Roshan Giri's peal to state education minister Partha Chatterjee

1:25 PM

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West Bengal

DARJEELING 5 July 2016 Gorkhaland Territorial Administration sabhasad Roshan Giri today said the state government has given a positive response to the demand for regularising teachers serving on voluntary basis in various high schools and higher secondary schools in the hills.

Today, Giri and the three MLAs from the hills called on state education minister Partha Chatterjee in Kolkata and served a memorandum of demand following which they got the assurance. Speaking from Kolkata, Giri said, “We met the state education minister today and submitted a memorandum of our demands regarding regularising the voluntary teachers. The minister gave us a patient hearing and positive assurance.”

At present, 519 teachers are serving voluntarily in 129 junior, high and higher secondary schools in the hills. However, these teachers now want to be regularised and have started various forms of agitation under the aegis of the Janmukti Insecure Secondary Teachers’ Organisation (JISTO) to pressurise the state government.

Roshan Giri accompanied by hill MLAs Amar Singh Rai, Sarita Rai and Rohit Sharma
met state education minister Partha Chatterjee

Besides regularisation, the GTA also wants the state government to form an ad-hoc selection board, giving permanent status to the headmasters of various schools currently holding temporary posts and a raise in salary of the voluntary teachers.

“There are schools in the hills that have headmasters who have been given temporary charge. We want permanent status for them for the smooth functioning of the schools. We also raised the issue of enhancement of salary of the voluntary teachers as assured by the state government in 2014,” Giri said.

According to the GTA sabhasad, the education minister assured the delegation that the process to regularise the voluntary teachers would start on receiving the green signal from the state chief secretary. “We have been assured that the minister would start the process to absorb the voluntary teachers, form an ad-hoc selection board and enhance salary once the state chief secretary gives the directions,” said Giri.

When asked for his comment on the development, JISTO coordinator Amit Gurung said, “We have not received any information yet about the meeting between the GTA and the state education minister. We will first wait for the details of the proposed ad-hoc selection board to see if it benefits us and comment only then.”

A discrepancy to be noted here is that on May 20 last month, the joint secretary of the state school education department had written to the home and hill affairs department stating that regularisation, absorption and appointment of voluntary teachers in the GTA could not be entertained until they secure their candidature through the West Bengal School Service Commission, which ironically, has remained defunct in the hills since 2003.

Telegraph - The GTA Sabha member in charge of education, Roshan Giri, met state education minister Partha Chatterjee today and demanded that an ad hoc selection board be formed to make the 500-odd voluntary teachers in the hills permanent.

Giri, who was accompanied by hill MLAs Amar Singh Rai, Sarita Rai and Rohit Sharma, said: "We have demanded that an ad hoc selection board be formed to absorb the 519 voluntary teachers in the hills. Since 2003, the SSC (School Service Commission) has been lying defunct and that is why the managing committees of the schools have had to recruit voluntary teachers. After having served for so long, it is justified that their (the teachers') services are regularised."

Chatterjee, however, said there would be no separate system for recruiting hill teachers. "The system followed in the plains will have to be followed in the hills as well," he said after meeting Giri at Bikash Bhavan in Calcutta.

Via   EOI and Telegraph

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विधायिका सरिता राईले पहाड़को प्राथमिक शिक्षा, कृषि विश्वविद्यालय, केन्द्रिय विश्वविद्यालयको निर्माण गरिनुपर्ने विषयमा जोड़ दिइन्

10:13 AM

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Sarita Rai

विधायिका सरिता राईले दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को प्राथमिक शिक्षा व्यवस्थाको सुढृढ़ीकरण, कालेबुङको उत्तर बंग कृषि विश्वविद्यालयको पुनर्सञ्चालन, केन्द्रिय विश्वविद्यालय निर्माण गरिनुपर्ने विषयमा जोड़ दिइन्।

