Stone Thrown at GNLF Mann Ghishing's convoy, 1 Arrested

9:59 PM

•

Mann Ghisingh

A stone was allegedly thrown on the convoy of Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) president Mann Ghisingh in Kurseong town as he returned from a public meeting in Garidhura in the plains on Monday. The GNLF has filed an FIR at the Kurseong police station in this regard, while the police said they have already arrested the accused.

Talking to reporters, GNLF Kurseong branch president Daya Dewan said that they held a rally and a meeting at Garidhura on Monday and that they were returning from there in the evening when one person hurled a stone on the convoy and hit the vehicle of Mann Ghisingh. “The person also used foul languages. However, as CRPF personnel had been deployed there, the person was immediately arrested,” Dewan said.

According to him, the arrested person belonged to the youth wing of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) and a resident of Giddhapahar in Kurseong. Sources said he was drunk. Kurseong Police IC Sukumar Ghosh said that as police personnel had already been deployed near the Kurseong Motar stand, the situation did not get out of hand.

Ghosh said that a case has been filed against the accused, Neeraj Khawas. Notably,campaigning for the demand for the sixth schedule status of the Indian constitution for Darjeeling Hills, the GNLF has been organising rallies and meetings at different places in and around Kurseong. Party general secretary Mahendra Chettri said that after Kurseong, they will organise such programmes at different places in Darjeeling and Kalimpong subdivisions.

Source : SNS

READ MORE

Bibechana Gurung one of the finalist of India's Best Dramebaaz Season Two

1:20 PM

•

TV News

Indian Gorkha, Miss Bibechana (Gungun), one of the finalists of India's Best Dramebaaz Season Two is the pride of gorkhas in India. 12 years old Bibechana Gurung hails from Kurseong and also studies in Dow Hill School in Kurseong.  Her mother is from Bharnabari Tea Garden, Hasimara in ‪‎Dooars.

What is India's Best Dramebaaz?
India's Best Dramebaaz is a Indian reality show. A talent show for children where they will be judged for their acting capabilities. They will also undergo through a series of tasks and challenges which will groom them as actors.

Channel : Zee TV
Days : Sat-Sun
Timings - 09.30pm Onwards

Bibechana Gurung one of the finalist of India's Best Dramebaaz Season Two

About Bibechna Gurung
She lives with her father who is in the police, her mother a homemaker and her elder sister. She started dancing when she was 3 years old and learnt learnt kathak from her mother. She learnt Bharatnatayam and Hip-Hop and considers Madhuri Dixit to be her inspiration. .

READ MORE

GNLF Chief Mr. Mann Ghising became emotional in ‪Kurseong‬

11:45 AM

•

Mann Ghisingh

Darjeeling, Jan 4: Following the grand reception  received in Kurseong, GNLF Chief Mr. Mann Ghising became emotional.

Addressing the adoring public, Mr. Ghising said, “thank you for the warm welcome, your overwhelming love today made me remember my heavenly mother, following her death, it was from Kurseong that we had to take back her dead body down to the plains as GJM workers were sitting on a dharana to prevent her dead body from entering Darjeeling in order to avoid trouble in the hills, I informed Appa (Late. Subash Ghising) and we decided to go back today I am here and you all have made me feel that my mother stands vindicated thank you for all that”Mr. Mann Ghising said that in 2007, Late. Subash Ghising did not leave Darjeeling due to fear, he left the hills to avoid another round of blood-bath. Mr. Ghising said that only 6th Schedule Status for the hills would ensure true autonomy, development and fulfill the aspirations if the hill people.

He said that the “bills that reach the Parliamentary Standing Committee are never discarded, so it would be easier for the hills to gain autonomy via 6th Scheduled Status, as both the Center and the State had at one point in time agreed to the status, so it would be easier to convince the after gaining 6th Scheduled, the path to Gorkhaland statehood would open up.”

“Today I am here,” he said thanking the supporters.

On the GNLF’s stand on statehood issue, Mann said 6th Schedule Status for the hills would ensure true autonomy, development and fulfill the aspirations if the hill people.

The “bills that reach the Parliamentary Standing Committee are never discarded, so it would be easier for the hills to gain autonomy via 6th Scheduled Status, as both the Center and the State had at one point of time agreed to the status. So it would be easier to convince them.”

“.. After getting 6th Schedule, the path to Gorkhaland statehood would be faciliated,” he said.

READ MORE

Bimal Gurung to reshuffle GJM wings

7:38 AM

•

mirik

Darjeeling, Dec. 28: Bimal Gurung has decided to reshuffle the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's three important wings, central committee, core committee and Study Forum, and directed all leaders to reach out to the people.

The Morcha president today organised a meeting at Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan in Darjeeling and it was attended by members of the central committee and various frontal organisations, and elected representatives of the GTA and municipalities of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik.

After the closed door meeting, Gurung said: "We have decided to reshuffle the central committee, core committee and Study Forum. I have also directed all our elected representatives and other leaders to start visiting villages and different areas across the hills and intensify their public relations campaign."

The party's central committee consists of 93 members, while there are12 members on the core committee and eight in the Study Forum, Morcha sources said.

Gurung said public meetings would be organised in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Mirik and in the Terai and Dooars. "We will soon reshuffle the committees and then finalise the dates of the meetings," he added.

Gurung's decision to reshuffle the Morcha committees and direct his leaders to increase mass contact comes after Kalimpong MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri announced his intention to float a new political party soon.

Asked about Harka's new party, Gurung said: "We welcome the decision to form a new party. However, a party should be formed on one's strength and agenda and it should not rely on someone else."

The Morcha leader was referring to Mamata Banerjee's tacit support to Harka.

Source Telegraph

READ MORE

Nepali Again Not Included as an Optional Paper in WBCS

7:52 AM

•

WBCS

This is why we NEED ‪‎Gorkhaland‬ Nepali Again Not Included as an Optional Paper in WBCS

Writes Upendra for TheDC

Insanity is often described as “doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results,” going by this definition people in Darjeeling are certifiably insane, not all but those who side with Bengal and hope time and again that Bengal will treat them differently.

Here is the news flash – they won’t.

Last year in February we had highlighted the fact that despite Nepali being one of the National Languages of India, in West Bengal, Nepali was not placed as an optional paper for West Bengal Civil Services.

Thanks to our readers, there was enough outrage, leading the Darjeeling MP Mr. SS Ahluwalai had raised this issue in the Parliament.

The then Kurseong MLA Dr. Rohit Sharma to take up the case of including Nepali as an optional paper in WBCS, and he tried his best, we have it on record that he raised the issue in the Bengal legislature, he raised the issue with Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, with the Education Minister of Bengal and also with the Chief Secretary and the Education Secretary of Bengal. All of these people assured and reassured Dr. Sharma and through him the Nepali speaking people that in 2016 Nepali will be included as an optional paper.

