तीनधारेमा जल्यो पुलिसको गाडी

तीनधारेमा जल्यो पुलिसको गाडी

JUST IN: Musilm Community Members Permitted to Use Vehicles to Visit Family and Masjid on Eid

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has permitted the Musilm community members to use vehicles to visit family and friends on Eid [i.e 26th of June, 2017]. GJM sources have however clarified that this special exception is being made only for the Muslim community members for one day, as Eid is their biggest festival.

In a media release, GJM has said, "given that Darjeeling is a region inhibited by multi-ethnic communities which has always celebrated our diversity, we will allow for vehicles carrying members of Muslim community that are headed to Mosques or visiting family members on Eid..."

Local Imam from Darjeeling has said that the Muslim community in Darjeeling will celebrate Eid in a low key manner, given the deaths of three Gorkhaland supporters.

Members from Muslim community from Kurseong have however refused to accept the offer and have stated their desire to walk instead of availing vehicles for Eid, in support of Gorkhaland.

[File pic: Darjeeling Masjid]

#GorkhalandIssue "#DARJEELING IS NOT A KILLING FIELD”

Writes: Mahendra P Lama

25 Open Questions to Ms Mamta Banerji,
Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal

LET US DEBATE AND LET INDIA DECIDE

The people protractedly striving for a separate state of Gorkhaland want the Hon’ble Chief Minister to be very clear on the following FOUR ISSUES:

i)  Darjeeling is not a killing field of West Bengal Government

ii) The people want West Bengal to separate from Darjeeling Parliamentary Constituency and Dooars and not the opposite. Darjeeling Parliamentary constituency consist of Darjeeling and Kalimpong district, Phansidewa, Naxalbari and Chopra.

iii) This 110 year old historic demand is constitutional. After Telengana state was created in 2013, the Union Government does not require any resolution to be passed by West Bengal State Assembly in the creation of the 30th State of India i.e. the state of  Gorkhaland.

iv) This separate state demand is not against any community and geography. Its against a system represented by WEST BENGAL GOVERNMENT that systematically crushed our history, plundered our resources, demolished our institutions, uprooted our culture and societies, disfigured the natural beauty and endangered the nation’s security.

The people have seen and heard Hon’ble Chief Minister trivialising the historic demand for a separate state by making highly emotional statement like “Banga bhanga hovena” (Bengal will not be divided) and also unfounded populist statement linking the ongoing movement with “insurgents” and “foreign countries”. The Left Front Government exactly did this calling it “anti-national” in 1980s.  No one will buy this narrative now. People of India can distinguish between White and Black.

Its not an emotional demand. This demand is based on hard historical records, blatant practices of internal colonialism by West Bengal Government after 1947, systematic mis-representations before various national commissions and well documented state repressions and physical crushings of this demand.

This demand actually carries the voice of  Aadivasis, Rajbongshis, Koche-Meches, Bengalis, Biharis, Marwaris, Gorkhas, Bhutias, Lepchas and Hindus, Muslims,Chritians and Buddhists and all others that inhabit this most resourceful region.

This demand has in it serious and substantive contents of identity, history, culture, society, geopolitics, nature, bio-diversity, polity, economy and most critically safeguards of national security.

AS THE CITIZENS OF INDIA WE WANT THE ANSWERS FROM HON’BLE CHIEF MINSTER TO THE FOLLOWING 25  QUESTIONS :

1     Why Chief Minister only speaks about partition of  Bengal in 1905 and in 1947 and why do you ignore several representations made to the British India Government starting 1907 seeking separate politico-administrative status  for Darjeeling and also by Hillmen’s Association to Sir Samuel Hoare, the Secretary of State for India, on October 25, 1930 ?

2      Why the status of ‘partially excluded area’ given by British India Government to Darjeeling was withdrawn in Bengal and why they were continued in other regions including the North East region of India.

3 Why the recommendations of the famous Darjeeling Enquiry Committee of 1952 were not implemented  ?

4       What were the recommendations of the West Bengal Government on Darjeeling and its inhabitants to the State Reorganisation Committee in 1955 and in the Act of 1956

5       Why Mandal Commission Report in early 1980s presented a very poor understanding of various castes in Darjeeling District and Dooars ?

6 How and why the delimitation of Darjeeling and Dooars Parliamentary constituency and state assembly constituencies were done in 1970s and again on 2000s.

7 Why there was not a single inquiry on the reported killings of 1200 people during the Gorkhaland movement in mid 1980s and even on the brutal assault on the Gorkhas ex-servicemen in Siliguri in 2009.  And why  the report of the inquiry commission (Bhattacharya Commission) on the police firing in Darjeeling town killing young and vibrant artiste Krishna Subba in 1981 is not made public even after 36 years. How much of humanitarian compensation was paid to the families of these victims ?

8 Why the Minimum Wages Act 1948 of the Government of India has been implemented even for the workers in Dal and Bidi factories in West Bengal and not implemented till today in the world famous tea estates of Darjeeling and Dooars ?

9        Why world famous 150 years old Cinchona Plantation is sick and dying today which exported quinine to the tune of  Rs 71.72 lakh in 1966-67 alone and did so for several decades.

10 Why constitutional provision of Three tier Panchayati Raj which was disbanded in Darjeeling in 1992 has not been restored despite the fact that Articles 34-36  of the GTA Act 2012 very clearly allows for the same and even quashes the DGHC Act 1988 under Article 74.

11     Why despite so many people belonging to below poverty and antodaya the Development Boards have not been created in other parts of West Bengal for example in the caste and tribe based names like Nag, Yadav, Bhattacharya, Nandi, Toppo, Kapur etc.

12    Why many Acts of Government of India including Forest Rights Act 2006 have not been implemented in Darjeeling and Dooars region ?

13   Why ignoring the 1961 language resolution passed by the West Bengal Assembly to implement Nepali language in the Darjeeling district, Bengali was nearly foisted by the present Government.

14   Why the people of Darjeeling hills had to wait for full 30 years to see the failure and total collapse of both the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council and Gorkha Territorial Administration. Who will compensate the loss of two generations of talented youth in this 30 year period ? Knowing that GTA will fail, why did the West Bengal Government sign the Tripartite Agreement ?

15 How do you explain the inclusion of  Sikkim and Assam in the North Eastern Council and MDoNER and the exclusion of the contiguous Darjeeling and Dooars ? It is through Darjeeling one can reach Sikkim and through Dooars one can reach Assam.

16    How do you explain unprecedented decadal growth of population in Siliguri and adjoining areas as recorded in the census of 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011 ? What are the national security ramifications of such unnatural growth of population ?

17     What action West Bengal Government has taken to reopen the Jelep la Trade route to Tibetan Autonomous region of China ?

18 Besides emotions and emotive issues, why West Bengal Government has been consistently against the demand for a separate state in the hills, plains and terais of Darjeeling, Dooars, and Chopra ?

19    What West Bengal government will gain and lose if  Darjeeling Parliamentary Constituency and Dooars become the 30th constituent state of India ?

20   How many and which “insurgent” groups are active in Darjeeling hills and which “foreign countries” are behind the conspiracy of present movement for the separate state. Could you please put forth your vision about the management of four international borders around the Darjeeling and Dooars and the crucial Chicken Neck Corridor that connects the North East region of India ?

21   What percentage of state’s total Annual Plan outlay has been spent in Darjeeling hills and Dooars separately in the last 30 years and what percentage of Central sector flagship projects have been implemented in Darjeeling hills, Siliguri and adjoining areas and Dooars separately in the last 20 years ?

22  What has been the revenue generations of West Bengal Forest Development Corporation since its inception in 1974 and what has been the contribution of Darjeeling district and Dooars separately yearly for last 43 years?

23         How many people from the Hills and Terai and Dooars have reached the rank of Secretary in Govt of West Bengal, become members of various state level commissions, legal bodies and professional agencies and headed various University level educational institutions since India became independent ? How many hill people have been recommended for national Padma awards by the West Bengal Government in the last 70 years ?

24         How much of total foreign and domestic investments have come to Darjeeling Parliamentary Constituency in the last 25 years ?

25          How many employments have been created and in which departments by the West Bengal Government in the Government and semi Governments institutions in Darjeeling Hills in the last 30 years (yearwise)

THE PEOPLE WANT TWO RESPONSES FROM THE HON’BLE CHIEF MINISTER:

i)  Answers in writing for the Indian public to read and assimilate

and

ii)  An open public debate with the Hon’ble Chief Minister on all these 25 questions and other issues in New Delhi in the course of next two months

LET INDIA GIVE THE VERDICT.

