MONALISA CHAUDHURI
Calcutta, Aug. 7: Police have apparently begun the procedure to impound Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader Roshan Giri’s passport and are considering a similar action against Bimal Gurung, in a move that is being seen as the government’s efforts to pile pressure on the party.
Gurung and Giri, who are leading the statehood agitation, had procured their passports last year under the Tatkal scheme. Sources in the home department said Darjeeling police had sent an adverse report on Giri’s passport to the regional passport office in Calcutta.
The police, according to the sources, are considering an adverse report on Gurung’s passport too. “The process to impound the passport of Giri, Gurung’s trusted aide, has started. A decision on Gurung’s passport is expected to be taken in the near future,” a home department source said.
According to the Passports Act, 1967, a Tatkal passport is issued on an emergency basis without the police’s clearance. The police verification report, including checking of the receiver’s background and address by the local police, can be done later.
The police verification report of both Gurung and Giri are awaited. The adverse report on Giri’s passport mentions a host of criminal cases pending against him.
State intelligence branch officers said Gurung and Giri had cases of rioting, arson and damage of government property against them.
Sources in the external affairs ministry said the primary reason for impounding a passport was the mention of criminal cases in the police’s verification report.
“In case of an adverse report on a passport obtained under the Tatkal scheme, the holder is given the chance to provide an explanation to senior officials of the regional passport office. If it is found to be satisfactory, the passport is not impounded,” a foreign ministry official said.
Sources in the state home department said Giri recently deposed in the regional passport office that the state government had promised to withdraw all cases against him during the signing of the GTA treaty. “The passport office has resent Giri’s case to Darjeeling police for re-consideration. If the police send another adverse report, Giri’s passport could be impounded,” said a source.
According to rules, a person whose passport has been revoked by the regional passport office can appeal to the chief passport office under the external affairs ministry against the decision. A senior state government official said: “Impounding a passport may be a temporary issue but it is clearly an indication of how strongly the government is dealing with the statehood agitation and the people at its forefront. Otherwise, why would Darjeeling police withhold Gurung’s verification report for so long? The police are apparently waiting for a signal from their political bosses.”
Darjeeling's stir’s first flush signals tea break
Ravik Bhattacharya , Hindustan Times
Your morning cup of Darjeeling tea may soon fall victim to the ongoing Gorkhaland stir.
Although plantations have been kept out of the purview of the indefinite bandh, production of one of the finest agricultural produces that carry the signature of India all over the world has been severely hit prompting calls of concern from worried importers.
Although the gardens are open, the agitators have refused to allow any movement of tea out of the 57-odd gardens in the Hills. The restriction is all the more important since what is called ‘post-second flush’ harvest is on in full swing and the produce is piling up. Experts fear the quality of tea will be affected if stored for a long period and owners say they will have to stop production if things don’t improve.
More important than the storage space is the fact that Gorkhaland agitators are not allowing tankers laden with fuel to reach the gardens. Most plantations in the Hills have their own captive power plants to run the factories.
“Since August 3, movement of tea from the gardens and factories has come to a halt. Vehicles cannot ply because of the bandh. Bulk of Darjeeling tea is exported to countries such as Japan, US, UK and Germany. The goings-on here are giving a wrong impression,” SS Bagaria, chairman of Darjeeling Tea Association, told HT.
According to the association estimates, Darjeeling tea industry has already taken a hit of about R15 crore and if the strike continues it would result in a loss of more than R2 crore per day. In Kolkata, price of tea is expected to rise by 10%.
To add to the tea industry’s woes, Gorkhaland supporters have forced some hydel projects in the Hills to shut down and there is a severe power crisis in the Hills. Gardens have been running their generators for the whole day, which has pushed up the demand for diesel. And due to the complete shutdown, no fuel trucks are allowed to ply in the Hills.
Exporters fear that foreign companies who are waiting are likely to cancel consignment for further delay and even a likely drop in quality.
“The Gorkhaland agitators have been considerate towards the tea industry because it is the mainstay of the region’s economy. But we are losing business since 70% of Darjeeling tea is exported,” said Sandip Chakraborty, president of the Darjeeling Tea Association.