विधानसभामा आफ्नो सम्बोधनको क्रममा कालेबुङ विधानसभा समष्टिक्षेत्रका विधायिका सरिता राईले दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को प्राथमिक शिक्षा व्यवस्थाको सुढृढ़ीकरण, कालेबुङको उत्तर बंग कृषि विश्वविद्यालयको पुनर्सञ्चालन एवं अनि सबै वर्गका कर्मचारीहरूको समान सहुलियत अनि अवसर प्रदान गरिनुपर्ने विषयमा जोड़ दिइन्।
गत 17 जूनको दिन राज्यपाल केशरीनाथ त्रिपाठीले समग्र राज्यवासीहरूको पक्षमा राज्यवासीहरूलाई समान विकासतिर अग्रसर गरिनुपर्ने, उत्तर बंगालक्षेत्रका चियाकमान अनि चियाश्रमिकहरूको उत्थान गरिनुपर्ने तथा राज्यमा सर्वाङ्गीन शिक्षा विकास गरिनुपर्ने विषयहरूमाथि आफ्नो वक्तव्य पेश गरेका थिए भने उक्त प्रस्तावहरूमाथि प्रतिक्रिया व्यक्त गर्नको निम्ति विधायिका राईलाई आज 5 मिनटको समय दिइएको थियो। सोही अवधिमा उनले राज्यपालको उक्त वक्तव्यको स्वागत अनि समर्थन गर्दै दार्जीलिङ पहाड़का उक्त तीनवटा महत्वपूर्ण मुद्दाहरूमा विधानसभामा प्रस्तुत गरेकी हुन्।

कालेबुङका विधायिकाले मुख्यरूपमा अव्यवस्थित अनि अचल प्रायः अवस्थामा रहिआएका कालेबुङका उत्तर बंग कृषि विश्वविद्यालयलाई व्यवस्थितरूपमा सञ्चालन गरिनुपर्ने विषयमा जोड़ दिइन्। उक्त विश्वविद्यालयको 30 ऐकर जमीन हालसमाम पनि सुरक्षित रहेको उल्लेख गर्दै विधायिका राईले भनिन्- कालेबुङ दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को सबैभन्दा ठूलो महकुमा हो अनि यस महकुमाभित्र 60 प्रतिशतभन्दा अधिक मानिसहरू कृषिमाथि नै निर्भर रहेका छन्। यसैले सोचनीय अवस्थामा रहेको कालेबुङको कृषि विश्वविद्यालयलाई व्यवस्थित बनाई सुचारूरूपमा सञ्चालन गरिएको खण्डमा यसक्षेत्रका कृषिसित सम्बन्धित उक्त मानिसहरूलाई धेरै सहयोग प्राप्त हुनेछन्। यस क्षेत्रका विद्यार्थी अनि किसानहरूलाई कृषिको क्षेत्रमा नयाँ तकनीक अनि कौशलहरू सिक्ने अवसर प्राप्त हुनेछ। यसैले राज्य सरकारले यस विषयलाई गम्भीरतापूर्वक लिइदिने म उक्त क्षेत्रको विधायिकाको नाताले अपील गर्दछु। यसरी कालेबुङका उत्तर बंग कृषि विश्वविद्यालयको समस्यामाथि बोल्दा आज राज्यका कृषि मन्त्री पुर्नेन्दु बोस पनि विधानसभामा नै रहेका थिए भने विधायिकाले कृषि मन्त्रीलाई पनि यस विषयमा ध्यान दिने अपील गरिन्।

सरिता राई

यसबाहेक विधायिका राईले दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को प्राथमिक शिक्षा व्यवस्थामाथि पनि चिन्ता व्यक्त गर्दै राज्य सरकारले यस दिशामा पनि पहल गर्न आवश्यक रहेको आफ्नो सम्बोधनको क्रममा विचार व्यक्त गरिन्। मुख्यरूपले दार्जीलिङ पहाड़का प्राथमिक पाठशालाहरूमा लामो समयदेखि शिक्षक नियुक्ति नभएको कारणले गम्भीर समस्या उत्पन्न भइरहेको उल्लेख गर्दै उनले भनिन्- दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को प्राथमिक पाठशालाहरूमा धेरै लामो समयदेखि शिक्षक नियुक्ति गरिएको छैन। अधिकाशं विद्यालयहरूमा सबै शिक्षकहरू अवकाश ग्रहण गरिसकेका छन् भने धेरैवटा पाठशालाहरू प्रधान अध्यापकबिनै अनि केवल स्वयंसेवी अनि अस्थायी अनि पारा शिक्षकहरूको भरमा सञ्चालन भइरहेको छ। यसले गर्दा धेरै पाठशालाहरूमा ताला लाग्ने अवस्था रहिआएको छ भने बाँकी अन्य पाठशालाहरूमा पनि शिक्षा व्यवस्था डावाँडोल अवस्थामा रहिआएको छ। यसैले पहाड़को प्राथमिक शिक्षाको विकास अनि व्यवस्थापन गर्नुको निम्ति सरकारले शिक्षक नियुक्तिको साथसाथै विभिन्न समस्याहरूको निराकरणमाथि ध्यान दिन राज्य सरकारप्रति म अपील गर्दछु। विधायिका राईले सम्बोधनको क्रममा विधानसभामै उपस्थित रहेका शिक्षामन्त्री पार्थ च्याटर्जीलाई पनि यस विषयमा पहल गरिदिने अपील गरिन्।

