्किम सरकारमैं निहित रहेको बताए। उनले भने, सिक्किम भारतमा विलय हुँदा सिक्किमको निम्ति महाजनमत संग्रह गरियो तर सिक्किम कै भूभाग दार्जीलिङको जनतालाई सोधिएऩ यद्यपी संविधानको धारा 371 (एफ)-लाई सिक्किमको सुरक्षाको निम्ति राखियो। त्यसैमा सिक्किमको गुमेको भूभागलाई फर्काउऩे प्रावधान पनि उपधारा एचमा राखिदिएको भएपनि अहिलेसम्म त्यसको उपयोग गरिएऩ् जसले सिक्किमपति राजाकै प्रजाभएर पनि दार्जीलिङका नागरिकहरूले बंगालको दासत्वमा बाँच्न बाध्य भएका छन्। उक्त धारालाई केन्द्र सरकारले पनि मोहर लगाउँदै सिक्किमले आफ्नो सम्पत्ती र माटोहरू मागेको खण्डमा केन्द्र सरकार त्यसलाई समाधान गर्न तत्पर रहेको तत्कालिन प्रधानमन्त्री इन्दिरा गान्धीले संसदको प्रोसेडिङमा बताएको उनले दावी गरे।
यसैगरि गोरांकका प्रतिनिधिहरूले सिक्किम विधानसभामा हालै पारित गोर्खाल्याण्डको प्रस्तावबारे बोल्दै भने, अहिले मुख्यमन्त्री चामलिङलाई धन्यवाद नै भन्नु पर्छ तर प्रस्ताव भन्दा ठूलो कुरा उनीबाट हामीले आशा राखेका छौं त्यो हो आफ्नो भूभागलाई माग गर्दै विधानसभामा गोर्खाल्याण्डको विधेयक ल्याउने दिन चाँडै आउऩे छ भन्ने आशा गर्छौं। ऐतिहासिक बुँदाहरूलाई केलाउँदै संयोजक पाखरिङले भने, बंगालले सिक्किमको भूभाग मन्त्रीपरिषद,जनता र आफैलाई दिग्भ्रमित पारेर आफ्नो वशमा राखेका छन् किन भने 1975 सम्म पनि यो भूभाग भारतमा थिएन यसैगरि पटक-पटक भारत सरकारले पनि आफ्नो रेगुलर डिस्ट्रिक बनाउने प्रयास गरे पन अहिलेसम्म विभिन्न तकनीकिय गडबडीले सम्भावन हुन सकेको छैन्। तर सिक्किमबाट भारतभरिका नेपाली भाषी गोर्खाहरूले न्याय पाउने गरेको छ। नेपालीभाषामा सिक्किम बोल्दा पाइयो भने लिम्बु-तामाङलाई पनि अनुसूचित जनजाति बनाइयो अब आफ्नो भूभाग माग गरेर गोर्खाहरूलाई मुक्ति दिने कार्य गर्नुपर्छ। यसको निम्ति दार्जिलिङलाई कानुनी र संवैधानिक रूपमा भारतमा गाभ्नु पर्ने बताए। यसको निम्ति बंगालबाट हटाएर यसको सही मालिक सिक्किमलाई सुम्पिनु पर्ने उनले माग राखे।यसमामिलालाई लिएर गोरांकका प्रतिनिधिहरूले चाँडै राज्यका मुख्यमन्त्री र राज्यपाललाई भेट गरेर आफ्नो मागहरू पेश गर्ने तथा न्यायको निम्ति गुहार लगाउऩे बताए।
Ghising in Mirik
KalimNews, April 9: Subhas Ghising, GNLF supremo in the same tone and the same language addressed GNLF supporters in Mirik after three years as he had been addressing before he was dethroned. Amidst a grand rally of GNLF supporters Ghising was cheered when he addressed the crowd. Ghising is in Darjeeling for the second day. Addressing the crowd Ghising repeatedly stressed that sixth schedule is the only possible solution in lieu of Gorkhaland and is most beneficial than the GRA. He repeatedly stressed that Sixth schedule is the aspiration of Gorkhas for their betterment.
