Lunar eclipse as seen from Kalimpong
Delhi and Haryana Gorkhas dissatified with agreement
KalimNews: GJM Delhi and Haryana state units have reaffirmed that the dissatisfaction expressed by the members in the meeting of 12th June still continues inspite of the show cause notice issued by the Central Committee of GJM. Issuing a press release the two state committee has further stated that the dissatisfaction is expressed due to the statements of the central committee members. GJM Central Committee leaders had made statements such as "formation of Gorkhaland is not possible", "Gorkhas are not able to be ruler of Gorkhaland", "money is identity of Gorkhas" etc. It has further stated that GJM leaders has failed to refute the statement of Mamata Banerjee Chief Minister of West Bengal, in which she had said that the Darjeeling issue is resolved completely while the demand of Gorkhaland is unfulfilled.It has further stated that Gorkhas of other states has supported the agitation of GJM as the demand of formation of a separate state of Gorkhaland not of development and other petty matters. Nothing should hinder the demand and agitation of statehood and identity, the press release states. It further states, that if these matters of the state Committee is felt as anti Gorkha then it will welcome the action of GJM chief taken against them.
दिल्ली र हरियाणा मोर्चा शाखा आफ्नो ड़ानमा अडिग रहने -"मोर्चाले जे निर्णय गर्छ, 1 करोड़ 50 लाख गोर्खाको निम्ति निर्णय गर्नुपर्छ"
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ, 15जून। ममता व्यानर्जीले दार्जीलिङको मुद्दा सधैँको निम्ति समाधान भयो भन्दै कोलकाताका पत्रकारहरूलाई सम्बोधन गर्दा गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चा महासचिव रोशन गिरी अनि विधायक डा.हर्कबहादुर छेत्री ममता व्यानर्जीसित नै उभिएका थिए। ममताको त्यस बयानले स्पष्ट पारेको थियो कि गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाका नेताहरू ममतासित गोर्खाल्याण्डको होइन दार्जीलिङको समस्या समाधान गर्नको निम्ति कुराकानी गरेका थिए। यसै कारण ममताले दार्जीलिङको मुद्दा सधैँको निम्ति समाधान भयो भन्दा मोर्चाका नेताहरूले खण्डन गरेनन्।
यो दृश्यलाई देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूले हेरेका थिए। ती गोर्खाहरूमा दिल्ली र हरियाणाका गोर्खाहरू पनि थिए। गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाका दिल्ली र हरियाणा शाखाले मोर्चाले दार्जीलिङ र वरिपरि क्षेत्रको निम्ति परिषद् थाप्ने भएपछि दार्जीलिङ बाहिरका गोर्खाहरूलाई मोर्चाले धोका दिएको बुझेपछि दिल्ली मोर्चा शाखामा कार्यकर्ताहरूले रड़ाको मच्चाएका थिए। दिल्ली मोर्चा कार्यकर्ताहरूले रड़ाको मच्चाएपछि मोर्चाका महासचिव रोशन गिरीले रड़ाको मच्चाउनेहरूलाई अनुशासनात्मक कार्वाही गर्ने घोषणा नै गरेका थिए। तिनले यसप्रकारको घोषणा गरेपछि दिल्ली र हरियाणा शाखाले संयुक्तरूपमा हिजो बैठक गरेको छ। बैठकमा हरियाणा मोर्चा अध्यक्ष किरण बि के, दिल्ली मोर्चा महासचिव उत्तम छेत्री, दिल्ली नारी मोर्चा अध्यक्ष लुसी राई, महासचिव अनु दास, दिल्ली युवा मोर्चा अध्यक्ष रबिन प्रधान, महासचिव शंकर थापा उपस्थित थिए।
यससम्बन्धमा कालेबुङ अनलाइन न्यूज डट ब्लगस्पट डट कमलाई जारी गरेको विज्ञप्तीमा भनिएको छ, दिल्ली र हरियाणा मोर्चा शाखाले आफ्नो अड़ानमा अडिग रहने निर्णय लिएको छ। मोर्चाले जे पनि थाप्ने निर्णय गरिरहेको छ, त्यो केवल दार्जीलिङको स्वार्थमा छ। मोर्चाले थाप्ने व्यवस्थाले देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूको चिन्हारी बनिँदैन। विज्ञप्तीमा भनिएको छ, गोर्खाल्याण्ड भनेको 80 को दशक देखि शहीद हुने गोर्खाहरुको खुन को माग हो। आफ्नै घरभित्र इज्जत लुटीमाग्ने गोर्खे चेलीको आत्मा को चित्कार हो। आफ्नो आधा जीवन देशको रक्षाको लागि बिताएर अन्तमा आफ्नो माटोको निम्ति शान्ति जुलुस निकाल्दा टाउको फुटाई माग्ने फौजी गोखहरूको आकांक्षा हो। मोर्चाले आन्दोलन गोर्खाल्याण्को गरेर परिषद् थाप्नु देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूसित गद्दारी गर्नु रहेको कुरा देशभरिकै गोर्खाहरूले अहिले गरिरहेका छन्।
मोर्चालाई परिषद्को निम्ति होइन गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति समर्थन गर्ने गोर्खाहरू अहिले मोर्चाको स्वार्थी निर्णयदेखि खुशी छैन। दिल्लीबाट जारी गरिएको विज्ञप्तीमा के भनिएको छ भने गोर्खाल्याण्ड भनेको हातमा तिरङ्गा लिएर शान्ति जुलूस निकाल्दा निधारमा गाली ठोकी माग्ने नाबालिक नानीहरुको आत्माको पुकार हो। दिल्ली हरियाणा, मिजोराम, नागाल्याण्ड, मणिपुर लगायत सम्पूर्ण देशभरी नै हेपिँदै र होचिदै आएका गोर्खा हरुको पुकार हो। पूर्वोत्तर राज्यबाट खेदिएका गोर्खाहरुको माग हो तर आज मोर्चाका शीर्ष नेताहरुले निर्धक्कसित बाटो, बिजुली र नोकरीको निम्ति भनेको भए जनता आन्दोलनमा आउने थिएन र मात्रै गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति भनिएको टिप्पणी गर्दा देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूको मन रोएको विज्ञप्तीमा उल्लेख गरिएको छ।
विज्ञप्तीमा अझ भनिएको छ, गोर्खाल्याण्ड कै निम्ति आफ्नो सर्वस्व गुमाउदै आएपछि आज आफ्नै नेताले गोर्खाल्याण्ड हुन सक्दैन र गोर्खाहरुले गोर्खाल्याण्ड चलाउन पनि सक्दैन भन्दा देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूको आत्मा दुखेको छ। पैसा नै चिन्हारी हो भन्दा आज गोर्खे को मन दुखेको छ। विज्ञप्तीमा अहिले नै सम्झौता भइहालेको नभए पनि कोलकत्ताको बैठकपछि ममता व्यानर्जीले मोर्चाका शीर्ष नेताहरुको उपस्थितिमा नै दार्जीलिङ बङ्गालभित्र पर्छ र दार्जीलिङको मुद्दा सधैँको निम्ति समाधान भयो भन्दा समेत प्रतिक्रिया नजनाएकोले दिल्ली र हरियाणाका गोर्खाहरूको मन ती नेताहरूसित दुखेको पनि जनाइएको छ। भनिएको छ, हाम्रा नेताहरुले त्यसको सोझै खण्डन नगरिदिदा जनताले मन दुखाएको हो,जनताले कुनै पनि निर्णय लिँदा दाजीलिङको 7 लाख जनतालाई मात्र नभएर सम्पूर्ण देशका 1 करोड 50 लाख जनतालाई पनि सम्झेर नै निर्णय लिइदिने अनुरोध गरेका हौं। यदि यसरी अनुरोध गर्दा हाम्रो कुरा जाति बिराधी र माटो बिरोधी हुन्छ भने राष्ट्रिय अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुङले जे निर्णय सुनाउँछन्, हामी त्यसैलाई सहर्ष स्वीकार गर्नेछौ। तर कुनै पनि व्यवस्था र सम्झौताले माटो र चिनारी को देशव्यापी आन्दोलनलाई रोक्नु हुदैन।
