Minister Sen provides much-needed arsenal to GJM: Aggressive TMC goes defensive

HM Correspondent Siliguri/Darjeeling, May 7:

Indranil Sen the State Information and Cultural Affairs Minister and close aide of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seems to have caused immense damage to the prospect of the ruling Trinamool Congress at a time when the party has left no stone unturned to bring home its first ever electoral victory in the Northern end of the state.

With only six days to go for the Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik municipal polls, the hill TMC leaders who had been aggressively criticizing the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) are now suddenly forced to go defensive as the minister’s statement to pack senior GJM leaders and the party’s candidates into trunks and send them to another district have invited widespread condemnation. Even the TMC’s election ally the Gorkha National Liberation front (GNLF) has condemned the minister’s statements.

Addressing TMC election rally in Darjeeling on Friday Sen a singer turned politician had said that he has brought ropes and 32 steel trunks and asked the hill people to pack GJM President Bimal Gurung, General Secretary Roshan Giri and the party’s election candidates into those trunks and send them out of Darjeeling district after the election results.

The statements which were earlier ignored even by the journalists present there have now started haunting the TMC, particularly its leaders in the hills. The GJM is making the best use of the minister’s statements.

In Sen’s statements the GJM got the much required arsenal to fire salvo at the TMC bandwagon and flare up the local sentiments vis a vis the Gorkha identity politics.

 A day after the minister’s ‘undemocratic’ statements, the GJM took out a protest rally in Darjeeling and filed general police diary against Sen.  The GJM has also filed complaints with the election commission claiming that Sen had violated the election code of conduct.

Even S S Ahluwalia the Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha MP from Darjeeling has condemned the state minister’s statement.  “Sen has issued a veiled threat and criminally intimidated the two GJM leaders,” said Ahluwalia.

In the complaint filed by Giri, the GJM has accused Sen of spreading hatred and issuing veiled threat to the GJM leaders. Giri said “The public speech of Sen was incendiary, full of hatred and the one that is bound to incite tension within Gorkha community. The statement has also violated section 153B (b) of Indian penal Code and model code of conduct” Giri mentions in his complaint.

Though N B Khawas a senior Hill TMC leader has claimed that the GJM is distorting the minister’s political statement and is trying to give them communal turn, many TMC insiders agree that Sen has caused immense damage to the party. The GJM which was fast losing its support base would gain out of the ‘irresponsible and ‘uncalled’ statement of the minister,” said a senior TMC leader in Kurseong who requested anonymity.

Aroop Biswas the state PWD minister and the TMC minder for Darjeeling hills, too, had made a similar comment (hill people sending Gurung out of the hills) in August 2015 from Kurseong.

Touching the issue on Sunday while addressing the GJM election rally in Kurseong, Gurung accused the hill TMC leaders for paving the way for the leaders from the plains who are now threatening to send the GJM leaders and candidates away from Darjeeling district. Gurung warned the hill TMC leaders and said that the state ministers and TMC leaders from the plains who are making undemocratic statements will also not spare them.   

Observers believe that Sen’s comments have the potential of swaying Trinamul’s fortunes in the hills, where the party has made some inroads over the past few days.  

The GJM which is banking on the politics of separate state of Gorkhaland has made the ensuing municipality polls in Darjeeling hills as Gorkhaland versus Bengal fight.

The TMC is banking on developments carried out by the state government, creation of separate Kalimpong district and the 15 different development boards the state government has formed for different hill communities. The state government has already pumped in hundreds of crores rupees to the development boards.

 Identity and land are touchy issues in the hills and Sen seems to have touched the raw nerve.

 

Gorkhaland will be formed & Bengal CM will be a witness to it: Bimal

HM Correspondent

Kurseong, May 7: “Gorkhaland will be formed and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will also be a witness to it. I don’t know in what state of mind was the Bengal CM when she officially signed on the “Gorkhaland” nomenclature in the tripartite agreement signed between the state, centre and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) for the formation of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). By doing so, the CM had herself approved and consented to the constitutional validity of Gorkhaland in the tripartite agreement which also has the consent of President of India,” observed GJM supremo Bimal Gurung today while addressing a GJM election rally today here at Kurseong motor stand. Gurung observed that the TMC leadership now stands fully convinced over the formation of Gorkhaland as an inevitable development awaiting just a brief passage of time. “This realization on the CM’s part has made her jittery hence the intermittent visits of TMC leaders and ministers to the hills in their bid to derail the Gorkhaland movement by any means. I am happy to see the state ministers and TMC leaders going down to their knees here in front of the hill people. They (TMC party) are scared to the hilt looking at the approaching unstoppable feat of the GJM which is formation of a separate Gorkhaland state. There are many pressing issues that needs the CM’s attention and presence across other parts of Bengal, but the CM has been concentrating only in Darjeeling,” Gurung added attempting to drive home his point that the CM was jittery of the hill region getting separated from Bengal and that her policy towards the hills is that of divide and rule.    

