Kalimpong declared as the 21st district of West Bengal by Mamata Banerjee

7:52 AM

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Politics

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday declared Kalimpong in the Darjeeling hills as the 21st district of the state. So far, Kalimpong used to be a sub-division under the Darjeeling district. Mamata, who is on a three day tour to north Bengal made the announcement while addressing the locals at the Lepcha Board Foundation Day Programme in Kalimpong.

Mamata also promised the allotment of six core rupees for the construction of proper infrastructure of the newly declared district. "Kalimpong will become a new district. We have allotted Rs 6 crore for building infrastructure here," she said on Thursday adding that tourism must flourish in the hills.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banejee wears a traditional headgear at the 5th founation day function of Lepcha Development and Cultural Board at Kalimpoog in Darjeeling

Addressing the people of the hills, Mamata said, "I want to work for the development of Darjeeling Hills. I am proud of the young generation here. If the hills do not progress, Bengal cannot progress."

In December last year Banerjee had announced that Kalimpong will be turned into a new district for ease of administration. However, many see it as a way to snub the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) which has been leading a campaign demanding separate Gorkhaland state.

Mamata's announcement comes as a victory for the newly formed Jan Andolan Party (JAP) whose leader Harka Bahadur Chhetri have been lobbying hard to make Kalimpong a separate district after quitting the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in September.

Mamata Banerjee showers sops on Kalimpong, Bimal Gurung says it’s ‘land of Gorkhaland lovers’
With Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announcing a slew of development measures in Kalimpong — which will soon be carved into a separate district — her one-time political ally Bimal Gurung of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) claimed that the hill town was the “land of Gorkhaland lovers”.

Speaking at the foundation day programme of the Lepcha Board, Mamata said: “The Lepcha Board has already built three thousands of homes for the poor. The various development boards must promote cultural activities and make Darjeeling clean and green. We want Darjeeling to prosper and become the best. Kalimpong will become a new district. We have allotted Rs 6 crore for building infrastructure.” Mamata is currently on a three-day trip to the hills concluding on Friday.

Ahead of addressing a rally in Kalimpong, Mamata met several local leaders, including those from the Lepcha, Tamang, Newa, Bhujal, Khas, Kami, Damai, Saki, Vishwakarma and Gurung communities. She was also accorded the status of ‘Kingchuk Dermit’ — the highest award of the Lepcha community, said Trinamool leaders.

Gurung calls meet to counter Mamata - Morcha seeks to score over Trinamul chief in Kalimpong
Bimal Gurung has decided to hold a public meeting of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's women wing in Kalimpong on Sunday, a day after Mamata Banerjee leaves the hill town, purportedly to show that Kalimpong is "a land of Gorkhaland lovers".

The chief minister reached Kalimpong today and will attend a programme of the Lepcha development board tomorrow, followed by another one of the Tamang development board the day after. She is scheduled to leave Kalimpong on Saturday.

In a written statement today, the Morcha president said Mamata was frequenting the hills, particularly Kalimpong, to "suppress the Gorkhaland voice" with the help of "some vested people who are trying to divide the Gorkha community into pieces" by forming development boards.

Gurung went on to say: "In reality, Kalimpong is a land of Gorkhaland lovers. However, some people with vested interests are belittling Kalimpong. The person who is dividing the Gorkha community is being felicitated as the chief minister who wants good of the Gorkhas."

He called on "Gorkhaland lovers" to look into the issue with all seriousness and asked them to give a befitting reply. "The issue of Gorkhaland cannot be suppressed by temporary benefits. To spread this message to Gorkhas across India, the Gorkha Janmukti Nari Morcha has decided to organise a meeting at Delo on September 25," Gurung said.

"The Nari Morcha members from Kalimpong should attend the meeting to demonstrate to chief minister Mamata Banerjee and anti-Gorkhaland forces the support for Gorkhaland," he added.

Delo is 5km from Kalimpong.

Even though Gurung had yesterday said the Morcha would win any election even if it was held now, his statement today, according to observers, suggests that he feels that the impact of Mamata's three-day visit has to be countered immediately.

Many hope Mamata will make some announcements with regard to the creation of Kalimpong district during her stay there. However, a senior Nabanna official said: "Creation of a new district involves a lot of paper work. But no file regarding creation of Kalimpong has moved yet."