Press Release
आज दिनांक १४ ता० जून को दिन दिल्ली अनि हरियाणा का पदाधिकारीहरुको एक बैठक बसियो | बिगत दिनमा दिल्ली अनि हरियाणा का जनताले काउन्सिलको बिरोध गरेकोमा गो० ज० मु० मो० राष्ट्रिय महासचिव द्वारा कारण बताव नोटिस जारीगर्ने निर्णयलाई लिएर विचार बिमर्ष गरियो | उक्त सभामा हरियाणा मोर्चा अद्यक्ष श्री किरण बि० के०, दिल्ली मोर्चा महासचिव श्री उत्तम छेत्रि, दिल्ली नारी मोर्चा अद्यक्ष श्रीमती लुसी राई, महासचिव अनु दास, दिल्ली युवा मोर्चा अद्यक्ष रबिन प्रधान, महासचिव शंकर थापा उपस्थित थिए| बिगत ता० १२ जून को दिन जुन बिषयमा चर्चा भयो त्यसै कुरा मानै सबै पदाधिकारी हरु अडिग रहने तय गरे | उपस्थित पदाधिकारी हरुको विचार मा गोर्खालैंड भनेको ८० को दशक देखि सहिद हुने गोर्खाहरुको खुन को मांग हो, आफ्नै घरभित्र इज्जत लुटीमाग्ने गोर्खे चेली को आत्मा को चित्कार हो, आफ्नो आधा जीवन देशको रक्षा को लागि बिताएर अन्तमा आफ्नो माटो को निम्ति शान्ति जुलुस निकाल्दा टाउको फुटाई माग्ने फौजी गोर्खे को अकंषा हो, हातमा तिरंगा लिएर शान्ति जुलुस निकाल्दा निधारमा गोलि ठोकी माग्ने नाबालिक नानीहरुको आत्माको पुकार हो, दिल्ली हरियाणा, मिजोराम, नागालैंड, मणिपुर लगायत सम्पूर्ण देशभरी नै हेपिदै र होचिदै आएका गोर्खा हरुको पुकार हो, पुर्बोत्तर राज्यबाट खेदिएका गोर्खा हरुको मांग हो तर आज हाम्रा शिर्ष नेताहरुले "बाटो, बिजुली, नोकरी को निम्ति भनेको भए जनता आउने थिएन र मात्रै गोर्खालैंड भनेको" भन्दा जनता को मन रोएको हो|
गोर्खालैंड कै निम्ति आफ्नो सर्वस्व गुमाउदै आएपछि आज आफ्नै नेताले "गोर्खालैंड हुन सक्दैन र गोर्खाहरुले गोर्खालैंड चलाउन पनि सक्दैन भन्दा जनता को आत्मा दुखेको हो"|पैसा नै चिनारी हो भन्दा आज गोर्खे को मन दुखेको छ| अहिलेनै सम्झौता भै हालेको नभए पनि कलकत्ता को बैठक पछि ममता बेनेर्जीले हाम्रा शिर्ष नेताहरुको उपस्थितिमा नै दार्जीलिंग बंगाल भित्र पर्छ र दार्जीलिंग को मुद्दा सधैको निम्ति समाधान भयो भन्दा हाम्रा नेताहरुले त्यसको सोझै खण्डन नगरिदिदा जनताले मन दुखाएको हो |जनताले कुनै पनि निर्णय लिंदा दार्जीलिंगको ७ लाख जनतालाई मात्र नभएर सम्पूर्ण देशका १ करोड ५० लाख जनतालाई पनि सम्झेर नै निर्णय लि दिने अनुरोध गरेका हुन् | यदि उपरोक्त कुरा जाति बिरोधि, र माटो बिरोधि भए हाम्रा राष्ट्रिय अद्यक्ष श्रीमान बिमल गुरुङ ज्युले जे फेसला सुनाउनु हुन्छ त्यसलाई हामी सर्बोपरी गर्दै सहर्ष स्वीकार गर्नेछौ | कुनै पनि व्यवस्था र सम्झौताले माटो र चिनारी को देशब्यापी आन्दोलनलाई रोक्नु हुदैन |
मोर्चाले व्यवस्था स्वीकारे सबैभन्दा ठूलो धोका हुनेछ-आर.बी.राई
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ , 15जून। मोर्चाले वास्तवमा नै गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति आन्दोलन नगरेर केवल दागोपापको निम्ति आन्दोलन गरेको थियो भन्ने कुराको प्रमाण मोर्चा आफैले यसपल्ट सबैलाई दिएको क्रामाकपाले जनाएको छ। हिजो जीमखाना हलमा आफ्नो मौनता तोड्दै विमल गुरूङले पनि अर्को दागोपाप नै थाप्ने कुरा दोहोर्याएपछि अहिलेसम्म मौन नै बसेका क्रामाकपा अध्यक्ष आर.बी.राईले भने, मोर्चाले यो अर्को दागोपाप थाप्यो भने दार्जीलिङका 20 लाख जनतालाई त धोका हुने नै छ दार्जीलिङ बाहिरका 1 करोड़ 30 लाख गोर्खाहरूलाई महाधोका हुनेछ।
तिनले जनाए अनुसार मोर्चाले गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलन नै गरेको थिएन। मोर्चाले जनतालाई गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति बटुलेर घिसिङको ठाउँ ओगट्ने राजनीति गर्यो। तिनले भने, भर्खर भएको चुनाउसम्ममा मोर्चाले गोर्खाल्याण्डको नारा भट्टाएको हो। अझ पनि जनता सड़कमा उत्रिएर दागोपाप, सेटअप, प्राधिकरण भन्दैनन्, उनीहरू केवल गोर्खाल्याण्ड भन्छन्। तर त्यसको ठीक विपरित मोर्चाका नेताहरू भने दागोपाप, सेटअप, प्राधिकरण, परिषद् भन्छन्। जनताले छुट्याउनपर्छ नेताको इच्छा पुरा हुँदैछ कि जनताको? तिनी अनुसार क्रामाकपाले मोर्चाले गोर्खाल्याण्डको पक्षमा चुनाउ नलड़ेको र भोट नहालेको यही परिणतिको संकेत पाएर नै हो। सबै दल मिलेर चुनाउ लड़ेको भए मोर्चाले फाइदा लिन पाउने थिएन। क्रामाकपाले जब मोर्चाले प्राधिकरण खारेज गर्यो, तब गृहमन्त्रीलाई मोर्चाले बुझाएको प्रस्ताव लिखितरूपमा खारेज हुनुपर्ने कुरा उठाएको थियो। त्यसबेला पनि मोर्चाले प्राधिकरण वा सेटअप पूर्णरूपले त्यागेको कुरा बताएर जनतालाई ढॉंटेको हो।
तिनले भने, अब मोर्चाले भनोस्, त्यसबेला हामीले ढॉंटेका थियौं, हामीले गोर्खाल्याण्ड होइन, दागोपाप नै मागिरहेका थियौं। तिनले अझसम्म पनि जनतालाई मोर्चाले ढॉंटिरहेकै बताउँदै अझ भने, हीरामोति नै दिए पनि नथाप्ने, गोर्खाल्याण्ड नै ल्याउने भन्ने विमल गुरूङले दागोपाप थापिरहेका छन्। जसले देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूको आकांक्षालाई पुरा गर्दैन। तिनी अनुसार विमल गुरूङले स्पष्ट पार्नुपर्छ कि तिनले देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूलाई धोका दिएकै हुन्। गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दा दार्जीलिङको समस्याको समाधान नरहेको भन्दै तिनले भने, गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दा गोर्खाहरूको चिन्हारीको सवाल हो। पैसाको निम्ति गरिएको आन्दोलन यो होइन। तिनले नेताले नै जनता थाकेको कुरा बताउनु र जनताले नचाहेको कुरा जनताकै निम्ति लिएर आएको भन्नु दुर्भाग्यको कुरा रहेको पनि बताए।
तिनले भने, देशभरिका जनता चिन्हारीको निम्ति लड्न तयार छन् भने कसरी नेताले जनता थाकेको कुरा गर्न सक्छन्? तिनले मोर्चाले यो व्यवस्था ग्रहण गरेर गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति राजनैतिक बाधा खड़ा गरिरहेको पनि जनाए। जब संविधानले दिन्छ भन्दै छ, फेरि कसरी मोर्चाले गोर्खाल्याण्ड नै दिँदैन भनिरहेको छ? भन्दै तिनले राज्य सरकारले पहाड़बाट राजस्व उठाएपछि त्यहॉंको विकास गर्ने कर्तव्य रहेको बताए। तिनले भने, राज्य सरकारले गर्ने विकासको निम्ति मोर्चाले किन सम्झौता गर्दैछ? सीमाना हुनुपर्छ तर गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति। जब ममताले सरकारमा हुँदा अनि नहुँदा पनि बङ्गाल विभाजन नै हुँदैन भनिरहेकी छन्, उनीसित कसरी कुरा राम्रो हुनसक्छ? बङ्गाल विभाजन नै हुँदैन भन्नेसित कसरी भारतभरिका गोर्खाहरूको हीतमा निर्णय हुनसक्छ?