हिजो दार्जीलिङ विधानसभाका विधायक अमरसिहँ राईले विधानसभामा उठान गरेको सी अनि डी वर्गका कर्मचारीहरूसितै ए अनि बी वर्गका कर्मचारीहरूको पनि वेतन वृद्धि गरिनुपर्ने वक्तव्यलाई पनि समर्थन जनाइन्।
यस विषयमा जोड़ दिँदै उनले भनिन्- सी अनि डी वर्गका कर्मचारीहरूको मात्रै वेतन वृद्धि गरिएपछि दार्जीलिङ पहाड़मा पनि ए अनि बी वर्गका कर्मचारीहरू असन्तुष्ट भएर धरना अनि आन्दोलन गरिरहेका छन्। यसले गर्दा जीटीएलाई प्रशासनिक कार्यहरूमा पनि धेरै बाधा भइरहेको छ। ए अनि बी वर्गका कर्मचारीहरूमा अभियन्ता, शिक्षकलगायत अन्य महत्वपूर्ण ओहोदाका कर्मचारीहरू पर्न जान्छन्। तथापि उनीहरूको वेतन वृद्धि नभई सी अनि डी को मात्रै वृद्धि भएकोले गर्दा तनाखाको हिसाबमा उनीहरू सी अनि डी कर्मचारीहरूभन्दा पछाड़िएका छन्। यसैले उनीहरू आन्दोलनमा उत्रिएका छन्। यस गम्भीर समस्यामाथि विचार गरी राज्य सरकारले यथाशीघ्र समाधानसूत्र निकाल्न आवश्यक रहेको छ।

यसबाहेक कालेबुङका विधायिकाले जीटीएको सम्झौतामा पनि उल्लेख रहेको केन्द्रिय विश्वविद्यालय निर्माणको निम्ति पनि राज्य सरकारले आफ्नो तर्फबाट आवश्यक सहयोगहरू जीटीएलाई पुराइदिने पनि अपील गरिन्।

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तीन विधायकहरूले ममता व्यानर्जीसित कालेबुङ जिल्ला गठनको घोषणाको निम्ति आभार व्यक्त गरयो

11:28 PM

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Sarita Rai

दार्जीलिङ, कालेबुङ अनि खरसाङका तीनजना विधायकहरू क्रमैले श्री अमर सिहं राई, श्रीमती सरिता राई अनि डा. रोहित शर्माले आज माननीय मुख्यमन्त्री सुश्री ममता व्यानर्जीसित भेटवार्ता गरी कालेबुङ जिल्ला गठनको घोषणाको निम्ति आभार व्यक्त गर्दै दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को जनतालाई प्रशासनिक सुविधा प्रदान गर्नुको निम्ति अझै थप जिल्ला अनि महकुमाहरू निर्माण गर्नुपर्ने माग पनि पेश गरयो।

विधानसभामा आज माननीय राज्यपाल केशरीनाथ तिवारीजीको सम्बोधन कार्यक्रमको समापनपछि तीनजना विधायकले सुश्री ममता व्यानर्जीले उनकै च्याम्बरमा गएर सौहार्दमूलक भेटघाट अनि बातचीत गरेको थियो। विशेषरूपले कालेबुङलाई जिल्ला बनाउने प्रक्रिया शुरू गरिएकोमा माननीय मुख्यमन्त्री महोदयालाई समग्र पहाड़वासीको पक्षमा धन्यबाद दिइयो। यसको साथसाथमा खरसाङ महकुमालाई पनि जिल्ला बनाइनुपर्ने, मिरिकलाई महकुमा बनाइनुपर्ने तथा दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को सर्ववृहत खण्ड विकास क्षेत्र बिजनबारीलाई पनि महकुमा बनाइनुपर्ने पनि मुख्यमन्त्रीसमक्ष अपील गरियो। पहाड़का मानिसहरूले दीर्घकालदेखि विभिन्न प्रशासनिक समस्याहरू झेलिरहेको कारणले गर्दा जिल्ला अनि महकुमाहरूको विस्तार गरिन आवश्यक रहेको पनि मुख्यमन्त्रीलाई अवगत गराइयो।

तीन विधायकहरूले ममता व्यानर्जीसित कालेबुङ जिल्ला गठनको घोषणाको निम्ति आभार व्यक्त गरयो

