Darjeeling is ‘mini India’ - President Pranab Mukherjee

12:19 AM

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West Bengal

Darjeeling 12th July 2016: For Pranab Mukherjee, the Indian President Darjeeling is not just merely a hill station. For the President who is presently in Darjeeling, the famous hill station—known for Tea, Tourism and Toy Train—is ‘mini India’.

Mukherjee was responding to the state reception hosted by the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Chowrasta—the famous promenade in the town-- this evening. “Darjeeling is not merely a hill station or a geographical entity, but it is a Mini India,” said the president.

“Despite so much diversity and a vast area, no corner of our country remains unrepresented in the Parliament,” he added.

Mukherjee asserted that the unity in diversity is the beauty of the Indian democracy. “When someone sees the entire stretch of the country with so many ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic groups , he gets mesmerized,” he added

State reception for president Pranab Mukherjee hosted by the West Bengal
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Chowrasta Darjeeling

Earlier in his speech, Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi described Pranab Mukherjee as one of the most experienced and knowledgeable Presidents of our country. He said that a number of administrative reforms could be attributed to him such as RTI, RTE and Food Security.

The Chief Minister said that the President recognizes the country in true sense. “His experience is a direction for the country. It was due to his vast experience and capability that all the political parties joined hands in electing him to the office of the President. He has immense love for West Bengal and also for Darjeeling hills,” the chief minister added.

NTT Report

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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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DESECRATION OF CHOWRASTA DARJEELING

3:33 PM

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Opinion

Editorial: Upendra

Bengal Cheap Minister repeatedly claims "Pahar Hasche," perhaps she doesn't realize its the laughter of amusement at her folly.

While Chowrasta is the heart and soul of Darjeeling, for "bharomohila in power" it is like a Ram Lila Maidan where she can do her political circus, every time she visits Darjeeling. She has no respect for the local sentiments, she has no understanding of our deepest connection with Chowrasta, and yet she claims "Pahar Hasche"

She claims that she loves Darjeeling, but at the end of the day she wants to build a Hawkers Market in Chowrasta and she nearly succeded in doing so... had it not been for the outrage our people showed, by now Chowrasta would be another Maccha Bazar...

Every time she heads up the hills, there is a dread among the truly Darjeeling loving people... is she going to divide the hill populace along ethnic lines more? is she going to go on another round of ego-trip and order a building to be demolished? is she going to transfer an honest and upright officer, just because s/he didn't follow Her Majesties delusional orders?

DESECRATION OF CHOWRASTA DARJEELING

Mamata Banerjee will you ever desecrate Belur Math for your political grandstanding or Victoria Memorial for that matter? if your answer is NO, then what gives you the right to desecrate our beloved Chowrasta every time you visit Darjeeling?

No the politicians and social activists won't outrage over this issue, for it doesn't bother them at all, but its high time that we - the ordinary people of Darjeeling outraged.

How long will we allow idiots who are politicians to ruin our hills?

Source TheDC

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चौरास्ताको मृत्यु

7:30 PM

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Poems

 चौरास्ताको मृत्यु

धेरै बर्ष अघाडि देखि

स्वतन्त्रता खोज्दै यो चौरास्ता पनि

कसैको प्रतिक्षा गर्दा गर्दै

नयनहरू थाकी सक्यो कि

तरै पनि आखाँहरूमा

नयाँ आशाहरू लिएर

हरेक बिहान फेरी कसैको प्रतिक्षामा

नयन टोलाई रहेछ

आज सम्म पनि

सायद मनै थामेर

न्यानो घामको प्रतिक्षामा

हरेक चिसो कुहिरो भित्र

मनमा कुराहरू खेलाईरहेछ

आज चौरास्ता कै छेउ कुना टोक्दै र च्यात्दै

चौरास्ता खाने मान्छे पनि हाम्रै पो हरे

भन्छ मलाई चौतास्ताको कुहुरीले

चौरास्तालाई खाई सक्यो हेर्दा हेर्दै ।

कसैले चौरास्तालाई खोज्दै त

चौरास्ताले कसैलाई खोज्दै

हर दिन पाईलाहरूका छाप

चौरास्ता माथि नै निरन्तर

तरै पनि -

 चौरास्ताको मृत्यु

चौरास्ता कै मान्छेहरू

हरेक दिन नोलौ अनुहारहरू लिएर

आफ्नै परिचय खोज्दै

चौरास्तामा नै छटपटाई रहेछ

तरै पनि -

चौरास्ता कै आफन्तहरू

हरेक दिन चौबाटोमा उभिएर

लक्ष्य खोजिरहेछ ...।

मलाई लाग्छ

मान्छेकै भीडहरूमा

आज चौरास्ताको मृत्यु भईरहेछ

हो साच्चै चौरास्ताको मृत्यु ।।

Via Gideon Gorkha Gorkhaland 

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Darjeeling receives heavy hailstorm