According to sources, the personnel and administrative reforms department would first prepare the proposal and send it to the finance department before seeking clearance from the cabinet. "But nothing of that sort has happened," said a source.

Various web sources

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Development boards inject identity politics into Hills political cauldron

1:42 PM

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West Bengal

Darjeeling/Kalimpong: The creation of Hill boards for the uplift of ethnic communities—Lepchas, Tamangs, Sherpas, Bhutias, Mangars and Rais—has added a new dimension to the effervescent politics in the Hills.

Though the GJM, which runs the GTA, views the boards as an attempt to fracture its support base in the Hills, fuelling identity politics, the move seems to have won Mamata Banerjee many admirers for championing the cause of the marginalized. “What is wrong if the Hills people who have been deprived of benefit for years get something? The indigenous communities saw refugees receive facilities but they never got anything. Though it led to some disquiet, it did not trigger a clash. Now, the state is finally giving what was long overdue. It will definitely have political implications, both in short and long term,” said writer Nanda Hakim.

The announcement of the Lepcha board in August 2011 opened the floodgates with similar development boards being set up for the Tamangs, Sherpas, Bhutias, Mangars and Rais, who account for nearly 10 lakh people in the Hills and elsewhere. Two more boards are in the line, for Limbus and Newars. All these boards receive funds from the state for the development of facilities for the communities.

Lyang Song Tamsang, chairman of West Bengal Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board that has received Rs 86 crore in 2013-2015, says they received a bigger boost in the past three years than in the earlier 60. “The funds have helped build 3,000 homes for poor Lepcha families, and 40 Lepcha night-schools are now housed in pucca buildings. We will convert the remaining 20 into pucca structures and add another 20 night schools by next year,” said Tamsang.

Lepchas learn their language as well as math and English from British and Amercian teachers at these schools. The money has also initiated a stream beautification project. As most Lepcha families live in remote hamlets, adjacent to streams and dependent on agriculture, the project is aimed at providing them with a source of clean water to drink and irrigate their crops.

“The state tried to fulfil a long-standing demand for introducing Lepcha language in primary schools and appointed para-teachers but the GTA went to court, saying it was an interference. Those para-teachers now teach the language at the night schools,” said Tamsang, hinting at the underlying friction caused by the boards.

The West Bengal Bhutia Development Board is yet to run into any hurdle. But board chairman Palden D Bhutia, a former Darjeeling Municipality chief (1999-2004), remains wary. They have spent Rs 10 crore on 500 homes for needy Bhutia families. But the money has also created envy. “The amount that the boards are getting isn’t magic. Even earlier, development funds came but no one knows where it disappeared. Now that it is coming directly to the community, the opportunity to siphon off has ceased,” he said.

Political observers say Bhutias, Lepchas, Tamangs and Sherpas will be favourably disposed towards Mamata. While the communities may not vote directly for Trinamool, a good section could vote for Harka Bahadur Chhetri’s Jan Andolan Party (JAP), which has Mamata’s backing.
“It will be good to receive the support of various communities,” said the JAP candidate from Kalimpong, which houses several board offices.

But Nepali Sahitya Sammelan member S K Giri questioned the future: “Owing to Mamata’s interest, the boards have been set up like para clubs. If the government changes, what will happen to the board that have no constitutional legality?”

Tamsang said board officials have requested the state to make the boards statutory and incorporate them in Government Act instead of Societies Act.



Via TOI

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Hill development boards to support the Trinamul Congress in Assembly polls

8:27 AM

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Trinamool Congress

Darjeeling, April 8: The chairmen of six development boards of different communities in the hills today said they wanted members of their communities to support the Trinamul Congress in Assembly polls as a token of gratitude for the formation of the bodies.

The heads of six development boards formed by the Mamata Banerjee government were present at the first-of-its-kind meeting at the Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan Hall today. The meeting was addressed by the chairmen of Tamang, Sherpa, Bhutia, Mangar, Limbu and Rai development boards.

The chairman of the Lepcha development board, however, was absent from the meeting "as the representatives of the community were busy with preparations for their own meeting".

Sanjay Moktan, the chairman of the Tamang Development and Cultural Board, said: "The state government has helped us in our development and we have, therefore, decided to help that political party."