मुख्यमन्त्री ममता व्यानर्जीले पनि पहाड़का विधायकहरूको उक्त अपीललाई सम्मान गर्दै सकरात्मक आश्वासन प्रदान गर्नुभएको छ। जिल्ला अनि महकुमा विस्तारकार्यको निम्ति थुप्रै औपचारिकता अनि पूर्वाधारहरूमाथि कार्य गर्नुपर्ने हुनाले यस विषय़मा चाड़ै कार्यान्वन गर्न नसकिने भएतापनि भविष्यमा उक्त विषयहरूमाथि राज्य सरकारले अवश्यै सकरात्मप पहल गर्ने माननीय मुख्यमन्त्री महोदयाले आश्वासन प्रदान गर्नुभएको छ।

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Gorkha MLAs took their legislature oaths in Nepali

10:03 AM

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Sarita Rai

All the hill MLAs Mrs. Sarita Rai from Kalimpong, Dr. Rohit Sharma from Kurseong and Mr. Amar Rai  Darjeeling took their legislature oaths in our mother-tongue Nepali in the West Bengal Legislature Assembly. The entire Gorkha Community have praised their action and effort to preserve our language Nepali as their voice will be representing the entire Indian Gorkha Community. We, on behalf of the entire Indian Gorkha Community has requested the 5 gorkha MLAs to take the oath in our mother mother-tongue Details here (Request to Gorkha MLAs to take an oath in Nepali Language). Thank you all for taking our request into consideration.

This is the 1st time in the History that all the three Hill MLAs have taken their oath in Nepali.

As such various Gorkha Community pro organisations, associations and institution have been repeatedly highlighting instances of Linguistic Imperialism imposed by Bengal on our land and our people and this gesture of unity and solidarity by our MLAs will go a long way in letting Bengal know that they cannot continue to take our Language and our people for granted.

From the left Mr. Amar Rai from Darjeeling Mrs. Sarita Rai from Kalimpong
and Dr. Rohit Sharma from Kurseong 

Similarly, The Gorkha MLA from Barchalla LAC Shri Ganesh Limbu took an oath in Nepali language administered by Pro-term Speaker Sjt Phani Bhusan Choudhury in Assam Assembly. We thank him for fulfilling the wish of not only the Gorkhas of Assam but entire Indian Gorkha Community.

Bimal Gurung  on his FB Wall Wrote:
दार्जीलिङ पहाड़का तीनजना विधायकहरू क्रमैले श्री अमर सिहं राई( दार्जीलिङ), डा. रोहित शर्मा (खरसाङ) अनि श्रीमती सरिता राई (कालेबुङ)-ले आज विधानसभामा विधायकको रूपमा आफ्नो मातृभाषा अर्थात् नेपाली भाषामै शपथ ग्रहण गरे।

20 अगस्त 1992 सालमा नै भारतीय सविंधानको आठौं अनुसूचिमा अन्तर्भुक्त भइसकेको नेपाली भाषामा नै शपथ ग्रहण गरेर आफ्नो मातृभाषालाई सम्मान अनि गरिमा प्रदान गरेकोमा म तीनैजना विधायकहरूलाई बधाई व्यक्त गर्दछु।

नेपाली भाषाको प्रयोगलाई लिएर गोरखाल्याण्ड क्षेत्रीय प्रशासन अघिदेखि नै निक्कै गम्भीर रहेको छ। जीटीएको अधिकारक्षेत्रमा रहेका कार्यालयहरूमा धेरै अघिदेखि नै नेपाली भाषालाई सरकारी तौरमा प्रयोग गरिदै आइरहेको छ भने प्रधानमन्त्री, मुख्यमन्त्रीलगायत अन्य मन्त्री तथा विधायकहरूलाई पनि जीटीएले नेपाली अनि अंग्रेजी भाषामा पत्राचार गर्ने गरेका छन्।

आज विधानसभामा नेपाली भाषामा विधायकको रूपमा शपथ ग्रहण गरेर पहाड़का तीनैजना विधायकहरूले नेपाली भाषाको उच्च सम्मान राखेका छन् भने यो क्रमलाई निरन्तरता दिँदै दार्जीलिङ पहाड़का समग्र विद्यार्थी, शिक्षक, अधिकारी, कर्मचारीलगायत सबैले आफ्नो मातृभाषालाई नहिच्किचाइकन प्रयोग गरेर यसको प्रतिष्ठा अनि सम्मान बनाइराख्ने पनि म आह्वान गर्छु।

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Request to Gorkha MLAs to take an oath in Nepali Language

1:08 PM

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West Bengal

21st May 2016: We, on behalf of the entire Indian Gorkha Community, first of all congratulate the newly elected Gorkha MLAs Bhaskar Sharma and Ganesh Limbu from Assam and Amar Rai, Sarita Rai and Dr. Rohit Sharma West Bengal and request you all to Kindly take Oath in Nepali Language as your voice will be representing the entire Indian Gorkha Community. We want the language, "Nepali Language", which is recognized by the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution to be used in such an event. The recognition achieved through such a historical  struggle popularly known as Bhasa Andolan.