5:13 PM

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Tourism

Very heavy hailstorm witnessed in Darjeeling town which was accompanied by wind and rain. Hailstones in the size of goldballs  battered roofs, trees, vehicles and people alike. Most of the places in the town received heavy hailstorm coupled with rain today. People got worried about electricity connections and transportation.

In the Morning, it was clear and sunny day in Darjeeling town but in the afternoon, it was a surprise when Darjeeling received season's first hail storm. The non stop Hailstorm is speculated to be 12 inches thick in some of the places.

The hailstorm have now finally stopped turning the hill town all white. Rahul Jha, a local resident, shared his experience on horrific hailstorm: "I haven't seen such a crazy hailstorm in my life." Soon People were out  playing with the hailstone, throwing it at others. Tourists and locals were seen taking photos at Chowrasta following the hailstorm. Spectacular sight of Darjeeling covered in hailstones... a sight many yearn for but a cause of many hardships for the residents..Will hit the tea plantations real bad.

Chowrasta in Darjeeling Hailstorm  31st March 2016

Meanwhile, the vehicular movement has been widely affected in and around the town, making it difficult for the drivers to negotiate the hailstorm-filled roads.


Here are some of the photos of today's  hailstorm in Darjeeling

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Khambu Rai and Limbu Development Board to be formed: Mamata Banerjee

8:32 PM

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Mamata Banerjee

Khambu Rai and Limbu Development Board will be soon announced by Mamata Banerjee who is in a visit to Darjeeling. She is likely to announce these development boards on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary celebration event on 23rd Jan in Chowrasta Darjeeling.

This has come as surprise to many because the Kirat Khambu Rais were fighting for Tribal status. "All India Kirati Khambu Rai Association Strongly condemn the use of our flag for the demand of Development Board. Our organisation ideology do not allow us to accept "Development Board" given by State Government of West Bengal. The use of the Flag without the permission of the organisation is unethical and crime" one of the social media post read.

"I have received several requests for setting up of development boards for various communities, among them, Khambu Rai and Limbu Board will be formed, meanwhile, we will consider for other communities too", Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said at the concluding ceremony of Himal Terai Sports Festival 2016 held at North Point today.

She also gave away prizes at the sports festival, which was jointly organised by Siliguri Police Commisionerate, West Bengal Sports Department and Darjeeling Police.

‘I will continue to work for you always. I don't pay attention to hate-mongers. I just do my developmental work,’ she said.
‘We are providing Rs 1 lakh each to the Sherpas for their development. We have provided a grant of Rs 131 crore for uplift of the Hills communities,’ Mamata Banerjee said.

‘We are providing sports equipment and jerseys to the sports-persons who are taking part in these events. All the clubs have been granted Rs 25,000,’ she added.

She will be present during the official celebration to mark Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary at Chowrasta tomorrow.

Source The Darjeeling Times

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Morcha unsure to meet Mamata on her visit to Darjeeling in January 21 to 23

8:29 AM

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Politics

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership is unsure of meeting chief minister Mamata Banerjee when she visits the Darjeeling hills for three days from January 21 to 23 to attend a government programme. 

Ties between the chief minister and the GJM have developed cracks ever since the former has gone on a development board formation spree since 2013 for various hill communities. The GJM maintains that the chief minister is trying to divide the hill people to curb the popular demand for a separate state. The chief minister announced a development board for the Lepcha community in 2013 followed by one for the Tamangs a year later. Last year in January, the chief minister had announced a board for the Sherpas and again in August, for the Bhutias, after which she announced no more of such boards would be formed. 