However, this year again, Bengal has conveniently left out Nepali from the list of optional papers that people can appear for [Details: http://bit.ly/1SJQ1Zk]

Last year when we had raised this issue, some of our “intellectuals” had questioned our motive and said, “It’s not an important issue.” Well may be not for the “intellectuals”, but for ordinary people like us, it is a matter of great significance. There are two issues here:

1. DISCRIMINATION 
In Darjeeling hills, Dooars and Terai each year thousands of students take up Nepali as an Honours or Elective subject, which means they specialize in Nepali. So when students are not allowed to pick up Nepali as an optional subject in WBCS, all these students are discriminated against, all these students are not allowed to be examined in the subject that is their strongest suit. Given which, the students do not stand a chance to compete to the best of their abilities, and these will forever continue to remain marginalized and treated as 2nd class.

The WBCS Main Examination consists of five Compulsory papers and two optional subjects – only one optional subject if applying for Group C and/or Group D – which the candidates have to choose from, from the list of given Optional Subjects.

For each optional subjects the candidates have to write two papers of 100 marks each.

This is where the Nepali students are discriminated against.

Say if someone took Nepali (Honours) or Nepali Elective in undergraduate or Masters level, and wanted to write IAS or WBCS, his/her natural choice of Optional Subject could obviously be Nepali.

While in IAS examination Nepali is included as an optional subject, but in WBCS you cannot select Nepali as an Optional paper.

Whereas, students who have studied English, Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu and Santhali – languages which are used in West Bengal, and even those who study Pali – which is declared as a dead language, or foreign languages such as Arabic, Persian, French have to face no such discrimination, and they can choose any of these languages as an Optional paper.

Sadly, the current format of WBCS leaves the Nepali speaking population of the Darjeeling hill region, Terai, Dooars and rest of West Bengal at a disadvantage.

In Bengal, Nepalis are ethnically the largest minorities, and by not including Nepali while including a dead language – Pali and three foreign languages Arabic, Persian and French which only a handful of students may learn each year, the Bengal government has shown that it treats us, and will continue to treat us as 2nd or 3rd class citizens.

For this reason, it is the DUTY of every Nepali speaking Indian, as well as equality and justice loving Indians to protest against this blatant act of discrimination on the part of West Bengal.

2. OUR RIGHTS
Language is what defines us, and gives us an identity, which is why our elders fought to get Nepali included as one of the national languages of India. However, despite the fact that Nepali has been recognized under the VIIIth scheduled of our Constitution since 1992, our language is still treated as 2nd class in Bengal. This translates to the fact that WE – the Nepali speaking have been, are, and will continue to remain a 2nd class citizen in Bengal.

Coming back to the point on insanity, I have a question for Hill Trinmool leaders, and also for Dr. Harka Bahadur Chettri who seems to be best friends with TMC regime, and those who are supporting TMC due to Development boards... don’t you guys feel even a little ashamed or sad to see our community being discriminated against this way? Do you guys seriously think and feel that Bengal will treat you all with respect and as an equal? Don’t you think you guys should speak out against such forms of discrimination with one voice?

इतिहास सक्छि छ, बंगालले हामीलाई हेला गरेको, हामीलाई हेपेको, हामीलाई कान्छी आमा को छोरा-छोरि जस्तै गरि छुट्टाको... तर पनि किन तपाईंहरु बंगाल कोइ पछी कुदी रहनु हुन्छ? Isn’t what you all are doing, insanity? Even your children will suffer as a consequence, please do reflect on these facts.

To GJM and other hill oppositions, it is high time you all spoke out against this blatant act of discrimination. Last year all of you people remained quiet, including not even a peep from the Gorkha Janmukti Vidhyarthi Morcha. We hope that this year, all of you won’t remain quiet, and protest against WE – the Gorkhalis being treated as a 2nd class citizens.

Some of our readers pointed out last year that “if we want Gorkhaland then why should we care about WBCS?” We should care because, as long as Bengal refuses to allow Gorkhaland to be formed, it is their duty to treat us as equal citizens, and by repeatedly undermining our language they have time and again proven that for them we will always remain “Ora – the others.”

This incident is clear, very clear indication of why we not just want, but NEED Gorkhaland statehood.

बंगाल साँचै हाम्रो चिहान हो... बंगालमा हामी बस्नु सक्दैनौं !!

[Links from last year reports: http://on.fb.me/1YUOBivand http://on.fb.me/1uFs9ip andhttp://on.fb.me/1YUOHqm andhttp://on.fb.me/19gil4L and http://on.fb.me/1RAydkY]

READ MORE

GJM ( Gorkha Janmukti Morcha) Now Demands 5 New Districts

8:02 PM

•

mirik

 Writes: Vivek Chhetri

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today wrote to the chief minister, demanding that five new districts, including Kalimpong, be carved out of the existing Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts.

The letter by Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri to Mamata Banerjee is seen as a move by the party to overshadow MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri's persistent pitch for the upgrade of the Kalimpong subdivision into a district.

Apart from Kalimpong, the other four districts sought by the Morcha are Kurseong, another one comprising the Terai part of Siliguri and Mirik and two more districts from the Dooars. Other than Kalimpong, the Morcha hadn't demanded the creation of the four other districts before.

The demand for the five districts, according to Morcha sources, is an attempt to galvanise support for the party across the hills and the Dooars.

In the letter to Mamata, who is currently in Bhutan, Giri has said: "I would like to bring to your notice that when the all party meeting took place on 19th August 2011 regarding the change of name of West Bengal to Paschim Banga and bifurcation of Jalpaiguri, Paschim Mednipur, Bardhaman and North 24 Parganas, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha had demanded the creation of Kalimpong district."

The Morcha has stressed the time of its demand for Kalimpong district in the letter to show that it has always been on the agenda of the party.

Kalimpong MLA Chhetri has been spearheading the district demand ever since he rebelled against the Morcha's directive to resign from the Assembly and instead quit the party on September 18.

In the letter, Giri said: "During the all-party meeting GJM had demanded that Kalimpong sub-division should be made as a district as Kalimpong is a geographically bigger area and was far from the district headquarter (Darjeeling)."

Demanding more districts, Giri said: "The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha would also demand a separate district of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Terai part of Siliguri and Mirik, and creation of two more districts from the Dooars region. ... the GJM would appeal to the government for redrawing the Darjeeling district map and Dooars region so that more central funds for development can be accessed by these proposed districts."