Calcutta, Aug. 7: Police have apparently begun the procedure to impound Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader Roshan Giri’s passport and are considering a similar action against Bimal Gurung, in a move that is being seen as the government’s efforts to pile pressure on the party.
Gurung and Giri, who are leading the statehood agitation, had procured their passports last year under the Tatkal scheme. Sources in the home department said Darjeeling police had sent an adverse report on Giri’s passport to the regional passport office in Calcutta.
The police, according to the sources, are considering an adverse report on Gurung’s passport too. “The process to impound the passport of Giri, Gurung’s trusted aide, has started. A decision on Gurung’s passport is expected to be taken in the near future,” a home department source said.
According to the Passports Act, 1967, a Tatkal passport is issued on an emergency basis without the police’s clearance. The police verification report, including checking of the receiver’s background and address by the local police, can be done later.
The police verification report of both Gurung and Giri are awaited. The adverse report on Giri’s passport mentions a host of criminal cases pending against him.
State intelligence branch officers said Gurung and Giri had cases of rioting, arson and damage of government property against them.
Sources in the external affairs ministry said the primary reason for impounding a passport was the mention of criminal cases in the police’s verification report.
“In case of an adverse report on a passport obtained under the Tatkal scheme, the holder is given the chance to provide an explanation to senior officials of the regional passport office. If it is found to be satisfactory, the passport is not impounded,” a foreign ministry official said.
Sources in the state home department said Giri recently deposed in the regional passport office that the state government had promised to withdraw all cases against him during the signing of the GTA treaty. “The passport office has resent Giri’s case to Darjeeling police for re-consideration. If the police send another adverse report, Giri’s passport could be impounded,” said a source.
According to rules, a person whose passport has been revoked by the regional passport office can appeal to the chief passport office under the external affairs ministry against the decision. A senior state government official said: “Impounding a passport may be a temporary issue but it is clearly an indication of how strongly the government is dealing with the statehood agitation and the people at its forefront. Otherwise, why would Darjeeling police withhold Gurung’s verification report for so long? The police are apparently waiting for a signal from their political bosses.”
Darjeeling's stir’s first flush signals tea break
Ravik Bhattacharya , Hindustan Times
Your morning cup of Darjeeling tea may soon fall victim to the ongoing Gorkhaland stir.
Although plantations have been kept out of the purview of the indefinite bandh, production of one of the finest agricultural produces that carry the signature of India all over the world has been severely hit prompting calls of concern from worried importers.
Although the gardens are open, the agitators have refused to allow any movement of tea out of the 57-odd gardens in the Hills. The restriction is all the more important since what is called ‘post-second flush’ harvest is on in full swing and the produce is piling up. Experts fear the quality of tea will be affected if stored for a long period and owners say they will have to stop production if things don’t improve.
More important than the storage space is the fact that Gorkhaland agitators are not allowing tankers laden with fuel to reach the gardens. Most plantations in the Hills have their own captive power plants to run the factories.
“Since August 3, movement of tea from the gardens and factories has come to a halt. Vehicles cannot ply because of the bandh. Bulk of Darjeeling tea is exported to countries such as Japan, US, UK and Germany. The goings-on here are giving a wrong impression,” SS Bagaria, chairman of Darjeeling Tea Association, told HT.
According to the association estimates, Darjeeling tea industry has already taken a hit of about R15 crore and if the strike continues it would result in a loss of more than R2 crore per day. In Kolkata, price of tea is expected to rise by 10%.
To add to the tea industry’s woes, Gorkhaland supporters have forced some hydel projects in the Hills to shut down and there is a severe power crisis in the Hills. Gardens have been running their generators for the whole day, which has pushed up the demand for diesel. And due to the complete shutdown, no fuel trucks are allowed to ply in the Hills.
Exporters fear that foreign companies who are waiting are likely to cancel consignment for further delay and even a likely drop in quality.
“The Gorkhaland agitators have been considerate towards the tea industry because it is the mainstay of the region’s economy. But we are losing business since 70% of Darjeeling tea is exported,” said Sandip Chakraborty, president of the Darjeeling Tea Association.
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