However, during her last visit to the hills in September 2015, the chief minister again said a development board would be formed for the Mangar community. She is expected to formally announce the board on January 23 at Chowrastha during the birth anniversary programme of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose. GJM leaders were tight-lipped when asked whether they would meet the chief minister. “Neither do we have information nor have we received any invitation for any government programme in Darjeeling. As such, we will not like to comment at the moment,” said GJM general secretary Roshan Giri.  Sources in the party though said it was a known fact that the chief minister has done enough to antagonise the party. 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Morcha Chief Bimal Gururng - a file Photo

“A decision is yet to be taken by the party on whether to meet the chief minister when she is in the hills. Given that the majority within the party feels Banerjee visits the hills only to create problems, it is unlikely that the leaderships will meet her,” one source reasoned. The Darjeeling district administration said invitations had not yet been dispatched to concerned bodies. “The January 23 programme at Chowrastha is being organised by the information and cultural affairs department and as such, I have no idea if an invitation has been sent to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration”, said Darjeeling district magistrate Anurag Srivastav. 

Meanwhile, officials of the information and cultural affair department said an invitation would definitely be sent to the GTA soon. According to the tentative schedule, the chief minister will attend a function at the Safari Park in Jalpaiguri on January 21 and then head up to Darjeeling. On January 22, she will be present at the foundation day celebration of the Sherpa Cultural Board and prize distribution ceremony of the Himal Terai Dooars Sports Festival, the two programmes that will be held at the St. Joseph’s School ground in Singamari, Darjeeling. Banerjee will leave for Sukna on January 24 to flag off a students’ cycle rally and return to Kolkata the same day. (EOIC)

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Darjeeling Cycle rally - adventure lovers initiative

7:37 AM

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sports

Writes Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, Jan. 1: Around 40 Darjeeling residents today pedalled across the hill town in an attempt to curb air pollution and promote the use of environment-friendly mode of transport on a day the Delhi government imposed an odd-even number restriction on vehicles.

A group of adventure lovers in the hill town had called on cyclists to pedal from Darjeeling to Sukhiapokhri, a distance of about 20km, and back.

The voluntary initiative was supported by the district administration.

Today around 10.30am, the participants, including two women and several students, turned up at Chowrasta to start the rally.

The rally began with Darjeeling district magistrate Anurag Srivastava and district police chief Amit P. Javalgi in the lead.

"When I heard about the idea, I thought it had to be promoted. There is a lot of potential for the sport (cycling) in the hills," said Srivastava who pedalled up to the Gorkha Rangamach Bhavan area.

The organisers, among whom were businessmen and bicycle enthusiasts Sangay Sherpa, Urgen Sherpa, Dawa Sherpa and Shekar Biswakarma, said the objective of the rally was to spread a message among the hill people on the need to take up eco-friendly modes of transport.

"We want to make mountain biking trendy in the hills so that people start using cycles more often. Mountain biking can also be an additional attraction for tourists, apart from its health benefits. If we can all stop using vehicles even for a single week day (in a week), it would go a long way in preserving the environment of the region," said Sangay.

In Delhi, the government policy of odd-even vehicular restriction came into effect today.

The pilot plan, which attempts to reduce air pollution in the city, would be in force till January 15.

The restriction would be in force from 8am to 8pm.

Vehicles whose number plates end with an odd digit would ply on odd dates. On even days, vehicles having even numbers would run.

The fine for violation would be Rs 2,000 under the Motor Vehicles Act.

In Darjeeling, Sean Allan Lepcha, 12, a Class VII student of St Joseph's School(North Point), was taking part in a cycle rally for the first time.

"Recently, my father got a mountain bike for Rs 80,000. When I heard about the rally, I decided to take part. I believe that we need to do our bit to save the environment," he said.

Ashwin Tamang, 11, was one of the youngest participants.

Forty seven-year-old Uday Lama, a resident of Hooker Road here, said: "I have lived at Rennes in France for a long time and there I saw people who are 70-75 years old cycle regularly. I believe that cycling needs to be promoted, mainly among younger people, who are more into computer games and hardly indulge in outdoor activities. That is why I decided to take part in the rally."

Trishna Rai, 24, a resident of Darjeeling who stays in Kathmandu where she teaches at The British School, said: "This seems such a good adventure and I have come here to participate as this is also about women empowerment. I started cycling recently and I do it whenever I come here."

Soon after the rally began, the district administration launched a Hunger Free Darjeeling initiative with local NGOs, Who Cares, Sahoyogi Hath and All India Women Conference.

Around 300 street-dwellers were given food and blankets.

The administration plans to involve NGOs, hotels, restaurants and other associations in the distribution of food among street dwellers everyday.

Source Telegraph

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