BJP Darjeeling MP lures Gorkhas with schedule Tribe bait

8:40 PM

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tribal news

Darjeeling: BJP MP S.S. Ahluwalia has written to the Union tribal ministry pressing for inclusion of 11 Gorkha communities in the Schedule Tribal list, the move coinciding with the rural polls in the Bengal.

The letter written by Ahluwalia is dated April 25, 2018, but it was posted by Gorkha leader Roshan Giri on social media on Tuesday. The BJP had used the tribal card effectively in earlier elections.

The Darjeeling MP has justified his decision to write the letter now saying the term of the committee constituted by the Union tribal ministry to look into the demand ends in May this year.

"I request you to use your influence to take a decision on the 11 communities and direct constitutional amendment to include these communities in the ST list," Ahluwalia's letter to Jual Oram in Hindnd Himalachal Pradesh had already recommended the inclusion of the 11 Gorkha communities in the ST list.

The 11 communities demanding tribal status are Bhujel, Gurung, Mangar, Newar, Jogi, Khas, Rai, Sunuwar, Thami, Yakka (Dewan) and Dhimal.

The demand has popular support among members of the 11 communities who constitutes nearly 50 percent of the Gorkha population.

Although the BJP has been dangling the tribal card before the Gorkhas, actual progress has been slow.

Even though Ahluwalia's letter states that the committee's tenure will end in May this year, observers are sceptical given past records. "The letter has surfaced in public domain when Bengal is going for rural polls. Gorkhas constitute a sizeable population in the Dooars. The timing raises eyebrows," said an observer.

Bengal, Sikkim and Himalachal Pradesh had already recommended the inclusion of the 11 Gorkha communities in the ST list

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विमल गुरुङलाई मर्न दिन्न भन्ने भाजपा सरकार पनि विमललाई पाखा लगाउँदै विनयको पक्षमा! ।

7:14 PM

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SS Ahluwalia

सिलगढी । लोकसभा चुनाउको ठीक एक वर्षअघि विनय तामाङ केयरटेकर रहेको गोर्खाल्याण्ड टेरिटोरियल एडमिनिस्ट्रेशन (जीटीए)- लाई केन्द्र सरकारले प्रायः १३५ करोड़ रुपियाँको आर्थिक गुच्छ दिइरहेको कुरा दिल्लीबाट पत्राचार गरेर लालकोठी (जीटीए सदर कार्यालय)-लाई सूचित गरिएको छ।

केन्द्रको भाजपा सरकार, जसले यतिका दिनसम्म गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चा प्रमुख विमल गुरुङको पक्षमा वकालती गर्दै आइरहेको थियो, -ले अचानक पहाड़को विकासको निम्ति १३४ करोड़ ९९ लाख रुपियाँको आर्थिक गुच्छ विनय तामाङ केयरटेकर रहेको जीटीएलाई दिइन लागेकोले राजनैतिक पर्यवेक्षकहरूले थरीथरीका अड्कलबाजीहरू लगाउन थालेका छन्। विनय तामाङको नेतृत्वमा रहेको गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाले केही दिनअघि मात्र भाजपाको नेतृत्वमा रहेको नेशनल डेमोक्रेटिक फ्रण्ट (एनडीए) छोडेको घोषणा गरेको थियो।

तर त्यसको लगत्तैपछि विमल गुरुङले मोर्चा अहिले पनि एनडीएको सहयोगी दल रहेको घोषणा गरे । प्रेस विज्ञप्ति जारी गरेर अनि अडियो र भिडियो क्लिप मार्फत पहाडका बासिन्दाहरूलाई सन्देश र शुभकामना दिनु बाहेक विमल गुरुङ अहिले पहाड़मा सार्वजनिक रूपले बाहिर निस्किन सकेका छैनन्। राज्य सरकारले यूएपीए लगायत आईपीसीका विविध धारामा मामिलाहरू दर्ता गरेकोले विमल गुरुङ सार्वजनिक हुनसाथै पक्रा पर्ने प्रबल सम्भावना छ।