तिनले मोर्चाले ल्याउने व्यवस्था केवल क्षमता हस्तान्तरण मात्र रहेको बताउँदै भने, मोर्चा नैतिकरूपले मुद्दाप्रति इमान्दार नरहेको अनि विकासको कुरा गरेको कारण नै यो सम्झौतामा ममता सरकार आएको हो। यो व्यवस्था थाप्नु, देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूको ढॉंड़मा छुरी हान्नु बराबर हो।
गोर्खालैंड कै निम्ति आफ्नो सर्वस्व गुमाउदै आएपछि आज आफ्नै नेताले "गोर्खालैंड हुन सक्दैन र गोर्खाहरुले गोर्खालैंड चलाउन पनि सक्दैन भन्दा जनता को आत्मा दुखेको हो"|पैसा नै चिनारी हो भन्दा आज गोर्खे को मन दुखेको छ| अहिलेनै सम्झौता भै हालेको नभए पनि कलकत्ता को बैठक पछि ममता बेनेर्जीले हाम्रा शिर्ष नेताहरुको उपस्थितिमा नै दार्जीलिंग बंगाल भित्र पर्छ र दार्जीलिंग को मुद्दा सधैको निम्ति समाधान भयो भन्दा हाम्रा नेताहरुले त्यसको सोझै खण्डन नगरिदिदा जनताले मन दुखाएको हो |जनताले कुनै पनि निर्णय लिंदा दार्जीलिंगको ७ लाख जनतालाई मात्र नभएर सम्पूर्ण देशका १ करोड ५० लाख जनतालाई पनि सम्झेर नै निर्णय लि दिने अनुरोध गरेका हुन् | यदि उपरोक्त कुरा जाति बिरोधि, र माटो बिरोधि भए हाम्रा राष्ट्रिय अद्यक्ष श्रीमान बिमल गुरुङ ज्युले जे फेसला सुनाउनु हुन्छ त्यसलाई हामी सर्बोपरी गर्दै सहर्ष स्वीकार गर्नेछौ | कुनै पनि व्यवस्था र सम्झौताले माटो र चिनारी को देशब्यापी आन्दोलनलाई रोक्नु हुदैन |
मोर्चाले व्यवस्था स्वीकारे सबैभन्दा ठूलो धोका हुनेछ-आर.बी.राई
मनोज वोगटी, कालिमन्युज, कालेबुङ , 15जून। मोर्चाले वास्तवमा नै गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति आन्दोलन नगरेर केवल दागोपापको निम्ति आन्दोलन गरेको थियो भन्ने कुराको प्रमाण मोर्चा आफैले यसपल्ट सबैलाई दिएको क्रामाकपाले जनाएको छ। हिजो जीमखाना हलमा आफ्नो मौनता तोड्दै विमल गुरूङले पनि अर्को दागोपाप नै थाप्ने कुरा दोहोर्याएपछि अहिलेसम्म मौन नै बसेका क्रामाकपा अध्यक्ष आर.बी.राईले भने, मोर्चाले यो अर्को दागोपाप थाप्यो भने दार्जीलिङका 20 लाख जनतालाई त धोका हुने नै छ दार्जीलिङ बाहिरका 1 करोड़ 30 लाख गोर्खाहरूलाई महाधोका हुनेछ।
तिनले जनाए अनुसार मोर्चाले गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलन नै गरेको थिएन। मोर्चाले जनतालाई गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति बटुलेर घिसिङको ठाउँ ओगट्ने राजनीति गर्यो। तिनले भने, भर्खर भएको चुनाउसम्ममा मोर्चाले गोर्खाल्याण्डको नारा भट्टाएको हो। अझ पनि जनता सड़कमा उत्रिएर दागोपाप, सेटअप, प्राधिकरण भन्दैनन्, उनीहरू केवल गोर्खाल्याण्ड भन्छन्। तर त्यसको ठीक विपरित मोर्चाका नेताहरू भने दागोपाप, सेटअप, प्राधिकरण, परिषद् भन्छन्। जनताले छुट्याउनपर्छ नेताको इच्छा पुरा हुँदैछ कि जनताको? तिनी अनुसार क्रामाकपाले मोर्चाले गोर्खाल्याण्डको पक्षमा चुनाउ नलड़ेको र भोट नहालेको यही परिणतिको संकेत पाएर नै हो। सबै दल मिलेर चुनाउ लड़ेको भए मोर्चाले फाइदा लिन पाउने थिएन। क्रामाकपाले जब मोर्चाले प्राधिकरण खारेज गर्यो, तब गृहमन्त्रीलाई मोर्चाले बुझाएको प्रस्ताव लिखितरूपमा खारेज हुनुपर्ने कुरा उठाएको थियो। त्यसबेला पनि मोर्चाले प्राधिकरण वा सेटअप पूर्णरूपले त्यागेको कुरा बताएर जनतालाई ढॉंटेको हो।
तिनले भने, अब मोर्चाले भनोस्, त्यसबेला हामीले ढॉंटेका थियौं, हामीले गोर्खाल्याण्ड होइन, दागोपाप नै मागिरहेका थियौं। तिनले अझसम्म पनि जनतालाई मोर्चाले ढॉंटिरहेकै बताउँदै अझ भने, हीरामोति नै दिए पनि नथाप्ने, गोर्खाल्याण्ड नै ल्याउने भन्ने विमल गुरूङले दागोपाप थापिरहेका छन्। जसले देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूको आकांक्षालाई पुरा गर्दैन। तिनी अनुसार विमल गुरूङले स्पष्ट पार्नुपर्छ कि तिनले देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूलाई धोका दिएकै हुन्। गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दा दार्जीलिङको समस्याको समाधान नरहेको भन्दै तिनले भने, गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दा गोर्खाहरूको चिन्हारीको सवाल हो। पैसाको निम्ति गरिएको आन्दोलन यो होइन। तिनले नेताले नै जनता थाकेको कुरा बताउनु र जनताले नचाहेको कुरा जनताकै निम्ति लिएर आएको भन्नु दुर्भाग्यको कुरा रहेको पनि बताए।
तिनले भने, देशभरिका जनता चिन्हारीको निम्ति लड्न तयार छन् भने कसरी नेताले जनता थाकेको कुरा गर्न सक्छन्? तिनले मोर्चाले यो व्यवस्था ग्रहण गरेर गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति राजनैतिक बाधा खड़ा गरिरहेको पनि जनाए। जब संविधानले दिन्छ भन्दै छ, फेरि कसरी मोर्चाले गोर्खाल्याण्ड नै दिँदैन भनिरहेको छ? भन्दै तिनले राज्य सरकारले पहाड़बाट राजस्व उठाएपछि त्यहॉंको विकास गर्ने कर्तव्य रहेको बताए। तिनले भने, राज्य सरकारले गर्ने विकासको निम्ति मोर्चाले किन सम्झौता गर्दैछ? सीमाना हुनुपर्छ तर गोर्खाल्याण्डको निम्ति। जब ममताले सरकारमा हुँदा अनि नहुँदा पनि बङ्गाल विभाजन नै हुँदैन भनिरहेकी छन्, उनीसित कसरी कुरा राम्रो हुनसक्छ? बङ्गाल विभाजन नै हुँदैन भन्नेसित कसरी भारतभरिका गोर्खाहरूको हीतमा निर्णय हुनसक्छ?
तिनले मोर्चाले ल्याउने व्यवस्था केवल क्षमता हस्तान्तरण मात्र रहेको बताउँदै भने, मोर्चा नैतिकरूपले मुद्दाप्रति इमान्दार नरहेको अनि विकासको कुरा गरेको कारण नै यो सम्झौतामा ममता सरकार आएको हो। यो व्यवस्था थाप्नु, देशभरिका गोर्खाहरूको ढॉंड़मा छुरी हान्नु बराबर हो।
Working together for Responsible Tourism in Sikkim
KalimNews, Gangtok ,15 June – WWF-India, Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS) and Khangchendzonga Conservation Committee (KCC) jointly organised a two-day training workshop on ‘Practising Responsible Tourism’ on June 11-12 in Gangtok, Sikkim. It was attended by senior officers from the Tourism and Forest Department, tour operators, hotel owners and other service providers from the tourism industry, NGOs, CBOs, and students from Sikkim and Arunachal.
The workshop was part of WWF’s Green Hiker campaign which is in turn, a WWF initiative to conserve the Himalayan high altitude wetlands, founded under its 'Saving Wetlands Sky-High! programme. The campaign is already running successfully in India in the five Himalayan states of Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Targeted primarily at tourism service providers, the workshop enabled an analysis and discussion on the current tourism scenario and trends in Sikkim, the urgent need for responsible tourism, successful case studies of community-based and home stays from Arunachal Pradesh, Makaibari, Mayal lyang (Dzongu), Darap and more. Strong emphasis was placed on the need for setting standards and guidelines for home stays, in consultation and agreement with the local communities and the right kind of marketing, to regulate the kind of tourists they receive.
