Bhutia en route to the hospital after the attack.

Kalimpong March 6: A day after Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) assistant general secretary Binay Tamang claimed not having any problems with Trinamool Congress holding meetings in the hills, Chewang Bhutia, a TMC leader in the hills was stabbed and injured seriously along with another leader Bruno Lepcha around 1:20 p.m on Wednesday. While Bhutia has been referred to Siliguri, Lepcha was released after first aid at the Kalimpong Sub-divisional hospital.  

Ironically, the incident occurred just after Bhutia held a press conference with journalists in Kalimpong. Straight after the conference when the journalist left after attending the conference in a local hotel, a group of young people attacked the Trinamool supporters injuring Bhutia and Lepcha. The Trinamool Congress in a direct attack has alleged the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) hand behind the attack. 

 “We were sitting and talking amongst each other after the conference when members of the GJM youth wing lead by Binay Ghisingh entered the hotel we were in and used filthy languages. They abused us initially and later enquired us as to what meeting was being held. Soon the group attacked Bhutia with sharp weapons along with Lepcha,” said Mahendra Gazmer, a Trinamool leader told journalist after the incident. The Kalimpong additional superintendent of police Saumit Lepcha rushed to the spot and Bhutia wrapped all over in blood were immediately shifted to Kalimpong Sub divisional Hospital. 

“Where does Gandhigiri exist in the hills?” quipped Gazmer out of anger. Yesterday Binay Tamang, assistant secretary of the Morcha had told journalists in Kurseong that the party has no problems with TMC or any other party holding meetings in the hills. “In a democracy everyone has the right to hold their political programme. The mass is with us and we have not worries,” he had said. The Morcha allegedly had also clashed with the GNLF at Garidhura in the Kurseong subdivision in which several members of the GNLF was injured.

 Defending itself, the GJM in Kalimpong denied its hand behind the attack. “That the GJM has a hand behind the attack as alleged by the TMC leaders is baseless. Since all the frontal organizations of the party were attending a meeting with the sub divisional committee, there is no question of GJM youth wing members attacking the leader,” said Kumar Chamling, the secretary of the party in Kalimpong. The TMC has filed an FIR naming Binay Ghisingh and others at Kalimpong Police station. No arrest has been made so far.

WB state Government violating GTA agreement, complains GJM to Union Ministers

Darjeeling, March 05: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) team led by its President, Bimal Gurung, met with Union Home Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde at New Delhi, today and discussed about the provisions of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Act and its enforcement. They complained that the West Bengal state government is violating the GTA agreement by interfering in the works undertaken by the GTA Board. 

They said that no development has occurred in the hills till date and formation of a separate state is the only solution for the same. The Morcha faction also complained Shinde that all the state government has also failed to transfer all the departments under the GTA, informed the GJM General Secretary, Roshan Giri, over the phone. The team also submitted a proposal mentioning the criminal cases filed against GJM representatives during the Morcha’s Gorkhaland agitation, and demanded withdrawal of all the cases as it falls under the provision of the GTA Act.

 Further, they demanded tribal status to all the castes of the hills excluding the Schedule Caste. Deepa Das Munshi, Member of the Parliament, was also present during the meeting with the Union Home Minister. Likewise, they also met the Union Rural Development Minister, Jairam Ramesh, during which the Minister extended his support in rendering all kinds of assistance for rural development in GTA areas. It has been informed that Ramesh is likely to visit Darjeeling on 7th and 8th April, 2013 to assess the ground reality in terms of the situation of rural areas in GTA.

 A copy of the recently published book titled, ‘Why Not Gorkhaland’ was also presented to all the Ministers and delegates they met today. The Morcha team also raised a strong proposition that the issue of Telangana and Gorkhaland should be considered parallel. They requested the Ministers and delegates that GTA should be included in the North East Council, as per the Committee established by the Rajya Sabha, headed by Sitaram Yechury, which has recognized the fact that Darjeeling and Sikkim should be included in the North East region of the country. 