यसैले तिनी अहिले भूमिगत रूपमा नै छन्। भूमिगत रहेर तिनले गोर्खाल्याण्ड राज्य गठनको पक्षमा वकालती गरिरहेको भए पनि पहाड़का मानिसहरूसँग तिनको सोझै अन्तरक्रिया हुन सकेको छैन। न ता तिनले जनसभा मार्फत पहाड़का मानिसहरूलाई सम्बोधन नै गर्न सकेका छन्। यस्तो स्थितिमा पहाड़का मानिसहरूको विमल गुरुङप्रतिको आस्था र विश्वासमा ह्रास आउन सक्ने सम्भावना राजनैतिक पर्यवेक्षकहरूको एउटा समूह व्यक्त गर्छन्।

अर्कोतिर राज्यको तृणमूल कंग्रेस सरकारले जीटीएका केयरटेकर बनाएका विनय तामाङले जीटीएका विभिन्न ठाउँको भ्रमण गर्दै छन्। भ्रमण मात्र नगरेर तिनले जीटीएका केयरटेकर नै भएर पहाड़मा शिलान्यासलगायत विकासका केही कार्यहरू शुरू गरेका छन्। यसै विकास कार्यहरू मार्फत विनय तामाङ पहाड़मा आफ्नो जनाधार बढाउन प्रयासरत छन्। विकास बाँडेर विनय तामाङले विमल गुरुङपन्थी मोर्चा नेता, कार्यकर्ता र समर्थकहरूको मन जित्ने प्रयास गरिरहेका छन्।

पहाड़का बहुसंख्यक जनता अहिले पनि गोर्खाल्याण्ड राज्य गठनको पक्षमा रहेको राजनैतिक पर्यवेक्षकहरूको एउटा समूहको दावी छ। तर गोर्खाल्याण्डका पक्षधर हुँदा हुँदै पनि पहाड़का केही नेता र जनता डरले, रहरले र करले विनय तामाङ नेतृत्वाधीन मोर्चालाई समर्थन गर्न बाध्य भइरहेका छन्। पहाड़को वर्तमान यस परिस्थितिबारे अगवत रहेको केन्द्रको भाजपा सरकारले एकातिर विमल | गुरुङलाई मर्न दिन्न भनेर अनि अर्कोतिर जीटीएलाई आर्थिक गुच्छ दिएर पहाड़का जनता र विनय तामाङको मन जित्ने प्रयास गरेको हुनसक्ने राजनैतिक पर्यवेक्षकहरूको अर्को एउटा समूह बताउँछन्।

स्रोत : हाम्रो प्रजाशक्ति

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Has BJP fallen out of favour with Gorkhas in Darjeeling?

2:52 PM

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S. S. Ahluwalia

Writes: Arkamoy Dutta Majumdar [for LiveMint]

After enjoying its support for almost a decade, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may have fallen out of favour with the Gorkha community in West Bengal’s Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency.

Following the visit of S.S. Ahluwalia, the BJP’s current member of Parliament (MP_ from Darjeeling, two key Gorkha parties said over the weekend that the party had failed the Gorkha community.

Ahluwalia, who is visiting his constituency for the first time since last year’s unrest over the demand for Gorkhaland, said on Saturday that he would protect fugitive Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung from “extra-judicial” persecution, pledging support for him and his movement. But the statement drew a sharp reaction from the GJM faction opposed to Gurung.

Binoy Tamang, the rebel GJM leader who is now in control of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, said it was “surprising” that Ahluwalia had committed to protect Gurung, a fugitive leader facing sedition charges, whereas he did nothing to fulfil the “long pending demands” of the community.

The BJP has “fooled” the Gorkhas twice to get elected to the Lok Sabha from Darjeeling—in 2009 and 2014—but has given nothing in return, Tamang said, ruling out any possibility of allying with the BJP in the next general election.

Echoing him, Niraj Zimba, spokesperson for Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), said that the BJP had not fulfilled its promises to the community, but didn’t immediately rule out the possibility of backing it going forward.

Tamang has worked for Ahluwalia ahead of the 2014 general election, Zimba said, adding that his stand has now changed because he is himself fighting for survival. Asked about future alliance, Zimba said the GNLF will back any national party that supports its demand for greater autonomy under the sixth schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Since 1957, when the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency was created, the Gorkhas have almost always voted for a national party. For three consecutive terms till 2004, they even voted for the Communist Party of India (Marxist). In 2004, they elected a Congress candidate before allying with the BJP in the past two general elections.

