Gorkha Rashtriya Congress to contest election with ‪Darjeeling‬-‪Sikkim‬ merger as agenda

11:00 PM

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Siliguri

The Gorkha Rashtriya Congress party, which is championing the merger of Darjeeling with Sikkim, today announced its decision of fielding candidates from the three seats in the hills and one from Siliguri for the state Assembly election.

Senior leaders of the party said they would make the merger issue the main election agenda, which is in sharp contrast to the almost customary compulsion of other political parties of making either the demand for a Gorkhaland state or development their principal pursuits.

Formed in 2004, the GRC has made the merger of Darjeeling with Sikkim its sole issue, and has taken up this demand with the Centre over the years. “We will field candidates from the Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Siliguri assembly constituencies,” said GRC convener Subodh Pakhrin. “Our election agenda will remain the merger of Darjeeling with Sikkim as the Darjeeling hills were never a part of Bengal. We believe a merger to be the only plausible solution for the Darjeeling hills.”
Aiming to strike a chord with the popular imagination in the hills, the GRC also intends to make the merger issue a ‘demonstrative’ movement. “Bengal cannot give a Gorkhaland state because Darjeeling was never its part. Therefore, if we win we will go to the Sikkim assembly instead of Bengal. In a way this election will be a demonstrative one for us,” Pakhrin said.

Gorkha Rashtriya Congress to field candidates with ‪Darjeeling‬-‪Sikkim‬ merger issue as agenda

It may be mentioned here that Darjeeling was gifted to the British by the Rajah of Sikkim on February 1, 1835 by executing a Deed of Grant. Meanwhile, the names of the four GRC candidates announced today are that of Ashok Kumar Lepcha (68) from Darjeeling, who is the working president of the party; Dhurba Dewan (47), the GRC assistant secretary who will contest from Kurseong, general secretary Amar Lucksom (69) from Kalimpong; and Rabindra Rai (36) from Siliguri constituency. Rai is an executive member of the GRC.

Arguing in favour of the merger issue, GRC working president Lepcha said, “Till now 27 MLAs from the hills and 15 from Siliguri have been sent to the Vidhan Sabha. But the problems plaguing the hills have yet to be addressed or solved. We believe the West Bengal state assembly can fulfill nothing for us. There are several methods of opposing and hence we have decided that even if we go on to win, we will neither sit in Bengal’s Vidhan Sabha nor take from it our salaries and pensions. We will disclose later as to how we plan to sit in the Sikkim assembly.”

The GRC will be contesting for the first time in the state Assembly election. The party had fielded a candidate in the Lok Sabha election in 2014, though.

EOIC

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Gorkha Rashtriya Congress suggests five names for Bagdogra airport

9:53 AM

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Tenzing Norgey

After the BJP opened the Pandora’s Box, demands to rename the Bagdogra airport have started rising thick and fast, with the latest demand coming from the Gorkha Rashtriya Congress (GRC), a Hills political party inclined towards merger of Darjeeling with Sikkim.

The Bagdogra airport terminal.

The five names shortlisted by GRC for renaming Bagdogra are: Ari Bahadur Gurung, Ganju Lama and Savitri Devi, Darjeeling and Denzong. GRC has earlier started a campaign seeking opinion and recommendations from political outfits, associations and the general people for a suitable name for Bagdogra airport.

On Friday, senior leaders of the party submitted a memorandum to the Darjeeling district administration to place their demand. “We met the district magistrate today and submitted a memorandum with our recommendations to rename the Bagdogra airport in Siliguri, to be placed to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Civil Aviation minister in Delhi. We have shortlisted five possible names connected with Darjeeling and Sikkim,” said GRC working president Asoke Lepcha said in a Press briefing.

According to the GRC, Gurung’s name was shortlisted as he was a member of the committee that drafted the Indian constitution. Gurung is from Darjeeling. Lama is a Victoria Cross recipient and Savitri Devi also known as Helen Lepcha was the first female from the region, to participate in India’s Swaraj movement. Both of them are from Sikkim.

The name Darjeeling airport was selected because of brand Darjeeling and the large arrivals  of national and international visitors. The last name Denzong airport was chosen because earlier the Darjeeling and Sikkim region was known as “Valley of Rice” and also to exemplify the relation between the two areas.

“Our party’s opinion is to rename Bagdogra airport as Denzong airport because our political agenda relates to the merger of Darjeeling with Sikkim. Historically, too, Darjeeling was part of Sikkim and never of Bengal. However, the other names selected are based on people’s recommendations that we got through our campaign,” GRC president Nima Lama said.

When reminded that the name of legendary mountaineer Tenzing Norgay Sherpa was also in the run, the GRC working president said, “Tenzing Norgay already has a mountain in Pluto, roads and bus terminus named after him. We feel there are others too in region that deserves to be honoured with due respect to the mountaineer”.