Fighting for Nepali Language Recognition in Indian Constitution  - File Photo

Resham Sharma posted the following open letter on May 20 at 8:01pm in "The Gorkha Times Assam" FB fan page

As the Oath Ceremony is going to take place on 24th May, 2016 at Khanapara Field, Guwahati, We "The Gorkha Times Assam" request our two Honourable MLA Bhaskar Sharma and Ganesh Limbu Sir to take Oath in Nepali Language and make our existence feel in the Assam Assembly. Your voice will be representing 24 lakh Gorkha Peoples of Assam.

[Writes in : Resham Sharma]

Dear Sir,
We Got recognition of our Language by the Indian Government on 20th August, 1992, but the use of the language in Parliament or Secretariat Bhawan is very less. We don't get much opportunity to hear our language in such Important places. As you both have finally made it to the Assam Assembly, we want to hear you taking oath in our mother language.

Previously, Honourable MLA Sanjay Raj Subba Sir did it and took oath in our language. So, the 24 lakh Gorkha Peoples of Assam is waiting to see you both taking oath in our language.
Its a Request from all of us.

Thanking You,
With Best Wishes.
Jai Hind
Jai Gorkha
Jai Aai Asom

Here is the other version of the open letter to  MLAs Bhaskar Sharma and Ganesh Limbu from Assam Rupak chetri.

Writes Rupak chetri

As the Oath Ceremony is going to take place on 24th May, 2016 at Khanapara Field, Guwahati, We "The Gorkha of Nagaland blog along with Gorkha Civil bodies of Nagaland request our two Honourable MLA Bhaskar Sharma and Ganesh Limbu Sir to take Oath in Nepali Language and make our existence feel in the Assam Assembly and other States where our Gorkha lived. Your voice will be representing 24 lakh Gorkha Peoples of Assam as well as the other states where our Gorkha citizens lived .

Dear Sir,
We Got recognition of our Language by the Indian Government on 20th August, 1992, but the use of the language in Parliament or Secretariat Bhawan is very less. We don't get much opportunity to hear our language in such Important places. As you both have finally made it to the Assam Assembly, we want to hear you taking oath in our mother language.

Previously, Honourable MLA Sanjay Raj Subba Sir did it and took oath in our language. So, the 24 lakh Gorkha Peoples of Assam is waiting to see you both taking oath in our language.
Its a Request from all of us.
Thanking You,

With Best Wishes.
Rupak chetri
Jai Hind
Jai Gorkha

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GJM Sarita Rai defeated JAP Harka Bahadur Chhetri in Kalimpong by over 11,000 votes

9:19 AM

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Sarita Rai

Kalimpong, May 19: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha candidate Sarita Rai defeated Harka Bahadur Chhetri in Kalimpong today by over 11,000 votes, leading to a clean sweep by the Darjeeling hills' most powerful party.

But the loss of Chhetri, the sitting MLA of Kalimpong who had broken from the Morcha and floated the Jana Andolan Party (JAP), gives rise to a fear that the new Trinamul government could put in abeyance its previous decision to form a separate Kalimpong district, a plank on which the JAP had fought the elections with support from Trinamul.

Morcha chief Bimal Gurung, whose party won Darjeeling and Kurseong as well, today surprisingly extended an olive branch to Mamata Banerjee soon after the results were declared and said that differences should be set aside and they must work together.

Gurung's relations with Mamata are currently at an all-time low and Mamata had fully extended support to Harka during the Assembly election.

GJM Sarita Rai Won by 11217 vote at ‪‎Kalimpong‬ Constituency

The outgoing government, while announcing the decision to form a Kalimpong district last December, had explicitly said that its decision was influenced by Chhetri, who had quit the Morcha and raised the district issue.

Chhetri today said his loss indicated that the people of Kalimpong were not in favour of the district, but he will render all possible help to the new MLA in realising the objective as it is for the good of the people of Kalimpong.

"Now it is the responsibility of the new MLA because I am no longer in that place...Whatever effort needs to be made from my side, I will definitely do that. But, unfortunately, the people of Kalimpong have decided otherwise. They feel the district is not important to them. However, if the new MLA wants my help at any point in time, I will definitely extend that help because it is for the betterment of the people of Kalimpong," he said.