Also, until now, the community has almost always been led by one dominant local party. But that is changing: amid shifting sands, the GNLF is staging a comeback following the division within the GJM. The GJM had a complete stranglehold on Darjeeling’s politics for a decade until the violent agitation last year split the party between Gurung and Tamang.

Following the 104-day strike, a lot of Gorkhas who had started to lean towards the Trinamool Congress joined GNLF, said key district officials, who asked not to be named.

A large number of GJM supporters too have quietly shifted allegiance to the GNLF, giving up on both Tamang and Gurung, they added.

“It is not immediately clear how the community will vote in the next general election, but there is no doubt that the BJP has to deliver something substantive during the current term to earn the trust of this constituency,” one of the officials said.

[Via: Live Mint, originally posted at: http://bit.ly/2FZdaXS]

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Darjeeling MP SS Alhuwalia Writes to PM Modi against Mamata's repressive and arbitrary order

11:45 AM

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West Bengal

BREAKING: Darjeeling MP SS Alhuwalia Writes to PM Modi;  Seeks immediate intervention to end the "draconian emergency-like measures undertaken by the Mamata Banerjee government"

Taking strong exception to the filing of FIRs against Sahita Academy Award winners and heads of reputed schools in the hills by the police, Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia has written to PM Narendra Modi asking for his "immediate intervention to ensure that people of Darjeeling as well as North Bengal are saved from the draconian emergency-like measures undertaken by the Mamata Banerjee government." 

Here is the text of the letter released to the Press by his office...

"Respected Modi ji,

I am writing this letter to you in great anguish and in great urgency from Oslo, as I feel that your intervention is immediately needed to ensure that people of Darjeeling as well as North Bengal are saved from the draconian emergency-like measures undertaken by the Mamata Banerjee government to stifle the voices of dissent being raised in Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars against her repressive and arbitrary order q.

On 16th of May, 2017 West Bengal Chief Minister Miss Mamata Banerjee announced that Bengal would adopt a three-language policy and that Bengali language will be made compulsory in schools. Miss Mamata Banerjee had posted on her Facebook profile that “If the student chooses Bengali, Hindi, English, Urdu, Gurmukhi, Nepali, Alchiki as a first language, he/she may opt for two other languages of their choice. One of the three languages would have to be Bengali. The two other choices are completely dependent on what the student chooses.”

In the Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars most students opt for Nepali/Hindi as their first language and English as the second language and those inclined to learn more languages opt for Hindi/Nepali as their third language. Students who want to learn Bengali are allowed to do so with no hindrance whatsoever and every year almost all the schools across the hills have students who complete their education with Bengali as their second language. However, making Bengali compulsory would mean that these students would not have any choice on which language they want to learn and their right to choose - a fundamental right under our constitution - is taken away from them.

Imposition of Bengali language even as a third BUT compulsory language will mean they have to forgo learning either English ( a language necessary for employment opportunities), Hindi (Our National Language, one that binds all people of this Nation together, as well as being a language for opportunities throughout India) or their respective mother tongues ( the language that binds people, especially those from the minorities, with their identity, history and culture, and without which, they are put on the path of losing their link with their heritage) , sacrificing it in favour of the Bengali language.

Following this, the linguistic minority communities within Bengal started to voice in their dissent and questioned the intent of such a move. Among the linguistic minority communities who live in Bengal, the Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars is home to one of the most linguistically diverse regions in India. Among three major non-Bengali communities who live in these regions, Nepali, which is one of the recognized National Languages of India under the VIIIth schedule of our Constitution, is the lingua franca of the Gorkha community; Kamtapuri is the mother tongue for Rajbanshi community; and, the Adivasi community in my region speak Hindi, Kurukh, Sadri, Santhali, Nepali, and other languages/dialects.

On the 30th of May, 2016 the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which is a valued alliance partner of National Democratic Alliance, held a “Samiksha Sabha” to discuss the implications of compulsory imposition of Bengali language. This meeting was attended by eminent personalities from the Nepali academia, including Shahitya Academy Award winners Shri Jiwan Namdung and Shri Prem Pradhan, representatives of top schools in the hills, like St Paul's School, St Joseph's School (North Point), St. Roberts School, Vidhya Vikash Academy, among others, along with Shri Bimal Gurung, President of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and Chief of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. The meeting concluded with these eminent personalities opposing the compulsory imposition of Bengali language among the linguistic minority communities, and they agreed to register their protest by calling for a two day voluntary closure of educational institutions (on 1st and 2nd of June) in the Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars region.

