Was Pradip Pradhan a Victim of Internal Feud in Morcha (GJM)? asks GNLF

9:30 AM

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Politics

The Kurseong sub-division unit of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) has raised questions over the arrest of GJM leader Pradip Pradhan who happens to be from Kurseong, and pointed fingers towards possible internal Morcha strife as the main reason behind his arrest.

Mr Daya Dewan GNLF Spokesperson

Speaking to the press, GNLF spokesperson Daya Dewan said, "the arrest of GTA Chairman and GJM vice-President is an attempt to malign him have a very personal level... his arrest reeks of political victimization at its worst..."

Mr.Dewan added, "earlier GJM Sabhasad Sanjay Thulung was implicated in arms case, and he has gone missing... now Pradip Pradhan has been similarly implicated, but in a fake coin racket... everyone in Kurseong knows that Mr. Pradhan could never do any such thing... he is a person of integrity... but we all know he had been given very less responsibility these days... was he victimized due to political rivalry within GJM?" he wondered.

Mr. Dewan further said, "when a party vice-President is arrested by police and the Party Chief [Bimal Gurung] remain quiet and does not show any outrage or even speak a word against such an act... it is telling... "

Mr. Dewan said, for justice to prevail and for the truth to come to light, Pradip Pradhan should resign from his post and let the police investigate the matter without any interference.

Source: The Darjeeling Chronicle

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Centre instruction to stick to the provisions of GTA for Bengal

9:00 AM

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Roshan Giri

Darjeeling, Jan. 29: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today said the Centre had asked the Bengal government to stick to the provisions of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) memorandum of agreement and the Act to ensure that the hill body functioned autonomously.

(From left) State home secretary Basudeb Banerjee, additional secretary, home affairs (Centre-state relations) Anant Kumar Singh, and GTA executive Sabha member Roshan Giri in New Delhi on Thursday

A tripartite meeting between the Morcha, the state's and the Centre's representatives was held in New Delhi today, after which Roshan Giri, a GTA executive Sabha member, said over phone from Delhi: "The meeting has been fruitful. The Centre has made it clear that the state should stick to the provisions of the MoA and the GTA Act to ensure that the GTA functions autonomously."

Giri said that regarding the transfer of departments such as land and land reforms, tauzi, PWD, food and supplies, lotteries etc, Anant Kumar Singh, the additional secretary in charge of Centre-state relations in the Union home ministry, "has asked the Bengal government to ensure that it sticks to the MoA and GTA Act and to expedite all process to ensure that the hill body functions autonomously."

Union home ministry sources said the Bengal government had already transferred several departments to the GTA but were asked to explore the possibilities of transferring more areas to the hill body.

Giri said that it was decided that the state government would form a committee to frame the rules and regulations of the GTA.

About this, the source in the Union home ministry said the committee would necessarily deal with capacity building within the GTA on how to run business.

Every administration or elected body has rules of business for which training is imparted in any new body.

The source said the bestowing of Scheduled Tribe status on some of the hill groups was also among the issues discussed at the meeting.

"They have been asking for ST status from time to time and we have sent a proposal to the Registrar General of India for that," said an official.

Giri, too, spoke about the ST status demand. "We also raised the demand for granting of tribal status to the 10 hill communities and we were informed that the file had reached the registrar-general of India's office. The development seems positive," the Morcha general secretary said.

Regarding the transfer of mouzas from the Terai and Dooars, the Morcha has been asked to send its grievances in writing to the state government.

"With regard to transfer of reserve forests to the GTA, we were informed that the ministry of environment and forests has made a note on the issue and this would be forwarded to the GTA soon," said Giri.

During the meeting it was revealed that the Centre had so far released funds to the tune of Rs 315 crore to the GTA. "Of this, the GTA has spent Rs 240 crore," Giri said.

The Morcha also claimed that the state government had informed its leaders that a draft to set up a Subordinate Selection Board (for recruitment in the GTA) had been forwarded to the Public Service Commission for its views. "A draft on the setting up a separate School Service Commission has also been sent to the state education department. We are also working for setting up a separate College Service Commission and a regional pension and provident fund office, as has been agreed in the GTA agreement," Giri said.

The Morcha leaders said the Centre had assured them that the process of implementing the three-tier panchayat system would be expedited. A constitutional amendment is needed to implement the three-tier rural system in the hills.

"The state government has also been asked to look into the issue of withdrawing cases (except those of murder) slapped against the statehood agitators. The state government has been asked to complete the process within two months," Giri said.

The Centre has reportedly told the state government and the GTA to explore the possibility of filling up vacancies in the GTA where sanctioned posts are lying vacant and where reservations policies have to be adhered to.

The Morcha today demanded a one-time financial aid of Rs 170 crore to set up a GTA secretariat, quarters and other infrastructure. Giri said the Centre had asked the state to "examine" the proposal.

"We have also demanded that the Darjeeling Mail should start from Gulma railway station near Sukna, and the setting up of a central university and hospitality management institute in the GTA area," Giri said.

The Morcha delegation had Trilok Dewan, the Darjeeling MLA and Barun Roy, Jalpaiguri divisional commissioner who has currently taken up additional charge as principal secretary of the GTA, and Don Bosco Lepcha, the GTA secretary.

"The Centre was represented by Anant Kumar Singh, the additional secretary, home affairs (Centre-state relations), A. Jain, director (Centre-state relations) and other joint secretaries. The Bengal government was represented by home secretary, Basudeb Banerjee, additional secretary (hill affairs) P.N. Bhutia, R.D. Meena, the resident commissioner, and Puneet Yadav, district magistrate of Darjeeling," said Giri.

Source: Telegraph

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GNLF after Subash Ghisingh

8:30 AM

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Subash Ghising

Vivek Chhetri
Darjeeling, Jan. 29: The already weakened Gorkha National Liberation Front, which was the most powerful party in the Darjeeling hills in the 1980s and 90s, today lost its face.