Asked if that political party was the Trinamul Congress, Moktan said: "Obviously. If the leadership of that party is supporting us, we, too, need to back them. However, we cannot tell all our community members to vote for a particular party. We believe that it is our responsibility to support that party which is helping us."

The chairmen of the 7 hill development boards at the meeting.Picture by Suman Tamang

The seven communities, including the Sherpas, for which the boards have been formed, make up more than 35 percent of the hill population.

Observers, however, believe every member of a particular community is not expected to follow the chairman's line of thought. "Moreover, there are also rival organisations within the communities which are not too enthused about the development boards," said an observer.

Moktan said the meeting had also been called to end the "oppression" being perpetuated by a political party. "The meeting has also been called to seek freedom from the oppression that is being perpetuated by a political party. We believe the party is not allowing us to develop our language and culture."

Although Moktan did not take the name of the political party, it was clear that he was referring to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

Asked about the oppression, Moktan said: "When a member of the Tamang community was killed in broad daylight here, we could not even protest."

The killing was in reference to the murder of Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League leader, Madan Tamang, in May, 2010.

Palden Bhutia, the chairman of the Bhutia Development Board, said: "All we want to say is that we need to feed the cow that provides milk to us."

Bhutia said the meeting had been organised not by the development boards but by organisations representing the six communities.

Nima Wangdi Sherpa, the chairman of the West Bengal Sherpa Development Board, said: "Apart from the chairmen of the six development boards, representatives of the Darjeeling Indigenous Schedule Caste Welfare Association and the Bhujel community were also present. The two communities are demanding development boards and we would extend support to them."

With regard to the absence of the chairman of the Lepcha development board, Sherpa said: "As the representatives of the community were busy with preparations for their own meeting, they could not attend today's meeting."


Telegraph

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Kolkata HC accepted PIL against Hill Development Boards

8:16 AM

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Tamang Development and Cultural Board

Darjeeling, Feb. 25: Calcutta High Court has accepted an apolitical organisation's PIL seeking the dissolution of development boards for different communities in the hills, saying they discriminated against citizens based on caste and creed and no yardstick was followed in the formation of the bodies.

Mamata Banerjee had announced boards for five communities, but the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha had alleged that the chief minister was adopting a "divide and rule policy" in the hills by doing this.

The PIL was filed by Pravin Gurung, the general secretary of the Darjeeling Tarai Dooars Gorkhali Adhiwashi Welfare Society.

Speaking over phone from Calcutta, Anand Bhandari, the lawyer for the petitioner, said: "The divisional bench consisting of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Arijit Banerjee is hearing the PIL and has directed the state government to file an affidavit-in-opposition in three weeks. The next hearing will take place after four weeks."

The order to the government to file the affidavit was passed by the division bench on February 19.

The court refused to pass an interim order stopping the distribution of funds to the development boards as demanded by the petitioner.

State law minister Chandima Bhattacharya declined comment on the PIL. She said: "The matter is sub-judice. I cannot make any comment on the issue. But I can say what the chief minister is trying to do is for the welfare of Limbu and Rai communities."

Pravin Gurung today said: "We believe the state government has discriminated against many communities. While some communities are getting benefits, others are being deprived of them. Moreover, the yardstick to grant a development board and funds too is not clear."

Citing some examples, he said: "For instance, as per the 2011 census, literacy rate of the Bhutia and Limbu communities is 81.1 per cent and 87.8 per cent, respectively. However, the literacy rate of Lodha and Savar tribes is 45.5 per cent and 40.6 per cent, respectively. Although boards have been formed for Bhutias and Limbus, there is no such body for communities which are educationally backward."

When the first board was formed for the Lepchas by Mamata, it was said that the boards would be apolitical cultural entities. But Morcha president Bimal Gurung had said development boards should be formed for all communities in the hills rather for a few of them. Gurung, as the GTA chief executive, also announced development boards for 19 communities in the hills. So far, development boards have been formed for Lepchas, Tamangs, Sherpas, Bhutia and Mangars. The chief minister has announced development boards for the Limbus and Rais as well, but they have not been formed. While Mangars and Rais are among Other Backward Classes (OBC), the rest of the communities that have been granted or promised boards are Schedule Tribes.

Pravin Gurung said it was strange that communities whose population was dwindling were not granted development boards. "As per the 2011 census, the Tamangs population was 1,46,203, and a board was formed for them. But the population of Mru and Khond communities is only 196 and 660, respectively and still, no development body was offered to them," he said.