The bandh, I have been informed has been completely voluntary, peaceful, and thus successful today.

In retaliation, the Darjeeling District Administration at the behest of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has, however, filed an FIR against all the eminent people who had attended the meeting on May 30th. The FIR registered by the Inspector-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station, Darjeeling, Shri Saumyajit Roy, alleges these good people of “conspiring against the state.”, and carries the corresponding. relevant sections of the IPC.

My constituents fear that filing FIRs against these eminent personalities is just the beginning of an oppressive, authoritarian, despotic, and tyrannical regime unleashed by the Bengal government through the district administration to stifle the voices of concern and love for one’s mother tongue.

Sir, given all of the above, I humbly request you to kindly intervene and help to ensure that the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution of our nation, which are guaranteed to people from every part of West Bengal, along with the rest of the nation, are not trampled upon by Mamata Banerjee led government in West Bengal.

I urge you to help my constituents in raising their voice against such draconian and dictatorial measures adopted by the Bengal government by extending your solidarity and support to them.

I look forward to your kind support and earliest intervention.

Thanking You,
With Warm Regards,
SS Ahluwalia"

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Time for Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the BJP to deliver Gorkhaland - JAP

9:45 AM

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SS Ahluwalia

Kalimpong, July 6: The youth wing of the Jan Andolan Party today said time had come for both the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the BJP to deliver Gorkhaland to the people of the hills with Darjeeling MP S.S. Ahluwalia joining the Union cabinet.

Amir Basnet, the secretary of the Jan Yuva Ekai, said the Morcha had helped the BJP win the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat both in 2009 and 2014 on the promise of getting a separate state for the Gorkhas.

Jan Andolan Party

Via Telegraph

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Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia sworn in as cabinet minister as PM Modi reshuffles

7:40 PM

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SS Ahluwalia

5th July 2016: SS Ahluwalia, MP from Darjeeling has been inducted into the Union Cabinet as the Minister of State. This is the first instance where by Darjeeling MP is included in the Cabinet since Independence. S S Ahluwalia, on Wednesday, sworn in as minister at Rashtrapati Bhawan, as PM Modi reshuffles and expands cabinet.

A member of the Lok Sabha from Darjeeling, Ahluwalia was previously a Member of Parliament representing Bihar and Jharkhand in the Rajya Sabha in 1986-1992, 1992-1998, 2000–2006, and 2006-2012. He was also the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha till 2012 when he lost his seat from Jharkhand.

Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia and GJM chief Bimal Gurung
 with PM Narendra Modi

GJM supremo Bimal Gurung on his FB page wrote the following.
हाम्रो संसदीय क्षेत्रका माननीय सांसद श्रीमान एस.एस. आहलुवालियाजीलाई क्याबिनेटमा राज्यमन्त्री (मिनिस्टर अफ स्टेट) को भार प्रदान गरिएकोमा समग्र दार्जीलिङ पहाड़ अनि डुवर्सक्षेत्रवासीको तर्फबाट हर्ष प्रकट गर्दै माननीय प्रधानमन्त्री श्रीमान नरेन्द्र मोदीजीलाई अन्तर्ह्रदयबाटै आभार व्यक्त गर्न चाहन्छु।

स्वतन्त्र भारतको इतिहासमा दार्जीलिङका सांसदले युनियन क्याबिनेटमा स्थान पाएको यो पहिलोचोटि हो अनि उक्त पहलले भाजपा सरकारको दार्जीलिङ अनि डुवर्सक्षेत्रका मानिसहरूको निम्ति सम्मान अनि आदर भाव झल्किन्छ। माननीय सांसद एस.एस. आहलुवालियाजीले आफ्नो संसदीय क्षेत्रको निम्ति जुन दक्षता अनि इमान्दारिताको साथ कार्य गरिरहेका छन् राष्ट्र निर्माणको दिशामा पनि सोही दक्षता अनि इमान्दारिताको साथ योगदान प्रदान गर्नेछन् भन्ने हामीलाई पूर्ण विश्वास छ।
माननीय सांसद श्रीमान आहलुवालियाजीले युनियन क्याबिनेटमा प्रवेश गर्नु भनेको दार्जालिङको निम्तिमात्रै होइन तर समग्र उत्तर बंगालले उच्चस्तरको नीति निर्धारण गर्ने महत्वपूर्ण स्थानमा प्रतिनिधित्व पाउनु हो । वहाँको उक्त उपलब्धिले हाम्रो क्षेत्रलाई अझ द्रुतगतिमा प्रगतितिर अग्रसर गराउने यथेष्टै सम्भावनाहरू बड़ेर गएको छ।