Subash Ghisingh

In the hills, the GNLF meant Subash Ghisingh.

Ghisingh's brand of identity politics meant that there was no second leader to rival his popularity. This has put his party in dire straits now.

None of Ghisingh's three children has shown any interest in politics.

His youngest child, Mohan, was the most visible beside Ghisingh, but never actively participated in anything political even when the GNLF chief was at his prime.

Mohan, who stayed with his father at their Dr Zakir Hussain Road home in Darjeeling, is the son of Ghisingh's second wife Dhan Kumari, who died in 2008.

The elder children, Sagar and Uma - born to Ghisingh's first wife who also died - did not stay with their father.

In the party, Ghisingh snipped the wings of leaders such as Chhatrey Subba and C.K. Pradhan, who were considered locally powerful in Ghisingh's heyday.

Subba, who was accused of attacking Ghisingh but acquitted, is not active in politics. Pradhan was murdered.

In order to limit the role of leaders to a particular subdivision, Ghisingh formed GNLF branch committees for Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong. The move effectively ensured that there was no party face to challenge his authority.

From 2007 onwards, as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha rose in the hills under the leadership of Bimal Gurung, who was once Ghisingh's lieutenant, the GNLF chief's clout waned.

The Morcha's official demand has been statehood, and it continues to re-iterate that position, although it also agreed to the formation of the GTA.

But Ghisingh, who had coined the word "Gorkhaland" and was synonymous with the statehood demand, fell silent about statehood in the latter part of his political career.

When the three states of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh were formed in 2000, Ghisingh did not make any political statement. He said the season was inauspicious to speak.

Today, none of the GNLF leaders would comment on the daunting challenge of forming a new line of leadership.

Party leaders said this evening that they had not yet decided where the last rites would be performed. "His son, Mohan Ghisingh, will be accompanying the body tomorrow. He will decide whether the body should be taken to Manju tea estate or to bring it to Darjeeling." Ghisingh was born in the tea estate.

It is clear that the GNLF wants to stick to Ghisingh's political guru gyan, that of demanding Sixth Schedule status for the autonomy of the Darjeeling hills. Till then, the GNLF wants the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, which was repealed after the GTA was formed in 2012, to be restored.

The GNLF leadership's greatest challenge at the moment is to convince the hill people about the benefits of the Sixth Schedule status. "We will continue to make the public aware of this demand," a middle-ranked GNLF leader said.

Ghisingh, while interacting with the media on April 22, 2011, had said: "Politics is all being in tune with desh (country), kaal (present times) and paristhiti (present situation) or else it will be a waste of time."

He had said that "apart from D.P. Rai, the hills no longer had leaders of quality".

Rai, a leader of the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL), was the first hill leader to be a minister in the United Front government in Bengal.

The ABGL, too, lost its grip in the hills after Rai's death.

Ghisingh had filled Rai's vacuum. Till his death, Rai had been the undisputed leader in the hills. Ghisingh's death could also be the last nail for the GNLF.

His party colleagues used to say that he had thought of demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland during his stint in Nagaland while serving in the army.

Ghisingh had said that he missed being "Subash" the writer. "I am a writer first. I came into politics after seeing that the politicians then were doing no good to the community. I was a driver trying to guide the bus for want of a proper driver." Ghisingh had said in 2011.

Of late, GNLF leaders and supporters have been trying to regain their base in the hills but could not come out of the Ghisingh's shadow.

Source: Telegraph

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Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to press for three-tier panchayat system in the hills

8:34 AM

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Politics

Vivek Chhetri
Darjeeling, Jan. 27: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha will press for a constitutional amendment to implement the three-tier panchayat system in the hills at the tripartite meeting that is scheduled to be held in Delhi on January 29.

The last hill rural elections where held in 2000 after which the GNLF chief and the then chairman of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, Subash Ghisingh, refused to hold polls till the issue of including the Darjeeling hills in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution was cleared.

Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri

Today, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri who is also an elected executive GTA Sabha member, said before leaving for Delhi: "We want the Centre to amend the Constitution as early as possible so that a three tier panchayat system can be implemented. This will be one of the issues that we will raise in the meeting ... Since it has been agreed in the GTA memorandum of agreement that a three-tier panchayat system would be implemented, we will press for it."

Both the GTA Act and the GTA memorandum of agreement have provisions that say a three-tier system would be implemented in the hills.

Morcha president Bimal Gurung had earlier said they would agree to the two tier panchayat polls till the three-tier system was in place - an indication that the party was eager to go for elections and tighten its grip at the grassroots.

According to the 73rd amendment to the Constitution in 1992, there is provision for a gram panchayat and panchayat samiti (a two-tier system) in the area which is under the GTA since 2012 after the hill body was formed.

The amendment was made on the behest of Subash Ghisingh, who headed the now defunct Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, as he had felt that the powers of the zilla parishad (the upper-most level of the three-tier system) would overlap with that of the DGHC.

In 2000, the rural elections were held for only one tier - the 112 gram panchayats.

In 2005, Ghisingh refused to hold the elections till the matter of including Darjeeling hills in the Sixth Schedule was cleared.

Today, Giri said: "We will also press for setting up a Central University in the hills. This, too, has been agreed upon in the GTA MoA. A GTA delegation has also met Smriti Irani, Union human resource development minister (regarding the issue), and we are hopeful of a positive response."

Apart from Giri, Darjeeling MLA Trilok Dewan, GTA secretary Don Bosco Lepcha, GTA principal secretary Barun Roy are expected to attend the tripartite meeting.

The Morcha delegation would also demand a special incentive for investors in GTA area, increase in special central assistance of Rs 1,000 crore per annum for the next five years, transfer of reserve forests and withdrawal of cases against Morcha activists during the Gorkhaland agitation.

Now the GTA gets a special central assistance of Rs 200 crore a year for three years.