Speaking at the event, the Joint Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of Sikkim said “Responsible tourism is a major part of our tourism mission. We have been given recommendations for responsible tourism. Our government is seriously considering the particular recommendation of founding a day called the ‘Great Sikkim Clean up’ perhaps on Earth Day, on which the whole Sikkim would come together for cleaning up. We’re trying to build a consensus in the government to implement this recommendation. I hope all participants learn from this workshop,” he added.
DFO Ecotourism, Mr. Angabalam read a message of the PCCF and Secretary, Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management Department, “The FEWMD has started many projects in the ‘ecotourism’ direction, one of which is ready to implement a number of activities to strengthen the ecotourism services, creating links between tour operators and local communities offering tourism services, improving solid waste management at ecotourism sites and more.”
“Tourism has become an important source of economy for Sikkim. However, it has exceeded its carrying capacity and there is no aggregated data on the kind of tourist inflow. What we need for responsible tourism more than development is the capacity building of our people,” stated Mr. P.D. Rai, Member of Parliament, summing up the first day of the workshop.Mr. Rajah Banerjee of the famed Makaibari Tea Estate, Darjeeling was also present at the workshop to share experiences of CBT in his tea gardens.
This case study highlighted that tourism must not be viewed in isolation as an activity but should always remain connected to other livelihood options which would supplement the tourism, and take it to the next level.“Home stay and Community-based Tourism initiatives should not be seen just as alternative source of income. In addition, monitoring is important because the social fabric also needs to be safeguarded, said Mr. Karma Gyatso, Department of Tourism, Government of Sikkim.
The workshop concluded with recommendations and future action plans for laying a strong foundation for a more responsible and sustainable kind of tourism in Sikkim.
Baked maize business flourishing
Prabin Khaling, KalimNews, Gangtok, June 15: Its fresh, plucked right out from the nearby fields last evening and what’s more, it is organic and delicious as it is smoke and roasted over wood fire.Leveraging these two unique selling points,agriculture labourers are doing a roaring business of selling baked maize to locals and tourists travelling along the NH 31A from Gangtok.
Having first started out with by a solitary farm help in 2007,roasted corn business has seen an amazing growth with more than 60 fire pits within the 10 kms road stretch between 9th Mile and 32nd Mile presently along the highway.
Twenty of them are concentrated at the temporary sheds set up at Radang under lower Namli gram panchayat unit, some 20 kms away from Gangtok.
“I started out alone four years ago and sold roasted maize in the open along the highway at Rs. 2 per piece. It clicked and others also joined in and today we have more than 60 people selling roasted maize along the highway between 9th Mile and 32nd Mile”, said 65 years old Krishna Bahadur Chhetri.
Like the other sellers, Chettri works an agricultural labourer on other times but from June till August, he squats under a temporary shed smoking and roasting maize in his fire pit. At the end of the day, he sells around 150 to 200 corns at a cost of Rs. 10 per piece.
The maize pieces are first laid over a steel wire and smoked over wood fire. Once the cover is sufficiently toasted, the corn is then roasted over wood charcoal. Then a fast hand applies lemon, chilli paste and salt for taste and handed over to the client.
Hundreds of vehicles travel along the NH 31A from Gangtok to Siliguri daily and one can enjoy this snack available at these temporary sheds from 6 am to 6 pm daily.
Two ladies Sita Chhetri and Tshering Doma Lepcha informed that they have been in this business for four years. “We buy maize at Rs. 5 per piece from nearby fields and sell it Rs. 10 per piece after smoking and roasting the maize over wood fire and applying chilli paste, lemon and salt for taste. We sell around 100 to 150 pieces daily and sometimes the sale is 200 pieces”, they said.
The maize sellers procure the maize from nearby fields at the cost of Rs. 5 per piece. The maize season lasts till August from June.
Maize seeds are first sown in the month of January and by June, the first crop is ready. By mid July, supply from the low elevation fields run out and the sellers turn to those farmers in the higher altitude areas.
“In higher altitude areas, sowing is done in February and harvested in mid July and August. So we get continued supply till August”, said Krishna Bahadur Chettri.
“There are more than 50 people selling roasted maize from 9th Mile to 32nd Mile. Tourists and locals enjoy eating roasted maize and some buy raw maize to be consumed at home after boiling”, said another seller, Santosh Chettri.
Santosh said that profits of this maize selling business starting from June till August range between Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 50,000. This income sees us through the rest of season during which we work as labourers and also tile land on rent, he said.
The forest department gives permit to the maize sellers to set up their sheds on the recommendation of the area panchayat. No fees are charged.
The maize type also varies during the season.
“During the first three weeks of June, we sell raw milky soft sweet maize which is much enjoyed by tourists. Now we have ripe maize which is more nutritious and provide more energy. One ripe maize is equal to three raw maize”, said Santosh.
There is also a difference between our Sikkim maize and those sold at the railway crossing at Sevoke near Silguri along the NH 31A, said Krishna Bahadur Chettri.
“Ours is different from those roasted maize sold along the highway near Sevoke railway crossing in Siliguri. Our product is more nutritious product as it is organic and freshly harvest. Their maize is bit low on nutrition because of chemical fertilizers used. Here we smoke and roast on wood fire and there they roast on railway charcoal”, said Krishna Bahadur Chettri.
Tea garden leader quits Morcha, joins Intuc
The workshop was part of WWF’s Green Hiker campaign which is in turn, a WWF initiative to conserve the Himalayan high altitude wetlands, founded under its 'Saving Wetlands Sky-High! programme. The campaign is already running successfully in India in the five Himalayan states of Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Targeted primarily at tourism service providers, the workshop enabled an analysis and discussion on the current tourism scenario and trends in Sikkim, the urgent need for responsible tourism, successful case studies of community-based and home stays from Arunachal Pradesh, Makaibari, Mayal lyang (Dzongu), Darap and more. Strong emphasis was placed on the need for setting standards and guidelines for home stays, in consultation and agreement with the local communities and the right kind of marketing, to regulate the kind of tourists they receive.
Speaking at the event, the Joint Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of Sikkim said “Responsible tourism is a major part of our tourism mission. We have been given recommendations for responsible tourism. Our government is seriously considering the particular recommendation of founding a day called the ‘Great Sikkim Clean up’ perhaps on Earth Day, on which the whole Sikkim would come together for cleaning up. We’re trying to build a consensus in the government to implement this recommendation. I hope all participants learn from this workshop,” he added.
DFO Ecotourism, Mr. Angabalam read a message of the PCCF and Secretary, Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management Department, “The FEWMD has started many projects in the ‘ecotourism’ direction, one of which is ready to implement a number of activities to strengthen the ecotourism services, creating links between tour operators and local communities offering tourism services, improving solid waste management at ecotourism sites and more.”
“Tourism has become an important source of economy for Sikkim. However, it has exceeded its carrying capacity and there is no aggregated data on the kind of tourist inflow. What we need for responsible tourism more than development is the capacity building of our people,” stated Mr. P.D. Rai, Member of Parliament, summing up the first day of the workshop.Mr. Rajah Banerjee of the famed Makaibari Tea Estate, Darjeeling was also present at the workshop to share experiences of CBT in his tea gardens.
This case study highlighted that tourism must not be viewed in isolation as an activity but should always remain connected to other livelihood options which would supplement the tourism, and take it to the next level.“Home stay and Community-based Tourism initiatives should not be seen just as alternative source of income. In addition, monitoring is important because the social fabric also needs to be safeguarded, said Mr. Karma Gyatso, Department of Tourism, Government of Sikkim.
The workshop concluded with recommendations and future action plans for laying a strong foundation for a more responsible and sustainable kind of tourism in Sikkim.
Baked maize business flourishing
Prabin Khaling, KalimNews, Gangtok, June 15: Its fresh, plucked right out from the nearby fields last evening and what’s more, it is organic and delicious as it is smoke and roasted over wood fire.Leveraging these two unique selling points,agriculture labourers are doing a roaring business of selling baked maize to locals and tourists travelling along the NH 31A from Gangtok.
Having first started out with by a solitary farm help in 2007,roasted corn business has seen an amazing growth with more than 60 fire pits within the 10 kms road stretch between 9th Mile and 32nd Mile presently along the highway.
Twenty of them are concentrated at the temporary sheds set up at Radang under lower Namli gram panchayat unit, some 20 kms away from Gangtok.
“I started out alone four years ago and sold roasted maize in the open along the highway at Rs. 2 per piece. It clicked and others also joined in and today we have more than 60 people selling roasted maize along the highway between 9th Mile and 32nd Mile”, said 65 years old Krishna Bahadur Chhetri.
Like the other sellers, Chettri works an agricultural labourer on other times but from June till August, he squats under a temporary shed smoking and roasting maize in his fire pit. At the end of the day, he sells around 150 to 200 corns at a cost of Rs. 10 per piece.