Asked about the Morcha's demand for four more districts, Giri said: "If more districts are created, it would definitely help the demand of Gorkhaland."

He, however, refused to say if the Morcha was chalking out any programmes for the creation of new districts.

Sources in the Morcha said the party was likely to further up its ante over the district issue in the coming days.

Observers said the Morcha's letter was an attempt by the party to snatch the Kalimpong district agenda from Chhetri. "Given the recent developments, there is a possibility of the government announcing the Kalimpong district and it seems the Morcha is not ready to give Chhetri all the credit," said an observer.

Chhetri had told The Telegraph that he would campaign for the creation of Kalimpong district as he had "phenomenal support" from the people of the hills and parties.

In the past few days, Chhetri has received support from anti-Morcha hill organisations like the ABGL, CPRM and Gorkhaland Rajya Nirman Morcha (GRNM) on the Kalimpong district demand.

Chhetri who had said he was ready to join hands with anyone for Kalimpong's benefit could not be contacted.

Soutce: Telegraph

READ MORE

Separate district status for Kurseong, Darjeeling and Mirik - Rohit Sharma

11:17 AM

•

Trilok Dewan

Morcha pats Rohit with rousing welcome
Writes Bireswar Banerjee

Over 1,000 supporters and several leaders of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha assembled at Bagdogra airport today to welcome Rohit Sharma, a party central committee member, as he returned from Calcutta after resigning as the Kurseong MLA.

The crowd led by GTA member and Morcha leader Asha Gurung waited outside the airport from 12.30pm.

Around 2.30pm, as Sharma walked out, he was surrounded by enthusiastic supporters who garlanded him and offered khada (silk scarf) as a mark of respect.

The airport premises reverberated with "Bimal Gurung zindabad," "Rohit Sharma zindabad" and "We want Gorkhaland," slogans as people greeted Sharma.

The supporters chanted " Jai Kali Mahakali, ayo ayo Gorkhali," the battle cry of the Gorkha Regiment.

Rousing Welcome for Dr. Rohit Sharma as he returned from Calcutta after resigning as the Kurseong MLA

The two other elected legislators of the hill party, Harka Bahadur Chhetri of Kalimpong and Trilok Dewan of Darjeeling, resigned from the Morcha recently. While Dewan has resigned as the MLA as well, Harka has not.

"We have been saying that the state government is interfering in the affairs of the GTA. This is unacceptable. Despite being a member of the Legislative Assembly of the state, we were never allowed to raise this issue at the Assembly. If an MLA is not allowed to speak on pertinent issues related to the hills and its people, there is no point in clinging on to the post. I have followed the party's decision and stepped down as an MLA in protest," Sharma said as the crowd cheered.

"The entire hills are with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and will continue to be with the party. Today, people from the hills proved their support to the party once again by coming here in large numbers to welcome me. I feel proud and I would like to say that the decision of these people (Chhetri and Dewan) will not affect the Morcha in any way," he added.

He also spoke about the demand for the new Kalimpong district.

"We welcome the demand and we would like to say that if the state takes a decision on it, we will also seek separate district status for Kurseong, Darjeeling and Mirik. The rise the in number of districts would augment our political strength," Sharma said.

Asha Gurung, who kept encouraging the crowd, said: "We have come here to welcome Rohit Sharma and congratulate him on his decision. In due course, it would be proved that the decision taken by two people (Chhetri and Dewan) will not have any impact on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha."

Morcha sources said Sharma was felicitated at different locations on his way to Kurseong. "He was felicitated at Sukna and Rohini. In Kurseong, a street corner was organised where he was congratulated," said R.B. Lama, a leader in Kurseong.

Airport sources said since the GTA was formed, today's Morcha gathering was one of the largest. "After several months, there has been a large assembly of Morcha supporters today. It reminded us of the gatherings between 2007 and 2011 (the statehood agitation period)," said a source.

Source Telegraph

READ MORE

TMC processions in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong simultaneously

1:56 PM

•

Trinamool Congress

TMC holds triple rallies in hills
Writes Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, Sept. 20: Mamata Banerjee's recent visit to the Darjeeling hills coupled with the resignation of Kalimpong MLA seems to have suddenly revived the Trinamul Congress in the region with the party holding three processions in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong simultaneously today.

Besides, the TMC (hills) has been receiving indirect support from five communities for which the chief minister formed development boards.

In Darjeeling, today's Trinamul procession started from the railway station and ended with a public meeting at Chowk Bazar.

N.B. Khawash, the general secretary of TMC (hills), said: "Today's public meeting and processions are not related to the developments surrounding Harka Bahadur Chhetri (Kalimpong MLA). The meeting is to focus on corruption in the GTA and better governance, and to look into reality. For long, we have been emotionally charged and the present situation is also an outcome of the emotion."

Kurseong's drivers rally in the banner of TMC a file photo

By emotion, Khawash was referring to the statehood issue.

Rajen Mukhia, president, TMC (hills), said there was lack of sincerity among some hill leaders even on the issue of Gorkhaland.

"They start talking about Gorkhaland when the flow of money dries up. There is lack of sincerity among the hill leaders even on the issue of Gorkhaland. Even Subash Ghisingh had started a statehood agitation but in all movements, only the common people had to suffer," said Mukhia.

In Kurseong, the rally started from Kurseong Tourist Lodge and ended at the railway station.

Only Binny Sharma, spokesman, TMC (hills), addressed the gathering briefly because of torrential rain.

In Kalimpong, around 600 Trinamul supporters brought out a rally from the Town Hall and later a meeting was held at Tricone Park.

Source Telegraph

READ MORE

The political mess, the hills and the Gorkhaland movement

5:54 PM

•

Politics

Writes Jyoti Kumar Mukhia

Few days back, to be precise on Monday 14th September,2015 Ms Mamta Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal laid the foundation for Presidency University Campus at Dawhill Kurseong in the absence of GTA functionaries and even the local MLA. GJM made a hue and cry of the issue. Bimal Gurung declared that GJM will ignite once again the movement for the separate state of Gorkhaland which will be democratic, centre centric taking the cue from the formation of Telangana state by UPA. He also said that NDA, especially BJPis in favor of forming Gorkhaland. Secondly he emphasized that GJM will remain in power for 25 years out of which 7 years has been covered.
It reminds me of the political tactics of his mentor Subash Ghising who used the same tactics of threatening state govt when CPM govt used to ungli his activities. Bimal ji, threat do not yield desired result in the long run. If your threat is genuine then genuine action should follow. Lets see on 18th whether 3 MLAs will resign or not and what drama will follow.