Source: telegraph

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Over 100 GNLF families joined GJM in Takdah-Glernburn

8:14 AM

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Politics

Rajeev Ravidas
Kalimpong, Jan. 18: Over 100 families belonging to the GNLF from Dabaipani village in Takdah-Glernburn GTA constituency today joined the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in the presence of Bimal Gurung who told them that efforts were on to adopt their remote area as the first model village in the hills under the Prime Minister's Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana.

File Photo

The 110 families under the leadership of the GNLF village protection committee chief, Sarad Rai, said they had supported the Morcha but drifted to the GNLF after seeing the attitude of local Morcha leaders. "What we have now realised is that we were victims of neglect by the local Morcha leadership, and not the central leadership. We have full confidence in the Morcha president," said Rai.

Morcha president Gurung welcomed the new entrants at the party headquarters in Darjeeling. Dabaipani is around 30km from Darjeeling. "Dabaipani will be turned into a model village, for which the paper works are going on. Once it is adopted, the entire village will be developed," Gurung said.

Darjeeling MP, S.S. Ahluwalia, has already identified Dabaipani as a prospective model village in the hills.

Source: Telegraph

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64 TMC party members joined the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM)

8:14 AM

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Trinamool Congress

Vivek Chhetri

Desertion from the Trinamul Congress (TMC) continues in the Darjeeling hills with 64 party members joining the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) today alleging "infighting" in the leadership and failure to fulfill promises.

Mass Desertion from TMC Leaves Party Crippled in the Hills 

The Trinamul supporters led by Sangram Thakuri, a former assistant secretary of the Trinamul Youth Congress in the hills, took the Morcha's flags from party chief Bimal Gurung.

The Trinamul supporters who switched over to the Morcha are from Phoobshering and Mangalpuri areas, about 10km from Darjeeling.

After accepting the Morcha flag from Gurung in the party office at Patlabas here, Thakuri said: "Trinamul has no strong leadership in the hills. The leaders are fighting among themselves. The party only talks about assurances but it is unable to do anything in the hills. Trinamul promised to regularise GTA employees and provide pattas (land rights) to tea garden workers but nothing has been done."

Over the past one month, hundreds of people have left Trinamul and joined the Morcha in far-flung areas of the hills, saying the state government had failed to deliver on its promises.

Yesterday, the Darjeeling Himalayan Karmachari Sangathan, a union of GTA employees affiliated to Trinamul, had been dissolved by its central committee, saying Mamata Banerjee's party had been unable to fulfil the aspirations of the members. The Sangathan had been formed primarily with the demand of regularisation of GTA employees.

Addressing the new entrants to the Morcha today, Gurung said: "There are hardly any people left with Trinamul (in the hills). However, nothing had hurt me more than the people leaving our party to join Trinamul, which has openly stated it does not support the demand for Gorkhaland."

"We have accepted the GTA (hill body) but I will never compromise the demand for Gorkhaland. I have to take care of development but then, I am taking all possible steps to achieve our statehood dream. The Centre, too, is positive towards us. At this moment, we have to remain united," he added.

The Morcha president said when he had resigned as the chief executive of the GTA, a lot of people had joined Trinamul. "When I resigned from the GTA, a lot of people joined Trinamul thinking that they could get nothing from our party. The hill people must also start looking beyond contract works and strive for the achievement of Gorkhaland," said Gurung.

Gurung had resigned on July 30, 2013, when the UPA had agreed to form Telangana state. He, however, reversed his decision and took oath as the chief executive of the GTA on December 26, 2013.

Gurung also said many Trinamul leaders in the hills were in touch with the Morcha and they, too, would join his party soon.

Binny Sharma, the general secretary of Trinamul (hills), denied that there was infighting in the hill leadership. "Those are baseless statements. Of late, it has become fashionable for people to switch from one party to another in the hills. The people who left Trinamul today are those who had come to us with personal motives. We might not be a big force in the hills today but our supporters are a dedicated lot and committed to peace and development."

Trinamul seems to be finding it hard to convince its supporters to continue supporting the party purely on the plank of peace and development. Most of the Trinamul supporters who are joining the Morcha say Gorkhaland is an issue that they cannot discard.

Thakuri iterated the thought today: "We have realised that our thoughts and aspiration do not synchronise with Trinamul. Its not a party for the hill people."

Even Gurung broached the subject during his address. "It is well known that national and state parties have not been able to make inroads into the Darjeeling hills because our main issue is Gorkhaland," he said.

Source: Telegraph

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GJM compromised the statehood demand for tribal status - CPRM

10:52 AM

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tribal news

The Communist Party of Revolutionary Marixist (CPRM) on Sunday accused the GJM of compromising with the statehood demand for the sake of obtaining tribal status for the people of the hills of Darjeeling.

Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxist today called for a pan-India movement
to achieve a separate Gorkhaland state- file photo

The aspiration for a separate state, which was the ultimate demand of the Hills people, should not be compromised by greed for temporary settlements, party leaders said.

Addressing supporters on the ocassion to mark the 19th year of the formation of the party, CPRM president R.B.Rai said: “Presently, there are talks of granting tribal status to some communities of the Hills by the central government. However, it must be remembered that tribal status and a separate state are two distinct demands. There cannot be any compromise or bargain between the two”.

The CPRM’s assertion comes at a time when the ruling Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is lobbying hard with the Centre to confer tribal status to 10 Hills communities. The GJM leadership a few days ago had even claimed that Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram had assured its party delegation in Delhi that the Delhi would grant ST status to the ten communities, soon.

The CPRM president however viewed the GJM demand as betraying the greater cause of a separate Gorkha state and that achieving tribal status was something that related to the socio-economical uplift of the Hills communities. “As far as the ST issue is concerned, it is more in line of getting economical support through reservations. But, achieving a separate state means safeguarding our political identity because it will be for the entire Gorkha community of the country,” asserted Rai.

CPRM was formed in December 1996, after breaking away from the CPIM party because of ideological and has gone on to become the second largest Hills party. However, of late the party is seeing a downslide with the GJM coming into prominence.