Issued by :
Mahendra P Lama
On behalf of the Civil Society Members from
Darjeeling Parliamentary Constituency and Dooars
And
Darjeeling Dooars United Development Foundation

 
“Leave us where we belong and
Give us what is rightfully ours
As we never ask for what is not ours
Let us not transcend each others frontier
That way we shall live  in
harmony forever”

---------------------------------------------

Note :  Due to my professional commitments abroad at present, I am not able to be physically part of the movement for a separate state in Darjeeling and Dooars. I am spiritually there with all the people all the time. My family joins me in expressing our deepest condolences to the Martyrs for the 30th State of  India and prayers for their souls to rest in peace. No state repressions could douse this fire of  seeking natural justice and constitutional right. Let the repressors realise that there is another fire inside the fire.    

Sabailai Mero Nyano Abhibadan ani Vijay ko Subhakamana :

Mahendra P Lama

Mamata Banerjee is the worst thing to happen to West Bengal

Writes: Abhishek Sikhwal

Mamata Banerjee is the worst thing to happen to Bengal since the famine of 1943. Even as the state was misruled by the Left front with an iron hand for 34 dismal years, they at least did so under the pretence of an ideology.

In 2011, Mamata Banerjee promised "poriborton" (change) from this iron hand and her voters fell for it hook, line and sinker. Five years later, the only visible change is that things have gotten worse.

Even Banerjee, who once had a spring in her step, now looks like a dehydrated rosogolla. Perhaps Ellen Glasgow was thinking of West Bengal when she observed, "all change is not growth, as all movement is not forward."

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is old wine in a new bottle. When the CPI(M) cadres who had earlier terrorised and looted the state took cognisance of the public mood in 2011, they simply abandoned the sinking ship like rats and joined the TMC. How can there be true change when the culprits stay in power by simply changing their uniform?

If anything these turncoats have used the TMC's laissez-faire attitude to wreak even more havoc. At least under the Left, there was a façade of intellectualism and a hierarchy that made cadres toe the line. What's happening to West Bengal under the TMC is what happens when the keys to the museum are handed over to a bunch of orangutans.

Mamata Banerjee is a megalomaniac who doesn't answer to anyone. When the Election Commission recently issued her a show cause notice for violation of the model code of conduct, she dared the Commission to "Do whatever you like."

When the Narada sting operation showed 11 of her party's minsters accepting bribes, Banerjee shrugged and stated that she would have changed these candidates if she had known about the sting prior to the polls. She went on to say that she can't change the candidates now as they have already been declared.

This is the pathetic face of TMC leadership which can't even reprimand members who are a liability. There is ample corruption in the rest of India but at least the perpetrators try to be careful. In Bengal, the TMC is like the idiot kid who not only gets caught red-handed but somehow also manages to get his hand stuck in the cookie jar.

After the Saradha scam broke in 2013 and TMC's Madan Mitra was found with his hand in the jar, Mamata Banerjee created a relief fund for the poor victims of the scam by levying an extra ten per cent tax on cigarettes.

While the developed world is trying to curtail the smoking habit of its citizens, Banerjee went on to say that "It wouldn't harm if you smoke some more. Do that and we will be able to collect the required amount [for the fund] quickly." This is a woman so out of touch with reality that I'm surprised she doesn't trip more often.

It has emerged that the collapse of the Vivekananda flyover last month was not an "act of God" but an act of Bengal's famous syndicates. Although the Left front was responsible for giving birth to the nexus between politicians and builders and goons, it is the TMC who made this a staple of modern life in Bengal.

Property in the city is about 30 per cent more expensive because these syndicates use extortion to supply substandard goods and unskilled labour at higher costs to builders who pass on the overheads to the final buyer. The syndicate raj has gotten so brazen under the TMC's rule that they have even found their way into infrastructure projects and government buildings.

The Vivekananda flyover collapsed because substandard materials were used for its construction. Human lives are nothing but collateral damage in Mamata's kakistocracy.

Another offshoot of these syndicates is the effect they have on the youth. The TMC has created no jobs in the last five years and shooed away industries with their doublespeak. Since the property market is the only area that shows any promise, the youth are attracted to this sector and hired by syndicates as muscle. Every Tapan, Diptanu and Hari now wants to make easy money supplying substandard materials to construction sites.

Disfranchised youth are also increasingly mobilised by the promise of a political membership. In order to be in the good books of hooligans, Mamata Banerjee has made sure that there are "youth clubs" every 100m of the city where jobless chengras can play carrom-board and watch cricket matches.

At surface level these clubs have the veneer of a community building initiative. However, any such illusions are shattered when one witnesses them regularly extort money in the form of donations and blast "Saat Samundar Paar" on loudspeakers till 5am.

Mamata Banerjee has no time for anyone but her vote bank. Her appeasement of the Muslim community is so blatant that it's almost offensive. Calcuttans have gotten used to giant billboards showing her perennially offering namaz. There were no communal clashes under the Left rule but as mentioned in a recent Caravan article, "Instances of communal violence in West Bengal have soared since the TMC took power - from 40 incidents in 2011 to over 100 in 2013 and 2014." These clashes are a result of polarising the electorate into two camps: the appeased and the ignored.

Apart from the minority vote, the TMC is also banking on support from other groups. Banerjee has gifted trade licences to street hawkers and made a dog's breakfast of Calcutta's pavements. She has given a carte blanche to the auto and taxi unions to do whatever they please. The police administration has been turned into one giant Golden Retriever.

A college student was assaulted and chastised last week in a Calcutta locality for wearing shorts and smoking. Her assaulters warned her that "you can do this in Mumbai or Delhi but not in Kolkata... never show your face again if you want to live." The illiterate goons who threatened the student are TMC activists and as such will face little action.

Also read - Saradha or Narada, nothing can sting Mamata in West Bengal polls

This moral policing has sprung up in Bengal only in the last five years. Women have always maintained that Calcutta is the safest city to live in but this changed after Mamata Banerjee started wearing a tin-foil hat and claiming that all assaults on women were a "conspiracy" to malign her name.

The people of Bengal seem in a constant state of departure with no sign of arrival. We are exhausted with hoping for a better tomorrow. The Left ransacked the state and changed Calcutta from a cosmopolitan, industrial hub into an urban wasteland. The public voted for the TMC in 2011 in protest of the Left front but in hindsight such a protest vote was - as the comedian Stewart Lee joked - like soiling your hotel bed in protest against bad service and then realising that now you have to sleep in a soiled bed.

West Bengal is currently voting. A lot of people are excited about the Left-Congress alliance. Some think this may be the flashpoint the BJP wanted to make an entry into the state. It remains to be seen which way the wind blows but one thing is for certain: those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Via: Daily O

Mamata Denying Internet to Suppress People’s Voice: #Darjeeling MP Ahluwalia

New Delhi: Breaking his silence on the ongoing protest in Darjeeling, MP and Union Minister SS Ahluwalia has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of violating human rights by banning internet in the troubled region to suppress the voice of the people.

Ahluwalia won from Darjeeling on a BJP ticket in 2014 with support from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). He has been constant touch with the Union Home Ministry on the ongoing crisis.

The Union minister has also indicated that the Centre may intervene in the current crisis since the state government is alleging "outside agencies" are fomenting trouble.

Speaking to CNN-News18 Ahluwalia accused the West Bengal CM of playing with fire. "She would do well to remember the debt of gratitude the nation owes to Gorkhas for their role in defending our nation,” he said.

The Darjeeling Hills have been simmering over the past two week after state government announced three language policy making Bangla compulsory at primary and secondary level. The GJM had taken exception to Banerjee's statement, launching a protest which later turned violent.

The protests once again ignited the long standing demand of GJM for a separate state, Gorkhaland. BJP had, in its 2014 manifesto, said that it will "sympathetically examine and appropriately consider the long pending demands of the Gorkhas, the Adivasis, and other people of Darjeeling and the Dooars region".

When asked about the BJP's stand on the matter, Ahluwalia said, “We remain committed to this promise. There is a procedure that needs to be followed. It is a 110-year-old demand, and a solution cannot be delivered overnight.”

Via: News18

The police need to keep their eyes and ears open: Bengal Chief Minister

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, during a speech at a felicitation programme, jointly organisd by the West Bengal Police and the Kolkata Police, at the open-air stage, Uttirna in Kolkata yesterday, exhorted the police force to higher glory. The Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday decided to increase the award money for the recipients of Sewa Padak, Prasangsha Padak and Nistha Padak.

She said that the force in Bengal has already achieved a lot, and the Trinamool Congress-led State Government has also done a lot for the force.

Among the infrastructure set up are 108 police stations, of which 80 are women’s police stations, five police commissionerates (with a sixth one almost ready). Eighty-eight fast-track courts have also been set up.

She also criticised the Opposition parties, asking them to bring a certain respectability to their protest programmes. “We also organised a lot of political movements but we didn’t hold the police responsible for everything. Now the prevalent mentality everywhere is to burn and destroy everything”.

She said, “All politicians are not bad, but even a single such can bring a bad name to everyone. We need to change our attitudes”.

She also stressed on learning from one’s mistakes: “Making mistakes is necessary too; it is from mistakes that we learn the correct thing”

She reminded the audience of the role of saviour that the police once played in her life too: “The CPI(M) had tried to kill me at a protest at Hazra crossing on August 16; it was a policeman who had saved me”

She said that her party does not support bandhs anymore.