The GRC will also write to the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the chief ministers of Bengal and Sikkim to recommend to the Centre one the names from the five shortlisted.
BJP MP Tarun Vijay, an ardent follower of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, had set the ball rolling by meeting Union civil aviation minister P Ashok Gajapati Raju and placing the demand to rename Bagdogra airport after Jana Sangh founder and BJP's inspiration Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee.

Since then demand has also been made by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and also by family members and Sherpa community to rename Bagdogra airport after Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, the first man along with Sir Edmund Hillary, to set foot on Mount Everest in May 1953.

Source:EOI

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Gorkha Rashtriya Congress to march to Sikkim for Darjeeling-Sikkim merger

12:52 PM

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Sikkim

Demanding the merger of Sikkim and Darjeeling district Gorkha Rashtriya Congress (GRS) is planning to take up Darjeeling-Sikkim 'padayatras' this month. According to the party, the demand is the easiest way to get separation from Bengal.

"Since 2004 we have been demanding the unification of Darjeeling district and Sikkim. But to press the demand for the first time we are going to organise ‘padayatras’ in this month. There will be a public meeting at Chawk Bazar in Darjeeling to mark the foundation day of GRS on 7 January, “ said the party spokesperson Pramoskar Blone in Siliguri today. "The documents available with us prove that Darjeeling belonged to the state of Sikkim. We will reach out to the people to place our views to them. The previous Sikkim government, while issuing a white paper, had stated that Darjeeling belonged to Sikkim. We have sent the memorandum to the previous UPA government at the Centre. We also have plans to send memorandum to the present government at Centre, “ Mr Blone added.
In the first leg of the ‘padayatras’ the GRS activists would march from Darjeeling to Rongpo, the Bengal-Sikkim border, in the next phases the marches will be organised from Rongpo to Singtham and again between Singhtham and Gangtok.

"We have yet to fix the dates but that will be held this month," he said.

When asked about the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) has been demanding separate Gorkhaland state Mr Blone said their demand is the easiest way to be separated from West Bengal. "Most of the people of Hills want separation. Our movement is the easiest way to get separation from the state. In 1986 the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) was created when the separate state demand was started, led by Subash Ghising. The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration ( GTA) was set up when a fresh movement started led by Bimal Gurung, but these setups did not help to get the separation from the state , “ Mr Blone said.

GJMM leaders said they did not support the merger demand. "Our demand is Gorkhaland. We are against the merger. At the same time people do not support the demand of merger, “ said party secretary Roshan Giri.

Source:sns  

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Darjeeling-Sikkim merger - (GRC) Gorkha Rashtriya Congress

9:59 AM

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Sikkim

The Gorkha Rashtriya Congress has intensified its campaign for the Lok Sabha elections across the Darjeeling hills. On Sunday, GRC supporters distributed leaflets in Kurseong promoting the party’s sole election agenda of a Darjeeling-Sikkim merger.

GRC president Nima Lama (R) talking to reporters
 in Kurseong on Sunday.

GRC president Nima Lama, party candidate for the Darjeeling seat, said it has been several decades since the people of the hills have raised the demand for statehood. However, the state government has always managed to snub such demands by offering autonomous setups, which are totally unacceptable alternatives, he said.

Talking to reporters here on Sunday, the GRC president said, “Now the people have to knock at the right doors and also make up their minds to vote for GRC to achieve a Sikkim-Darjeeling merger.”

Lama said the GRC has started its election campaigning by issuing leaflets that appeal for votes in support of a Sikkim-Darjeeling merger. He also said the party has urged all communities of the hills to pursue their demand for statehood through the GRC and free themselves from the divisive policies of the state government. The leaflet highlights a number of points related to the party’s stand about Darjeeling being an integral part of Sikkim and never a part of Bengal, added Lama.

The GRC chief also claimed the Centre is in no mood to entertain the demand for a separate state, but it has supported the GRC’s idea of a Sikkim-Darjeeling merger and also sought public feedback on the issue. Lama also insisted the GRC’s proposal is being supported by leaders at the Centre as it seeks unification and not separation.

Source:EOI

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Gorkha Rastriya Congress (GRC) in LS poll with Sikkim-Darjeeling merger agenda

10:49 AM

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Live News

Kurseong, 9 March: Gorkha Rastriya Congress (GRC) has started campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections by issuing a leaflet that ends with a quote by Mahatma Gandhi —‘Everyone makes mistakes, but only fools keep repeating them.’

GRC President and its poll candidate Nima Lama said that for the past several decades, the people in the Hills have been demanding and agitating for a separate state of Gorkhaland, but that all the time, the Hills have been given with autonomous bodies.

GRC in poll fray with Sikkim-Darj merger issue

According to him, people now need to “knock at the right door” and accordingly make up their minds to vote in favour of Sikkim-Darjeeling merger.