This the CPRM leader admitted with a pinch of salt. “Over the years, our party has had to face adversaries in the form of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) earlier and now the GJM, both of whom have betrayed the Gorkhaland cause. However, what gives us strength and a boost is to know that we are the lone party to stand by our demand, despite the ups and down,” Rai said.

The CPRM president pointing the misrule of the governments in the state and Centre linked it to the hegemonic rule of the present dispensation in the Hills and asked supporters not to lose courage. “The BJP replaced the Congress but there is no ‘Achcha Din’ yet. In Bengal, too, the TMC is covered in corruption and atrocities. The GJM it seems has been affected, however, our party will continue to give strength to the voice of the people,” Rai said.

Asking supporters to brace for a long struggle to achieve the statehood demand, the CPRM president said future political programs would be chalked in the coming days which would include making people aware of the party’s activities.

Source:EOI

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Bengal Hints At CAG Audit of GTA Funds

10:30 AM

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Politics

Mamata Banerjee told Bimal Gurung, the chief executive of GTA Sabha, that the state government would initiate steps to ensure a CAG audit of the funds released to the hill autonomous body, sources at Nabanna said yesterday.

Bimal Gurung and Mamata Banerjee

Gurung, who heads the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the GTA Sabha, yesterday called on Mamata at Nabanna for the first time after the Lok Sabha elections when he supported the BJP that is trying to occupy the space of the leading Opposition in the state.

Gurung’s support to BJP candidate S.S. Ahluwalia was a major factor in the BJP’s victory in the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat.

When asked while leaving Nabanna what had transpired at the meeting, Gurung said it was a “courtesy call”.

He mentioned nothing about the state’s decision on the CAG audit.

A senior government official said: “During a meeting between the chief minister and Gurung, the Morcha chief was informed that the state government would take initiatives to ensure regular flow of funds to the hills. But the expenditure would be audited by the CAG.”

North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb had said in March and April this year that the state government would audit the GTA’s accounts. Gurung had not said anything directly on the possibility of any audit, but had made his disappointment clear in April.

“It is for the chief minister to decide whether she wants the GTA to function. I am not somebody whose target is to run the GTA because it is not my ultimate goal…. Whenever she visited the hills, she has only disappointed us,” Gurung said.

The official in Nabanna yesterday said: “During Left rule in Bengal, the state government never audited the accounts of the Subash Ghisingh controlled DGHC. According to the senior official, the accounts of the last eight years of the DGHC tenure would also be audited. It is clear that the state government would keep Gurung under pressure.”

Officials said since 2012, when the GTA was formed, the autonomous hill body controlled by the Morcha had been allotted Rs 726 crore under plan and nonplan heads, including central funds.

“The funds have to be used properly…. The government wants to ensure development in the hills,” another official said.

According to sources in Nabanna, the chief minister also told Gurung that the decision on withdrawal of cases against Morcha leaders would be taken at a “political level”.

She is also believed to have turned down the request of transfer of more departments from the state to the GTA’s control. “These won’t be transferred by any means…. Already 39 departments have been transferred and they have to be happy with this,” the senior official said.

Gurung yesterday said he had made the “courtesy call” to Mamata as “I am in the city…. We discussed a few things on the side.”

Chief secretary Sanjay Mitra and home secretary Basudeb Banerjee were present during the 30minute meeting.

Many Morcha leaders were arrested on the basis of old cases during the statehood protests last year.

“Though the chief minister told Gurung that the issue would be discussed at a political level, it is clear that the government is not in a hurry to withdraw the cases for two reasons. One, some of the cases are serious in nature, including charges of murder. Second, the government wants to keep the pressure up on Gurung,” said an official.

According to the source, a total of 507 cases are pending against Morcha leaders and workers, of which 130 are not of grave nature.

“These could have been withdrawn easily. But the government is not in a mood to give relief to the GJM at this moment,” said the official, adding that the cases could come handy if the Morcha started agitation again.

Gurung, when asked about this after the meeting, said: “That is a political issue, to be considered politically. We will tackle that politically. It wasn’t part of today’s agenda.”

Gurung said he had told the chief minister to expedite the process of department transfers from the state to the GTA. “She instructed the home secretary to look into it,” Gurung said. But the senior official said the government had decided that departments such as land and information and cultural affairs would not be transferred to the GTA.

The land and land reforms as well as the information and cultural affairs departments were supposed to be transferred to the GTA under the tripartite agreement that made the creation of the hill body possible.

Source: Telegraph

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Gurung Meets Mamata in Private, asked to Transfer All Departments to GTA

10:27 AM

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Politics

The GTA and GJM Chief Bimal Gurung met with Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in private yesterday.

According to sources, the meeting which was held at the Chief Minister’s Chamber in Nabanna was held for over 45 minutes, and there was no one present in the office other than Mamata and Bimal.
After the meeting was over, Bimal Gurung told the press that he paid courtesy visit to Mamata, however political circle have been abuzz with the meeting, with many being suspicious of the GJM motives.

Gurung Meets Mamata in Private 

The GJM Chief had gone down to Kolkata on Friday with senior GJM members, and speculations were on that he was there to attend the BJP rally in Dharmatalla, but he was conspicuous by his absence, and those in the know are saying that Bimal was not invited to the BJP rally.

When asked if he was in Kolkata to attend the BJP rally, Bimal replied that he was in Kolkata for Puja.

However Bimal is known to have requested for a meeting with Mamata and he was allowed to meet her yesterday at the Secretariat, without the presence of anyone.

When pressed for details Mr. Gurung said, that he met the CM to discuss the pending transfer of various department from the state government to GTA, and also to discuss the issue of withdrawing all the cases filed against Morcha activists during the Gorkhaland agitation. The CM, he said, has assured of cooperation and support.