Asked if he was hopeful that the new Trinamul government would act on the decision taken by the party's previous government, Chhetri put the onus on the chief minister. "It is up to the will of the honourable chief minister. It has the cabinet committee approval. I think it should be taken forward," he said.

Telegraph

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Gorkha Janmukti Morcha Win is a Mandate for Hill Unity

9:02 AM

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TMC

Darjeeling, Kalmpong and Kurseong 19th May 2016 The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has won all the three seats from the three constituencies in the hills, defeating the allied forces of the Jan Andolan Party, the Trinamool Congress and the Gorkha National Liberation Front. However, the victory margin was a far cry from what the party had achieved in the 2011 Assembly election.

- Amar Singh Rai, the GJM candidate from Darjeeling, polled 95,386 votes to defeat his closest rival Saradha Subba of the TMC by a margin of 49,913 votes, with her polling 45,473.

- In Kurseong, GJM candidate and former MLA Rohit Sharma got 86,947 votes as against 53,221 polled by TMC candidate Shanta Chhetri, with the win margin standing at 33,726 votes.

- Kalimpong witnessed a close fight between GJM candidate Sarita Rai and JAP president Harka Bahadur Chhetri, with the former garnering 67,693 and the latter 56,262 votes. Rai managed to win by a margin of 11,431 votes.

Thursday evening saw euphoric scenes in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong as GJM supporters who had gathered near the counting centres started singing and dancing after the results were announced. In Darjeeling, GJM supporters burst firecrackers and distributed sweets. In Kalimpong, GJM president Bimal Gurung walked nearly 2km from the counting centre to Dambar Chowk distributing sweets, and in Kurseong, GJM supporters gathered at the railway station to celebrate and savour the moment of victory.

Bimal Gurung after  Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has won all the three seats from the three constituencies in the hills

The GJM welcomed the victory but party leaders appeared a bit thoughtful with the margin of win as in the previous election, each party candidate had won resoundingly over their rivals, by at least 1 lakh votes. The GJM president though reacted realistically to the outcome saying there were several things to be addressed. “We were confident about our victory as the people are with us. A win is a win nonetheless irrespective of the margin. However, we will definitely identify our lapses and mend them,” said Gurung in Kalimpong.

The GJM chief also congratulated TMC chief Mamata Banerjee for retaining power and expressed hope that the two sides could work together for the welfare of the hill people. Meanwhile, Chhetri, the JAP candidate and party president, expressed optimism at the outcome. “In such a short span of time we have received good response from the people. We could have fared better had the election been conducted fairly. However, our party was not formed for elections and as such we will continue to work for the people,” Chhetri said, adding his party would contest all elections in the hills henceforth.

Amar Singh Rai said, “We respect the decision of the people but we have observed that votes in favour of the opposition have increased in comparison to previous polls.” Political observers said the lower victory margin for the GJM was the outcome of several factors and it has cast a shadow on the GJM even in victory. “Overall, the GJM’s vote bank was affected by the formation of the community development boards and the TMC-JAP- GNLF alliance. In Kalimpong, the JAP played the separate district card to their advantage and managed to snatch votes,” an observer said.


Via: ECOI

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Gorkha Janamukti Morcha Wins all 3 Hill Constituencies in Assembly Election 2016

3:15 PM

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Trinamool Congress

19th May 2016 Gorkha Janamukti Morcha has won all three Hill Constituencies, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong in Assembly Election 2016.‎ Morcha candidates Amar Rai won from Darjeeling Dr Rohit Sharma won from Kurseong and Sarita Rai from Kalimpong.

Amar Rai, Darjeeling Municipal Chairman, secured  95386  votes and won by 49913 votes in Darjeeling where TMC Sarad Rai Subba got 45473 votes.

GJM‬ candidate Sarita Rai with 67693 votes Won by 11431 vote at ‪Kalimpong‬ Constituency where she had to face a tough fight from former MLA Dr Harka Bahadur Chettri Jan Andolan Party ( JAP) with around 56262 votes.

Similarly, In Kurseong  Dr. Rohit Sharma was able to retain his Legislative Assembly seat. Dr Sharma got over 86947 and comfortably won by 33726 votes. Shanta Chhetri for All India Trinamool Congress got around 53221 votes from the constituency.

 GJM candidates Amar Rai won from Darjeeling, Dr Rohit Sharma won from Kurseong and Sarita Rai from Kalimpong.

With GJM winning in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, Congress is winning in Matigara, Phansidewa and Islampur and CPI(M) winning in Siliguri there is no trace of TMC in Darjeeling District.