माननीय सांसद श्रीमान आहलुवालियाजीलाई पनि म उक्त महत अनि प्रशसंनीय उपलब्धिको निम्ति बधाई अनि शुभकामना व्यक्त गर्दछु। माननीय प्रधानमन्त्री श्रीमान नरेन्द्र मोदीजीले दार्जीलिङ संसदीय क्षेत्रका मानिसहरूको निम्ति जुन प्रकारको इमान्दारिता अनि प्रेमभाव दर्शाउनुभएको छ यसले लामो समयदेखि थाँतीमा रहेको हाम्रो सपना पनि एकदिन अवश्यै साकार हुनेछन्।

On behalf of the people of Darjeeling and Dooars region, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi ji for appointing our Member of Parliament Shri. SS Ahluwalia as the Minister of State in his cabinet.

This is for the 1st time since independence that any MP from Darjeeling has been inducted into the Union Cabinet, and reflects the respect and inclusion that BJP government has accorded to the people living in Darjeeling and Dooars region. We are confident that our MP will serve the nation with same diligence and sincerity, with which he has served our constituency.

It is important to note that with Ahluwalia ji joining the Union Cabinet, not only Darjeeling but then entire North Bengal region will find representation at the highest policy making body in the land, who can push for transforming our region for the better.

On behalf of the people of Darjeeling, I congratulate Shri. SS Ahluwalia ji, with the appointment of Ahluwalia ji to the Cabinet, PM Narendra Modi has shown his commitment towards the people of Darjeeling, and we look forward to the day when all our long pending demands will be finally fulfilled.

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"GTA cannot be Dissolved" says Darjeeling MP S.S. Alhuwahila

9:20 AM

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SS Ahluwalia

MP to Voice Gorkhaland. Not to Defend GTA.

Writes Neeraj Zimba Tamang

The historic mandate bestowed by the people of Darjeeling Hills to Shri. S.S. Alhuwahila, MP BJP, is only for a Single Point Agenda of Gorkhaland. He is expected to deliver the wishes of his electorate, to be the advocate of the Gorkhaland cause and be its loudest VOICE in the highest political forum - the Indian Parliament.

So far, apart from speaking on a few developmental related issues in Parliament and fixing few courtesy appointments in the PMO and MHA for Bimal & Co. he has not been able to utter in the Indian Parliament, even a word "Gorkhaland" to the utter dismay and exasperation of the Indian Gorkhas who gave him such a thumping victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Now, our MP is advocating the cause and legitimacy of GTA over Gorkhaland and making loose statements like, "GTA cannot be Dissolved". This are words put to his mouth by Bimal & Co who all know very well that GTA is a unconstitutional body and be scrapped anytime. The case challanging the constitutional validity of GTA will come up for hearing soon in the Kolkata High Court under the directives of the Supreme Court. There is NO proviso in the GTA Agreement which says that GTA cannot be dissolved without the consent of the Center Government as GTA is a State Subject and the State Government can scrap it anytime.

"GTA cannot be Dissolved" says Darjeeling MP  S.S. Alhuwahila

Why is GJM so serious and scared about the dissolution of GTA.? Wasn't it was Bimal Gurung who once said Bye Bye to GTA and resigned? After signing the GTA Agreement the GJM had told the public that it was just a temporary set up and their ultimate goal is Gorkhland and that it was just on an experimental basis they had consented to GTA while catogorically accepting the region to be an "integral part of the State of West Bengal" and rhetoricially "not dropping their demand of Gorkhaland". Then why is it so vehemently protecting and propagating the validity and legitimacy of GTA?

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