"It was a courtesy call. There are some pending cases against GJM activists and we urged Banerjee to initiate political process of discussions for withdrawal of those cases," Gurung told media persons after the meeting.

Source- DC

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Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) plans public meetings in the plains

10:17 AM

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Siliguri

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has decided to organise public meetings in the plains, days after announcing that the Union home minister had assured party leaders to form a committee to examine the demand for Gorkhaland.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung

Morcha chief Bimal Gurung said at a news conference: “We have decided to organise two meetings in the Dooars (which falls mostly in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar district) and one meeting for the Terai region in Siliguri. The dates haven’t yet been finalised.”

Morcha insiders said the meetings were being planned in the plains in order to galvanise supporters after a “favourable response to our demand from the Centre”.

“The meetings will help the Morcha regroup in the plains. The objective of holding a meeting in Siliguri is to ensure that our supporters stay together as elections to the Siliguri Municipal Corporation and Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad are due,” said a Morcha leader who didn’t want to be named.

The Centre has so far not said anything to second the Morcha’s claim.

Gurung today held a meeting with the party’s central committee and subdivisional committees, elected GTA Sabha members, representatives of 19 frontal organisations and chairmen of four hill municipalities.

The meeting was held to brief them on the visit by Gurung and other leaders to Delhi recently, which the party has termed “positive”.

“The meeting with the home minister has been positive. We will continue to pursue the issue of forming a committee to examine our demand, after the winter session ends,” Gurung said today.

The news conference was held after the party meeting.

On December 7, the Morcha will organise a public meeting in Darjeeling.

The Morcha’s claim about the Centre’s assurance on the setting up a committee to look into the Gorkhaland demand has irked Trinamul.

Yesterday, Trinamul leader and minister Gautam Deb said: “Ahead of the Parliament elections, the BJP had put an addendum in its election manifesto and had mentioned that it would sympathetically look into the demand of Gorkhaland. Now the Morcha leaders are claiming that the Union home minister has told them that a committee will be formed to look into the demand. We are curious to know whether this is the second step after the addendum. The BJP and the MP of Darjeeling should clearly assert their stand on Gorkhaland.”

Besides, Trinamul leaders had hinted that the party would use the Centre’s assurance on the Gorkhaland committee to corner the BJP in the plains and cement its support base.

The BJP had polled more votes than Trinamul in several wards of SMC in the Lok Sabha elections.

Gurung today said: “I will be going to Calcutta to perform a puja at Kalighat on November 29. I will again go to Varanasi for a puja between December 9 and 16. We will be performing a puja in Darjeeling for three days from December 26. The puja is being done for our party.”

The hill leader said he would invite the representatives of 10 hill communities, which are demanding tribal status, to Delhi between December 16 and 26.

“We will together meet central ministers to pursue this demand,” said Gurung.

The ten hill communities are Bhujel, Gurung, Mangar, Newar, Jogi, Khas, Rai, Sunwar, Thami and Yakhha (Dewan).

Source: Vivek Chhetri for Telegraph

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GJM drops the planned three-day dharna and public meeting in Delhi

10:10 AM

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Politics

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung on Monday announced his party’s decision to defer the planned three-day dharna and public meeting in Delhi next month after the Centre agreed to form a committee to look into the Gorkhaland statehood demand.

 GJM delegation led by Bimal Gurung

Gurung and seven GJM central committee members are in Delhi to seek an appointment with the Prime Minister. On Sunday, they called on Parliamentary Affairs minister Rajiv Pratap Rudi and apprised him about the statehood demand while also making an appeal to introduce a bill on Gorkhaland in Parliament.

Although neither Gurung nor the other delegation members could be contacted, the GJM chief’s official social website page carried an entry announcing the postponement, a decision taken in deference to the Union home minister’s request.

“I am happy to inform our supporters that Home Minister Rajnath Singh today agreed to form a committee to examine our century-old demand for a Gorkhaland state. On Singh-ji’s request, the GJM has decided to postpone the three-day dharna and urges the Central government to expedite the formation of the committee to look into our demand,” said Gurung’s post.

During the meeting with the Union Home Minister, the GJM president reiterated the need to examine the creation of a separate state as promised by the BJP in its election manifesto of 2009 and 2014. “We reminded Singhji of the BJP’s election manifesto that clearly stated the party would sympathetically and appropriately consider the long-pending demand of the Gorkhas and other people of Darjeeling district and the Dooars region,” said Gurung. He added, “The Home Minister’s appeal to us to postpone our three day Delhi programme saying the Centre has decided to form a committee is the first step forward towards the creation of a separate state.”

He also said the new BJP-led seven-month-old government wanted some time to look into the demand.

Gurung stressed that the GJM supported the BJP in the general election because the saffron party front has always been in favour of smaller states. He also pointed out that it was during the NDA’s rule that the

three small states of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh came into being.

The GJM chief said the party would now organize a public meeting in Darjeeling on December 7 to make the people aware about recent political developments and to announce future programmes. Prior to this, the party had decided to hold a meeting on November 27 to update leaders, activists, MLAs, municipality chairmen, sabhasads and frontal organizations.

The GJM delegation that includes general secretary Roshan Giri and central committee members Binay Tamang, Anit Thapa, Swaraj Thapa,

Phoebe Rai and Arun Sighchi also placed before the Centre the need to set up a Capacity Building and Livelihood School and a Central University in the hills besides requesting them to expedite the inclusion of 10 communities, namely Bhujel, Gurung, Mangar, Newar, Jogi, Khas, Rai, Sunwar, Thami, Yakhha (Dewan) and Dimal in the Scheduled Tribe List.

Source: EOI

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GJM condemns police raids in Bimal Gurung's village Patleybas in Darjeeling

4:53 PM

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Politics

Protesting the alleged police raids in the village of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung at Patleybas in Darjeeling yesterday, the party today held its central committee meeting at its Singamari office and decided to enquire with the state government about the raids.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung

After the meeting, GJM central committee member Raju Pradhan said leaders condemned the police raids, and that they decided to ask the state government why innocent people are being harassed.

