Bhanubhakta birthday marks newfound GTA – Bengal bonhomie

4:52 PM

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gta news

A year after the confrontation over the Gorkhaland agitation, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (BT) and the West Bengal government on Friday buried differences to share the stage in observance of the 204th  birth anniversary of Nepali poet Bhanubhakta Acharya in Darjeeling.

To be precise, there were two separate programmes; one organized by the Darjeeling district administration and the other by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. But, representatives of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha were present in the one organized by the administration and those of the administration in the one organized by GTA.

It was a far cry from July 2017, when, during the height of the statehood movement, West Bengal tourism minister Gautam Deb had gone to Panighatta, in the foothills in Kurseong, to observe Bhanubhakta Jayanti but his convoy was chased back by stone-pelters. As a result Deb had to return to Siliguri and on the way offer garland to the portrait of the Nepali poet on the road-side. The other occasion was in 2013 again during the statehood agitation that Bhanubhakta Jayanti could not observed either by the state government or by the GTA.

On Friday, the district administration organized its own program in Chowrasta, in the upper part of the town, to celebrate the Nepali poet’s birth anniversary. Gautam Deb was present in the company of GTA chairman and GJM president Binoy Tamang. The GTA organized a separate programme at the Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan hall in down-town marketto mark the occasion. The state minister did not attend the programme as he was in a hurry and had to leave for Siliguri, but Darjeeling district magistrate Joyoshi Das Gupta was present on behalf of the state government.

At Chowrasta, the state tourism minister and GTA chairman together offered garland and khaddas (traditional scarves) to the statue of Bhanubhakta and also sat together on the dais indicating that relation between the state government and the hill party was on right track.

Reflecting on last year’s events and disruption in the hills, Deb said: “It is nice that peace has returned in the hills. We need peace and stability so that there is tranquility and development can take place in the region. We (state government and the GTA) are working together.”

In the GTA programme, Tamang did not allude to the past events but assured that henceforth the Bhanubhakta Jayanti programme would be observed in the hills regularly. “Since, the formation of the GTA in 2012, we have been observing Bhanubhakta Jayanti Diwas. I was in-charge of the information and cultural affairs of the council, then. Sadly we could not organize celebratory programmes in 2013 and 2017. I assure everyone that from now on we will organize the programme every year without a break,” he said.

The Bhanubhakta Puruskar was started in 2014 by the GTA, with the aim to honor contributions of personalities in different fields. The award for this year was conferred to Dhan Hang Subba for Lok Sahitya, to Tanka Sharma for cinema and theater and to D.P. Sharma for journalism. On the other hand San Kumar Majhi was conferred with the Master Mitrasen Thapa award for his contribution towards folk-music.

The GTA chairman also announced new awards: Aruna Lama (music), Shiva Kumar Rai (literature), Ganga Prasad Pradhan (education) and D.B. Pariyar (cinema) to be given in the coming years.

[Via: EOIC]

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Mamata Banerjee disrespected Bhanu Bhakta Acharya - Bimal Gurung

5:34 PM

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President Pranab Mukherjee

DARJEELING 14 Jul 2016 Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung today accused chief minister Mamata Banerjee of disrespecting Nepali poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya - who is epitomised by the Nepali community for his contribution in uniting the Gorkhas - by announcing the formation of new community development boards during Wednesday’s programme to mark the bard’s 202nd birth anniversary.

Gurung made public his displeasure during the annual general meeting of the Darjeeling Tea Association where President Pranab Mukherjee and West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi were present as special invitees.

The GJM president, who attended the DTA AGM in the capacity of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration chief executive, said the chief minister had acted in contrary to what Bhanu Bhakta had aspired for. “Not a single person from our community was allowed to speak in yesterday’s programme to mark the birth anniversary of the  great poet and this has hurt me deeply. I too was not called upon to speak although I was present as a special guest,” Gurung said while thanking the DTA for giving him an opportunity today. “It is sad that the chief minister chose to announce the formation of new boards and create division during a programme honouring Bhanu Bhakta Acharya. I received hundreds of calls from people saying this was not right,” he lamented.

Mamata Banerjee of disrespected Bhanu Bhakta Acharya - Bimal Gurung

Gurung started his speech in Hindi but changed to Nepali when he made the allegation at the chief minister even as state tourism minister Gautam Deb listened on. “On Wednesday morning, we met the CM to create a cordial atmosphere. But we did not have any inkling that she would announce boards for the Kami, Damai and Sarki communities. Had I known about it, I would have left the programme half way,” the GJM president said.

