NATIONAL GORKHALAND COMMITTE E ( NSG) RELEASE VISION DOCUMENT FOR GORKHALAND. LEADERS OF GNLF, JAP AND OTHER PARTIES PARTICIPATES

11:46 AM

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NGC

REPORTS PRASHANT SHARMA

Darjeeling, 21 April, 2018:  The National Gorkhaland Committee (NGC) released its Vision Document today at the GDNS Hall, Darjeeling. Present among the gathering were Heads of all Hill Political Parties, NGOs, sizeable number of ex-servicemen and locals. The document was released by Shri ----------, Shri ------ , Shri ------, and Shri ----, all eminent personalities of the four major communities – the Gorkhas, Adivasis, Rajbongshis and Bengali in a show of solidarity for the proposed state of Gorkhaland.

The NGC was established on 14 September 2017 in New Delhi as a non political organisation set up at the national level as a Think Tank. It consists of Gorkha citizens from across the country who have excelled in their respective fields. The main mandate of the NGC was to examine all options through peaceful dialogue and come up with viable solutions for the trouble torn Darjeeling Hills region.

The Vision Document is essentially a ‘People’s Document’ arrived at through intensive research, and after discussions and interaction with grassroots, legal, constitutional, and security experts, as well as economists and academicians. It looks at all aspects to validate the claim for statehood.

Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen Shakti Gurung (retd), Chairman NGC, said that the Vision Document brought out in four languages – English, Hindi, Nepali and Bangla, was aimed at reaching a wide audience across the ountry and abroad. The document stresses the need for dialogue through peaceful means calling for unity of thought, expression and action among all communities of the region.

The Vision Document is divided into five sections – while Part I deals with the history of the Gorkhas and their contribution to nation building, Part II brings to the forefront the sensitive Siliguri Corridor vital for national security being  the start point of India’s Look East and Act East Policy – unless that is secured and sealed, the country will always be vulnerable to intrusion. Part III of the document deals with legal and constitutional issues wherein all relevant provisions are discussed with their pros and cons. Part IV deals with the economic viability of the proposed state and how it can contribute and add to the revenue of the country to become a ‘smart state’ like Sikkim. Part V deals with the present situation that exists in the region

The document also recommends the profile of the proposed state based on contiguity and homogeneity, which keeps in mind the aspirations of all minorities in the region.

The NGC intends to work in coordination with the authorities in the State and Central Governments to progress ahead with their demands stressing on the need for negotiations and discussions

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BJP in favour of creating separate North Bengal state - Rabindranarayan Chowdhury

10:52 AM

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West Bengal

 “WE ARE IN FAVOUR OF FORMING SEPARATE STATE COMBINING DARJEELING, JALPAIGURI, COOCH BEHAR, ALIPURDUAR, MALDA”

In a shocking statement, the West Bengal State Secretary Shri Rabindranarayan Chowdhury yesterday said that BJP was in favour of creating a separate North Bengal state.

Rabindranarayan Chowdhury at GDNS in Darjeeling District 

Speaking at a program organized by the Darjeeling District Committee at GDNS, Mr. Chowdhury said that “creating a separate state from one district alone is very difficult, there are multiple demands for separate state in this region, there is demand for Gorkhaland, then there is demand for a separate sate in Cooch Behar and Alipurduar… such demands cannot be fulfilled… however if we can combine Darjeeling, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar, right up to Malda then the possibility of forming a separate statehood is vey high… this is what BJP has envisioned…”

He added, “But for forming a separate state which combines these districts, we need support from the people here…. We are in favour of forming smaller states as they promote development”

He urged the people to join BJP and support the party so that they can emerge victorious in upcoming 2016 elections.

Source - TheDC

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GDNS holds meeting to resolve the issue of outstanding electricity bills

10:00 AM

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Kalimpong

Kalimpong’s Gorkha Dukh Niwarak Sammelan (GDNS) on Tuesday held a meeting at its office in Bagdhara Road with electricity department representatives to resolve the issue of outstanding bills. Electricity department divisional manager Somnath Roy, GDNS president Uday Kumai, association members and consumers were present at the meeting.