(Photos:Rabin Rai, Darjeeling Times.com)
GNLF chief steers clear of Gorkhaland
VIVEK CHHETRI, The Telegraph, Darjeeling, April 8: The roar of the once undisputed leader of the Darjeeling hills has gone. Instead, a note of caution has crept in, as though testing the waters after being exiled from the hills for three years.
Returning to Darjeeling this morning, Subhas Ghisingh did not utter a word on Gorkhaland. Instead he said that the goals that his party, the GNLF, had set was close to being achieved.
The GNLF chief arrived in Darjeeling town a little after 7.30am, having left his Jalpaiguri residence at 4.25 this morning.
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| Ghising welcomed to his residence in Darjeeling Photo: Rabin Rai |
To Ghisingh, the “final star” is achieving the Sixth Schedule status for the hills. The GNLF leader also said he had no complaints against the state government. “The 1986 agitation was not against the state government but the provisions of Article VII of the Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty (of 1950). However, this was cleared the day the accord was signed on August 23, 1988,” said Ghisingh.
Article VII of the treaty reads: “The Government of India and Nepal agree to grant, on reciprocal basis, to the nationals of one country in the territories of the other the same privileges in the matter of residence, ownership of property, participation in trade and commerce, movement and privileges of a similar nature.”
The GNLF had wanted this clause to be scrapped, interpreting the treaty that Nepali-speaking people of Darjeeling were being given equal rights like Indian citizens, instead of being recognised as Indian citizens.
In fact, during the Gorkhaland agitation, more than 13 people were killed during a police firing on a GNLF procession in Kalimpong which had brought out a rally to burn copies of the Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty on July 27, 1987. The day is celebrated “martyr’s day” not just by the GNLF but by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha as well.
After the DGHC accord was signed, the Union government came out with a notification stating that all Gorkhas who had been residing in India before 1950 were Indian citizens.
The GNLF had hailed this notification as a victory.
Ghisingh and other senior GNLF leaders were compelled to leave the hills a day after Morcha supporter Pramila Sharma was killed by a bullet allegedly fired from the house of the GNLF’s Darjeeling branch committee president Deepak Gurung on July 25, 2008.
The administration then put him up at an irrigation bungalow in Tinbatti on the outskirts of Siliguri before he shifted to Jalpaiguri a year later.
The Morcha continued to resist Ghisingh’s entry to the hills. Even the body of his wife Dhanmaya after her death on August 16, 2008 was not allowed to be taken to the family’s ancestral home in Kurseong’s Manju.
Ghisingh had been pressing for the implementation of the Sixth Schedule status for the hills, when the Morcha renewed the statehood movement.
The state, Centre and the GNLF had signed a Memorandum of Settlement on the implementation of the Sixth Schedule status on December 6, 2005, but the constitutional amendment bill tabled in Parliament in 2007 was not passed. The standing committee on home affairs, to which the draft had been referred to, told the government that it should proceed with caution considering the demands of the regional parties and the ground realities. Since then, the bill has been on the backburner.
Ghisingh said there was no question of him retiring from politics even if all the aspirations of the party were fulfilled. “I will have to stay to ensure the implementation of the provisions for the welfare of the people,” he said.
The GNLF leader was confident of a good show by his party in the elections. “If we win, we will win all the three seats,” he said.
However, later, he said that he would have to stay in Darjeeling to felicitate the candidates if they win and console them if they lose the elections. “I have come to stay here,” he said in Darjeeling.
Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri refused to read much into Ghisingh’s return. “We are not bothered. The people have rejected them. The result of the Assembly election will speak for itself.”
Jalpaiguri police chief Anand Kumar said Ghisingh had asked for security for his trip to the hills. “The police posted at his residence will remain, as he has said that he would return soon,” Kumar said.
Morcha candidate for Kurseong Rohit Sharma said his party would complain to the Election Commission that Ghisingh had come with the entire district machinery to the hills to campaign in violation of poll norms.