The GRC leadership today met media persons in Kurseong, where they issued the leaflet that appeals to people to vote for GRC candidate Mr Lama and for the cause of Sikkim-Darjeeling merger.

Talking to reporters, the GRC president said the party has appealed to all the communities living in the Hills to vote for the party for their upliftment and against the state government’s “divisive policies.”

He said the leaflet carries several information related to their demand, most importantly the one that says that Darjeeling is an integral part of Sikkim and that it was never a part of Bengal.

He further claimed that the central leadership in Delhi does not even want to hear the Gorkhaland. He claimed that the Centre has instead supported the GRC demand and for the merger of Darjeeling with Sikkim and that it has even asked for a public mandate on the matter in the Hills.

He added that their demand has been positively considered by the central leadership as their demand is for unification and it does not have to do with separatism.
Another GRC leader Amar Laksum said his party has lso unveiled a CD that contains three songs related to the Darjeeling-Sikkim merger.

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Darjeeling and Dooars must be returned to Sikkim - Gorkha Rashtriya Congress

11:20 PM

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Sikkim

National level parties have not yet uttered anything about their stance on Darjeeling constituency although the next Lok Sabha polls are approaching quickly. However, regional parties and apolitical organisations have announced their candidates’ names and have even begun campaigning.

Darjeeling and the Dooars returned to Sikkim - GRC

If Dr. Mahendra P Lama has already announced he will contest as an independent candidate and has formed an apolitical platform called Darjeeling Dooars United Development Foundation to further his campaign, the Gorkha Rashtriya Congress too has joined the race.

GRC leaders, who have been visiting various places to gather support, today reached Kalimpong and held a press conference to disclose their poll agenda. The regional party that was formed in 2004 has not yet contested in any elections, but its objective is to showcase mass support, and has entered the election arena with a single-point agenda of ‘Sikkim-Darjeeling unification’.

Speaking to media persons, GRC president and LS candidate Nima Lama said although the Centre is positive on the unification issue, it has sought for the people’s mandate and hence the party has decided to fight the elections. “We have never participated in elections since our party’s formation. We, in fact will never contest elections within West Bengal, although we may do so from Sikkim,” Lama observed and added, “When our representatives met government officials, they assured positive action would be taken if we show them mass support. Therefore, we are contesting this election to prove this.”

Stressing that historically Darjeeling and the Dooars were never a part of Bengal, the GRC president said, “The Sikkim government must speak up. We have been demanding the return of these areas to Sikkim. These lands were merely leased out to the British by Sikkim.”

GRC leader Pravakar Blone hailed the agenda of Sikkim-Darjeeling unification as a powerful weapon in the struggle from separation from Bengal. He said, “We are not putting forward a LS candidate, but we are placing an agenda before the people who aspire for freedom from Bengal. Let the people do what they consider is the best.”

Urging the Sikkimese people not to hold pessimistic views towards their agenda, Blone said, “No one has tried to communicate the issue of unification to the Sikkim government. Questions such as what if Sikkim denies unification are being raised but that is an internal matter. The primary issue is freedom from Bengal. We know even if leaders oppose unification, the people of Sikkim will offer open arms.”

Source:EOI

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Gorkha Rashtriya Congress (GRC) - Sikkim-Darjeeling merger is the only option

11:03 AM

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Sikkim

The Gorkha Rashtriya Congress, (GRC), president, Nima Lama said that with the frequent formation of autonomous bodies the hill people must now understand and be aware that except for the Sikkim-Darjeeling merger option there is no other solution of separation from Bengal.

Talking to the reporters, Lama who is also the GRC candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency, said now the hill people must understand that besides the merger there is no other option which is best for the hills people to form a separate state. He said that the Darjeeling people have been demanding separation from Bengal, since a long time in the name of a separate state of Gorkhaland.

He further added thousands of people have sacrificed their lives during the GNLF led bloody Gorkhaland agitation in 1986 but instead of a separate state, an autonomous body was formed in Darjeeling hills, hinting towards the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, (DGHC).  “Later, after two decades, once again, we came forward supporting the GJM led Gorkhaland agitation. However, we didn’t achieve Gorkhaland but an autonomous body again and this time only the name has changed from Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council to Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, (GTA).”

Lama further claimed that the Central leadership in Delhi does not even want to hear the demand of a separate state of Gorkhaland; hence, it can be presumed it is difficult to achieve Gorkhaland. He said that recently a team of GRC had met the Home Minister, where the central leadership supported their merger demand and to make it a reality even asked for public mandate in the Hills. “Thus, now the question of separation state totally remains with us and the time is ripe for the masses to come forward in support of a Sikkim-Darjeeling merger and finally make our dream a reality by showing that the public mandate is for merger,” he added.

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