She reminded the force that “the challenges before the police and the Government have increased manifold”. “Now you have to fight cyber crimes too; just about anyone is trying to create riots through irresponsible comments”

Since “the types of crimes have multiplied”, “the police need to keep their eyes and ears open” to fight them. She described the job of the police force as a “rough and tough job”.

She then spoke on the traffic awareness programme that the State Government has started: “We have started the ‘Safe Drive Save Life’ programme; we have to continue this”.

The Bengal CM re-stressed about the commitment of the State Government to the police: “It is the Government’s responsibility to look after the families of those who work for us”.

She reminded the force that “respect cannot be bought with money”. “The uniform of the police is what gives them respect; the police should walk with the people”.

She also held out the hope that “the Kolkata Police and the Bengal Police will one day show the path to the whole world” because, among other things, they “have done what others could not”.

“We have brought peace to Jangalmahal”. This is a major achievement. She said, “earlier, 400 people used to be killed every year in Jangalmahal, not it is zero – all due to the efforts of the police”

She ended by asking the police personnel to continue with their good work.

Will take strong steps: Deb - Minister criticises local MP role in crisis

Siliguri, June 15: Bengal tourism minister Gautam Deb today reaffirmed that the government would take stern steps to prevent any deterioration of law and order in the hills.

"Whatever is happening across the Darjeeling hills is undesirable. The state is reviewing the present state of affairs in the hills. Police are taking strong steps to control any attempt to create a volatile situation for residents and tourists," Deb said in Siliguri today.

Sources said the minister also spoke with officials of the tourism and transport departments to know about the problems faced by those visitors who had chosen to stay back in the hills and the availability of vehicles.

"The government is making efforts to bring back (to the plains) all tourists who are still there in the hills," Deb said.

The situation in the Darjeeling hills, already reeling from an infinite agitation called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, turned worse today after the police raided Bimal Gurung's office. Suspected Morcha supporters torched government property and vandalised some.

Deb, the Trinamul president in Darjeeling district, also criticised the role of local MP S.S. Ahluwalia of the BJP, an ally of the Morcha.

"It is very unfortunate that whenever there is a crisis in hills, right from natural calamities to violence, we never find the MP around. Bimal Gurung and his aides have turned the peaceful hills into a tensed area but the residents are yet to get the MP on their side. There has been no visible initiative from his end to restore normality," the minister said.

Repeated calls to Ahluwalia went unanswered

- Telegraph

Raid on Gurung base - Morcha calls general strike; more forces and officers head to hills

Writes : Kinsuk Basu and Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, June 15 TT : Police today raided the hub of Bimal Gurung, prompting the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to clash with security forces and scale up its ongoing indefinite agitation into a full-scale general strike.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee vowed not to let a "handful of goons" disrupt peace and issued a direct appeal to the people in Darjeeling: "Stay well, stay in peace. Those doing hooliganism, do not listen to them, throw them out and save the hills."

The state government requested the Centre to dispatch four additional companies of security forces to help maintain law and order in Darjeeling. Soon after, the Centre sent the forces.

Late this evening, seven more senior police officers were sent to Darjeeling. IPS officers Jawed Shamim, Ajay Nand and S.N. Gupta are already stationed in the hills to oversee security operations.

The state also asked the Centre to postpone the tripartite Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) meeting scheduled for June 19, sources in the Union home ministry said.

Gurung, the Morcha chief, spoke to The Telegraph over phone from an undisclosed location and said "there is no going back now".

The police raid was carried out on a compound housing Gurung's residence, barely 100 metres from the Morcha office at Patlabas, around 5km from the Mall. This was the first time in years that the police took such action in Patlabas, senior officers said.

A police team broke the locks on the iron gates leading to Gurung's office around 9.40am in the presence of Darjeeling police chief Akhilesh Chaturvedi. While Chaturvedi led the team inside, officers Shamim, Gupta and Nand oversaw the operation.

The raid allegedly yielded firearms, radio sets used by the police, a night-vision binocular, kukris, steel arrows, a crossbow, slingshots and lakhs in cash.

Morcha supporters who had been quiet during the comb-and-search operation that continued for several hours retaliated once the officers had left after sealing the party office and while the forces were marching uphill.

Stones and petrol bombs were hurled from the top, injuring two police personnel, and a vehicle of a television news channel was torched.

The police force then stormed the compound of Gurung's house nearby. Morcha sources alleged that windowpanes were shattered, flowerpots broken and two of Gurung's cars damaged.

Some Morcha leaders alleged that Trinamul supporters, disguised as police, set a third car on fire while and insisted that the indigenous arms recovered were "planted" by the police.

The Morcha called for an indefinite strike to protest the "undemocratic and pre-planned police action". An indefinite agitation was already going on but it was so far focused on government offices.

But Binay Tamang, assistant general secretary of the Morcha, said today: "Only the emergency services would be exempted... and also the board exams in schools and colleges."

"The police entering Gurung's house is unconstitutional. He is the CEO of the GTA and enjoys the status of a cabinet minister," said Swaraj Thapa, a Morcha leader.

At Nabanna, the chief minister said the administration would take necessary action against those trying to break the law.

Later in the day, while speaking at a police programme in Calcutta, Mamata referred to the violence in the hills on June 8 when she was there.

"For two hours, there was continuous shelling and use of Molotov cocktails. What's the difference between militants and them?" she asked. "Peace had been restored to the hills. It is still there. A handful of goons are doing this. Five years are up.... Politics cannot be done over guns and Molotov cocktails."

The chief minister accused the Morcha of endangering people's livelihoods and standing in the way of economic activities in the region. "Stopping people from making a living, stopping them from eating.... 'Only I will eat, nobody else will', that's not politics. It's hooliganism. We will defeat hooliganism with peace," she said.

"They have stopped all business in the hills. These people do not want what's good for Darjeeling. They have destroyed banks in Darjeeling. This is a conspiracy to finish Darjeeling, which I will not let succeed.... I am ready to shed my blood for keeping Darjeeling from harm," she added.

GJM chief's premises raided, cache of arms seized

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has called for an indefinite strike in Darjeeling Hills after the police action

-Police claimed to have seized cache of arms and ammunition, including bow and arrows, from Bimal Gurung's premises.

Police seized cache of arms during raid on premises of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung in Darjeeling on Thursday and arrested some party activists.

The party has called for an indefinite strike after the police action. Thursday may witness violence, with the GJM's youth wing Gorkha Janmukti Yuwa Morcha (GJYM) announcing a rally in the town against police lathicharge and the arrest of its members. A rally is being organised at Kalimpong in protest against the police action.

Police claimed to have seized cache of arms and ammunition, including bow and arrows, knives, axes and cartridges from Gurung's premises.

GJM Central Committee has decided to call an indefinite strike from Thursday to protest police action. "We are tribals and we were about to hold our traditional archery competition. They (police) showed our traditional equipment as weapons and that's why we need Gorkhaland -- our rights, our culture, our heritage, our traditions."
"Some of the premises of Gurung and other GJM activists were raided. We conducted the raids on the basis of concrete information. The raids are still on. We have arrested a few GJM activists," a senior police official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The police, however, denied that Gurung's residence had been raided.

"The state government is indulging in politics of witch-hunting. The police and the state government are provoking us to call an indefinite strike in the hills. We will inform the Centre about the atrocities of the state government. We have called an indefinite shutdown in hills from today," GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said.

The raids came on the fourth day of the GJM-sponsored indefinite strike in government and GTA offices in the hills.
The development also came a day after Gurung said that the agitation for a separate Gorkhaland would go on till it was achieved. He had asked tourists to avoid visiting Darjeeling.

The GJM's call for a separate state of Gorkhaland gained momentum after six other hill parties extended their support to GJM and unanimously passed a resolution, demanding a separate state on Tuesday.

[Via: TNN]

!MEDIA PLEASE WAKE UP! - Stop Fabricating & Sensationalising News

One of our readers Ashwin Rai, who is baffled at the news being presented by certain media houses, writes:

"Wake up Indian media these things are portrayed as harmful weapons by the #westbengalpoliceforce which was seized from the house of Gorkha leader Mr. Bimal Gurung.

List of dangerous weapons seized:
1. Sickle- used by the farmers for harvesting or reaping grain crops or cutting succulent forage chiefly for feeding livestock.

2. Saw- an instrument used for cutting plywood and some small wooden materials for construction of furniture and other household materials.

3. Axe- an instrument used by the nepalies/ gorkhalies to chop down trees and make Fire wood for daily household purpose.

4. Hammer- tool used to drive nails fit parts and forge metal.

5. Bow/ Crossbow-  it is used as a  recreational purpose for the students who are involved in sports and games.

And these things are provided by our administrative body as the students are not capable of buying such items.