Ghisingh will address his party workers at Mirik tomorrow where the party’s manifesto will also be released.
Plea to Lepchas
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung today said he was saddened by the decision of the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association (ILTA) to boycott the Assembly elections without consulting his party and appealed to the Lepchas to lend their hands to the agitation for Gorkhaland.
Addressing members of the Lepcha community as part of his party’s election campaign here, Gurung said he was aware of the many grievances the community had and would always keep their interest in mind.
“We have nominated Harka Bahadur Chhetri from Kalimpong (Assembly constit-uency) and he would raise your demands in the Assembly,” he told the gathering of about 300 people.
Although Gurung did not call for the withdrawal of the boycott call, Lepcha leaders indicated that the decision could yet be reconsidered.
“The decision is not final. There is still some time (for polling which takes place on April 18), many things can change,” said. P. Simmick, the president of the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Forum.
Subhas Ghising returns to Darjeeling after 2 years -“New Gorkha Hill Council with Sixth Schedule status for region needed”
TH, Kolkata: In political limbo after being virtually forced to leave Darjeeling in the face of attacks on his supporters more than two-and-a-half years ago, Subhas Ghising, whose supremacy in the hills had remained undisputed for more than two decades, made a rather quiet return to his residence in the hill-town amid tight security on Friday evening.
The home-coming of Mr. Ghising, president of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), is being considered as a major development in the region as it could have a crucial impact on the political future of the Darjeeling hills.
It was not yet dawn when he left for the hills from Jalpaiguri where he has been staying since his departure from Darjeeling in July 2008. The GNLF chief, who was the first to have raised, in the mid-1980s, the demand for a separate State to be carved out in the region and had launched a movement for it, was also the former chairman of the now almost defunct Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, which he helped to set up. The statehood demand was subsequently revived by his one-time protégé and now president of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), Bimal Gurung.
On his arrival, Mr. Ghising spoke of the need for the creation of a “new Gorkha Hill Council” with Sixth Schedule status for the region, as distinct from the GJM's demand for a separate “Gorkhaland.”
“The Bill for a new Gorkha Hill Council under the Sixth Schedule should be immediately passed by Parliament… It will have 45 departments,” he said.
The GJM, whose supporters had been threatening to prevent Mr. Ghising's return to the hills ever since his departure, made no attempt to stop him from doing so on his journey up the hills. The model code of conduct that is in place in view of the coming Assembly polls surely was reassuring to the GNLF supremo.
“Inconsequential”
The GJM leadership dismissed Mr. Ghising's return as “inconsequential.” “It will make no difference in a place where he has already been rejected by the people,” GJM general secretary Roshan Giri told The Hindu over telephone from Darjeeling.
Mr. Ghising's return is aimed at pepping up before the polls supporters of a party which has been severely marginalised ever since the GJM became the principal force in the hills shortly after it was formed in October 2007.
The GNLF has set up candidates in all the hill seats of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong and is likely to be the main challenger to the GJM in the Assembly polls.
Ghising back in Darjeeling after 3 yrs
Amitava Banerjee, HT, Darjeeling, April 08: After nearly three years, riding the Election Commission's assurances of a level playing field for all, Subash Ghising finally returned to the Darjeeling hills to reclaim his lost territory. Brimming with confidence Ghising, president of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), demanded that both the state government and the central government honour the Memorandum of Settlement (MOS) signed with him on the December 6, 2005, for the upgradation of the present Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) and to provide it with a constitutional guarantee under the 6th Schedule of the constitution.
"The government has to pass the pending Bill of the New Gorkha Hill Council immediately in the Parliament. It will provide protection to the customs and culture of the entire Gorkha community along with upgrading the DGHC from the present 19 departments to 45 departments. There will be legislative powers also," stated Ghising.
In the mid 1986 Ghising had launched a violent agitation for a separate state of Gorkhaland. The 28 month long agitation finally paved way for the formation of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) in 1988.