The political mess, the hills and the Gorkhaland movement

But what is the larger picture of the current scenario and what does it mean to people in GTA?
Mamta Govt or the entire political parties in Bengal do not want breaking of Bengal state irrespective of its legality or not. They speak in the same voice. Bengal BJP proposed formation of North Bengal state comprising of few districts in north Bengal. MGorkhalandamta on her power and as a strategy is trying to lure the hill population by dividing its population on caste basis and forming rampantly caste based development board without the actual participation of GTA. One day ahead of Mamta’s visit to Kurseong Khas jati (Chettris and bahuns) organized a rally demanding their inclusion as scheduled tribes. Will she consider this demand too?

Secondly, GTA is demanding central university but she under her power laid the foundation for presidency university campus. Central govt now has alibi not to establish central university in Darjeeling hills.

Thirdly, as per the tripartite agreement many departments needed to be transferred from West Bengal govt to GTA and GTA should be given free hand to function and utilize the allocated budget. Mamta govt has been interfering in almost all matters , take the example of appointment of Lepcha para teachers in the schools under GTA. Bimal Gurung says allocated fund has not been transferred to GTA and GTA is being run through central assistance. There is an increased and unnecessary interference of state govt in function GTA. Actually, GTA has two heads in the form of Bimal Gurung and DM.

By forming various caste based development board which are like mini NGOs under the chief minister’s office, Mamta Govt to some extent is successful in dividing the masses in the hills. She has not touched minorities (Christians and Muslims) yet. Is it because they are negligible or not the vote bank? I am astonished how we people have evolved in the hills. The hill people or Gorkhas were never caste conscious people. This evolution of caste based division is the new poison poured in the minds of people. This will have a greater impact in the culture, religion, social function of the hill people. Inter caste, inter religious marriages are a norm in the hills. This division will distort the very fabric of our peace and unity. I see a day in the hills where a Khap Panchayat type of situation will prevail. This day in the rural areas people fight for land and water but a day will come where people will kill each other and parents will not allow their son or daughter to marry other caste and religion people who do not get development facilities constituted by the Mamta govt. Are you envisioning this distorted future of our society?

Both GJM and Mamta talks about the development of the hill (GTA). But the entire discourse of development in the hills is missing? Yes, infrastructure development is taking place in some places but what about the employment? One will hardly find an educated youth in the hills. They have migrated to the bigger cities and Nepal in search of their livelihood. What is the plan of WB govt and GTA for the youths? The agriculture in the hill has stagnated. 40% of the hill comes under villages where the main stay of people is agriculture and livestock. What is happening for the development of agriculture and livestock in the hills? What is GTA and WB govt doing for the economic development of the farmers and others?

Hydro projects in the Teesta river basins are being constructed and more hydro projects are in the pipelines. But has anyone given a thought that due to these projects villages are washed out or at the verge of washing out? Is this development?

Tea garden is another peril area. While going to Siliguri in the morning one will find vehicles carrying labourers from the plains to the tea gardens in the hills. What happened to the garden workers in the hills? Why are gardens not able to find sufficient workers in the hills for its gardens? A day will soon come when the hill tea gardens will be filled by the workers from Jharkhand and plains. Is GJM listening to it? Learn from Manipur, how they are protecting the future of Manipuris.

Then again the question arises, is development really happening in GTA area? Construction of roads and bridges are not development per se but a part of development. For the hill to flourish, development in the area of health, economy of masses, market development, agriculture and livestock, education also need to be taken on account. I don’t see overall development taking place under GTA. As Bimal Gurung has at last accepted that GTA is a failure. Yes it is a failure, GTA is formed with the framework of development. Mamta wanted GTA to function as one of her departments and she did try and was successful in implementing her strategy. Politically, it is a success for GJM because they are able to remain in power without opposition. But for the people of Darjeeling hills it is a BIG failure politically and developmentally. For the people success should be in both fronts. We want development and political identity. GTA and Bengal govt failed to give us both. Mamta has tactfully diverted the minds of people from Gorkhaland to development but without tangible result. She has been successful in her objective that Darjeeling needs development. And we the people of hills are running after the illusory cake to get my share forgetting that the entire oven of the cake is lying somewhere.

If failure has doomed the future of the hills then what is the way out? The answer is simple GORKHALAND. The issue is not why Gorkhaland but how of it.

Dismantling of GTA may not be the wise suggestion but make it non-functional as far as state govt is concerned. GTA should stop accepting and implementing state govt sponsored activities under GTA. Instead bring more and more funds from central govt where GJM is an ally.

Second, movement requires one voice, single agenda. Let the single agenda be formation of Gorkhaland. Third, it is not sufficient for the leaders of the movement or party leading the movement to bring under its fold only the party people. The reality of the hills is there are many political parties and people affiliate themselves with various parties. GJM forgetting all differences should bring other parties under one umbrella and involve them actively for the movement for Gorkhaland without forcing them to join GJM. Once the state is formed you can have political fight under your own banner and flag. Here the importance should be given to the cause and not the party. Learn from the gathnadhan of Lalu and Nitish in Bihar.

Fourth, it is not wise to depend only on BJP for they have nothing to gain or lose in Bengal. Therefore selling the idea of Gorkhaland to other political parties is a must. The difficult task is lobbying with other major parties in the centre. It is the parties in the centre who will vote for or against the formation of Gorkhaland. It is here movement leaders can use the caste strategy to gain support from Bihar, Rajasthan, UP etc.

Fifth, Armed struggle of the 80s was a failure. Never commit the same mistake.

Lastly, Students movement of Bihar, Arab Spring, Janlokpal movement are the learning laboratory for the movement for Gorkhaland. Above all the most important aspect for the movement is bringing all political parties under one banner, the banner of Gorkhaland. Once the common banner is established, Mamta’s development board, caste based division will fall apart. She can never be successful in dividing political parties whose single agenda is Gorkhaland.

READ MORE

Gurung renewed Gorkhaland agitation, says GTA is a failure

1:20 PM

•

West Bengal

Vivek Chhetri

Kurseong, Sept. 14: Bimal Gurung today chose to announce a renewed agitation for Gorkhaland when Mamata Banerjee is in the hills.

Addressing an organisational meeting at Vah-Tukvar in Darjeeling today, Gurung said: "The GTA is a failure and it is because of the state government. There is dual administration through the DM. We now have to start an agitation for Gorkhaland."

He said he had asked the three Gorkha Janmukti Morcha MLAs to resign on September 18, not September 23 as announced earlier. "They will resign on the first day of the Assembly session."

The MLAs' resignation is in protest against the state government's alleged interference in the authority of the GTA.

Bimal Gurung Mamata a file photo

The Morcha chief today said the renewed agitation would be "democratic" and would also be Centre-centric.