6. Cracker- cracker are used to rejoice victories, and burning one is an integral part of Diwali.

7. Hoe- it's a gardening tool and also used for ploughing fields and loosening soil for harvesting.

8. Khukuri- khukuri is the pride of Gorkha ( and if you want one you can buy it from Amazon ) and it's used in many traditional rituals such as wedding ceremonies of Gorkha people. And you can find a khukuri in every doors of Gorkha people."

Wake Up Media before you all are called #Presstitutes again!

TheDC

Bandobast in place to thwart month-long stir in Darjeeling

[Mamata Banerjee holds a meeting with district officials in Siliguri to discuss the situation in Darjeeling]

SILIGURI/KOLKATA: The Mamata Banerjee government is taking all steps to thwart the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's month long strike in state government offices and banks in the Hills. The state government has extended free bus services for yet another day till Sunday to carry tourists in the Hills to New Jalpaiguri railway station and Bagdogra airport. The state transport department will also run additional buses from the Hills to Kolkata.

GJM general secretary Roshan Giri has also promised to keep transport out of the ambit of the non-cooperation agitation to allow tourists to get down to the plains.

Soon after the CM's meeting with senior state officials, the state issued a circular to government employees asking them to report to duty from Monday . The district administration is also making arrangements for pick-up-and drop vehicles to ferry employees particularly from the remote areas.

Additional police forces have been deployed in the Hills to combat the joint offensive -the GJM shutdown call in government offices and the trade union strike call in the tea gardens beginning Monday . The state government also lifted restrictions on the movement of commercial vehicles from the plains -Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri -to aggregate vehicles from these areas during exigency . All the police stations in the Hills and also in Terai and Dooars have been put on alert following the CM's discussions with state home secretary Moloy De and director general of police Surajit Kar Purakayastha.

Taking the cue from the CM, the state government ordered a shuffle in the Darjeeling Police with the two ICs of the im portant police stations of Kurseong and Kalingpong being replaced by fresh faces.The decision comes hours after SP (Darjeeling) Amit Javalgi was sent on compulsory waiting. DC (central Kolkata) Akhilesh Chturvedi, who has experience of heading the VIP zone consisting of Raj Bhawan, Writers' Buildings and Lalbazar along with trading hubs -the protest nerve centre of the city will be replacing him.

Sources said Chaturvedi was rushed to the Hills on Saturday even before the formal orders were typed. All these officers will work under the guidance of the three-member IPS panel comprising Siddhi Nath Gupta (ADG& IGP ,) Jawed Shamim (IGP) and Ajay Kumar Nand (IGP). Top sources said the DGP , too, has been asked to camp more in the Hills.

However, most of the 50-odd bank branches and around 70 ATMs spread over the Hills are not going to take the risk. They are likely to remain closed during the month long Gorkha Janmukti Morcha agitation except on Mondays and Thursday -relaxations announced by the GJM.

"Bank employees usually try to come to office. But if forced to down the shutters, we won't confront the agitators because it runs the risk of damage of property. Besides, the security of our employees is also of prime importance," the SBI spokesperson said. An official of UBI endorsed the view. He assured citizens that ATMs will have enough cash to meet the consumers' needs. "We will be getting ample opportunity to fill in the ATMs with cash at least twice a week. Running ATMs won't be a problem if the agitators allow people to use them," he said.

[TOI]

OUR DAUGHTERS, OUR PRIDE: Henuka Rai, Indian Civil Services Examination 2016, Rank 931

Henuka Rai was recently selected in the prestigious Indian Civil Services after she passed UPSC-Civil Services examinations (2016), believed to be one of the toughest examinations of the country. Henuka came out successful in just her second attempt and plans to further improve her ranking in the next examination.

A diligent and hardworking student, Henuka is currently pursuing her PhD in Floriculture and Landscaping from reputed Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

TheDC spoke to Henuka on her preparations for the examination, her mantras of success, her strategies, and her plans for future. Needless to say, we are awed by Henuka's success but more so by her hardwork and her zeal to do better. We are sure Henuka's success story and her hardwork will inspire our youngsters and will guide them in their preparation. We, on behalf of all our readers, congratulate Henuka for her accomplishment and wish her many more success in all her endeavours.

1) Please tell us about your academic background - your schooling, college and present academic engagement.

Henuka: I did my schooling from Sichey Government secondary school,Gangtok upto class 8 and from class 9 to 12 from Deorali senior secondary school, Gangtok.

I did  B.Sc. from college of Horticulture and Forestry, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh, Central Agricultural University,Imphal.

Then I joined Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa, New Delhi through ICAR all India entrance examination for masters degree programme.

I was a Gold medalist in both B. Sc. as well as M.Sc.

Presently I am doing Ph.D. from the same institute in Delhi.  

2) When did you start preparing for ICS?

Henuka: I started the preparation for civil services from the year 2015 and was successful in clearing preliminary exam but could not clear mains exam. So in 2016  again I appeared for the exam for which the result came on 31st May and I have secured 931 rank.

3) Did you join any coaching institute? If yes, how much did it help?

Henuka: I did not join any coaching institute because of financial as well as time time constrain.

4) How did you prepare yourself for the ICS - prelims and mains examination?

Henuka: Firstly I asked some of my seniors who had qualified Indian Forest Service exam regarding the preparation.I also searched in internet and I use to read blogs and websites which are specially dedicated for UPSC preparation.

For mains I used to read newspaper (The HINDU) and YOJANA magazine.

5) How did you prepare for the interview?

Henuka: For the interview I use to read 2 newspapers THE HINDU and INDIAN EXPRESS. I use to watch debates in Rajya Sabha TV and listen to ALL INDIA RADIO talks after 9pm. I googled all the important issues and things that are related to me like and events that were in news at that time. 

6) How did you motivate yourself to keep up the tempo since failure in ICS can be really discouraging?

Henuka: I use to watching many inspiring videos on youTube. I use to call my family, talk to my sister,friends and seniors and whenever feel low I use to play loud music.I always use to pray to God to give me strength to work hard.

7) What are you future plans?

Henuka: I want to give one more attempt this time to improve my rank and as a public servant I want to work for elderly people, women and socially  and economically weaker sections.

8) Advice to the youngsters preparing for civil services and other exams.

Henuka: I want to tell all the future aspirants to work hard. Its is the hard work and determination that matters and your background and attending or not attending coaching does not matter .You should believe in your own capabilities.   

9) Role of your family and friends.

Henuka: My father, mother and all my family members were very supportive, they had confidence in me that I can crack this exam and that motivated me to work hard. I feel very happy that my seniors specially Ms Tshering Lhamu Bhutia always encouraged me during my preparation as well as difficult days of my life. I am also very grateful to all my teachers who believed in me and always supported me.

Via : TheDC

Bengal’s Successive Rulers Responsible For Darjeeling’s Recurring Distress

Writes: Jaideep Mazumdar

Successive regimes in Bengal have very loudly asserted the state’s claims over the 3,150 square kilometres of mountainous terrain popularly called the Darjeeling hills every time the demand for Gorkhaland reverberates through the hills. But such loud assertions have done little except further alienate the Nepali-speaking residents of the under-developed hills steeped in poverty and neglect. And successive rulers of Bengal have shown a remarkable insensitivity towards, and lack of understanding of, the aspirations, sentiments and needs of the simple folks of the hills.

It is this insensitivity and lack of understanding – further accentuated now with grave provocation from an unthinking and whimsical Mamata Banerjee – that has led to the demands for Gorkhaland getting stronger in the hills. And Thursday’s violence (8 June) in Darjeeling is one more episode in the seemingly unending saga of unrest that the hills has convulsed in periodically over the past nearly four decades now.

The trigger for Thursday’s violence was the Bengal government’s decision to make Bengali a compulsory language in all schools across the state. The announcement caused immediate ripples with the people in the hills voicing their strong protest against this imposition of Bengali. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which spearheaded a three-and-a-half-year-long agitation for creation of a separate Gorkhaland state from late 2007, led the protests and accused Mamata of trying to promote the Bengali language over Nepali.

Though Mamata announced earlier this week that schools in the hills would be exempt from the Bengali language order, the damage was already done. The deep distrust between the politicians of the plains of Bengal and the Darjeeling hills manifested itself with GJM chief Bimal Gurung asserting that Mamata’s announcement was not convincing and she was merely trying to hoodwink the people of the hills. The GJM announced a string of protests in the hills to coincide with Mamata’s visit to the area that started on Tuesday (6 June).

Mamata’s blasé presence in the hills was a red rag to the GJM, which has been facing a political challenge from Mamata’s Trinamool Congress. Mamata’s Marxist predecessors had preferred to stay away from the hills and allow the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), which led a seven-year-long agitation for Gorkhaland state that ended with the signing of the Darjeeling Accord and formation of the semi-autonomous Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) in August 1988, to be the unchallenged political force in the hills. But Mamata has been trying to expand her political footprints there since 2013 when the Trinamool Congress’ alliance with the GJM broke down over the latter’s decision to revive the Gorkhaland demand.