On October 7, 2007 dissident GNLF leader Bimal Gurung broke away from the GNLF and floated the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) launching a neo agitation for a separate state. Initially the GJM took on to themselves the task of ousting Ghising and the GNLF from the Hills.
Ghising was compelled to leave Darjeeling on July 27, 2008, following angry GJM supporters going on arson and vandalizing spree prompted by the death of a GJM supporter Pramila Sharma from a shot allegedly fired from the inside the residence of Deepak Gurung, a GNLF leader in Darjeeling. Since then Ghising has been living in Jalpaiguri town in the plains.
The biggest blow to Ghising's morale was when the GJM prevented him from bring back the deadbody of his wife (as per her wish) to Darjeeling for cremation in August 2008. Dhan Kumari, his wife, had to be cremated down in the plains of Siliguri.
However the GNLF for the past few months have been on a resurrection path, reorganizing and strengthening their organisation in the Hills, forming village and town committees. The GNLF has also fielded candidates in all three Hill seats namely Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong for the forth coming State Assembly elections.
The GNLF have been organising rallies all over the Hills with many a GNLF leader returning back to the party fold. However the party supporters had been eagerly waiting for Supremo Ghising's return. The GNLF feel that a single public speech by Ghising would definitely turn the tide in favour of the party. The return of Ghising has definitely boosted the morale of the green brigade.
Exactly at 7:40am Ghising escorted by security vehicles, arrived at the gates of his residence on Dr Zakir Hussain Road in Darjeeling.
Ghising was seen waving from the front seat of a silver-grey Scorpio (shattering the popular belief that he would be arriving dead at night to escape any blockage attempts by the GJM.) state police and CRPF personnel cordoned of the area.
Not naming the GJM, Ghising remarked "They were raising questions as to whether I would be able to come up or not. I have arrived. It is as easy for me to drive up as it is easy for me to drive down (implying that he can come and go at will.)"
Ghising will be releasing the GNLF party election manifesto at Mirik on Saturday. He is also expected to address the public in Darjeeling town on April 13.
GNLF supporters arrived at his gates, offering him "Khadas" (traditional scarves) expressing solidarity.The GNLF also held a rally in Sukhiapokhari, 22km from Darjeeling town.
"There is a possibility of us winning all three seats" remarked a plucky 75 year old Ghising. However much would depend on how much Ghising and his party men can capitalize on the pro- change undercurrent, prevalent in the Hills, feel political observers.
Jaswant plays down distance with former ally GJM
HT, Darjeeling, April 08: The BJP MP from Darjeeling, Jaswant Singh, on Wednesday tried to play down the growing rift between his party and former ally GJM. Singh has termed the GJM’s decision to extend unconditional support to the Congress-Trinamool alliance in the Terai and the Dooars as a logical move, arguing that the BJP does not have a strong presence in West Bengal.
Singh even said that, if required, he was willing to campaign for GJM candidates. But the GJM has not reciprocated to Singh’s gesture.
No GJM leader has met Singh since his arrival in Darjeeling on April 5. Backed by the GJM, Singh had managed a thumping victory in the last parliamentary election, riding high on Gorkhaland sentiments.
Taking a dig at the state BJP, which has time and again described his pro-Gorkhaland views as his personal stand and not that of the party, Singh said: “The West Bengal BJP reacts to the Gorkhaland demand giving it a Bongo-Bhongo (division of Bengal) flavour which it feels would weigh down on national integration. I would say that Gorkhaland would benefit the nation and promote national integration. The demand should not be limited to state parochialism.”
The MP suggested that the voice for Gorkhaland should not be splintered. “All Gorkhas should speak in one voice for Gorkhaland.”
“The state is poised for a change as a single party ruling for more than three decades is in itself not a very good indicator,” the BJP MP said.
Singh said the solution to the Gorkhaland crisis lies in the resumption of dialogue between the Centre, state and the GJM. “Even Union finance minister Pranab-babu has stated that the tripartite talks need to resume to resolve the impasse.”
Singh said the budget session of Parliament had witnessed important negotiations on the proposed interim authority but the matter had to be kept in abeyance because of the Assembly elections.
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