"Our agitation will not be against the state government. The Bengal government cannot give us Gorkhaland. The example of Telangana is testimony to this," Gurung said.

Terming the Centre's response towards Gorkhaland as positive, he said: "The Centre is positive towards our demand but then even a baby needs to cry for the mother to know that she needs to feed the baby. Time has come for us to cry."

He added: "All the development taking place in the hills is through funds from the Centre. The Bengal government has done nothing much."

Gurung predicted that the Morcha would be in power for long.

"When the party was formed we knew we would wield power for 25 years. Of this, we have spent 8 years and 17 more years are still there. We will not be affected by anything. In fact, if we work well we will be in the hills even after 25 years," Gurung said in a signal to the various development boards that were formed by Mamata.


Source Telegraph

READ MORE

Mamata lay foundation for 30 crore hill campus of Presidency University in Kurseong

12:24 PM

•

Presidency University Kurseong

Mamata Banerjee today lay the foundation for the hill campus of Presidency University, which was not attended by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha but saw the presence of various hill development boards the chief minister had formed.

Yesterday, Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma had said he was not invited to the event. Morcha chief Bimal Gurung had also made it clear that he would not meet the chief minister.

The Morcha does not want a hill campus of the Presidency University to be set up as it thinks that the Centre would then not make the central university, as laid down in the GTA memorandum of understanding.

Gurung is also peeved with Mamata repeatedly setting up development boards for various hill communities. Gurung has several times said the state government was trying to divide and rule in the hills.

Mamata today did not mention Gurung or his tirade against the government in the past few weeks.

Mamata Banerjee lay foundation for 30 crore hill campus of Presidency University at Kurseong

She said: "This is a function of the students, but I would like to say that I have not come here to do politics. "

She said she had got a "lot of love from the hill people. The are very sweet, kind. We have this heart-to-heart relation and it is to strengthen this bond, I am doing all this to develop the hills."

She said she had no problem if the Centre set up a university in the hills. "I have also written for a central university. I will be most happy if it is established. We will continue to try for it but it is in the hands of the Centre. However, why not set up other higher education centres till then."

Mamata today said : "We will make a world-class educational centre in Kurseong. We will also set up a medical college here. Both Victoria Boys School and Dow Hill School will be upgraded till Class XII. I have already sanctioned Rs 2 crore for these institutions."

Anuradha Lohia, the vice-chancellor of Presidency University, was present at the event.

"We plan to set up a telescope here and have an observatory for astrophysics. Lot of work on geology, natural resources, Himalayan diversity and social anthropology will be done and taught here," Lohia said.

Mamata has announced a sum of Rs 30 crore for the education hub.

Source: Telegraph

READ MORE

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

1:32 PM

•

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

READ MORE

Gurung calls for unity for Gorkhaland on Mamata's visit for Presidency University campus

12:17 PM

•

Presidency University Kurseong

Writes Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, Sept. 13: Bimal Gurung today told residents of the Darjeeling hills to "derail the state's divide-and-rule policy and come forward for Gorkhaland", a day before Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to lay the foundation for a Presidency University campus he had opposed.

The exhortation by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief came hours after the state administration's move to keep Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma out of the list of invitees to the event.

The Morcha does not want a Presidency University campus in the hills as it thinks the Centre would not sanction the making of a central university, as mentioned in the GTA memorandum of understanding.

The invitation card for the foundation laying of the education hub and the Presidency
University’s campus; Kurseong MLA Rohit Sharma (right). Picture by Suman Tamang

Gunrung's Facebook post in Nepali says the Morcha was formed for the creation of Gorkhaland and the party was "still committed to the cause".

He said: "We had supported the NDA, which is in favour of Gorkhaland in 2009 and elected Jaswant Singh, too. However, the issue could not be strongly raised then. We have also elected S.S. Ahluwalia now. The year 2016-2017 is decisive for Gorkhaland."

He wrote that the state government was "conspiring and indulging in a divide-and-rule policy. If we are not united now, the state government will be successful in its agenda. The interference in the GTA is testimony to the fact that the state is against the self-determination of our people...."

He said that at "this decisive moment for Gorkhaland, I appeal to all to derail the state's divide-and-rule policy and come forward for Gorkhaland".

The Morcha chief has in the last few days spoken out repeatedly against the state government's alleged high-handedness.

Gurung has also been against the chief minister's move to set up separate development boards for every hill community - the last one was for the Bhutias - which the Morcha chief thinks would divide the hill people.

Gurung was also annoyed that the chief minister directed district officials to crack down on illegal highrises in Darjeeling.

On Friday, the Morcha said its three MLAs would resign from the Assembly on September 23 to protest the interference of the state government in the GTA's matters.

Tomorrow, Mamata is scheduled to lay the foundation for the Dow Hill Education Hub and The Himalayan Centre of Presidency University in Kurseong at 4pm.

It is a common practice to invite the local MLA, irrespective of his/her affiliation, to government events.

But the invitation card has the names of only ministers Partha Chatterjee and Gautam Deb, apart from the chief minister.

Asked if he would attend the programme, Sharma said: "I received the invitation card but my name is not there.... Do they expect me to attend the event as a spectator? This is the high-handedness of the state government."

An official in Darjeeling who is involved with arrangements for Mamata's visit said: "The card was finalised by the higher education department in Calcutta."

Told about the MLA's grievance, Vivek Kumar, the principal secretary in the higher education department, refused comment.

Even though administrative sources said the card's content had been finalised before the Morcha's MLA resignation threat on Friday, Gurung had sent enough signals throughout last week that he was displeased with the state government.

Source: Telegraph

READ MORE

GJM's MLAs resign stands even after the withdrawl of Section 133 imposed on RKSP school

6:47 PM

•

Roshan Giri

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today announced that its three MLAs would resign from the Assembly on September 23 to protest the state government's alleged interference in the functioning of the GTA and hill municipalities.

Although the Morcha had complained in the past that the GTA was not allowed to be run independently, the trigger for today's announcement was the district administration's order to demolish the top floors of a school building being constructed by the hill body on security grounds.

Soon after the resignations were announced, the district magistrate said the curb on the re-construction of the Ram Krishna Siksha Parishad Higher Secondary School was lifted. But the Morcha said it still stood by the decision on the MLA's resignation.

From top left MLAs Trilok Dewan, Rohit Sharma and Harka Bahadur Chhetri and  Roshan Giri and Binay Tamang at the news conference in Darjeeling on Friday. Picture by Suman Tamang

The decision to announce the resignation of the Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong MLAs was taken at a meeting convened by the Morcha president and GTA chief executive, Bimal Gurung. Elected members of the GTA Sabha and councillors of all four hill municipalities attended the meeting at Patlasbas in Darjeeling.