Failure of the DGHC and rise of GJM

The DGHC experiment was a failure since the then Marxist rulers of Bengal managed to co-opt GNLF chief Subhas Ghising and turned him into a local autocrat who kept demands for more autonomy in check for two decades. The DGHC also did not get its promised level of autonomy and funds, and the hills continued to remain under-developed and mired in poverty, disease and squalor. At the same time, Ghising and his men were allowed to loot whatever funds were allotted to the DGHC and enrich themselves at the cost of the hill people. Since Ghising was seen to be enjoying the patronage of the rulers sitting in Kolkata, the alienation of the hill people continued.

Two decades of Ghising’s dictatorship in the hills created a fertile ground for another revolt that was provided by, interestingly, the third session of the popular reality show Indian Idol. When Prashant Tamang, a native of Darjeeling working for the Kolkata Police started emerging as one of the top finalists (he went on to win the show), the people of the hills started identifying with him. Tamang represented the latent hopes and aspirations of the Nepali-speaking people of Darjeeling hills and their quest for recognition as a community with a distinct culture, language, history and ethos. Ghising didn’t attach any importance to Tamang’s feats, but his one-time lieutenant Bimal Gurung did and organised massive support in the hills and among the Nepali-speaking people across the country for Tamang.

Tamang’s win of the Indian Idol title boosted Gurung politically and in October 2007, he formed the GJM. The GJM became instantly popular in the Darjeeling hills and buoyed by widespread public support, Gurung launched the second phase of the Gorkhaland movement immediately. A series of bandhs, sit-ins, refusals to pay taxes and other peaceful modes of agitations continued. The Trinamool Congress, which was the principal opposition party at that time, supported the GJM and, before the 2011 assembly elections, entered into an electoral alliance with the GJM.

Formation of GTA and revival of movement

After sweeping the 2011 assembly polls, Mamata played the peace-broker and a tripartite agreement (between the GJM, the union government and the Bengal government) was signed in July 2011 to form the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) to replace the DGHC. The GTA was given more powers – administrative and financial – than the DGHC. The Bengal government promised to transfer many departments to the GTA. However, Gurung announced right at that time that the GTA was not an end in itself but a step forward to realising the dream of Gorkhaland.

The GJM won all the 45 seats of the GTA in the elections held in July 2012. But by then, relations between the GJM and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) had already started souring, more so since the TMC contested the GTA polls. The TMC contesting the polls was looked upon by the GJM as a challenge to its suzerainty over the Darjeeling hills. Soon after taking over the GTA, the GJM started accusing Mamata of reneging on the July 2011 agreement and not transferring powers to the GTA. Matters reached a new low with Mamata and Gurung indulging in sharp verbal exchanges.

That the Bengal government didn’t deliver on its promises, as per the July 2011 agreement, to transfer control of many departments to the GTA and give the latter greater financial powers caused more rift between Mamata and the GJM. The GJM has been accusing the Mamata Banerjee government of going back on the agreement and making the GTA a lame duck body with little administrative and financial powers. Mamata, in turn, has been demanding political loyalty from the GJM as a precondition to delivering on the GTA agreement. She has reportedly sent many feelers to the GJM leadership promising all help if it severs ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). But her overtures have been rebuffed.

The announcement of the formation of Telangana in July 2013 gave the Gorkhaland movement a fresh lease of life. The self-immolation of one Mangal Singh Rajput, a Gorkhaland supporter (he was of Bihari origin and his suicide proved that the demand for Gorkhaland cut across all ethnic lines in the hills), only intensified the movement. A series of indefinite bandhs followed, but the movement fizzled out due to harsh and often undemocratic administrative action against GJM leaders and supporters who were, on Mamata’s express instructions, incarcerated on various charges, many of them trumped up.

Mamata’s bid to capture the hills politically

Mamata stepped up her quest to gain political control of the hills. And she employed a variety of tactics, some quite dishonourable, for this. Using the district administration, which she packed with her loyalist police and administrative officials, Mamata continued her crackdown on the GJM and encouraged dissident GJM leaders and activists to join her party. She poured in a lot of money to strengthen her party in the hills and the Darjeeling unit of the TMC started taking on the GJM, which till then enjoyed unchallenged sway in that part of the state.

One of the primary reasons for Mamata’s deep animosity towards the GJM is said to be the latter’s alliance with the BJP, which helped the BJP nominee S S Ahluwalia win the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Darjeeling. Some BJP leaders, including Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Sushma Swaraj, had voiced support for the Gorkhaland demand. Though the BJP’s stand on the statehood demand is ambivalent now, many senior leaders of the party are said to be sympathetic to it.

Mamata, in a bid to weaken the GJM, started wooing ethnic minorities in the hills, like the Lepchas, Bhutias and Tamangs, and formed separate development boards for them. Till date, 15 development boards have been formed for ethnic groups. “This is part of Mamata’s divide and rule policy to weaken the Gorkhaland movement. She is trying to create fissures within the Nepali-speaking people of the Hills,” GJM chief Bimal Gurung told Swarajya. Mamata has, till date, sanctioned Rs 280 crore for the 15 development boards, not a small amount for a cash-strapped state like Bengal.

Mamata also started wooing top leaders of the GJM who were unhappy with Gurung’s alleged autocratic style of functioning. She succeeded in getting a senior GJM leader, Harka Bahadur Chetri, to quit the GJM in 2015 and form his own party. Chetri, an influential leader from Kalimpong, however, lost the 2016 assembly elections from his native town (Kalimpong), especially since Mamata declared him to be the TMC candidate. Some other senior GJM leaders were also wooed into the TMC. But Mamata’s bid to gain political ground in the hills suffered a setback when her candidates in all the three hill constituencies of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong lost to GJM nominees in the 2016 assembly polls.

That setback, however, did not faze Mamata, who kept up her efforts to take on the GJM. She met with limited success in the civic polls held to the Mirik, Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong municipalities. The TMC posted a handsome win in the Mirik municipality but faced ignominious defeats in the other three municipalities where the GJM-BJP combine retained power. Encouraged by the toehold she had gained there, Mamata continued her political blitzkrieg in the hills.

The fallout

The fall of Mirik to the TMC sent alarm bells ringing within the GJM, which saw the entry of the TMC as a grave challenge to its existence in the hills. The GJM realised it would face a battle for survival and could even be defeated politically if it did not take early steps to contain the growth of the TMC in the hills. The GJM faced an immediate threat in the GTA elections due a couple of months from now. And the best way to take on the TMC, figured the GJM leadership, was to revive the statehood movement. Gurung did so with his opposition to Mamata’s imposition of Bengali language in schools. This imposition fed on the Nepali-speaking people’s latent fears of being made subservient to the Bengali rulers from the plains.

What also provoked the GJM was Mamata’s presence in the hills throughout the week. Her presence was seen as a direct political challenge to the GJM. And as if to rile the GJM more, Mamata convened a meeting of her council of ministers at the Raj Bhawan in Darjeeling on Thursday (8 June). It was an ill-advised move since the Gorkhaland movement was once again picking up steam.

Ironically, the last time a cabinet meeting was held in Darjeeling was in 1972. And that time, too, it was held with the intention to prove that all was normal in north Bengal. The then chief minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray convened the cabinet meeting at a time when north Bengal had become the epicentre of the Naxalite movement that was sweeping through the state like a prairie fire. As Darjeeling Lok Sabha MP Ahluwalia pointed out to the Hindustan Times here, Ray had claimed that time that Bengal was normal and Mamata is also now claiming the hills are normal. “Both were far removed from ground reality. There was no need to hold the cabinet meeting in Darjeeling. She (Mamata) did so just to serve her political purpose of crushing the GJM,” said the BJP parliamentarian.

Mamata’s response to Thursday’s violence has been far from mature and nuanced. She retaliated, rather childishly, by withdrawing police security provided to Gurung. She also made good her earlier threat of conducting a special audit of the GTA’s finances. Coming from the head of a party whose leaders are being investigated for various scams and a cash-for-favours sting operation, the move to investigate the GTA’s finances in a bid to expose the alleged financial improprieties of GJM leaders was a bit too rich on Mamata’s part.

On Friday (9 June), she strutted around Darjeeling, where the GJM had called a 12-hour bandh, in an open but another ill-advised challenge to the GJM. The sight of the Chief Minister, hemmed by her security guards and party colleagues, walking around the town – she did it thrice in the course of the day – added fuel to the raging fire in the hearts of the hill people.

“It does not behove a person like Mamata who accuses the Modi government for being undemocratic, using the CBI for political purposes and violating the spirit of federalism to behave like a dictator in Darjeeling. How would she react if Modi were to walk the streets of Kolkata on a day the TMC calls a bandh in protest against some action by the union government?” wondered GJM chief Gurung. He also pointed out that whenever she comes to the hills, Mamata makes it a point to snub the elected representatives of the GTA, the GJM’s MLAs and even the Lok Sabha MP (Ahluwalia). “She never invites any elected representative from the hills to any state government or any other function in the hills. And then she talks about democracy,” said GJM leader Roshan Giri.