Gurung said that on Wednesday, the chief minister was requested to declare July 13, the birth day of Bhanu Bhakta, and Buddha Purnima, state holidays, which was turned down.

Looking towards President Mukherjee, the GTA chief executive interpreted the announcement of development boards as interference by the state government on the autonomy of the council and requested his intervention. “The GTA and its chief executive have the assent of the President of the country. We too want the council to function. But such interference belittles the importance of the council body and under such circumstances, I request the President and also the Governor to take this issue seriously and intervene, or else scrap the GTA for good,” Gurung said.

President Mukherjee reiterated his appreciation at the chief minister’s effort to assimilate the various ethnical and cultural groups of the region under the GTA for their development. “The chief minister is making a serious effort to resolve the problems of the tribal and cultural groups. That is why the GTA Act was passed and the authority created to be in charge of the administration and take responsibility of development. I wish them all success,” he said.

Talking to reporters afterwards, Gurung said he was not against development boards, which actually should have been kept under the GTA, but claimed they were benefiting only a few people. “The development boards are not helping the masses but only a section of select people. There is rampant corruption,” he alleged.

When asked about the proposed bipartite meeting with the state government as announced on Wednesday, the GJM chief said, “We will definitely attend the bipartite meet when called and place all these issues including the demand for transfer of departments and absorption of volunteer teachers.”

In the evening, a seven-member GJM delegation led by party general secretary Roshan Giri called on the President at Raj Bhawan and submitted a memorandum of demands. “We placed several issues relating to the GTA before the President. We also told him  that either the GTA be handed full powers or a separate state be given,” he claimed after coming out from Raj Bhawan.

Meanwhile, the Gorkha Janmukti Yuwa Morcha, the youth wing of the GJM, has termed the chief minister’s announcement during the Bhanu Jayanti programme as humiliation of the Gorkha community. “The chief minister is humiliating and suppressing the people of the hills. If this continues, we will be forced to show black flags to her in protest,” warned Amrit Yonzon, GJYM spokesperson.

EOI

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Development boards for Kami, Damai and Sarki communities announced

7:05 PM

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President Pranab Mukherjee

Writes Swareena Gurung 
Darjeeling 13 Jul 2016 Jubilation erupted among the Kami, Damai and Sarki communities when chief minister Mamata Banerjee today announced their respective development boards at Chowrasta in Darjeeling. The chief minister made this announcement at a programme organised to celebrate the 202nd birth anniversary of illustrious Nepali poet, Bhanu Bhakta Acharya

To mark a momentous event, President Pranab Mukherjee today joined the people of Darjeeling. The programme was organised by the West Bengal information and cultural department, where also in attendance were West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and GTA chief Bimal Gurung. The celebrations took place at Chowrasta where a temporary dais was set up and television screens placed to broadcast the event. The birth celebrations were kicked-off by the garlanding of the statue of Bhanubhakta Acharya by the President, chief minister, Governor and other guests. Ethnic communities such as the Rai and the Mangar presented cultural performances, while Karthik Das and his troupe presented a Baul performance.

202nd birth anniversary of Nepali poet, Bhanu Bhakta Acharya in Chowrasta Darjeeling

In keeping with the occasion, school children presented a Saraswati Bandana and read the Ramayana paath. President Mukherjee praised Bhanu Bhakta Acharya by saying his message was for the entire world and to humanity. Bhanu Bakta was instrumental in bringing together various princely states in Nepal during his time through his message to thus create modern day Nepal, he said. The bonding between India and Nepal remains unique, remarked the President. Mukherjee said, “We have a good relationship with Nepal and would like to strengthen this unity... Many of you are representatives of this solidarity. We take this opportunity to remember the great contribution of the Nepali poet who was born 202 years ago.”

Bhanu Bhakta Acharya, considered as the foremost Nepali poet, was born in 1814. He is attributed with translating the epic Ramayana into Nepali and is addressed by the honorific ‘Adikavi’ (first poet). Governor Tripathi said the form, the respect and the status accorded to the Nepali language by Adikavi Bhanu Bhakts was unique. He noted that the work of taking the Ramayana, respected and worshipped in every Hindu household, to the masses in their mother tongue, has been very commendable work. Chief minister Banerjee announced her government would hold meetings of the state cabinet in Darjeeling from time to time.

During the occasion, four Sahitya Academy recipients were felicitated by the state government. They included Gupta Pradhan from Darjeeling, Shankhar Pradhan from Bagrakote, Sanjeev Chettri from Kurseong and Shankhar Deo Dhakal from Gangtok.