Police swooped down on two houses in the village last night, as they said Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) member Sanjay Thulung, who has been linked with the recent arms and ammunition haul in Assam, had been taking shelter there. Since the arms haul on 8 November and since fingers started pointing at Mr Thulung, the GTA official, and also the GJMM youth leader, has been absconding.
“Police have acted in similar fashion and they exercise monopoly in the hills whenever our party president is out of Darjeeling,” Mr Pradhan said.
“GJMM is a party that has all different elected leaders, like MLAs, councilors and GTA members. Hence, it is their (police) responsibility to look after the inconveniences of the common public and not harass them,” he added.
According to him, the three MLAs of the three hill sub-divisions will inquire about the raids with the state government and the police administration.
Darjeeling SP, AK Chaturvedi, however, said they had merely conducted ‘patrolling’ and not raids in the area, following reports that Mr Thulung was hiding there.
Almost all top GJMM leaders, including the party president, Mr Gurung, left for Delhi on 15 November, and are presently on a pilgrimage to Banaras.

Source: thestatesman

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GNLF held public meeting in Darjeeling to revive the party activity in the hills

8:02 AM

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Sixth Schedule

The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF)on Sunday said it was losing patience with the Centre for the failure of the latter to bring the Darjeeling hills under the ambit of the sixth schedule of the Constitution about which an agreement had been signed in December 2005.

GNLF adamant on sixth schedule for hills, holds public meeting in Darjeeling

In the first public meeting held by GNLF in some time in Darjeeling town, senior GNLF leader Mahendra Chhetri said : “We ask the Centre to be sincere as they are also party to the December 6, 2005 agreement that was signed by our leader and the state government. We have respected
the agreement so far but we may not”.

The objective of the meeting was  to revive the party activity in the hills and to boost the morale of supporters, after the Lok Sabha poll debacle. The party supporters to the meeting had come mostly from Kalimpong and Kurseong sub-divisions.

In 2005 GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh had signed an agreement to bring the hills under the sixth schedule. However, the move was met with resistance among the people and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) riding the wave managed to get the bill that was placed in Parliament revoked.
The GNLF however is adamant that implementing sixth schedule is the only plausible solution to the existing Hills problems. “Our president took up the sixth schedule issue because it will bind the people. It was his foresight which even the GJM has taken up now as they too are demanding giving tribal status to the Gorkha community of the hills,” asserted Chhetri.

Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had announced the state government would recommend giving tribal status to 10 hill communities in the run up to the Lok Sabha election. GJM party has also
demanded tribal status to 11 Gorkha communities which has been endorsed by the BJP it political ally.
The GNLF central committee leader also raked up the Assam arrest incident and said people were feeling uneasy and insecure. “We want the government’s intelligence department to tell us who are behind the arms supply and for what reason. It must not forget the Burdwan case. We in the hills after the incident are feeling insecure,” said Chhetri.

GNLF central committee leader from Kalimpong  Maurice Kalikotey, said: “There is a political vacuum in the hills and people are confused and restless. Our meeting today is to tell the people that we (GNLF) are here for them. Also we want to give a morale booster to our supporters and strengthen the party”.

GNLF has kept a low profile after the rise of GJM in the hills. Matters have been compounded with Ghisingh’s health condition has deteriorated and he is presently admitted in a Delhi hospital.

Source: EOI

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DDUDF takes up Tea, Cinchona and Jelep la Issues with Commerce and Industry Minister

6:08 PM

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Politics

The DDUDF Founder Trustee Prof Mahendra P Lama had a detail discussion meeting with Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Commerce and Industry at her office in Udyog Bhawan in New Delhi. The meeting mainly centred round issues on Darjeeling and Dooars Tea industry and the implementation of minimum wages act in these tea gardens. In this regard she mentioned that the minimum wages act have already been implemented by their respective governments in the tea growing areas in South India. In the course of discussion it was quite clear that it is West Bengal government which has to implement the minimum wages act in the tea gardens. However both the Left Front led Government and the present Trinamul Party led government are not interested and unwilling to implement this vital act because of reasons not known. She also mentioned that 17 tea gardens in Dooars and Darjeeling which are dysfunctional at the moment are being revived on an urgent basis. She also mentioned that in the Guwahati meeting with the trade union which she attended in October 2014 there was just one representative from whole of Darjeeling tea industry. She mentioned that the Union Government is very keen to implement minimum wages act in the whole of tea industry including in Darjeeling and Dooars. The pressure has not been created for this purpose at the state level.

Dr. Mahendra P Lama Meets Minister Nirmala Sitharaman - Takes up Tea, Cinchona and Jelep la Issues

Prof Lama also apprised her of how Nathu la Trade route was reopened after 44 years in 2006 and what benefits it could bring to the people of the region. In this context the popular demand of the people of North Bengal to reopen the Jelep la trade route which was more vibrant and prolific was also emphasised upon. Minister did mention that her Ministry would look into the entire gamut of issues.

There was also a brief discussion on the present poor state of Cinchona plantation and urgent need to revive the same as one of the modern industries based on traditional medicinal practices. In this regard, the demand made in the Memorandum was also discussed.

The DDUDF also demanded that the incentive given to the industrial set up in the North East region since 2007 should be extended to Darjeeling and Dooars till at least 2017. The Minister has assured to look into the matter. The DDUDF invited her to visit Darjeeling and Dooars in near future.

The DDUDF submitted to the Minister a comprehensive note on these issues.

[DDUDF PR]

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“Present Gorkhaland Bill in Parliament” - DDUDF Chief Dr. M P Lama

11:04 AM

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Politics

“Protest Alone Won’t Suffice – Present Gorkhaland Bill in Parliament” Says Dr. Lama

Labelling the proposed GJM rally and dharana in Delhi in support of Gorkhaland statehood as being a mere Gimmick, DDUDF Chief Dr. M P Lama has challenged GJM to pressure BJP into placing Gorkhaland bill in the parliament.