The maize pieces are first laid over a steel wire and smoked over wood fire. Once the cover is sufficiently toasted, the corn is then roasted over wood charcoal. Then a fast hand applies lemon, chilli paste and salt for taste and handed over to the client.
Hundreds of vehicles travel along the NH 31A from Gangtok to Siliguri daily and one can enjoy this snack available at these temporary sheds from 6 am to 6 pm daily.
Two ladies Sita Chhetri and Tshering Doma Lepcha informed that they have been in this business for four years. “We buy maize at Rs. 5 per piece from nearby fields and sell it Rs. 10 per piece after smoking and roasting the maize over wood fire and applying chilli paste, lemon and salt for taste. We sell around 100 to 150 pieces daily and sometimes the sale is 200 pieces”, they said.
The maize sellers procure the maize from nearby fields at the cost of Rs. 5 per piece. The maize season lasts till August from June.
Maize seeds are first sown in the month of January and by June, the first crop is ready. By mid July, supply from the low elevation fields run out and the sellers turn to those farmers in the higher altitude areas.
“In higher altitude areas, sowing is done in February and harvested in mid July and August. So we get continued supply till August”, said Krishna Bahadur Chettri.
“There are more than 50 people selling roasted maize from 9th Mile to 32nd Mile. Tourists and locals enjoy eating roasted maize and some buy raw maize to be consumed at home after boiling”, said another seller, Santosh Chettri.
Santosh said that profits of this maize selling business starting from June till August range between Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 50,000. This income sees us through the rest of season during which we work as labourers and also tile land on rent, he said.
The forest department gives permit to the maize sellers to set up their sheds on the recommendation of the area panchayat. No fees are charged.
The maize type also varies during the season.
“During the first three weeks of June, we sell raw milky soft sweet maize which is much enjoyed by tourists. Now we have ripe maize which is more nutritious and provide more energy. One ripe maize is equal to three raw maize”, said Santosh.
There is also a difference between our Sikkim maize and those sold at the railway crossing at Sevoke near Silguri along the NH 31A, said Krishna Bahadur Chettri.
“Ours is different from those roasted maize sold along the highway near Sevoke railway crossing in Siliguri. Our product is more nutritious product as it is organic and freshly harvest. Their maize is bit low on nutrition because of chemical fertilizers used. Here we smoke and roast on wood fire and there they roast on railway charcoal”, said Krishna Bahadur Chettri.
Tea garden leader quits Morcha, joins Intuc
 |
| Samsing Tea Estate. File picture |
TT, Jalpaiguri, June 15: A Gorkha Janmukti Morcha central committee member in the Dooars has left the party and joined the Intuc-affiliated, National Union of Plantation Workers (NUPW), accusing the hill party of duping the workers of the Samsing tea garden.
Rajen Lohar, the Morcha member, today met the district magistrate of Jalpaiguri, along with representatives of the NUPW and submitted a written complaint that about 1,000 workers of the garden were not getting jobs even 21 months after the Morcha and the management of the closed tea garden had inked a bipartite agreement.
“The Samsing Tea Estate had shut down in November, 2005. The Morcha’s Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union held a meeting with the representatives of the owner Ambootia Tea Company and an agreement was reached on August 15, 2009. But since then, the agreement has not been honoured as 1,300 workers out of the 2,303 are yet to get work,” said Lohar, who was one of the signatories to the agreement.
He said the Morcha had betrayed the interests and hopes of the workers as there were no power connection, drinking water supply and medical facilities for the workers. “As the administration was not involved in the agreement, the labourers are not getting work under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme,” said Lohar.
“We today requested the district magistrate to declare the agreement inked between the Samsing Tea Estate owners and the Morcha invalid. Yes, I was one of the signatories to the agreement. But I am opposed to it now as it is against the welfare of the workers,” said Lohar, who is now the president of the NUPW’s garden unit.
Samsing is 80km from Jalpaiguri.
The advisor to the Morcha-affiliated Dooars Terai Plantation Workers’ Union, Santosh Rai, said the garden management had taken in 1,450 workers ever since the pact was signed.
“We are putting pressure on Ambootia Tea Company so that the rest of the workers are also absorbed soon. We have also taken up the issues of power, water and health with the management. Rajen himself was one of the main negotiators on our behalf and now he is trying to put up a show just to malign us,” he said.
The district magistrate, Vandana Yadav, said the administration had nothing to do as the agreement was inked between a union and the owners.
“However, we are exploring the possibility of implementing the 100-days work scheme for the workers in the garden,” she said.
Rajen Lohar, the Morcha member, today met the district magistrate of Jalpaiguri, along with representatives of the NUPW and submitted a written complaint that about 1,000 workers of the garden were not getting jobs even 21 months after the Morcha and the management of the closed tea garden had inked a bipartite agreement.
“The Samsing Tea Estate had shut down in November, 2005. The Morcha’s Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union held a meeting with the representatives of the owner Ambootia Tea Company and an agreement was reached on August 15, 2009. But since then, the agreement has not been honoured as 1,300 workers out of the 2,303 are yet to get work,” said Lohar, who was one of the signatories to the agreement.
He said the Morcha had betrayed the interests and hopes of the workers as there were no power connection, drinking water supply and medical facilities for the workers. “As the administration was not involved in the agreement, the labourers are not getting work under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme,” said Lohar.
“We today requested the district magistrate to declare the agreement inked between the Samsing Tea Estate owners and the Morcha invalid. Yes, I was one of the signatories to the agreement. But I am opposed to it now as it is against the welfare of the workers,” said Lohar, who is now the president of the NUPW’s garden unit.
Samsing is 80km from Jalpaiguri.
The advisor to the Morcha-affiliated Dooars Terai Plantation Workers’ Union, Santosh Rai, said the garden management had taken in 1,450 workers ever since the pact was signed.
“We are putting pressure on Ambootia Tea Company so that the rest of the workers are also absorbed soon. We have also taken up the issues of power, water and health with the management. Rajen himself was one of the main negotiators on our behalf and now he is trying to put up a show just to malign us,” he said.
The district magistrate, Vandana Yadav, said the administration had nothing to do as the agreement was inked between a union and the owners.
“However, we are exploring the possibility of implementing the 100-days work scheme for the workers in the garden,” she said.
Parishad plans Calcutta dharna
 |
| The Parishad meeting in progress in Kalchini on Wednesday. Picture by Anirban Choudhury |
Anirban Choudhury, TT, Kalchini (Alipurduar), June 15: The Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad has decided to sit on a dharna in Calcutta to seek autonomy for the Dooars and the Terai and to protest the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s demand that Gorkha-dominated areas be brought under the proposed administrative set-up for the Darjeeling hills.
The decision to sit on a dharna in the state capital was taken at a three-hour-long meeting attended by about 200 state leaders of the Parishad and the heavyweights in the Terai and the Dooars at the Kalchini Dharamsala today.“Our meeting centred on two main issues, the autonomy under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and the Morcha’s demand for territory. They have been demanding 194 mouzas in the Terai and 234 in the Dooars, and today it was unanimously decided that not an inch of land would be ceded to them. We are also firm in our decision to keep on demanding autonomy under the Sixth Schedule for the Terai and the Dooars,” said Birsa Tirkey, the state president of the Parishad.
He said the people in Calcutta were far removed from the reality that the Adivasis were facing in north Bengal. “I will return to Calcutta on Friday and approach the police commissioner for permission to launch a dharna at the Metro Channel. As and when the permission is granted, we will hold the agitation in the state capital,” Tirkey said.
John Barla, the president of the Parishad’s Terai-Dooars coordination committee, said the Mamata Banerjee government should hear the Adivasis as well. “Mamata Banerjee has promised the Gorkhas a new council as they comprise 80 per cent of the population in the hills. In the Terai and Dooars, our community makes up 75 per cent of the population and she should listen to us also,” said Barla.
Tirkey added that the Parishad had already submitted a plea to the chief minister’s office seeking a meeting with Mamata Banerjee. “Her office is in touch with us and we are hopeful of an early date to meet her. We will be able to convince her that there will be a law and order problem in the Terai and the Dooars if she agreed to the Morcha’s territorial demand. Moreover, we are in the majority in the region and the new government in Writers’ Buildings should have thought twice before deciding to form a committee to address the Morcha’s territorial demands and should have taken us into confidence,” Tirkey said.
The Parishad also decided to hold regular motorcycle rallies and meetings in tea gardens for their demands. “We are waiting for the outcome of our meeting with the chief minister before announcing the dates for these agitation. The state can form any committee, but we will decide if it should be accepted or not,” said Barla.
The Parishad leaders said they were scheduled to meet the joint labour commissioner in Jalpaiguri in connection with the revision of the daily wages for tea garden workers.