Mamata has already let loose her subservient police force and spineless civil administration officials on the GJM and many charges are again being drawn up against them. As the GJM is bound to harden its stance on the statehood demand, Mamata is also sure to step up her vendetta against GJM leaders and activists. And that will only cause more distress for Darjeeling.

Mamata would do well to catch up on the history of the hills. If she does that, she will realise that the Darjeeling hills became part of Bengal only in 1947. And ever since then, it has been administered very poorly. The hills have been starved of funds and kept under-developed. Extremely poor infrastructure, abysmal education and healthcare facilities, grinding poverty, criminal neglect of the hills by the powers-that-be in Kolkata and Bengali majoritarianism have totally alienated the simple hill folks.

Mamata would also do everyone a favour by looking at the economy of the hills. The two Ts – tea and tourism – are the mainstay of the hills’ economy. Darjeeling is Bengal’s prime tourist destination. But little has been done by successive governments in Bengal to preserve the scenic town and improve its rickety infrastructure. Even the roads of the town, which the British named the ‘Queen of the Hills’, would put the worst road in the most backward village of India to shame.

Tourism does not generate a lot of earnings for the locals. That’s because most of the hotels are run by Bengalis from the plains and locals find employment only as poorly-paid waiters and cooks. Many of the owners of taxis and SUVs that ferry tourists to and from the hills are Bengalis living in the plains. “What the hills people get from tourism is the little that tourists spend in buying mementoes and woollens,” said Giri.

As for Darjeeling tea, which fetches astronomical prices in international markets, the hill people are only employed as poorly paid labourers in the tea gardens. No local (Nepali-speaking resident of the Darjeeling hills) owns a garden and there are just a handful of Nepali-speaking managers running these gardens. All the profits made from Darjeeling tea are thus taken away to the plains and the hill people get little from tea.

A separate state of Gorkhaland, where Nepali-speaking people of the hills would be the real stakeholders, thus holds immense promise to the people of the hills. Gorkhaland is, for the hill people, not just a means to improve their financial and social lot but also to establish their identity firmly as Indians. “We are looked upon as migrants from Nepal, even though we have been Indians for generations. Gorkhaland will give us that identity as Indians,” asserted Gurung.

These are issues that Mamata, and her predecessors, have shown little understanding of. The Nepali-speaking people of the hills have quite often been looked down upon and treated as menials by the Bengalis from the plains. Mamata only reinforces the hills-plains psychological divide by trying to stamp her authority on the hills. And this is why the Gorkhaland movement will continue.

The history of the hills

Darjeeling gets its name from Dorji Ling, a Buddhist monastery built by the Denzongpas in 1765 on behalf of the Chogyal (King) of Sikkim. The roughly 3,150 square kilometres of territory that is called the Darjeeling hills today (comprising the hills section of Darjeeling district and the whole of the newly formed Kalimpong district) was alternately occupied by Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal.

In the late 1700s, Darjeeling hills was inhabited by a few hundred Lepchas and was held by Sikkim. But in the 1790s, the Gurkhas from Nepal started invading the area and they eventually defeated the combined Bhutia and Lepcha army of Sikkim. The invading Gurkha army also attacked and sacked Sikkim’s then capital Rabdentse and annexed the Darjeeling hills.

After the defeat of the Gurkha army of Nepal in the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816), Nepal’s rulers were made to sign the humiliating Treaty of Sugauli by which one-third of Nepal’s territory, including Kumaon, Garhwal, Nainital and the Darjeeling hill tracts that were annexed from Sikkim, were ceded to the British. In February 1817, the British returned the Darjeeling hill tracts to the Chogyal of Sikkim under the Treaty of Titalia under which Sikkim became a British protectorate and extended many other facilities to the British.

In February 1829, a dispute arose between Nepal and Sikkim over their borders and the then British governor general Lord William Bentinck sent two officers – Captain George Alymer Lloyd and J W Grant – to mediate between the two kingdoms. On their way to the disputed border at Ontoo Dara, the two officers halted at what they wrote in their memoirs was “the old Gurkha station called Dorji Ling” that was then populated by about a hundred Lepchas. The two were “much impressed with the possibility of the station as a sanatorium”. In June 1829, both Grant and Lloyd urged the government to acquire Darjeeling hill tracts.

Governor general Bentinck agreed with them and also realised that the Darjeeling hills offered strategic advantages as a military outpost and trading hub. The deputy surveyor general, Captain Herbert, was deputed to Darjeeling to examine the area. The court of directors of the British East India Company approved the project. General Lloyd was given the responsibility to negotiate a lease of the area from the Chogyal of Sikkim. The lease was granted on 1 February 1835. The British paid a handsome compensation to the Chogyal of Sikkim in return.

After taking over Darjeeling, the British appointed a physician, Arthur Campbell, as their agent there and one Lieutenant Napier was deputed to lay the foundations of the hill station. The sanatorium was set up in 1839 and Campbell became its first superintendent. A road connecting Darjeeling to the plains was constructed the same year.

Campbell is also credited with bringing Chinese tea seeds in 1841 to grow tea on an experimental basis near his residence at Beechwood in Darjeeling. The experiment was successful and within a decade the British started setting up tea plantations in the hills. They set up many schools, which went on to become the best institutions in this part of the world. The setting up of tea and cinchona plantations, the construction of the railway line and roads and other construction activities brought in migrants from Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan who eventually settled down in the Darjeeling hills.

Within a few years, however, the Chogyal of Sikkim got into a dispute with the British, and the latter simply annexed Darjeeling hills and made it part of their Indian dominion in 1850. The British also acquired Kalimpong and the Dooars area of North Bengal from Bhutan after defeating the Bhutan king in the Anglo-Bhutan war (1864-1865) and making the latter sign the Treaty of Sinchula. These areas were clubbed with Darjeeling to form the Darjeeling district of the British India province of Bengal. Darjeeling became part of West Bengal in 1947. Thus, it is clear that Darjeeling was never historically part of Bengal and all the dynasties, including the Nawabs and vassals of the Mughal emperors who ruled over Bengal from the medieval times, never exercised any control over the Darjeeling hills.

Tragedy of the hills

Much like the state of Bengal, the tragedy of the Darjeeling hills is that its best and brightest go away in search of better education and prospects to other parts of the country and even abroad. This brain drain has led to the social, economic and cultural degeneration of Darjeeling. “The best students don’t stay back in Darjeeling after school. And once they go away, they never return. There are no jobs and business prospects here,” said a prominent educationist in Darjeeling who did not want to be named.

This brain drain has also caused an unfortunate intellectual vacuum in the hills. “Had there been opportunities here, bright people would have stayed back and would have provided political leadership. Our present political leadership leaves a lot to be desired,” said the professor who taught English at a very reputable college in Darjeeling. He alludes to the rag-tag bunch of GJM activists and the lumpen that make its cadres. He also recounts the many allegations of corruption and malpractices against the GJM leadership and says that had the political leadership been in the hands of the educated and accomplished people of the hills, the statehood movement would have taken a much different and successful turn by now.

The people of Darjeeling point to Sikkim, which has flourished and emerged as a front-ranking state in the country on many fronts. Darjeeling, they contend, developed much before Sikkim and had much greater potential to emerge as a prime tourist, business, organic, education and healthcare hub. Staying within Bengal, they contend, has ruined Darjeeling. “Darjeeling could have been what Sikkim is today,” rued David Lepcha, a prominent tour operator in Darjeeling. His regret finds resonance across the hills. Bengal’s politicians would do well to introspect why.

Via: Swarajya

Morcha tests govt resolve - Hill party says its one-point agenda is Gorkhaland, targets symbols of State in Darjeeling

Darjeeling, June 10: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has announced an "indefinite" agitation that spares most day-to-day activities but seeks to challenge the writ of the state government, throwing down the gauntlet soon after Mamata Banerjee arrived in Calcutta this afternoon.

The Morcha protest programme, scheduled to begin from Monday, targets government offices and banks but with monthly and weekly relief windows. Education establishments, shops, hotels and health and transport services are expected to be kept out of its purview.

The immediate objective of the Morcha campaign appears to be to contest the perception that the proactive chief minister has succeeded in restoring normality to the hills after Thursday's flare-up and re-established the rule of law.

By exempting most segments that affect everyday life, the Morcha also wants to gauge the mood of the people, especially since complete shutdowns that bleed the tourism sector eventually end up hurting the local population. The Morcha will review the "indefinite agitation" after a month.

The chief minister did not react to the Morcha's announcement of the agitation but sources said she had got in touch with senior officials and Trinamul leaders after she reached Calcutta from Siliguri.

Before leaving Darjeeling last night, Mamata had entrusted the task of maintaining law and order with senior officers handpicked and summoned from across the state.