DDUDF Chief Dr. M P Lama

Speaking to the reporters Dr. Lama said, “both of the so called andolan for Gorkhaland have remained confined to the hills and those rushing in to sign interim arrangements like DGHC and GTA with Bengal have made it even more difficult for us to achieve statehood”

He further said that “unless and until we put enough pressure on Darjeeling MP to bring forth Gorkhaland bill in the parliament, nothing will be achieved from various dharanas and protests.”

He said, “people of Darjeeling have supported BJP only for Gorkhaland and the fact that BJP is not taking any initiatives towards Gorkhaland statehood reflects two things i) BJP does not give a hoot about GJM and Gorkhaland demand or ii) GJM has been unable to impress upon the Centre the need for forming Gorkhaland... both of which are detrimental to Gorkhalis living across India.”

He did not mince his words when it came to so called “intellectuals” from our community, he said, “I am shocked at the silence maintained by our educated, thinking, intellectuals who have chosen to keep mum over the Gorkhaland issue and also the Identity Crisis faced by Gorkhalis.”

He has requested Darjeeling MP SS Ahaluwalia to focus on mobilizing people for Gorkhaland, instead of cleaning walls and drains...

Source: DC

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Gorkhaland Territorial Administration asks Centre to train its employees

10:38 AM

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Politics

The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has decided to invite trainers from the personnel department of the Central government to train its employees to improve their office work culture.

Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia and Bimal Gurung the GTA Chief

An interactive session was ton Monday organised by senior GTA officials in the secretariat office at the Gorkha Ranga Manch Bhawan in Darjeeling GTA sabhasads, employees and municipality staff members attended the nearly two-hour long session.

GTA sabhasad Binay Tamang said after the session, “The GTA is an autonomous body and must function like a ministry. For this the priority is to improve the work culture in office. We held a meeting today and discussed the modalities on how this should be done.”

To begin with, the GTA has decided to conduct workshops for its employees with the help of the central government. “We have requested

Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia to approach the Centre to dispatch trainers from Delhi specialised in this field to educate employees both of the GTA and the municipalities on how to maintain work culture in office,” Tamang said.

The Darjeeling MP, who was present during the interactive session, said he would speak to the central government at the earliest on the matter.

“It is a good initiative that reflects the enthusiasm and earnestness of the GTA. The Centre has a personnel department that provides training to government employees. Training is a continuous process and will definitely help GTA employees,” he said.

Ahluwalia added, “In any government office, up-gradation of paper and electronic documents has to be done on a daily basis. Things like proper filing and RTI replies among many others have to be learnt so that transparency is maintained for good governance. GTA employees must be aware of all these.”

The GTA, however, has not finalised the dates to hold the camps andworkshops. “We only discussed the issue of work culture and we will schedule the dates and venues for the workshops later,” said the GTA sabhasad.

When asked about the reason to invite trainers from Delhi instead of sending GTA employees to the national capital, the Darjeeling MP said, “These trainings are conducted in Delhi and Kolkata where there are huge numbers. However, in the case of the GTA, the number of employeesis relatively smaller and council work will be affected if all go to Delhi,” he said.

Ahluwalia also raked up the issue of state government interference in the functioning of the GTA. “According to the GTA Act, 59 subjects were to be transferred, but unfortunately, only partial departments have been transferred so far. Also, issues like providing executive and financial powers, which figures in the Act, have not been followed by the state government. Instead, the latter is creating hindrance in the functioning of the GTA and this does not bode well,” he alleged, adding he would ask the central government to intervene to maintain the true spirit of the GTA Act as it is also a party to the MOA signed along with the state government.

Source: (EOIC)

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Seminar on Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty Held in Kalimpong

11:17 AM

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Politics

Clearing the Air Surrounding Article 7 of Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty

A seminar jointly organized by the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) and DDUDF was held in Kalimpong Town Hall to discuss the ramifications of Article 7 of Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty and the ensuing identity crisis felt by the Indian Gorkhalis.

Seminar on Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty Held in Kalimpong

Many experts have opined that the question of ‘identity’ plaguing Indian Gorkhas is mostly emanated from the Article 7 of the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1950) which reads, “The Governments of India and Nepal agree to grant, on a reciprocal basis, to the nationals of one country in the territories of the other the same privileges in the matter of residence, ownership of property, participation in trade and commerce, movement and other privileges of a similar nature,” which makes it difficult to identify the Indian citizens of Nepali ethnicity Vs. the Nepali citizens who have immigrated to India for work and livelihood purposes.

The seminar which lead by a discussion panel that consisted of DDUDF Chief Dr. Mahendra P Lama, Bhatariya Gorkha Parisangh National President Dr Enos Das Pradhan, Kalimpong MLA Dr. Harka Bahadur Chettri, Brig. C S Thapa (retd) and Col D S Kharga from Dehradun, Mr. B B Chettri from Meghalaya, BGP Spokesperson Mr Nityananda Upadhaya from Assam, and Mr Pashupati Sharma in the panel, saw participation from people from across party lines, civic organizations, NGOs, and common people.

The discussion basically centred around the proposed amendments via a working paper (developed by Dr. Mahendra P Lama) that need to be implemented and contained on various suggestions regarding the amendment of the treaty which could clearly demarcate the difference between Indian Gorkhas and Nepali citizens.

Highlighting the difference between “Citizenship and Identity” Dr. Mahendra P Lama said, that citizenship is a technical issue, where as identity is a political issue and hence need to be look at from different lenses. He further said that the formation of Gorkhaland statehood would solve both the technical and political issues facing the Indian Gorkhas altogether.

Speaking on the issue, Dr. H B Chettri said that the issues raised in this seminar were pertinent and finding solutions to the questions posed in the forum was of utmost importance for protecting the future of Gorkhalis in India. He further stressed that all the political and non-political groups needed to come together to address these issues and that everyone needs to do all they can to highlight the Gorkha cause at any and every forum that they have access to.