The tie up of GJM & BJP secured the alliance a total of seven seats in West Bengal, the best so far for BJP in the state. While BJP won Kharagpur and Baisnabnagar, its alliance with GJM sealed the victory in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Kalchini and Madarihat.

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The hills have eyes: has GJM met its nemesis in Harka Bahadur Chettri?

2:41 PM

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Video

There was great need for such a party in the hills, claims Harka, as all other parties have let the people down. "The common man in the hills has suffered immensely because of communal politics. Even the demand for Gorkhaland has been communalised. I want to take people away from this," he says.

The JAP is supported by the Trinamool Congress, which has made some voters uncomfortable given the ruling party's opposition to the creation of Gorkhaland. But Harka insists the alliance won't compromise his party's Gorkhaland agenda.

"I could have joined the Trinamool but that wouldn't have helped my agenda. Formation of Gorkhaland is the number one point in our manifesto, but it is a process," he says. "I want to empower the people of the hills first and create the necessary infrastructure. People have been deprived of basic necessities like food, water, roads, employment, education and healthcare, nothing is taken care of. For me the term 'Gorkhaland' is not a vote-catcher like it has been until now."

"Also," he adds, "the hill people consider the Trinamool a Bengali party and don't trust them. Had I joined the party, I would have been finished."

Taking a dig at the GJM, he says, "A party which has been unable to provide even water to the people of the hills claims they will get them a separate state of Gorkhaland."

Harka was initially declared a Trinamool nominee, Mamata Banerjee herself announcing his name as part of the party's candidates list in February. But he quickly clarified that he would be contesting on a JAP ticket.

Unlikely allies

Although Harka swears by Gorkhaland and Mamata is dead set against it, they seem to be getting along quite well. Harka was instrumental in getting the Mamata government to approve district status for Kalimpong. The bill to effect the change, though, is yet to be passed by the assembly.

"Practically speaking, you can't get anything from the state government if you don't maintain a cordial relationship with them, especially if you really want to work for the people. Having said that, I have never compromised the welfare of the people. I am thoroughly satisfied with the cabinet approval for the district status for Kalimpong. I have been working for it ever since I was elected in 2011. This has only happened because of my good relationship with the state government," he says.

Making Kalimpong a district, Harka argues, is a step in the direction of creating the state of Gorkhaland. "When more districts come under the proposed area of Gorkhaland, we will have more MLAs and MPs. The demand for Gorkhaland will become more valid."

"Only a fool will raise the Gorkhaland demand in the assembly. It has to be raised in the Parliament as only parliamentarians can decide whether or not Gorkhaland can be formed," he argues. "The state is not the forum. Hence, my relationship with the state government has no effect on my demand for Gorkhaland."

His rivals, chiefly the GJM, however, see the proposed demarcation of Kalimpong district as an attempt to weaken the movement for Gorkhaland. The party's General Secretary Roshan Giri argued that it was an "extremely cunning" move on Mamata's part. "This is a move to influence the people of Kalimpong and separate them from the other parts of the hills. This move is an attempt to weaken our movement," he told Catch.

Harka rejects the GJM's argument. "Our agenda for forming a separate state of Gorkhaland may be the same, but our plans for making that happen are as different as heaven and hell," he says.

Indeed, it was his opposition to GJM's methods, Harka says, that compelled him to part ways. The GJM had won Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong in the 2011 assembly election, only to order its legislators to resign in protest against the alleged "interference of the state government in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration". The GTA is an elected semi-autonomous body that administers the hills, and is currently run by the GJM.

Harka refused to resign, however. He quit the party instead and continued as an independent MLA.

"There were hardly an similarities between me and GJM. But I realised this too late," he says. "I thought good sense would prevail but that didn't happen. A number of positions were offered to me by the state government that would have benefited our people but I wasn't allowed to accept them by the party."

Safety first
Although he leads his own party now, Harka is treading cautiously. He has decided against fielding a candidate from Darjeeling or Kurseong "owing to limited resources". "We are very new. It has been just three months since we founded the party. We do not have enough resources to contest elections from other areas as of now. However, I am confident that the people of Kalimpong will choose me."

Via: Catch News

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The hills have eyes: Can Sarita Rai Stop the Harka Juggernaut?

2:23 PM

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TMC

Writes: Priyata Brajabasi

GJM's Sarita Rai, a first-time contestant who, interestingly, once taught with Harka at St George's Higher Secondary School in Pedong. She is quite confident of her prospects.

"I have known Harka Bahadur Chettri as my colleague. We used to be in the same party but he was unable to take the responsibility and fight for the cause of the hill people. He is being backed by the TMC and the people of the hills will not support TMC because the party is against our demand for the state of Gorkhaland," she says.