EOI

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Bhanu Jayanti and the Endless Mamata Hypocrisy

9:20 AM

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West Bengal

Writes: Upendra
Darjeeling 12th July 2016 Tomorrow we celebrate Bhanu Jayanti, in honour of the 1st poet to write and publish in what is today known and regarded as Nepali language. This will be the first time that Bengal government is officially celebrating Bhanu Jayanti since India became Independent.
There is a reason behind it.

Municipal elections are set to be held in December and GTA elections next year and TMC fancies it is in with a chance to win political mandate in the hills, hence Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee accompanied by the President Pranab Mukherjee, who also happens to be Bengali, are going to celebrate Bhanu Jayanti as a Bengal government sponsored jamboree this year at Chowrasta.
There are multiple layers of hypocrisy in Bengal government holding this event, and had ours been a more self-respecting community, we would boycott this indirect slap on our faces. But given that some of our people have sold their self-respect for a few crore rupees, I am certain that there will be a massive crowd present tomorrow to cheer and hoot to everything that Mamata says.

Despite repeated requests for including Nepali as an Optional paper in WBCS, the Bengal government has turned a complete blind eye and deaf ears to our request, yet tomorrow when Mamata announces how the Bengal government is a champion of Nepali language, the sellouts from our hills in attendance will welcome her every word with a rapturous clap of hands.

Ever since Mamata came to power, there has been a deliberate attempt at undermining Nepali language at each and every turn. The government forms are printed in Bengali, scholarship sites have only featured Bengali language, all the government signs and majority of the posters are written in Bengali, and now even the ration cards are being printed in Bengali. Yet tomorrow, when Mamata announces how she has promoted the use of Nepali and Nepali language, the sellouts from our hills will dance and celebrate.

In Pic: Same content... same class... same book... one is in Nepali... another is in Bengali... both the languages are recognized as NATIONAL languages of India under the 8th Scheduled of the Constitution... both the languages are recognized as OFFICIAL languages of West Bengal... yet Book in Nepali is printed in black and white... Book in Bengali is printed in colour... IF THIS IS NOT DISCRIMINATION, WHAT IS? This is the very reason why we need Gorkhaland... as for Bengal, we will always remain 2nd class citizens.

After taking over the reign of Bengal, Mamata has systematically discriminated against the hill students. Books written for Nepali medium schools, including that of Nepali language are full of factual errors and mistakes, and as if that was not enough, the books printed in Nepali are in black and white, where as the same books printed in Bengali are in colour. To add to our woes numerous schools across Darjeeling and Dooars where Nepali students are in majority, are yet to get any of their government issued textbooks, despite the fact that more than half of their school year is over. Yet tomorrow, when Mamata talks of her love for the Nepali speaking people, the sellouts from our community will call her God and perhaps even pray to her.

Tomorrow, Mamata will again claim "Pahar Hasche" and indeed the news channels will show the laughing, smiling face of sellouts - but what she won't tell you is that, Bengal government has not conducted Panchayat elections since 2000 in the hills, that over 500 Panchayat posts are remaining vacant in the hills, that for the past 15 years there have been no promotion granted to any hill panchayat employee, while Panchayat employees from the plains are being gradually transferred to the hills. Same is the case with schools where over 2500 vacancies have not been filled since 2001. Schools are running without headmasters and colleges are running without any principals. Same is also true for almost every other government department, where permanent posts have remained vacant for decades.

Tomorrow, Mamata will again promise numerous development projects in Darjeeling region, but what she won't promise is the equal treatment of Nepali language or Nepali speaking people in Bengal. She won't promise that the next Chairman of PSC will be from the hills, she won't promise that the next VC in any of the Bengal based universities will be a hill academic. She won't promise that non-Bengali students and youths will be provided with equal opportunity, she won't promise that they will be given equal benefits, and she won't promise that these children will have a bright future in Bengal. While students in the plains are given Kanyashree and Sabujh Saathi, hill students are deprived of even most basic of all needs - text books, that itself should be telling.

Most hypocritical of all though is the fact that Bhanu Bhawan, which is built in the honour and memory of Kabi Bhanu Bhakta Acharya is 5 minutes walk away from Chowrasta, which has a massive hall where such functions could be undertaken, but no that wouldn't assuage Mamata's ego, would it? She had to dig up and destroy Chowrasta so that she could send proper visuals back to Kolkata and non-Nepali speaking homes and proudly claim "Pahar Hasche" and our sellouts would indeed be laughing like mentally challenged retards who don't know right from wrong.