The decision to sit on a dharna in the state capital was taken at a three-hour-long meeting attended by about 200 state leaders of the Parishad and the heavyweights in the Terai and the Dooars at the Kalchini Dharamsala today.“Our meeting centred on two main issues, the autonomy under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and the Morcha’s demand for territory. They have been demanding 194 mouzas in the Terai and 234 in the Dooars, and today it was unanimously decided that not an inch of land would be ceded to them. We are also firm in our decision to keep on demanding autonomy under the Sixth Schedule for the Terai and the Dooars,” said Birsa Tirkey, the state president of the Parishad.
He said the people in Calcutta were far removed from the reality that the Adivasis were facing in north Bengal. “I will return to Calcutta on Friday and approach the police commissioner for permission to launch a dharna at the Metro Channel. As and when the permission is granted, we will hold the agitation in the state capital,” Tirkey said.
John Barla, the president of the Parishad’s Terai-Dooars coordination committee, said the Mamata Banerjee government should hear the Adivasis as well. “Mamata Banerjee has promised the Gorkhas a new council as they comprise 80 per cent of the population in the hills. In the Terai and Dooars, our community makes up 75 per cent of the population and she should listen to us also,” said Barla.
Tirkey added that the Parishad had already submitted a plea to the chief minister’s office seeking a meeting with Mamata Banerjee. “Her office is in touch with us and we are hopeful of an early date to meet her. We will be able to convince her that there will be a law and order problem in the Terai and the Dooars if she agreed to the Morcha’s territorial demand. Moreover, we are in the majority in the region and the new government in Writers’ Buildings should have thought twice before deciding to form a committee to address the Morcha’s territorial demands and should have taken us into confidence,” Tirkey said.
The Parishad also decided to hold regular motorcycle rallies and meetings in tea gardens for their demands. “We are waiting for the outcome of our meeting with the chief minister before announcing the dates for these agitation. The state can form any committee, but we will decide if it should be accepted or not,” said Barla.
The Parishad leaders said they were scheduled to meet the joint labour commissioner in Jalpaiguri in connection with the revision of the daily wages for tea garden workers.
Bollywood laps up Darjeeling again - Queen of hills goes gaga as stars hit the street
 |
| Illena D”Cruz and Ranbir Kapoor on the sets of Barfee in Darjeeling on Wednesday. Picture by Suman Tamang |
TT, Darjeeling, June 15: Bollywood’s brush with Darjeeling, after almost a decade, today started from the charms of yore.
If the hill town had found a place in Bollywood’s imagination through a Sharmila Tagore-Rajesh Khanna song sequence Mere Sapnon Ki Rani Kab Ayegi Tu in the film Aradhana, which was extensively shot in the famed Darjeeling toy train, Anurag Basu started the shoot for Barfee by embarking on the same journey.
Aradhana was shot almost three decades ago and Basu, the creator of well-acclaimed films like Murder, Kites, Gangster and Life in a Metro is replicating the Darjeeling of the 60s and 70s in which his protagonist Ranbir Kapoor will be playing “a Darjeeling boy,” according to Uday Mani Pradhan, production co-ordinator for the film in Darjeeling.
Ranbir stole the show at the Darjeeling Ghoom station, the second highest railway station in India, with an over enthusiastic crowd making it difficult for the crew to carry on with the shooting.
“Difficulties existed largely because of the over enthusiastic crowd. At times, it almost turned out to be unmanageable with people frequently coming in the frame. But we have made much progress today,” said a member of the team.
The production team tried hard to stop the crowd from taking photographs but it was a daunting task to stop the tourists and the local people.
If the crowd had come to see Ranbir, her co-star Illena D”Cruz, a Telugu actress making her Bollywood debut with the film, can take heart, for her fan base has definitely swelled in Darjeeling. “Ranbir Kapoor is what made me come here today. But I am now also a fan of the new star Leenaa,” said a coy Sharad Thami, clearly mispronouncing his new idol’s name.
If the hill town had found a place in Bollywood’s imagination through a Sharmila Tagore-Rajesh Khanna song sequence Mere Sapnon Ki Rani Kab Ayegi Tu in the film Aradhana, which was extensively shot in the famed Darjeeling toy train, Anurag Basu started the shoot for Barfee by embarking on the same journey.
Aradhana was shot almost three decades ago and Basu, the creator of well-acclaimed films like Murder, Kites, Gangster and Life in a Metro is replicating the Darjeeling of the 60s and 70s in which his protagonist Ranbir Kapoor will be playing “a Darjeeling boy,” according to Uday Mani Pradhan, production co-ordinator for the film in Darjeeling.
Ranbir stole the show at the Darjeeling Ghoom station, the second highest railway station in India, with an over enthusiastic crowd making it difficult for the crew to carry on with the shooting.
“Difficulties existed largely because of the over enthusiastic crowd. At times, it almost turned out to be unmanageable with people frequently coming in the frame. But we have made much progress today,” said a member of the team.
The production team tried hard to stop the crowd from taking photographs but it was a daunting task to stop the tourists and the local people.
If the crowd had come to see Ranbir, her co-star Illena D”Cruz, a Telugu actress making her Bollywood debut with the film, can take heart, for her fan base has definitely swelled in Darjeeling. “Ranbir Kapoor is what made me come here today. But I am now also a fan of the new star Leenaa,” said a coy Sharad Thami, clearly mispronouncing his new idol’s name.
 |
| The crowd in Darjeeling to watch the shooting on Wednesday. Picture by Suman Tamang |
The shoot at times virtually threatened to halt everything in Ghoom today, largely because of the swelling crowd. Huge traffic snarls on NH55 became the order of the day, but none was complaining. The charms of Darjeeling — the pervading mist, the British era-railway station and the hoot of the steam engine — seem to have bewitched everybody.
If the mass hysteria at the Ghoom station was any indication, the production team members have tough days ahead as shooting is scheduled to take place in Capitol Hall and Chowrastha, located in the heart of Darjeeling.
Asked about the itinerary, the member of the production team said: “Only the director is in the know of things. He will tell us only in the evening where the next shoot will take place as weather is a big factor.”
Basu is, however, determined to capture the nooks and corners of Darjeeling. Upon his arrival in Darjeeling on Monday, the director visited places like Bijanbari and Rangbull to find more locations. He will be shooting in almost a dozen places across Darjeeling, where more people will flock to have a glimpse of Priyanka Chopra, the heroine of the movie.
The toy train is expected to feature prominently in the film and Basu will be hoping that the DHR’s luck will rub on the film.
If Aradhana was a hit, so was Shah Rukh Khan starrer Raju Bangaya Gentleman in which King Khan had bid farewell to Darjeeling riding on the train.
Saif Ali Khan starrer Parineeta, which was shot in the toy train (though in the foothills of Darjeeling), had a song whose opening line in Nepali was: Kasto Mazaa hai railei ma, ramailo ukali orali (What fun it is to ride on the train, up and down from the hills to the plains). The film too was a hit and there was none in the crowd today who did not believe that Barfee would be a hit too.
If the mass hysteria at the Ghoom station was any indication, the production team members have tough days ahead as shooting is scheduled to take place in Capitol Hall and Chowrastha, located in the heart of Darjeeling.
Asked about the itinerary, the member of the production team said: “Only the director is in the know of things. He will tell us only in the evening where the next shoot will take place as weather is a big factor.”
Basu is, however, determined to capture the nooks and corners of Darjeeling. Upon his arrival in Darjeeling on Monday, the director visited places like Bijanbari and Rangbull to find more locations. He will be shooting in almost a dozen places across Darjeeling, where more people will flock to have a glimpse of Priyanka Chopra, the heroine of the movie.
The toy train is expected to feature prominently in the film and Basu will be hoping that the DHR’s luck will rub on the film.
If Aradhana was a hit, so was Shah Rukh Khan starrer Raju Bangaya Gentleman in which King Khan had bid farewell to Darjeeling riding on the train.
Saif Ali Khan starrer Parineeta, which was shot in the toy train (though in the foothills of Darjeeling), had a song whose opening line in Nepali was: Kasto Mazaa hai railei ma, ramailo ukali orali (What fun it is to ride on the train, up and down from the hills to the plains). The film too was a hit and there was none in the crowd today who did not believe that Barfee would be a hit too.
Tattooist leaves footprint on Siliguri’s job scene
 |
| A girl gets a tattoo on her arm at the institute in Siliguri on Wednesday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo |
TT, Siliguri, June 15: The first batch of 10 students has completed a course in the art of the “ink” from the only tattoo training institute in Siliguri that became functional in March.
The training centre at Hyderpara, 2km from here, was set up by Yogesh Chettri, who learnt the art in Kathmandu in 2004.
“It was a challenge when I opted to take up tattooing as a career in 2004 because the society then was conservative and looked with suspicion at anybody who sported a tattoo. But the urge to do something different made me take it up as a profession,” said Chettri.