The civic chiefs and the councillors were also directed not to attend any meeting called by the state government on issues related to the municipalities.

Addressing a news conference at the Darjeeling Press Guild around 3pm today, Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the Morcha, said: "It has been more than three years (since the GTA was formed) but the state government is showing no inclination to allow the GTA to function properly. The departments have not been fully transferred and as agreed in the GTA deal, the school service commission, college service commission, subordinate selection board and regional pension and provident fund board have not been formed."

"There is dual administration in the hills now, that of the district magistrate and the GTA. The reconstruction of RKSP (Ram Krishna Siksha Parishad Higher Secondary School) was stopped. To protest this day-to-day interference by the state government on every aspect, our three MLAs will be resigning from the Assembly on September 23," said Giri.

The state government has to transfer 57 subjects to the GTA, but the Morcha says not all of them have been handed over to the hill body. All the 57 subjects were clubbed together and converted into 40 departments.

The hill party said although some of the departments were handed over to the GTA, the transfer was not done in a complete manner.

While Gurung's grouses over the state's interference and non-transfer of the departments are not new, the announcement of the resignations was prompted by Mamata Banerjee's three-day visit to Darjeeling starting from August 24.

Gurung was annoyed over Mamata' decision to form a separate development board for the Bhutias and her directives to officials to crack down on illegal high-rises in Darjeeling. Gurung believes checking illegal buildings falls under the municipality's jurisdiction. According to rules, the height of buildings in the hills have to be restricted to 11.5m.

Soon after the chief minister's visit, the Darjeeling police and the subdivisional office issued notices to five buildings as doubts arose over their legalities. The stop-work notices to the five buildings, including the Rama Krishna Siksha Parishad school, infuriated the Morcha.

Although Gurung had been complaining about the state government's interference and its reluctance to allow the GTA to function autonomously since 2012, the hill leader had as late as June 17 termed his meeting with Mamata at Richmond Hill, Darjeeling, as the "best ever".

Yesterday, Gurung even threatened to quit the post of the GTA chief executive within 10 minutes of the district administration dismantling the school building.

Binay Tamang, the assistant general secretary of the Morcha, today said: "We will write to the Centre about the interference. We will now go back to our main issue, that is Gorkhaland."

Giri said the Centre had cancelled the tripartite meeting scheduled for September 15 in Delhi.

"The meeting has been cancelled s the additional secretary of home affairs (centre-state relations) has been transferred. The date and venue of the next meeting have not been finalised," said Giri.

The Morcha is also unhappy over the irregularity of the tripartite review meetings on the functioning of the GTA. "Meetings should be held once in three-four months but that is not happening and hence, nothing concrete is emerging out of the talks," said Darjeeling MLA, Trilok Kumar Dewan.

The last review meeting was held on January 29, 2015.

Within two hours of the Morcha announcing the MLAs' resignation, the state government went into a damage control mode by lifting Section 133 of CrPc imposed against the construction of the Rama Krishna Siksha Parishad school building.

Anurag Srivastava, district magistrate, Darjeeling, said: "Section 133 imposed on the RKSP school is withdrawn with immediate effect in view of the prayers submitted by the school authorities and the inconvenience caused to school children."

Classes for the 1,200 students of the school are currently being held in makeshift structures on the play ground of Darjeeling Government High School.

On August 26, Darjeeling police had sent a notice to the school authorities to demolish the top floors of the two blocks of the school on security grounds. The notice read: "Two of the buildings are adjacent to the Mall Road opposite to the Raj Bhawan complex. The height of these buildings is above Mall Road and seriously compromise the security of the Raj Bhawan."

"Keeping the sensitive nature of the government buildings, including Raj Bhawan, you are requested to immediately take up the matter with the appropriate authorities to ensure demolition of the top floors of the building near the Mall Road," the notice further states.

Section 133 of the CrPC empowers a magistrate to first stop construction if a structure poses threat to human lives and then dismantle it if the need arises.

The notices were sent for alleged violation of the 11.5m height restriction and deviation from the building plan sanctioned by the Darjeeling municipality, and dangerous construction.

Today, Srivastava said: "The school authorities have been advised to take appropriate measures to ensure that the structure is safe in all regards and there will be no threat to safety of the building in case of a natural calamity. They have also been advised to ensure that there is no security threat to Raj Bhavan."

Told about the development, Giri said: "We have always been maintaining that the school did not pose any security threat. With regard to our announcement, it stands."

Via Telegraph

READ MORE

Gurung threatens to quit GTA if RKSP is demolished

1:39 PM

•

Politics

 Writes Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, Sept. 10: Bimal Gurung today said he would quit as the GTA chief executive "within 10 minutes" if the under-construction RKSP (Rama Krishna Siksha Parishad Higher Secondary School), opposite the Darjeeling Raj Bhavan, is demolished.

The district administration had said the school's re-construction would pose a threat to the governor's hill residence. The school, established in 1944, stood at the same place where a new building is now being made. The district administration said the top two floors should be demolished.

The school's revamp is financed by the GTA under a model school project and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief today said the state government was meddling in the education sector in the hills.

A portion of the under-construction Rama Krishna Siksha Parishad Higher Secondary
School to the left of the road, opposite the Darjeeling Raj Bhavan (white building)

"Education is the most important thing and the state government has started interfering even in this issue. I will resign within 10 minutes of demolishing of the structure," Gurung said today at a belated Teachers' Day event at the Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan.

For the record, no building or portion of any building has been demolished by the district administration.

The school is among five under-construction buildings in Darjeeling town to be issued notices by the subdivisional officer to stop construction. The order was issued as doubts arose over the legality of the constructions.

Four blocks with three floors each were being built for the school.

The notice issued on August 26 by Darjeeling police states: "Two of the buildings are adjacent to the Mall Road opposite to the Raj Bhavan complex. The height of these buildings is above Mall Road and seriously compromise the security of the Raj Bhavan."

The order told the school: "You are requested to immediately take up the matter with the appropriate authorities to ensure demolition of the top floors of the building near the Mall Road."

The school has nothing to do with the Ramakrishna Mission.

A hearing was held for the five buildings on September 7 but no decision was taken by the SDO. Another hearing will be held and the date is yet to be fixed. Sources in the district administration said no further action would be taken with regard to the five buildings until the hearing was over. The district magistrate couldn't be contacted.

The SDO has also clamped prohibitory orders against the construction of any new building, except with due permission from a magistrate, along East Jawahar Road between Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.