Gorkha Dukh Niwarak Sammelan (GDNS) 

Kumai alleged the department has been sending excess bills to consumers, adding that according to the GTA agreement, all dues have been waived off. Speaking to the press later, he said the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has already announced this and the state government has also issued a circular in this regard. Kumai further said the department has been urged not to add outstanding bills with new ones.

 In response, Roy confirmed about the waiver of outstanding bills. He said consumers can always visit the electricity office if they have issues regarding bill payment, and stressed outstanding amounts have not been added to current bills. Roy also noted that spot billing facility has been started for the benefit of consumers.

(EOIC)

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GTA plans memorial for Nepali language ‘heroes’ Krishna Subba and Devraj Sharma

11:20 AM

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nepali

Darjeeling, 20 August : Celebrating the 22nd 'Bhasha Diwas' in Darjeeling, chief of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Bimal Gurung today announced that a memorial will be built in honour of  Nepali language ‘heroes’ Krishna Subba and Devraj Sharma, the duo who had sacrificed their lives during the agitation for official recognition of the Nepali language.

GTA celebrates "Nepali Bhasha Diwas"

The memorial will be erected at Chowk Bazaar in Darjeeling, Mr Gurung said.
According to sources, Mr Subba was a noted artist whose art can still be found at the Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan (GDNS) hall in Darjeeling, while Mr Sharma was a student when he was gunned down during the agitation in 1982.

The struggle for official recognition of the language started in 1956, while Nepali was given the national status in 1992. The day is celebrated to mark the inclusion of the Nepali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

In the programme organized by the youth wing of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) at the Gorkha Rang Manch Bhavan here, prominent Hill littérateur Indra Bahadur Rai, former chief minister of Sikkim Nar Bahadur Bhandari and an activist of the agitation Laxmi Kalikotey were felicitated for their contribution to the language.

" Gorkhas all over the country had united during the agitation for official recognition of the Nepali language. We have to remember that unity and only with such unity can we achieve Gorkhaland," Mr Gurung said.
He also lamented that the use of the Nepali language has been given the least priority.

"We have made the language mandatory in every department of the GTA, while schools under the GTA should also start giving top priority to the language," Mr Gurung said. According to him, the GTA will soon start correspondence with the state
and the central governments in the Nepali language.

Source: Statesman news service

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BGP and NGOs submitted a deputation on the Teesta rape case

1:27 AM

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NGO

Kalimpong 21st April: The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisang (BGP) today convened a meeting with various NGOs and noted public figures on the Teesta rape case and have submitted a deputation regarding the same to the Sub-Divisional office in Kalimpong. Representatives from NGOs including Kalimpong Farmer’s Welfare Association, Gorkha Dukh Niwarak Sammelan, Kalimpong Conservation Committee and Hill Social Welfare Society among others participated in the meeting.

All India Women’s conference members submitting deputation
to Deputy Magistrate Pritan Limbu in Kalimpong on Monday.

Condemning the incident, BGP’s president Dr. Anos Das Pradhan demanded for strict investigation into the matter and to give the most stringent punishment for the culprit. He informed the organisation will also seek the condition of the victim from the hospital. He also demanded justice for the murder of Gina Pradhan a few years back and warned the case should not be closed until the investigation reached a conclusion.

Meanwhile, the Hill TMC’s women wing have strongly condemned the incident and said it has disgraced the entire hill community. Similarly, the GJM’s women wing has also condemned the incident and demanded strict action against the culprit.

Further, Child Protection Mission’s sister Suvashna Thapa has also condemned the incident by calling it inhumane and unfortunate. She said the people who have come out on the street to protest against the incident proves the magnitude of the incident.

All India Women’s conference members also met the deputy magistrate in Kalimpong today and submitted a deputation demanding quick and stringent punishment for the accused.

Notably, on April 17 a 3-year old minor girl was brutally raped by a youth Sunil Rai at Gaphur Village in Teesta. Rai has been arrested by the police and is in their custody. The incident immediately created uproar among the locals of Teesta, who came out to the street and held rallies and dharnas to protest. As the news spread, the people across the hills started participating in protest rallies condemning the rape of a minor.

Source:EOI

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