Chettri had started a tattoo studio in Kalimpong and Jaigaon around five years back when he worked as a free lance tattoo artist.
“There was trouble in running the studios initially because the locals were not aware of tattooing. Most of my customers comprised people from Bhutan and tourists. But gradually the local market picked up, and more people started visiting my stores,” said the 27-year-old.
The studios, however, were shut down after Chettri thought he would concentrate on a tattoo parlour and a training institute in Siliguri.
The artist said he always wanted to set up a training centre in his hometown. “My aim was to start a tattoo academy in Siliguri but apprehensions were always there as to whether or not I would be able to keep it going. A year back I started with a studio here just to gauge the response of the people and it was quite good. Over the year I have had a lot of customers asking for different designs ranging from portraits, objects and even religious symbols. Some youngsters even expressed a desire to learn the art and this gave me the confidence to start the academy,” he added. Chettri’s studio is on Sevoke Road.
The artist completed an advance course in tattoo making at South Yorkshire in UK last year.
Chettri is happy with the response Yogi’s Tattoo Training Academy has received.
“I have trained 10 candidates so far and they comprised mostly of youngsters and some middle-aged persons. While some wanted to learn the art out of fascination, others wanted to pursue a career in tattoo making. With luxury saloons and spas opening in Siliguri, budding artists have a scope of working as free lancers. Tattoo making is a lucrative career these days with a single design yielding a fee in the range of Rs 1,000-Rs 5,000,” he said.
The students are charged Rs 40,000 for the month-long course. They get a certificate from the centre.
“The academy has instruments like tattoo gun, needle and holder required for the training. Although the course duration is of one month, we can extend it if a candidate takes time to learn the intricate designs,” Chettri said.
According to him, the most important qualities to become a tattooist is to have passion for it and a lot of patience. “Being good at sketching helps but it is not a pre-requisite,” he said.
Robber held with carbine
The training centre at Hyderpara, 2km from here, was set up by Yogesh Chettri, who learnt the art in Kathmandu in 2004.
“It was a challenge when I opted to take up tattooing as a career in 2004 because the society then was conservative and looked with suspicion at anybody who sported a tattoo. But the urge to do something different made me take it up as a profession,” said Chettri.
Chettri had started a tattoo studio in Kalimpong and Jaigaon around five years back when he worked as a free lance tattoo artist.
“There was trouble in running the studios initially because the locals were not aware of tattooing. Most of my customers comprised people from Bhutan and tourists. But gradually the local market picked up, and more people started visiting my stores,” said the 27-year-old.
The studios, however, were shut down after Chettri thought he would concentrate on a tattoo parlour and a training institute in Siliguri.
The artist said he always wanted to set up a training centre in his hometown. “My aim was to start a tattoo academy in Siliguri but apprehensions were always there as to whether or not I would be able to keep it going. A year back I started with a studio here just to gauge the response of the people and it was quite good. Over the year I have had a lot of customers asking for different designs ranging from portraits, objects and even religious symbols. Some youngsters even expressed a desire to learn the art and this gave me the confidence to start the academy,” he added. Chettri’s studio is on Sevoke Road.
The artist completed an advance course in tattoo making at South Yorkshire in UK last year.
Chettri is happy with the response Yogi’s Tattoo Training Academy has received.
“I have trained 10 candidates so far and they comprised mostly of youngsters and some middle-aged persons. While some wanted to learn the art out of fascination, others wanted to pursue a career in tattoo making. With luxury saloons and spas opening in Siliguri, budding artists have a scope of working as free lancers. Tattoo making is a lucrative career these days with a single design yielding a fee in the range of Rs 1,000-Rs 5,000,” he said.
The students are charged Rs 40,000 for the month-long course. They get a certificate from the centre.
“The academy has instruments like tattoo gun, needle and holder required for the training. Although the course duration is of one month, we can extend it if a candidate takes time to learn the intricate designs,” Chettri said.
According to him, the most important qualities to become a tattooist is to have passion for it and a lot of patience. “Being good at sketching helps but it is not a pre-requisite,” he said.
Robber held with carbine
 |
| The carbine, cartridges and magazines seized from Raju. Picture by Anirban Choudhury |
TT, Alipurduar, June 15: Police could achieve a breakthrough in the probe into the looting of a jewellery shop in Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar earlier this year with the arrest of a wanted criminal with a carbine.
Raju Rava was arrested from Kalchini last evening with the weapon he had bought from Bihar for over Rs 1.5 lakh. He was part of a seven-member gang, which had stormed the jewellery shop on February 28 and decamped with 4kg of gold ornaments.
Three persons were injured when the robbers opened fire to scare away the people who had gathered outside the shop. One of them succumbed to injuries later. Images from the CCTV in the shop showed that the gang members were carrying a carbine with them.
Sources said Jaigaon police had arrested one of the robbers Hasnur in March and came to know that the carbine was in the possession of Raju, a resident of Kalchini.
“The police picked up Raju when he was found loitering near Latabari Health Centre in Kalchini yesterday evening. He confessed to the police that the carbine was with him and took them to his house at Uttar Mendabari Rava Basti.The weapon was recovered from a bush, along with two magazines and 18 live cartridges,” said a police source.
Raju was interrogated by Anand Kumar, the Jalpaiguri superintendent of police, last night.
“The use of a carbine in a robbery was a matter of concern for us. Normally, dacoits use a country made pistol and other small arms in their operations. Raju had purchased the carbine for Rs 1.65 lakh from Bihar. He was involved in a number of robbery cases earlier also. We suspect that he had a role in the burglary at a jewellery shop in Falakata,” said Kumar.
Five persons came on motorcycles and looted a jewellery shop in Falakata on May 10. The police hope that a lot of information can be extracted from Raju regarding the other members of the gang. The sources said this was probably the first time that a carbine was recovered in north Bengal.
According to the sources, Raju had been arrested thrice, in 2001, 2004 and 2009, by Kalchini police on the charges of robbery. He is the third person to be arrested in connection with the Mathabhanga heist. The second person, Bishnu Barman, was picked up from Cooch Behar earlier.
Raju was booked under Section 25(1) a and Section 27 of the Arms Act. He was produced in the additional chief judicial magistrate’s court here today and remanded in 12 days’ police custody.
Labourer’s body bag in train toilet
TT, Cooch Behar, June 15: Mystery surrounds the discovery of a youth’s body packed in a gunny bag in a train compartment toilet in Katihar in Bihar yesterday, three days after he had left his home near here for a job in Guwahati.
The cause of Parimal Das’s death is not known yet, but his wife alleged that he had been murdered by a person who had come with an offer of a job.
“My husband had been approached by a person named, Dipak Das, who had offered him a job in Guwahati. Dipak told my husband that he would help him get a job with a private firm in Guwahati that would earn him at least Rs 500 a day,” said Togori, the wife. She said Parimal used to earn a living by working in a jute mill in Chakchaka.
The 35-year-old Parimal was a resident of Moranaotara on the outskirts of Cooch Behar.
“He left with Dipak on June 11. Later in the evening when I called Dipak, he said my husband had gone missing after they boarded a Guwahati-bound train from New Cooch Behar station. After that he switched off his cellphone,” said the woman.
Togori said yesterday she had been approached by Parimal’s brother-in-law, Shyamal Dey, who said the Government Railway Police had called from Katihar and said they had found his number from the pockets of a person who was found dead, stuffed into a gunny bag in a train compartment’s toilet.
“I was shocked and my husband’s cousin, Testha Das, and a neighbour, Haradahan Das, left for Katihar yesterday and identified the body as that of my husband. This Dipak has killed my husband,” she alleged.
Bimal Barman, the local panchayat member, said the Katihar GRP had arranged for the return of the body after post-mortem. “We are still not aware of the cause of Parimal’s death, we have informed the Kotwali police about the incident.”
Additional superintendent of police of Cooch Behar Amit P. Javalgi said the Katihar police were handling the case. “The incident took place in Katihar and the Bihar police are investigating the case. They will get in touch with us soon. However, we have heard that the body has been brought back to the victim’s village and the Kotwali police has visited the victim’s house,” Javalgi said.
Raju Rava was arrested from Kalchini last evening with the weapon he had bought from Bihar for over Rs 1.5 lakh. He was part of a seven-member gang, which had stormed the jewellery shop on February 28 and decamped with 4kg of gold ornaments.
Three persons were injured when the robbers opened fire to scare away the people who had gathered outside the shop. One of them succumbed to injuries later. Images from the CCTV in the shop showed that the gang members were carrying a carbine with them.
Sources said Jaigaon police had arrested one of the robbers Hasnur in March and came to know that the carbine was in the possession of Raju, a resident of Kalchini.
“The police picked up Raju when he was found loitering near Latabari Health Centre in Kalchini yesterday evening. He confessed to the police that the carbine was with him and took them to his house at Uttar Mendabari Rava Basti.The weapon was recovered from a bush, along with two magazines and 18 live cartridges,” said a police source.