These steps were taken after chief minister Mamata Banerjee, during her last visit to Darjeeling, expressed her annoyance over the number of highrises in the hills.

Gurung had expressed his unhappiness over the state's alleged interference in the functioning of the GTA and threatened to start an agitation over the school issue yesterday. He had resigned from the post on July 30, 2013, to launch the statehood agitation but again took oath as the GTA chief executive on December 26 of the same year.

Gurung today stressed the importance of education.

"I will not allow the state's interference in the education sector. Using central funds, we are currently constructing eight model schools by spending anything between Rs 7 and Rs 9 crore in each of the projects. Bijanbari Degree College's construction is also scheduled to be completed in October-November. We are spending Rs 26 crore to set up the Nepali Academy in Darjeeling," said Gurung.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Gurung also said he would leave for Delhi on September 14, the same day chief minister Mamata Banerjee would be visiting Kurseong to lay the foundation of the Himalayan Centre of Presidency University in Kurseong. "I am going to Delhi for personal reasons," said Gurung.

Sources said Gurung would be attending a cultural meet in New Delhi on September 16.

Source Telegraph

READ MORE

Presidency campus at Kurseong - Mamata to lay the foundation stone

10:21 AM

•

TMC

Writes: Mrinalini Sharma
Kurseong, Sept. 9: A team from Nabanna inspected the area near Victoria Boys' School and Dowhill School today as a prospective site for the hill campus of Presidency University and officials said the chief minister would lay the foundation stone of the institution on September 14.

A team from Nabanna inspected the area near Victoria Boys' School and Dowhill School

The comments of the state officials confirmed that the chief minister was moving ahead with her plan to set up the second campus of Presidency University in the hills, despite the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's reservations.

Today, a team led by Vivek Kumar, principal secretary of the state higher education department, surveyed the area. "The chief minister will lay the foundation stone of the second campus when she visits the Darjeeling hills on September 14. This is a joint inspection by principal secretaries of departments of higher education, school education, forest and PWD to check preparations for the ceremony before her visit," Kumar said.

Arnab Roy, the principal secretary of school education department, Chandan Sinha, the principal secretary of environment and forest department, and Indevar Pandey, the principal secretary of PWD, accompanied Kumar today.

"We are here on a daylong visit and we are surveying the area around the two schools to select a spot for the campus," Kumar said.

-OVERMATTER-

On August 25, Mamata had announced in Darjeeling that she had sanctioned Rs 30 crore for the Presidency campus

Morcha chief Bimal Gurung who had shared dais with the chief minister while she made the announcement had later conveyed his disapproval, through a Facebook post and a letter, and asked the chief minister to reconsider the decision. He had said the plan to set up a campus of Presidency University may adversely affect the central government's plan to set up a central varsity, which has been assured in the GTA agreement.

"At this juncture, appreciating the motive of the Hon'ble CM, the people of the Hills would appeal to her to reconsider the decision as it may have an adverse impact and the Centre may back out on the decision on the establishment of the Central University," Gurung wrote on Facebook.

Sources in Trinamul - some party leaders from the hills were present today - said an open space beneath the Victoria Boys' School has been finalised for the campus.

"There are also plans to organise a ceremony to mark the establishment of the campus on September 14 at the Victoria playground above the selected spot," a source said.

Today, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said: "A central varsity for the hills is a very important and long-pending demand of the people which has been promised in the GTA agreement. We have submitted a detailed project report to the Union ministry of human resource development and an area of 500 acres has been identified in Darjeeling."

He added: "Setting up a second campus of Presidency in Kurseong may cause the Centre to withdraw its plans to set up a central varsity. The state could have put on hold the second campus plan until the project of setting up a central varsity came through."

Source: Telegraph

READ MORE

GJM to renew Gorkhaland agitation owing Bengal's interference in GTA functioning

11:12 AM

•

Politics

Chief of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and Gorkhaland Territorial administration (GTA), Bimal Gurung, on Tuesday said his party should now take forward its issues and fight for its 'aim,' given the "interference" of the state government in GTA matters.

GJM chief Bimal Gurung - file photo

"However, this time around, we will go ahead with the (Gorkhaland) agitation in a more democratic manner, without any violence," he said as he stopped in Kurseong on his way to Darjeeling from New Delhi.

"Until and unless the child doesn't cry, even the mother won't feed him/her milk," he added at the Kurseong Tourist Lodge.

Gurung said that the manner in which the state government has been interfering in the Hill matters, "I don't think I will take forward the GTA seriously."

According to him, the GTA is an autonomous body and it was given to the Hills by the state and the union government, "but despite this, the interference of the state government is still going on.

Speaking on the ongoing agitation over the Darjeeling RKSP School, he said that he has raised his voice for different regions like Assam, Manipur and others, and that he condemns the manner in which the government interfered in the "sacred education sector" and stopped the construction of the school building in Darjeeling.

Gurung lamented that he cancelled his puja/pilgrimage plans and stayed back in Darjeeling just to welcome chief minister Mamata Banerjee during her last visit to the hills, but that the "CM announced the Bhutia Development Board to again divide the Gorkha Community on the lines of caste."

"The Gorkha communities must not divide themselves for monetary gains, as Gorkhaland is much more important and larger than communities," he said.

He appealed to all the communities to move forward together for the cause of a separate state of Gorkhaland.

"I will inform the people in this regard (Gorkhaland agitation) at a later date," he said.

On the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad elections he said that the GJMM decided to fight the polls as an NDA ally because, according to him, the SMP will not give the Hill people the state of Gorkhaland.

"It is the union government that will do the needful in this regard, and as such, we have decided to contest the SMP elections as an ally of the NDA," he said.

Source : thestatesman

READ MORE

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership unhappy with Mamata Banerjee

1:50 PM

•

Politics

Mamata moves upset Morcha

Writes Vivek Chhetri

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leadership is getting increasingly unhappy with Mamata Banerjee's style of functioning visa-a-vis the hills less than a fortnight after Bimal Gurung welcomed the chief minister in Darjeeling with a bouquet.

The Morcha's disillusionment with the chief minister stems from her move to launch a campus of the Presidency University in the hills and the district administration's crackdown on illegal buildings in Darjeeling.

Mamata is scheduled to visit Kurseong and Kalimpong for three days from September 16.

"On one hand, Mamata Banerjee talks about the welfare of the hill people and gives an impression that she is now close to the Morcha leadership. But on the other hand, she continues to promote sectarian politics, interfere in matters related not only to the GTA but also Darjeeling municipality. The chief minister is also using the district and police administration to promote her vested political interests," a senior Morcha leader said on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak by Bimal Gurung.