Dr. Enos Das Pradhan said that the proposed ‘working paper’ was merely a start to answering some of the most pertinent questions facing the Gorkhali community today. He further said that issues such as “identity” that are of national importance need to be addressed in a unified manner, and that all the Gorkhalis across India need to speak with one voice to address these issues.

Over all the seminar was focused on requesting all the political and non-political entities to come together in the struggle for Gorkhaland statehood, and for all Gorkhas across India to speak with one voice when it came to Gorkha issue.

Source: DC
[Pic: Animesh Rai Via: Darjeeling DarjeelingTimes.com - Darjeeling News]

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GJM renewed its demand for Gorkhaland on its eighth foundation day

10:05 AM

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Roshan Giri

The Gorkha Janmukti Mocha (GJM) once again renewed its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland on Tuesday, October 7, the eighth foundation day of the party. Supporters who were present promised to take forward the struggle for statehood along with ensuring overall development of the region.

GJM renewed its demand for Gorkhaland on its eighth foundation day

GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said:   “Creation of Gorkhaland is our sincere desire and we are devoted single-mindedly to the cause. The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration is but a temporary arrangement. However, through comprehensive development of the hills, the GTA will pave the way to achieve our long pending demand for Gorkhaland.”

Come winter, this year the Darjeeling hills will once again witness the demand for Gorkhaland, which will be intensified further on December 18 and 19 as the GJM plans to organise various events at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

However, it is well-known that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has always remained opposed to the statehood demand and at the same time also accused some Central ministers as well as the incumbent Darjeeling MP of instigating trouble in the hills.

Last year, Trinamool Congress general secretary Mukul Roy had told a reporter in Siliguri: “The Centre is stoking trouble here to serve its political interests, which is unfair and unethical. Darjeeling is a part of West Bengal; there is no question of division of Bengal.”

Meanwhile, the BJP appears to be in favour of Gorkhaland with Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia implying support to the formation of a state of Gorkhaland. On the other hand, BJP district secretary Rathindranath Bose has gone on record to state that the “state and district leaderships do not support a Gorkhaland state”. (HS)

Source: EOI

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DDUDF organisational meeting in Kurseong

10:22 AM

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Politics

Darjeeling Dooars United Development Forum, (DDUDF), an apolitical organisation in the region, today organized its organisational meeting at Gorkha Jan Pustakalay in Kurseong. The meeting was called to make people aware that the DDUDF is still active and is still focused and working for the overall interest of the people of the Hills.

The DDUDF chief Dr. Mahindra P Lama talking
to reporters after the meeting in Kurseong on Saturday

The meeting in Kurseong today was DDUDF’s first meeting after several months. The meeting had the presence of large number of supporters and foundation activists from Kurseong and other places in the hills.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, DDUDF chief Dr. Mahendra P Lama said that today’s meeting was held to inform the people about the organisation’s activities following the Lok Sabha election debacle. He also highlighted the various programmes decided to be organised by the DDUDF in future.

Dr. Lama informed his organization has already written letters to different union ministers on various issues including demand for a separate state and three-tier panchayat elections.

“Had we won the elections, the scenario would have been different by now. However, we have still continued to work and many issues that we have demanded are being considered or initiated, directly or indirectly by the state and the central government,” Dr. Lama claimed. Citing examples, he further claimed, Mansarovar development project, issue of Jalep la Pass, Bagdogra international airport, Red Bank tea estate issue and many more were initially proposed by him. “I will continue to work for these issues for the betterment of the Hills,” he emphasised.

As per Dr. Lama, his organization is still working for the overall interest of the people and people must come forward with their different issues and grievances. His organization is always ready to help them.

Speaking on the GTA, Dr.Lama said, “In India, different institutions have their own budget, policy and plan but it is really surprisingly that such a government authorized organisation like the GTA is running without budget, policy and plan. If they really have such provisions, then they must publicise it, so that people may have a better prospective about the GTA’s activities.”

Dr. Lama also criticized the GJM‘s proposed Delhi dharna programs and said the party had staged several dharna in Delhi in the past, without any major success. “Therefore, they must publicize the outcome of the previous dharna staged in Delhi, so that people can know what actually is happening,” he added.  “What is the need to stage dharnas in Delhi, when they have their own MP and their own government in the centre? They could instead simply bring the bill for a separate state in the parliament when their ally is running the country,” Dr. Lama suggested.

Source: Eoi

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25 families from GNLF in Mirik joined GJM

11:42 AM

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Politics

Around twenty five families from Mirik who were the former supporters of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) today joined the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) in the presence of Hills preponderant political leader, Bimal Gurung.

25 families from GNLF joined GJM in Mirik

The Terai convener of the party, Tshering Dahal who recently joined the GJMM from GNLF today handed over the party flags to the newly joined members. One of the member, Ladup Ghising, who switched the party today said: "We joined the GJMM today for solidarity (for the Gorkhaland movement)."
Mr Ladup is known to be one of the former leaders of the GNLF.  After the session of handing flags, Mr Gurung said: "I don't object if Hill people hang flags of other regional Hill parties in their houses, but it is disheartening to see the Gorkhas hanging flags of parties like Trinamul Congress or CPIM who are who are opposed to the idea of Gorkhaland."
He further expressed his resentment over the faction of Lepcha community of the Hills accepting the development board~ Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board by Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee.
"They fell prey into Mamata Banerjee's trick of divide and rule with the Gorkha Community. They should not have accepted it," Mr Gurung said.
Such a statement from Mr Gurung comes at at time when the party has announced to pledge dharna and public meeting at Delhi with the statehood demand and called for cultural unity in the Hills. Meanwhile, Mr Gurung said he is likely to visit Pashupatinath temple, one of the holiest Hindu shrines in Kathmandu in Nepal on 22 September.

Source: statesman

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