"The Indian Constitution does not have provisions to provide preferential treatment to certain sections even among the STs. In Bengal, there are more than 40 communities which have been classified as STs but development boards have not been formed for all of them. Boards haven't been announced for other OBC sections and it is against the provisions of equality that is enshrined in the Constitution. There should be no discrimination based on caste and creed," said Gurung.

The petitioner has demanded that a single development board covering all tribal communities in the state be formed. "For this, all development boards must be dissolved. Or else, development boards must be formed for all communities in the state," he said.

Telegraph

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‎Bengal‬ Sanctions Land for ‪Lepcha‬ Bhavan in New Town, ‪Kolkata‬

10:12 AM

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West Bengal

‪Grid-connected solar panels will be installed on the roof for compound illumination of the state-of-the-art green building. The state urban development department is selecting a reputable architectue firm to come up with the design for the sixth-storied structure. The required built-up space of the building will be at least 12,000 square feet.

NKDA officials said that New Town is being developed as a green smart city and the aim is to have a unique landmark building in the township like the proposed Lepcha Bhavan.

"The aim is to construct an eco-friendly building that will reflect the Lepcha culture. It will be built, bringing together natural resources and modern technology," an NKDA official said.

‎Bengal‬ Sanctions 7.47 Cottah Land for ‪Lepcha‬ Bhavan in New Town, ‪Kolkata‬

During a visit in Kalimpong, Mamata Banerjee had said the Lepcha Board was working for the development of their housing, education, livelihood, sanitation, tourism and preservation and propagation of their culture.

[Via: TNN, File Pic]

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Mamata Banerjee announced Mangar Development Board

12:14 PM

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Mangar Development Board

Writes Rajeev Ravidas

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today went back on her word and announced a development board for Mangars, the first non-tribal Gorkha community from the hills to be given such a cultural platform.

The Lepchas, Tamangs, Sherpas and Bhutias, who have development boards, are all tribals.

"The Mangars want a development board, so do the Rais and the Limbus. I have given it to the Mangars," she said at an event organised by the Lepcha Development Board at the Mela Grounds in Kalimpong. Immediately after her announcement, the members of the Mangar community in the crowd of over 10,000 consisting mostly of the Lepchas started dancing.

"This has opened the doors of opportunity for the members of our community. We will forever be grateful to the chief minister for giving us this board," said Navin Thapa, the secretary of the Nava Mangar Association.

Mangar community celebrating in traditional attire in Kalimpong following the announcement of
'Mangar Development Board' by CM Mamata Banerjee in Kalimpong 

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is against the chief minister's decision to form the development boards and Bimal Gurung has said this was an effort to divide the people of the hills.

Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said: "This is part of her divide-and-rule policy. If her intentions are sincere, she ought to make boards for all Gorkha communities."

The chief minister went back her word of not forming any more boards, which she had said in Darjeeling on August 25. Her change of heart, it appears, has come about because of the enthusiastic response she received from the beneficiary communities of the earlier tribal bodies during her current visit to the hills.

"I want development to take place in the hills. If we indulge only in politics, the people will suffer," she said while lauding the Lepcha board for delivering on development.

In an oblique reference to the Morcha, she said the politics of agitation will not bring any good. "Don't agitate, it will hurt Darjeeling.... If you want to talk, the doors are always open. What is needed is not speeches, but development," she said in a mix of Hindi and broken Nepali.

Yesterday, at another event in Kalimpong, people had clapped when Mamata had said she would not let go of the hills, reiterating her stand that she was against the bifurcation of Bengal.

Today, the chief minister also announced some sops for the Lepchas and other communities. The significant among them was the hike in the annual budget of the Lepcha board from Rs 30 crore to Rs 35 crore and construction of a building in Calcutta for Lepchas visiting the state capital and another one for the people of the hills visiting Siliguri.

Source Telegraph

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Mamata Banerjee not ready to give up the Darjeeling hills

6:58 PM

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Tamang Development Board

Claps for Mamata in Kalimpong - Won't give up hills, says CM

Writes Rajeev Ravidas

Kalimpong, Sept. 15: Mamata Banerjee, while announcing funds for three hill communities, today told a crowd of several thousands that she "is not ready to give up the Darjeeling hills", but it did not elicit protests.