 

Speaking further on the GJM’s perceived success in getting constitutional validity for Gorkhaland by getting the nomenclature in the GTA agreement, Gurung claimed that the central government based on the tripartite agreement that has the nation’s President as one of the signatories, is mulling carving a separate Gorkhaland state from Bengal. “Strategies have already been chalked out and the central government is working towards honoring our century old aspiration of a separate statehood,” the GJM supremo added.  

JAP president condemns Minister Sen’s statement, slams GJM

Writes :Nisha Chettri 

Kalimpong, May 7: Jan Andolan Party (JAP) president Dr. Harka Bahadur Chettri today condemned Minister Indranil Sen’s Friday remark on Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders and candidates.

 

Political innuendos are at its nadir between leaders of various political parties in the hills where municipal elections are to be held on May 14. Minister Sen in his address while campaigning for the Trinamul Congress (TMC) in Darjeeling had said that the GJM candidates including party supremo Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri should be packed into six-foot long trunks and sent off to other district post the municipal elections. “Sen being a minister should have known what is to be spoken in public,” Dr. Chettri remarked today while addressing a meeting with voters of ward 6 and 7, here in Kalimpong. The minister’s statement has irked not only the GJM party but has also hurt the sentiments of the hill people no matter what their political affiliations. Meanwhile, the GJM has been swift enough to use the minister’s statement as a catalyst to intensify its poll campaign which the party had kick-started posing the TMC as an outsider-hell bent in dividing the hill populace. Observers opine that such a statement from the minister delivered standing on the soil of the hills where the populace is extremely sensitive over their identity issue might come a cropper for the TMC which though till the other day had seen a surge in its support base. The fact that the statement has come at a time where the municipal polls are just few days’ away makes it harder for the TMC to initiate any effective damage control measures. All that the hill TMC unit has done till yesterday is filed a police complaint against the GJM alleging its leaders of deliberately tweaking Minister Sen’s statement with intent to vitiate the political atmosphere in the hills. The GJM too has filed a general diary contending that the minister’s statement tantamount to hate speech. Meanwhile, Dr. Chettri today going soft on Chief Minister cum TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee slammed her hill leaders. “Mamata Banerjee is a person who abides by the principles of democracy but I don’t know what’s wrong with TMC netas (leaders) here,” the JAP chief said. “Mamata Banerjee is a difficult person as far as convincing her on certain things are concerned and getting Kalimpong sub-division upgraded to a district was not a cakewalk,” he added. The JAP has been claiming credit in getting the district status for Kalimpong contending that the party had since long been actively pursuing the issue with the state government. “She might have thought that I will stay quiet after the declaration of Kalimpong district but now I know the tactics of convincing the ministers. Gorkhaland can be achieved if we pursue the demand of a separate statehood with tact,” said Chettri. Directing a jibe at the Morcha, Chettri said that the GJM stands no chance to win the municipal elections.

- Himalaya Mirror

SHOUT OUT to #Dikchu Primary Health Center Staffs Ms. Phurkit Lepcha, Ms. Krishna Subba and Ms. Rita Devi

Our team sends a warm "Shout Out" to the kindest and most generous staff members of Dikchu PHC for helping one of our editors during a medical emergency.

Our editor writes,

"On the 16th of April, 2017 I was on a field visit to Sikkim, along the way I suffered from mild food-poisoning and became very sick. There was no where I could seek help, i.e until I arrived at Dikchu

A kind police officer based in Dikchu directed me to the Primary Health Center nearby, but I was unsure of the facilities there... the moment I stepped out of the vehicle, the staff members showed me so much kindness that I was blown away by their care and concern.

Not only did they provide me with medications, but also treated me with utmost courtesy and care.

I was admitted to the observation room and next to me was a pregnant lady, I was surprised to learn that the PHC provides the patient with healthy cooked meals, and those who want to cook on their own - even a place to cook, equipped with cooking gas and utensils, while the hospital pays for the raw materials they buy.