Raju was interrogated by Anand Kumar, the Jalpaiguri superintendent of police, last night.
“The use of a carbine in a robbery was a matter of concern for us. Normally, dacoits use a country made pistol and other small arms in their operations. Raju had purchased the carbine for Rs 1.65 lakh from Bihar. He was involved in a number of robbery cases earlier also. We suspect that he had a role in the burglary at a jewellery shop in Falakata,” said Kumar.
Five persons came on motorcycles and looted a jewellery shop in Falakata on May 10. The police hope that a lot of information can be extracted from Raju regarding the other members of the gang. The sources said this was probably the first time that a carbine was recovered in north Bengal.
According to the sources, Raju had been arrested thrice, in 2001, 2004 and 2009, by Kalchini police on the charges of robbery. He is the third person to be arrested in connection with the Mathabhanga heist. The second person, Bishnu Barman, was picked up from Cooch Behar earlier.
Raju was booked under Section 25(1) a and Section 27 of the Arms Act. He was produced in the additional chief judicial magistrate’s court here today and remanded in 12 days’ police custody.
Labourer’s body bag in train toilet
TT, Cooch Behar, June 15: Mystery surrounds the discovery of a youth’s body packed in a gunny bag in a train compartment toilet in Katihar in Bihar yesterday, three days after he had left his home near here for a job in Guwahati.
The cause of Parimal Das’s death is not known yet, but his wife alleged that he had been murdered by a person who had come with an offer of a job.
“My husband had been approached by a person named, Dipak Das, who had offered him a job in Guwahati. Dipak told my husband that he would help him get a job with a private firm in Guwahati that would earn him at least Rs 500 a day,” said Togori, the wife. She said Parimal used to earn a living by working in a jute mill in Chakchaka.
The 35-year-old Parimal was a resident of Moranaotara on the outskirts of Cooch Behar.
“He left with Dipak on June 11. Later in the evening when I called Dipak, he said my husband had gone missing after they boarded a Guwahati-bound train from New Cooch Behar station. After that he switched off his cellphone,” said the woman.
Togori said yesterday she had been approached by Parimal’s brother-in-law, Shyamal Dey, who said the Government Railway Police had called from Katihar and said they had found his number from the pockets of a person who was found dead, stuffed into a gunny bag in a train compartment’s toilet.
“I was shocked and my husband’s cousin, Testha Das, and a neighbour, Haradahan Das, left for Katihar yesterday and identified the body as that of my husband. This Dipak has killed my husband,” she alleged.
Bimal Barman, the local panchayat member, said the Katihar GRP had arranged for the return of the body after post-mortem. “We are still not aware of the cause of Parimal’s death, we have informed the Kotwali police about the incident.”
Additional superintendent of police of Cooch Behar Amit P. Javalgi said the Katihar police were handling the case. “The incident took place in Katihar and the Bihar police are investigating the case. They will get in touch with us soon. However, we have heard that the body has been brought back to the victim’s village and the Kotwali police has visited the victim’s house,” Javalgi said.
Dipak’s house was locked and no one was present there today.
GJM chief treads cautiously
Amitava Banerjee, HT, Darjeeling, June 15, 2011: Not willing to take unnecessary risks, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung decided to tread cautiously while sensitizing GJM and its frontal organization supporters in Darjeeling on the new administrative arrangement. Gurung made it clear that he would not sign the Memorandum of Settleme
nt (MOS) for the new administrative arrangement until he obtained a "go ahead" in black and white from his supporters. The MOS would see the light of day if only the Gorkha dominated areas of Terai and Dooars areas are incorporated and that the MOS in no way should dilute the Gorkhaland demand.
Amidst a packed auditorium in Darjeeling on Tuesday, Gurung stated, "We will carefully scrutinize the draft of MOS sent by the Government and compare it with a draft that we are preparing. We will sensitize our supporters on the final draft. Once each and every of our units along with our frontal organization provide us with No Objection Certificates (NOC) will the MOS be signed."
He made it clear that the NOCs would remain as proof of the party’s endorsement to the MOS (read as the new administrative arrangement.) GJM supporters along with the frontal organizations verbally endorsed Gurung’s line of action and the new administrative arrangement, hence it was clear that Gurung would not face any difficulties in getting NOS for the signing of the MOS.
However contradicting chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s claims that the final agreement for the Darjeeling impasse has already been reached, Gurung clarified, "The GJM delegation in Kolkata had signed on the minutes of the bipartite talks between the State Government and the GJM. That is not the final agreement. The MOS will be signed by CM Mamata Banerjee; union home minister P Chidambaram and me only after we are fully satisfied with the draft. Whatever be the administrative arrangement, Gorkha dominated areas of Terai and Dooars will have to be included, otherwise it will be unacceptable to us. The Gorkhaland demand should not be diluted in any way be this arrangement also."
Adding to this GJM general secretary Roshan Giri stated, "The final solution to the Gorkha impasse is a separate state or a Union Territory. We do not want a constitutional guarantee to the new administrative setup as this is a temporary arrangement."
Gurung did not fail to stress that it was a political compulsion under which he was accepting the new administrative arrangement which was again temporary in nature. "The people are tired after more than 3 years of agitation. They are more interested in development than in the agitation. This opened up my eyes. If I am too adamant for too long, it will create problems for the public. So I decided that we should rest awhile before moving on to our ultimate goal of Gorkhaland" explained Gurung.
However, Gurung also stated that the GJM wanted an early signing of the MOS. "Even Didi is very interested to come to Darjeeling and sign. We will extend a warm welcome to her. The present State Government’s attitude towards the Hills is very positive. There are many unexpected things that they are willing to give us " claimed Gurung.
The GJM Supremo further stated that the Hills should give the new Government a chance. "Already tourists are coming in by the lakhs. People are happy as it is definitely a boost to the local economy. We cannot wipe out the present Hill smiles," stated Gurung.
GJM chief treads cautiously
Amitava Banerjee, HT, Darjeeling, June 15, 2011: Not willing to take unnecessary risks, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung decided to tread cautiously while sensitizing GJM and its frontal organization supporters in Darjeeling on the new administrative arrangement. Gurung made it clear that he would not sign the Memorandum of Settleme
nt (MOS) for the new administrative arrangement until he obtained a "go ahead" in black and white from his supporters. The MOS would see the light of day if only the Gorkha dominated areas of Terai and Dooars areas are incorporated and that the MOS in no way should dilute the Gorkhaland demand.
Amidst a packed auditorium in Darjeeling on Tuesday, Gurung stated, "We will carefully scrutinize the draft of MOS sent by the Government and compare it with a draft that we are preparing. We will sensitize our supporters on the final draft. Once each and every of our units along with our frontal organization provide us with No Objection Certificates (NOC) will the MOS be signed."
He made it clear that the NOCs would remain as proof of the party’s endorsement to the MOS (read as the new administrative arrangement.) GJM supporters along with the frontal organizations verbally endorsed Gurung’s line of action and the new administrative arrangement, hence it was clear that Gurung would not face any difficulties in getting NOS for the signing of the MOS.
However contradicting chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s claims that the final agreement for the Darjeeling impasse has already been reached, Gurung clarified, "The GJM delegation in Kolkata had signed on the minutes of the bipartite talks between the State Government and the GJM. That is not the final agreement. The MOS will be signed by CM Mamata Banerjee; union home minister P Chidambaram and me only after we are fully satisfied with the draft. Whatever be the administrative arrangement, Gorkha dominated areas of Terai and Dooars will have to be included, otherwise it will be unacceptable to us. The Gorkhaland demand should not be diluted in any way be this arrangement also."
Adding to this GJM general secretary Roshan Giri stated, "The final solution to the Gorkha impasse is a separate state or a Union Territory. We do not want a constitutional guarantee to the new administrative setup as this is a temporary arrangement."
Gurung did not fail to stress that it was a political compulsion under which he was accepting the new administrative arrangement which was again temporary in nature. "The people are tired after more than 3 years of agitation. They are more interested in development than in the agitation. This opened up my eyes. If I am too adamant for too long, it will create problems for the public. So I decided that we should rest awhile before moving on to our ultimate goal of Gorkhaland" explained Gurung.
However, Gurung also stated that the GJM wanted an early signing of the MOS. "Even Didi is very interested to come to Darjeeling and sign. We will extend a warm welcome to her. The present State Government’s attitude towards the Hills is very positive. There are many unexpected things that they are willing to give us " claimed Gurung.
The GJM Supremo further stated that the Hills should give the new Government a chance. "Already tourists are coming in by the lakhs. People are happy as it is definitely a boost to the local economy. We cannot wipe out the present Hill smiles," stated Gurung.
No comments:
Post a Comment