Some in the crowd of nearly 10,000 at Kalimpong's Ronaldshay Park clapped. Back in January 2013, when Mamata had said Darjeeling "is a part of us" at a rally on Chowrasta, hill people had jeered and held up Gorkhaland placards. Soon after, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha had restarted a statehood movement.

Yesterday, several hill tribal leaders who had got development bodies for their communities said they were grateful to Mamata. "The chief minister has come forward to help us preserve our culture, language and tradition by forming the Tamang development board. We are grateful to her. I don't see anything sinister in this," said Sanjay Moktan, the chairman of the Tamang development board.

Sanjay Moktan, the chairman of the Tamang Development and Cultural Board,
receives a cheque from Mamata Banerjee in Kalimpong on Tuesday.
Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha

Last week, Gurung had warned hill residents of the state government's effort to divide and rule in the hills. He had appealed for unity.

Although it is tough to tell if Mamata had won the hearts of a section of hill residents by setting up the cultural development boards for them, it is clear that not all tribal community leaders in the hills are convinced by Gurung's arguments.

Mamata, speaking in Hindi, told the crowd: "I am ready to ruin my life for the hills, but I will not give up the hills. I will not let the hills break away."

Tamangs, Bhutias and Sherpas were at the event organised by the Tamang Development and Culture Board. The crowd, which included many from among the non-tribal Mangars, greeted her remark with applause.

In Darjeeling, Binay Tamang, assistant secretary of the Morcha, reminded all that the GTA agreement, signed by Mamata's government and the Centre, "clearly mentions that the Gorkhaland demand has not been dropped and we can raise it whenever we want to".

Tamang repeated what Gurung has earlier said: "We will raise the issue with the Centre as Bengal cannot give us statehood."

The Morcha perceives the NDA government at the Centre to be more receptive to the Gorkhaland demand, although nowhere in the general election manifesto had the NDA mentioned that it would support the creation of a separate Gorkhaland state.

Morcha chief Bimal Gurung yesterday announced a renewed agitation for Gorkhaland, irked by the alleged interference of the state government in the functioning of the GTA.

The Tamangs today organised the programme to mark the first anniversary of their development board.

The board gave Mamata the title of Narsang Dolma or the goddess of light.

The Lepchas, the first to be given a development board by Mamata in 2013, had given Mamata the title of bestower of good fortune.

The chief minister said she was committed to working for the development of the hills. In return, she said, she sought nothing other than the love and affection of the people. "Till the time I live, I will continue visiting the hills," she said.

Tamang, the Morcha assistant secretary, said in Darjeeling that the chief minister need bother about development in the hills. "All she needs to do is to transfer all the 57 subjects to the GTA and ensure that there is no dual administration in the hills. If this is done, development will take place in the hills," he said.

The chief minister also announced funds for the Tamang, Bhutia and Lepcha boards. The funds, ranging from Rs 3.75 crore to Rs 10 crore, will be used to construct houses and toilets for poor residents among the three tribes. She indicated that she would also announce something for the Mangars at a programme of the Lepchas she is scheduled to attend at the Mela Ground in Kalimpong tomorrow.

The Mangars, too, have been demanding a development board for themselves, but Mamata during her last visit to Darjeeling in August had said no more such bodies would be formed.

ABGL vice-president Pratap Khati, who attended the programme at the invitation of the Tamang board, said what he witnessed at the programme was a superficial division of the Gorkhas brought about by the vision-less leadership of Gurung.

Source Telegraph

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Mamata Banerjee to lay foundation stone for Dowhill Educational Hub and Presidency University

1:32 PM

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Tamang Development Board

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will lay the foundation stone for the Dowhill Educational Hub and Himalayan Centre of Presidency University in Kurseong on September 14. The next day, she will attend a programme organised by the Tamang Development Board in Dr. Graham’s Homes, Kalimpong. On September 16, Banerjee will attend a programme hosted by the Lepcha Development Board at the Kalimpong Mela Ground.

She will head back to Kolkata on September 17. No meetings have been fixed with the GTA or GJM leaders during her stay in the hills. GJM president Bimal Gurung today said he would be in Delhi on September 14 and return only on September 17. He said he had personal work in the national capital but would try to meet the prime minister.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee in Kurseong - a file photo

Via EOI

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