Via TheDC

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Birkha Bahadhur Muringla to receive Bhanu Puraskar on 202th Bhanu Jayanti

9:08 AM

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Sikkim

Writes NIRMAL MANGAR

Gangtok, June 20: The Nepali Sahitya Parishad here has announced the name of writer, poet and musician Birkha Bahadhur Muringla for Bhanu Puraskar, 2016, for his contribution to literature and music.

Muringla's name was finalised at a meeting of the selection committee on June 14.

The award will be conferred on him at the 202th Bhanu Jayanti celebrations here on July 13 . The annual award includes an anga vastra, tamra patra, certificate and cash.

BB Muringla conferred Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture Samman in 2014 - File Photo

"He had designed the Limbo syllabus for government schools," said the deputy director of the state HRD department, S.B. Subba.

The 73-year-old writer and musician is from Lingchom village in West Sikkim.

"The contribution of Mr Muringla to literature is outstanding. He may be referred to as the Balmiki of Limbo literature," said president of Sahitya Parishad, Rudra Poudyal.

Muringla was born on April 13, 1943. He studied in Tashi Namgyal Academy and Darjeeling Government College.

Via  Telegraph

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Amir Sundas sculpts unique statute of Bhanu Bhakta Acharya at Milan More

10:16 AM

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Siliguri

Amir Sundas is the man behind the unique statute of poet  Nepali poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya in a sitting posture installed at Milan More Siliguri. Amir is multi-talented and in addition to sculpting he is also deft at painting, music and other art forms.

Amir Sundas seen in action - PIC via TheDC

Amir Sundas from Bagrakote in Dooars is the artist who designed and sculpt the unique statute of Bhanu Bhakta Acharya in sitting position that was unveiled at Milan More Siliguri on the 23rd Nepali Bhasha Diwas , the day when the Nepali language got recognition by the Constitution.

The statue made in a sitting position on stone with verses of the Ramayana engraved is the first one in Bengal and l cost around Rs 3 lakhs.

With inputs from TheDC

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Statue of Bhanu Bhakta to be installed on Nepali Bhasha Diwas

10:51 PM

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Siliguri

A unique statue of eminent Nepali poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya will be installed

A unique statue of eminent Nepali poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya will be installed on Thursday by Congress MLA Shankar Malakar on the auspicious occasion of Nepali Bhasha Diwas at Milan More near Siliguri.

The idol made in a sitting position on stone with verses of the Ramayana engraved is the first one in Bengal. The idol was made by famous idol maker Amir Sundas with the cost around Rs 3 lakhs.

Deepak Neopane, a member of the Samity, said the main motive behind establishing the organisation is to celebrate the birth anniversary of Adhi Kavi Bhanu Bhakta Acharya on an annual basis and boost the development of Nepali literature and culture.

Eminent personalities including Nar Bahadur Dahal, P Arjun, Gyanendra Khatiwada, Lok Nath Chapagai, Mukti Baral and others are invited as special guests. After the inauguration Bhasha Diwas will be observed followed by cultural show.

By Prashant Achary

Source : khabartaja2

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Siliguri Milan More to install Bhanu Bhakta Acharya statue

10:10 AM

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Siliguri

The Milan More Bhanu Bhakta Organising Committee of Siliguri on Monday announced its decision to install a statue of Nepali poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya in a sitting posture.

Statue of Bhanu Bhakta Acharya in a sitting posture in Sikkim
Pic via pawan-chamling.org

In a press conference organised at the Siliguri Journalists’ Club, Samity president Deoraj Brahman and secretary Uddhav Sharma said they have decided to install the idol of Bhanubhakta at Milan More on August 20, on the occasion of Nepali Bhasha Diwas, or the day when the Nepali language got recognition by the Constitution.

The idol will be in a sitting position on stone with verses of the Ramayana engraved in it. Deepak Neopane, a member of the Samity, said the main motive behind establishing the organisation is to celebrate the birth anniversary of Adhi Kavi Bhanu Bhakta Acharya on an annual basis and boost the development of Nepali literature and culture. He said, "Till now there is no such idol in the world of the poet; the entire idol will be made of a single stone. There are idols of the poet in sitting positions in Sikkim and Nepal but this will be the first ever in Bengal."

Members of the Samity have also requested the Gorkhali community of the world for financial support in erecting such a historic idol of the legendary poet. Interested donors can contribute at account number - MMBJSS - 400138103007726, IFSC- CBIINOR40012 of Uttarbanga Kshetriya Gramin Bank, Devidanga, Champasari branch. (EOIC)

Source : EOI

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