While being admitted there, I couldn't help but contrast the scenario with the dismal healthcare situation in Darjeeling region. Our doctors are absent from the hospital so that they can practice in private, our nurses are overworked and may be because of it a bit rude, and in all likelihood the Sabhasad in Charge of health gobbles up all the facilities provided for patients... Moreover, the Primary Health Center was cleaner than our District Hospital and they had all the facilities of a sub-division level hospital.

I do understand that Sikkim is a state of its own, and we are merely a district... but the people are the same on both the sides... they speak the same language that we do, and they live their lives in the same way as we do... yet the difference between their attitude and the attitude of our health care employees were stark and obvious for me to see.

I couldn't ask the name of the kindly police officer, but I thank Him for his help...

Most important of all, I thank the Dikchu PHC staffs Ms. Phurkit Lepcha, Ms. Krishna Subba and Ms. Rita Devi for taking such good care of me when I needed it the most.

You guys are a credit to the health care staff everywhere, and Sikkim and its people are lucky to have such kind, caring and dedicated workers... THANK YOU!!"

We are hopeful that the compassion shown by these health care staff will inspire thousands of others in the profession to show the same degree of professionalism and care to those in need.

Take a bow Ms. Phurkit Lepcha, Ms. Krishna Subba and Ms. Rita Devi !! You all have earned it !!

Municipal Election: Dummy nominee in fray

Writes: Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, April 28: The dummy candidate of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in ward 17 of Darjeeling refused to withdraw his nomination at the last moment, leaving the party dumbfound.

The time for the withdrawal of the nominations for the municipal polls ended at 3pm yesterday, but Krishna Barmay Sarki didn't opt out of the fray.

Barmay had aspired for a Morcha ticket, along with two other party leaders from the same ward.

Unable to solve the differences, Morcha president Bimal Gurung had fielded Ram Jung Golay, a resident of ward 16, in ward 17. after problems in their wardIt is not good for the party that we have two candidates contesting from the same ward."Dummy candidates are always the most trusted party man.

"Everyone wanted a candidate from their own ward and since I had filed my nominations as a dummy candidate, I decided not to withdraw. I seek forgiveness from Bimal Gurung, too, but I feel I was misunderstood. If I had not contested, the party would have lost this ward. I am with the Morcha and I have always come forward for Gorkhaland," said Barmay.

Via: the Telegraph

Municipal Election: Dummy nominee in fray

Writes: Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, April 28: The dummy candidate of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in ward 17 of Darjeeling refused to withdraw his nomination at the last moment, leaving the party dumbfound.

The time for the withdrawal of the nominations for the municipal polls ended at 3pm yesterday, but Krishna Barmay Sarki didn't opt out of the fray.

Barmay had aspired for a Morcha ticket, along with two other party leaders from the same ward.

Unable to solve the differences, Morcha president Bimal Gurung had fielded Ram Jung Golay, a resident of ward 16, in ward 17. after problems in their wardIt is not good for the party that we have two candidates contesting from the same ward."Dummy candidates are always the most trusted party man.

"Everyone wanted a candidate from their own ward and since I had filed my nominations as a dummy candidate, I decided not to withdraw. I seek forgiveness from Bimal Gurung, too, but I feel I was misunderstood. If I had not contested, the party would have lost this ward. I am with the Morcha and I have always come forward for Gorkhaland," said Barmay.

Via: the Telegraph

Municipal Election: Dummy nominee in fray

Writes: Vivek Chhetri

Darjeeling, April 28: The dummy candidate of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in ward 17 of Darjeeling refused to withdraw his nomination at the last moment, leaving the party dumbfound.

The time for the withdrawal of the nominations for the municipal polls ended at 3pm yesterday, but Krishna Barmay Sarki didn't opt out of the fray.

Barmay had aspired for a Morcha ticket, along with two other party leaders from the same ward.

Unable to solve the differences, Morcha president Bimal Gurung had fielded Ram Jung Golay, a resident of ward 16, in ward 17. after problems in their wardIt is not good for the party that we have two candidates contesting from the same ward."Dummy candidates are always the most trusted party man.

"Everyone wanted a candidate from their own ward and since I had filed my nominations as a dummy candidate, I decided not to withdraw. I seek forgiveness from Bimal Gurung, too, but I feel I was misunderstood. If I had not contested, the party would have lost this ward. I am with the Morcha and I have always come forward for Gorkhaland," said Barmay.

Via: the Telegraph