The sources said the chief minister felt that allowing government offices to stay shut in the hills was "not an option".

"She said the situation could be monitored for a day or two before intervening to ensure nothing stays forcibly shut," said a source.

"She has made it clear that the Darjeeling brand cannot be allowed to be destroyed.... She thinks that only a handful of people are behind the trouble, for their own interests."

In the absence of any fresh protests in the morning, life seemed to be returning to normal in the Queen of the Hills, with a trickle of tourists reaching Tiger Hill and some going to the zoo. The peak summer rush is in anyway expected to ebb soon with the onset of the monsoon.

"Peace has returned to the hills. Let the hills people be happy.... We will bring complete peace and normality," Mamata had told a news conference at Uttarkanya, the state secretariat in Siliguri, this afternoon before leaving for Calcutta.

She had arrived in Siliguri after prolonging her stay in Darjeeling to take charge of the situation during a Morcha bandh.

While Mamata was holding the news conference, Morcha leaders were heading to Malidhura, about 6km from Darjeeling town, where party chief Bimal Gurung held a meeting to discuss the course of what had begun as a protest against the state government's plan to introduce Bengali in schools. Mamata has clarified at least twice this week that the language would not be mandatory.

Today, the Morcha decided to scale up the protest and renewed its core demand for a Gorkhaland state and announced the agitation programme to keep the issue alive.

"Keeping in mind the popular sentiments that have engulfed the hills in recent times, we have decided to go ahead with the one-point agenda of Gorkhaland," said Roshan Giri, the Morcha general secretary, after the meeting.

"Our party president Bimal Gurung today wrote a letter to Union home minister Rajnath Singh, apprising him of the popular feeling in the hills and the high-handedness and atrocities of the state government. We have demanded that a state of Gorkhaland be created as early as possible as the GTA (the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the autonomous body that runs the hills) has been a complete failure," Giri said, making it clear that it wants the BJP-led Centre to be kept in the loop.

The Morcha has decided to send a delegation to the Prime Minister and the Union home minister as early as possible.

The Morcha is trying to build a consensus platform for the statehood agitation and has decided to invite all the hill-based political parties to a meeting on Tuesday.

"There will be a mass movement. We are ready to face any situation. We have to respect the feelings of our people," said Giri.

Some government officials and police officers who had served in Darjeeling believe the real reason the Morcha is raising the pitch is a realisation that if the state government succeeds in ensuring normality, the biggest casualty will be "fear psychosis".

The Morcha derives its political as well as economic sustenance from its ability to enforce its will, whose potency has come under a strain with the chief minister making frequent trips to the hills.

"The Morcha has been controlling the hills for a decade. That control is generated through a fear psychosis," said a bureaucrat. "With the establishment of the rule of law, the fear would dissipate. Without that fear, the Morcha holds no sway."

Binny Sharma, Trinamul spokesperson in the hills, claimed the Morcha was trying to close government offices "fearing a special audit and an on-the-spot verification of the projects".

The Morcha had announced protest programmes between 2007 and 2012, too, but both the Left and the Trinamul governments had largely adopted a non-confrontationist posture.

Today, Mamata indicated that the time for patience was over.

"We have tried to compromise but there is a limit. We want to make it clear that we will not compromise with those who resort to violence and arson and use bombs and sticks. Besides, no one can stop me from going to the hills," the chief minister said.

(Via : Telegraph , writes :Vivek Chhetri, Avijit Sinha and Our Calcutta Bureau)

I come to the Hills every month. This is my home: Mamata Banerjee

Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee began her visit to north Bengal today with a programme in Mirik.

She addressed an administrative review meeting at  Mirik today. She laid foundation stones and inaugurates a bouquet of developmental projects from today’s programme.

Trinamool Congress became the first mainstream political party to win an election in the Hills in almost three decades when it won the Municipal Board election in Mirik last month.

Recently, Kalimpong was declared the 21^st district of the State and then Mirik was declared a sub-division.

Excerpts of her speech: 

Many many thanks and congratulations to the people of MirikShanta Chhetri is becoming an MP of Rajya Sabha. My congratulations to her alsoMy best wishes and congratulations to all the development boards in the HillsCommon people want progressI always fulfill the promises I makeEveryone in Mirik will get land pattas within a monthI am allocating Rs 12 crore for road project in MirikOn 12 June, we will lay foundation stones for 18000 km roads across BengalWe are allocating Rs 10 crore for drainage project in MirikWe have inaugurated fire brigade in MirikWe are allocating Rs 10 crore for the renovation of Mirik LakeWe have started a drinking water project in MirikWe will lay stress on eco-tourism in Mirik. If tourism flourishes, economy will improveWe are allocating Rs 10 crore to beautify Mirik with lightsIt is our Govt which gave recognition to Nepali language. Public service exam can also be taken in Nepali nowThose who want to study Nepali can do it. If you want to study English, do it. But let Bengali be one optionIt is important to know Nepali is a Nepali area. In a Bengali area one must know BengaliWe have started 3 language formula. You can study any language as first language. But have Bengali as an optionI come to the Hills every month. This is my homeI want to make Darjeeling an international tourist attractionWe will conduct a Cabinet Meeting in the HillsWe started an institute of Presidency University in the HillsFew days ago I met with the Nagaland CM. He was speaking to me in Hindi. I responded in Nagamese. He was very happyWe want to work for the people of the Hills but the powers are with GTASome leaders here think of themselves as Gods. They are ‘shaitan’ not GodSome people tried to intimidate me today. When confronted, they ran awayI cannot be intimidated even at gun point. Kanchenjunga cannot be hidden with black flagsSome people want to create divisions between communities. Do they know how many languages are there in the Hills?Jo humse takrayega, chur chur ho jayegaThey only seek votes in the name of Gorkhaland. From landslide to earthquake, I am always by your sideGTA elections are coming. They do not have any issue. So they are trying to drive a wedge between Nepali and BengaliWe never said Bengali will be compulsory in the Hills. This is a BIG LIE. We never lie in politicsThey want to live in darkness. What do they want to do in darkness?We will do special audit of the funds given to GTA. No one will be sparedThey want hotels to close down, tourism to suffer. People will suffer losses, they will make commissionWe do not believe in communal, divisive politics. We want people of Hills to smileWe do not believe in political vendetta. Law will take its own course

 

 

আমি প্রতি মাসে পাহাড়ে আসি, এটা আমার বাড়ি:  মুখ্যমন্ত্রী

আজ থেকে শুরু হল মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর পাহার সফর। প্রায় তিন দশক পর পাহাড়ে কোনও পুরসভায় জয় পেয়েছে সমতলের কোন দল।

ক্ষমতায় আসার পর থেকে মুখ্যমন্ত্রী হিসাবে যতবার পাহাড়ে গিয়েছেন, ততবারই পাহাড়বাসীর জন্য নিয়ে গিয়েছেন উন্নয়নের গুচ্ছডালি। এবারও তার ব্যতিক্রম হল না। তাঁর আহ্বানে সাড়া  দিয়েই এবার ‘সিলেকশন’ নয়, ‘ইলেকশনে’ অংশ নিয়ে গণতন্ত্রের প্রতি ভরসা দেখিয়েছে পাহাড়।

পাহাড়বাসীকে তাঁর প্রতি আস্থা রাখার জন্য এবং পাহাড়ে এক নতুন অধ্যায়ের সূচনার জন্য কৃতজ্ঞতা জানিয়ে আগামী আজ মিরিকে সভা করেন মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়। বেশ কিছু প্রকল্পের উদ্বোধন ও শিলান্যাস করেন।