Relations between Mamata and Bimal Gurung were perceived to have improved considerably, especially after a meeting between the two leaders at Richmond Hill in Darjeeling on June 17.

The Morcha leader said whenever the chief minister visited Darjeeling, "some problem or the other is created or left behind". "During two of her visits to Darjeeling this year, she created the Sherpa board and Bhutia board, which we believe is part of an agenda to divide and rule the hill people," said the Morcha leader.

Mamata is scheduled to attend a public meeting of the Lepcha community at the Mela Grounds in Kalimpong on September 17, followed by anther meeting of the Tamang community the next day.

On September 16, Mamata is expected to inaugurate an educational hub in Kurseong, including a campus of Presidency University. The Morcha leadership is, however, is against the campus as they believe such an institution of higher education will dilute the demand for a central university.

"Apart from all this, the government is now directing the district administration to dismantle buildings in Darjeeling. A team of the building verification committee is scheduled to reach Darjeeling tomorrow. Issues related to construction vests with the civic body but the state government is also interfering in the matter," said another Morcha leader.

"Maybe the state government wants to take control of the Darjeeling municipality area by spreading terror among the residents of Darjeeling vis-à-vis the high rises," said the Morcha leader.

Morcha leaders are expected to hold a meeting with Bimal Gurung on September 9 on these issues, once he returns to Darjeeling from Digboi, Assam, where he is presently visiting.

Source Telegraph

READ MORE

Gurung requests CM to reconsider Presidency plan

9:49 AM

•

Presidency University Kurseong

Vivek Chhetri

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung today took to Facebook to request Mamata Banerjee to reconsider her plans of setting up a campus of Presidency University in Kurseong, mildly prodding the government instead of resorting to belligerent protests like in the past.

Bimal Gurung and Mamata Banerjee together during CMs recent hill visit in Darjeeling Chowrasta.

"At this juncture, appreciating the motive of the Hon'ble CM, the people of the Hills would appeal to her to reconsider the decision as it may have an adverse impact and the Centre may back out on the decision on the establishment of the Central University," Gurung wrote.

As part of her plans to woo the people of the Darjeeling hills, the chief minister has planned to set up a Presidency campus on the premises of Dow Hill School in Kurseong and also announced a package of Rs 30 crore for the project. During her address at a programme in Chowrasta, Darjeeling's most famous promenade, on August 25, Mamata had iterated her plans in Gurung's presence.


Some Morcha sources linked Gurung's opposition to the university campus to a feeling among academics that it might come in the way of the planned central university in the hills. Others in the party said Gurung wanted to thwart Mamata's attempts to earn brownie points at a time Trinamul is trying to make its presence felt in the hills.

"By forming development boards for several hill communities, Mamata has already got a toehold in the hills. The impact of a university campus by the state government must have been playing on Gurung's mind," a political observer said.

Gurung's Facebook post stood out for its praise of the state government.

"The Hon'ble CM's announcement of a Campus of Presidency University at Kurseong is a positive sign of the vision of the government to make Kurseong an education hub," the post said.

Gurung lambasted the erstwhile Left government, which sources said was an attempt to do a balancing act.

"For the past 60 plus years the people of the Hills have suffered deprivation in the sphere of Higher Education. The University promised for the Hills was compromised by the establishment of the North Bengal University by the Government that preceded the present Government," he wrote.

North Bengal University was set up in Siliguri in 1962. At that time too, hill parties had demanded that a university be set up in Darjeeling by upgrading Darjeeling Government College, which came into being in 1948.

Gurung said a higher education centre was a long-standing demand of the people of Darjeeling and added that the central university, as mentioned in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) agreement, was in its final stage as a detailed project report had been submitted to the Union human resource development ministry in July.

Morcha sources said the theme of the Facebook post was that the party president did not want to antagonise the chief minister.

"Another campus of an university would not have squandered the chance of a central university as it was promised in the GTA agreement," a state government official said.

Via Telegraph

READ MORE

22 schools in Kurseong asked to close early to make way for Mamata Banerjee

11:05 AM

•

Mamata Banerjee

Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, Aug. 24: Barely two hours before Mamata Banerjee's cavalcade was to cross Kurseong town, police there today requested 22 schools near NH55 to give over an hour early so that the highway could be kept clear for the chief minister to pass.

Members of the Bhutia community offer khadas to Mamata Banerjee in
Darjeeling on Monday. Picture by Suman Tamang

While the police said the request was made to the schools so that students would not be inconvenienced, an educationist from Kurseong, who did not want to be identified, said he found the police's action "hilarious". "I have never come across such a thing in my life, most of which has been spent as an educationist. Education is more important than ensuring a hassle-free drive for the chief minister."

Sources in various schools said they received a call from police between 1pm and 1.45pm, requesting their co-operation and asking that students be allowed to leave for home by 2pm, instead of 3pm that is the regular closing time. "The request also came a bit too late in the day," said the educationist.

One school source said: "It was not a diktat but a request from the police, who even went to the extent of saying that their jobs would be at stake if we did not co-operate."

Classes usually start in hill schools at 8.30am and get over by 3pm. Soon after the police called up the schools, many institutions did close for the day at 2pm. All schools in Kurseong could not be contacted individually. Those schools that declared an early holiday today did not want their institution's names to come on print. "Please don't print the name of my school as we don't want to be in the firing line," joked one teacher.

The chief minister has earlier too taken the same highway to Darjeeling but on most occasions, she reached Bagdogra in the afternoon and after administrative meetings, left for the hills around evening.

Today, the chief minister landed at Bagdogra airport at 2.35pm and left for Darjeeling in 12 minutes. The chief minister's convoy touched Kurseong town at 3.45pm, about two hours after the police called up the schools to make the request for an early closure.

The chief minister reached Richmond Hill in Darjeeling at 5.35pm.

When schools give over in Kurseong, a traffic jam usually follows as NH55 runs right through the town. "To make matters worse, there is no foot path in the heart of town," said a resident, which means that students walk right on the road while going home.

Since morning today, Kurseong police had been minding traffic in the heart of the town.

Many students walk back home and in the absence of a proper footpath, there is traffic congestion.

An equal number of students also go home in pool cars which too slow traffic.

When asked if the school authorities had managed to inform the parents, a principal said: "No, we could not. So we decided to keep the students back in school. However, parents usually come a bit early to fetch their children."

The GTA is constructing a parking space in Kurseong but work is not over yet.

C.B. Subba, the acting subdivional police officer of Kurseong, today denied that they had closed the schools. "We definitely cannot close schools. We don't have such powers. However, we sought their co-operation to basically ensure that students who would be returning home would not be inconvenienced and get caught in a traffic jam."

Source Telegraph

READ MORE