"Every person in the hills faces a crisis of identity. We have been put in a state but are not part of it. We are called Nepalis and Sikkimese and Chinese, but we are Gorkhas and we have been part of India since time immemorial. People will vote for me because I understand what the people of this place want. They want to belong to a place that is theirs and I will fight for it till my last breath. The solution of our issues is the formation of Gorkhland."

Sarita Rai GJM Kalimpong

Sarita Rai isn't bothered by the decision of the Gorkha National Liberation Front to support the Trinamool in Kurseong and Darjeeling, and the JAP in Kalimpong. "GNLF is barely surviving. Their support or opposition doesn't matter to us. It will barely affect the outcome," she asserts.

Harka disagrees, saying GNLF's support could decide the contest. "Their support is welcome to us. The last time I contested against the GNLF, and they were able to get more than 8000 votes, which is not a small number here. So it could be a deciding factor."

The battle for ballot in Kalimpong is an interesting one to watch, indeed.


Via Catch News

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Sarita Rai, GJM's Kalimpong MLA candidate Surprise - Will it work?

10:07 AM

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Sarita Rai

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha yesterday announced candidates’ names from the hills and the plains for the state Assembly election, and sprang a surprise by pitching a female candidate from Kalimpong constituency to take on MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri.

It was no surprise about Rohit Sharma, the incumbent legislator from Kurseong, being retained, while Darjeeling municipality chairman Amar Singh Rai, a member of the GJM’s Study Forum, was nominated from Darjeeling constituency. The surprise announcement however, was of school teacher Sarita Rai, being fielded from Kalimpong constituency. Rai is a teacher at St. George’s School, Pedong and she will be locking horns with her colleague, the president of the Jan Andolan Party. Rai (58) teaches Nepali at St. George’s, while Chhetri is a Science teacher at the school.

According to GJM sources, the party leadership was apprehensive of Chhetri’s support base in Kalimpong and wanted to field someone with a clean image. Hence they zeroed in on Rai to gain a surprise edge. Apart from being the only female candidate to be fielded, Rai was also the president of the GJM women’s wing of Kalimpong sub-division till 2013. She is not known to be outspoken or to have an aggressive stance, but the sources said Rai is well-known in

Sarita Rai GJM candidate fielded from Kalimpong constituency

Kalimpong and wielded quite an influence on the various units of the GJM in the region. Her past record could be utilised for good stead by the party when it would matter most, they added.

Announcing the candidates’ names, GJM president Bimal Gurung said, “We must look beyond personal interests and strive to work for the people. We must not feel unhappy when things do not happen according to our wishes, and remain positive to make the future better.” He praised Sharma, the candidate from Kurseong, for his wholehearted support to the statehood cause.

Urging the three candidates to work for the people with sincerity and diligence, the GJM chief said, “We have given three able candidates from the hills. They are all qualified in their respective fields and we hope they get popular people support to ensure their victory.” He also asked the GTA Sabhasads, municipal councilors and the party’s frontal organisations to ensure the victory of the three candidates.

Responding to her nomination, Rai said she was taken utterly by surprise. “When I left home this morning for Darjeeling to attend this programme, not once did it occur to me that I would be nominated by the party from Kalimpong. When our party president announced my name, it took me some time to come to terms with the development,” said Rai, who was sitting in the audience section unlike the other two nominees, who were on the dais.

When asked how she planned to take on her colleague, the JAP president, in the political arena, Rai was diplomatic. “We were inspired by him both at school and in the party,” she said. “And he has left the party at a time when the hills, and Kalimpong particularly, is dealing with the issues of a separate district and community development boards. But, ‘mudda’ (political issues) and friendship are two different things and I would like to keep them that way and continue working for what my party stands for.”

Meanwhile, Gurung said the GJM has decided to field advocate Altamus Chowdhury from Islampur, Haji Nasir Ahmed Khan from Chopra and Bishal Lama from Kalchini on party tickets, and extend support to BJP candidates John Barla in Nagarkatta, Manoj Tigga in Madirahat and Lewis Kujur in Kumargram. He however, was non committal on naming candidates from Siliguri and said he would wait for the BJP to make a move first. “The BJP is yet to announce candidates from Siliguri. And we will take a decision only after the announcement,” he said.

The GJM today also made public the party’s election manifesto on expected lines: by giving top priority to the statehood demand, and promising to pursue the issues of securing ‘parcha-patta’ for tea garden workers, tribal status for hill communities, a central university, and reintroducing the three-tier panchayat system along with the social and educational development of the region.

[Via: ECOI, Pics: Biren Lama Tamang]

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