তাঁর বক্তব্যের কিছু বিষয়ঃ

মিরিক বাসীকে আমার অভিনন্দনশান্তা ছেত্রী রাজ্যসভার সাংসদ হচ্ছেন, তাকেও আমার অভিনন্দনসব উন্নয়ন পর্ষদগুলিকে আমার শুভেচ্ছা ও অভিনন্দনসাধারণ মানুষ উন্নয়ন চায়আমি কথা দিয়ে কথা রাখিএক মাসের মধ্যে মিরিকের সকলে জমির পাট্টা পাবেনমিরিকের রাস্তার জন্য ১২ কোটি টাকা বরাদ্দ করা হলআগামী ১২ জুন আমরা ১৮০০০ কিমি রাস্তার শিলান্যাস করবমিরিকের ড্রেনেজের জন্য ১০ কোটি টাকা বরাদ্দ করা হলমিরিকে একটি দমকল কেন্দ্রের উদ্বোধন করা হয়েছেমিরিক লেকের সংস্কারের জন্য ১০ কোটি টাকা বরাদ্দ করা হলমিরিকের জন্য একটি পানীয় জল সরবরাহ প্রকল্প শুরু হয়েছেমিরিকের ইকো ট্যুরিজমের ওপর গুরুত্ব দেওয়া হবে। পর্যটন উন্নত হলে অর্থনৈতিক ব্যবস্থাও উন্নত হবেমিরিককে আলো দিয়ে সাজানোর জন্য ১০ কোটি টাকা বরাদ্দ করা হলনেপালি ভাষাকে আমাদের সরকার স্বীকৃতি দিয়েছে। এখন পাবলিক সার্ভিস পরীক্ষাও নেপালি ভাষায় নেওয়া হয়যারা নেপালি ভাষায় পড়াশোনা করতে চায় তারা তাই পড়বে। কেউ ইংলিশে পড়তে চাইলে পড়বে; সাথে বাংলাও পড়বেনেপালে থাকলে যেমন নেপালি ভাষা জানা প্রয়োজন, তেমনই বাংলায় থাকলে বাংলা ভাষাও জানা দরকারআমরা ত্রিভাষা নীতি চালু করেছি। যে কেউ তাঁর পছন্দমতো ভাষায় পড়তে পারেন কিন্তু সাথে বাংলাও পড়বেআমি প্রতি মাসে পাহাড়ে আসি, এটা আমার বাড়িআমি চাই দার্জিলিং আন্তর্জাতিক পর্যটন কেন্দ্র হোকপাহাড়ে প্রেসিডেন্সি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের একটি শাখা চালু করেছিপাহাড়ে আমরা মন্ত্রীসভার বৈঠক করবকয়েকদিন আগে আমি নাগাল্যান্ডের মুখ্যমন্ত্রীর সঙ্গে দেখা করলাম। উনি হিন্দিতে কথা বললেন আমি নাগামিসে উত্তর দিয়েছি, উনি খুব খুশিআমরা পাহাড়ের মানুষের জন্য কাজ করতে চাই, কিন্তু ক্ষমতা GTA র হাতেএখানকার কিছু নেতারা নিজেদের ভগবান মনে করেন। ওরা ভগবান নয় ‘শয়তান’আজ কেউ কেউ আমায় ভয় দেখাতে চেয়েছিল। আমি সামনাসামনি কথা বলতেই পালিয়ে গেলআমায় বন্দুক দেখিয়েও ভয় দেখানো যাবে না। কাঞ্চনজঙ্ঘা কালো পতাকায় ঢাকা যাবেনাকিছু মানুষ বিভিন্ন সম্প্রদায়ের মধ্যে বিভেদ সৃষ্টির চেষ্টা করছে। ওরা কি জানে পাহাড়ে কত রকমের ভাষা আছে?সামনেই GTA নির্বাচন আসছে। ওরা তাই নেপালি ও বাঙালিদের মধ্যে বিভেদ তৈরীর চেষ্টা করছেআমরা কখনো বলিনি পাহাড়ে বাংলা বাধ্যতামূলক করা হবে। এটা পুরো মিথ্যে কথা। আমরা মিথ্যে কথার রাজনীতি করি নাআমরা রাজনৈতিক প্রতিহিংসায় বিশ্বাস করি না। আইন আইনের পথে চলবেওরা বলছে লোডশেডিং করে দিতে। সবাইকে অন্ধকারে রাখবে। কেন?ওরা গোর্খাল্যান্ডের নামে ভোট চায়। যে কোনো বিপর্যয়ের সময় আমি আপনাদের পাশে থেকেছিওরা চায় হোটেল বন্ধ হয়ে যাক, পর্যটকরা ফিরে যাক, সাধারণ মানুষের ক্ষতি হোক আর ওরা কমিশন পাবেআমরা সাম্প্রদায়িকতা ও বিভাজনের রাজনীতিতে বিশ্বাস করি না। আমরা চাই পাহাড়ের মানুষ হাসুকসরকার থেকে GTA যা টাকা পেয়েছে আমরা তার স্পেশাল অডিট করব। কাউকে রেয়াত করা হবে না

Via >> goo.gl/sB1XxC #DidiInMirik

 

Bengal Transport Dept to introduce 270 buses; Darjeeling, Dooars in main focus

To ensure better connectivity between different points in tourist spots, the Bengal  Transport department has decided to introduce a set of new buses in Darjeeling, Dooars and Murshidabad.

Suvendu Adhjikari, the state Transport minister, said in the Assembly: “Decision has been taken to buy a total number of 270 buses. Out of these buses, eight will be plying in Darjeeling and four each in Dooars and Murshidabad.”

The 270 buses will be operated by the West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC), South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC) and North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC). The 270 buses include air-conditioned mini-buses, air-conditioned deluxe buses, 10 CNG buses and four electric buses. Mainly mini-buses that can easily ply on the hilly terrain will be bought for Darjeeling.

Thousands of people visit the places round the year and with several steps taken by the state government in the past six years, these locations have become immensely popular among people from different states and even abroad. The footfall has increased in all the these places and at the same time, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken different measures to ensure an overall development of the Hills.

Thus, beside tourists, common people of the area will also be immensely benefitted with the decision to introduce the additional fleet of buses. It may be mentioned that most of the buses will be having all modern arrangements to avoid any untoward incident in the bus. There will be panic button using which a passenger can alert policemen or concerned authorities if he or she falls in any untoward situation while travelling or if there is any emergency situation in the bus. There will also be CCTV cameras inside the buses. Notably, the buses will be GPS-enabled. Thus tracking of the realtime location of the buses will be an added advantage.

SALESIAN COLLEGE LADIES WIN 7 MEDALS AT NORTH BENGAL UNIVERSITY CONVOCATION

At 47th Annual Convocation of North Bengal University (NBU) held on 2nd June 2017 at Siliguri - out of 161 medals awarded to Post Graduate students from 47 Colleges of 2016 batch Salesian College students and faculty bagged seven medals.
Siliguri Campus students Miss Renita Washington (Psychology), Miss Trishya Majumder (English) and Miss Shreya Agarwal (B.Com Management) won Silver Medals.
Madam Rittu Mangar, faculty member of Salesian College Sonada won Silver Medal for Sociology.
Miss Trishya Majumder also got Kartik Chandra Maiti Memorial Medal for Securing Second Highest Marks in BA English Honours.
NBU conferred degrees on 31,262 students belonging to 47 colleges affiliated to it and has 39 departments.
West Bengal Education Minister Dr Partha Chatterjee and Minister in Charge of Tourism Shri Goutam Deb graced the occasion.
Salesian College was established in 1938 at Gorabari village under Rington Tea Estate near Sonada town situated some 6,500 ft above sea level. Siliguri Campus was started in 2009. Both campuses together have a total of some 1,500 students studying in some 12 departments. END

Photo: Madam Rittu Mangar receives medal from NBU Vice Chancellor Prof Somnath Ghosh.

State Govt to launch 10,000 e-rickshaws

The Bengal Government has decided to launch 10,000 e-rickshaws in the State before the panchayat elections in 2018. It would entail a cost of Rs 365 crore on the part of the State Government.

The primary aim of this scheme is giving a means of employment to the youth in rural areas. The scheme is part of the Swami Vivekananda Swanirbhar Prakalpa, one of the glittering successes of the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress Government.

These e-rickshaws are battery-run and hence environment-friendly. Each charge lasts for a few days, depending on the usage.

Of the cost of Rs 1.25 lakh for each e-rickshaw, 30 per cent would be borne by the Government as a grant, 55 per would be given as loan by banks and 5 per cent would have to be given directly by the buyer.

The Department of Self-Help Group & Self Employment would be in charge of running this scheme.

The State Government is also thinking of permitting e-rickshaws to run in the suburbs of Kolkata.

 

১০হাজার ই -রিকশা নামাতে তৎপর রাজ্য সরকার

রাজ্য জুড়ে জেলাগুলিতে মোট ১০ হাজার ই -রিকশা নামানোর সিদ্ধান্ত নিল রাজ্য সরকার। ন ‘মাসের মধ্যে সেগুলি প্রাপকদের হাতে তুলে দেওয়ার পরিকল্পনা করা হয়েছে। এর জন্য খরচ ধরা হয়েছে ৩৬৫ কোটি টাকা।

গ্রামের বেকার যুবকদের কর্মসংস্থানের লক্ষেই সরকারের এই অভিনব উদ্যোগ। সরকারি সূত্রের খবর ,স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ স্ব -নিযুক্ত কর্মসংস্থান প্রকল্পে বেকার যুবকদের হাতে ই – রিকশা তুলে দেওয়া হবে।

চিনা প্রযুক্তিতে তৈরী ই -রিকশা কিনতে গড়ে খরচ পড়বে ১ লক্ষ ২৫ হাজার টাকা। তার মধ্যে ৩০ % টাকা রাজ্য অনুদান হিসাবে দেবে। ৫% টাকা গ্রাহককে মেটাতে হবে। বাকি ৫৫% অর্থ ব্যাঙ্ক দেবে ঋণ হিসাবে। প্রকল্প রূপায়ণের দায়িত্বে রয়েছে স্ব -নিযুক্তি দপ্তর।