Ranjan Sharma, General Secretary of Delhi GJM highlighted the continuous Dharna by the GJM activists at Jantar Mantar. He said that the Morcha has left no stone unturned for Gorkhaland formation. He notified that the representatives of Vidhyarthi Morcha are playing an active and pivotal role in the ongoing Dharna which has reached its 36th day today. The Dharna will continue till they receive any positive response from the state or the central governments.

Modi assures GTA to highlight Gorkhaland demand at national forum

Darjeeling, March 05: The Gorkhaland Task Force delegation, under the leadership of its President Sukhman Moktan, met Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today at his residence in Gandhi Nagar. Providing further information, GTF National Convener R. Moktan said that during this meet with the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the delegation had a talk on the formation of a separate state of Gorkhaland and presented various documents regarding the demand of Gorkhaland.

 The delegation appealed for the support of the Gorkhaland demand, said Moktan. Before this, the GTF had also met Chief Minister Modi earlier. Moktan said that Narendra Modi has given his word to the GTF to keep this matter of formation of Gorkhaland at the National Forum as well as in the party. Meanwhile, the GTF delegation also met Adivasi Bikash Parishad (ABP) President Somjibhai Damor and had a talk on the demand of Gorkhaland, said Moktan. He added that the President Damor has given an assurance to support and keep this demand of Gorkhaland at West Bengal State Committee.

Hill protest plan after party meet Delhi plea to call off strikes

(From left) Shinde, Gurung and Giri in New Delhi on Tuesday 

TT; VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, March 5: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders today said they had told Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in Delhi that a decision to withdraw the statehood agitation would be taken only after a central committee meeting of the party. The Morcha has called for closure of all central, state and GTA offices in the hills from March 9 to 27 and a two-phase 48-hour general strike on March 14-15 and march 21-22 demanding Gorkhaland. “We met the Union home minister and discussed a number of issues, including Gorkhaland.

 The minister told us many statehood demands were being raised in other parts of the country and he gave us an impression that the Centre has not taken any decision on the creation of Telangana at the moment. The minister also requested our party president Bimal Gurung to withdraw the agitation,” Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the Morcha, said over the phone from Delhi today. “Our party president told the minister that a decision about withdrawing the (Gorkhaland) agitation could be taken only after discussing the issue in the party’s central committee meeting,” Giri said. 

 The Morcha had decided to renew its statehood agitation earlier this year after it learnt from sources that the Centre was likely to form a separate state of Telangana. The Morcha delegation, which comprised Gurung, Giri and Darjeeling MLA Trilok Dewan handed over a document titled “Why not Gorkhaland” to Shinde today. Observers believe that since the Morcha renewed the Gorkhaland agitation only because of the development regarding Telangana, there is a distinct possibility that the hill party might withdraw its programme now that they have received signals that Telangana is not being formed immediately. 

 “It was under compulsion that the Morcha had launched the Gorkhaland agitation. Given the home minister’s stand, there are strong possibilities that the Morcha would go slow on its agitation,” said an observer. The Morcha delegation that reached Delhi yesterday, sought the Centre’s intervention to stop the state government’s interference in the working of the GTA. 

 “We told the home minister that the state government is constantly interfering with the working of the GTA and that the Centre should step in as it is also a signatory to the memorandum of agreement,” Giri said. The hill party also wants the Centre to ensure that the 382 cases slapped against Morcha activists during the four-year statehood agitation are withdrawn immediately.

 The Centre and the state had agreed to withdraw the cases while signing the GTA agreement on July 18, 2011. Clause 29 of the MoA reads: “A review will be done by the State Government of all the cases registered under various laws against persons involved in the GJM agitation. Steps will be taken in the light of the review, not to proceed with prosecution in all cases except those charged with murder. 

Release of persons in custody will follow the withdrawal of cases.” Giri had earlier said: “During the last review meeting on the GTA held in Delhi on December 26, state home secretary Basudeb Banerjee had told the committee that 150 cases (filed by the state government) would be withdrawn within 10 days. The same has also been recorded in the minutes of the meeting, a copy of which is with us.” But no cases have been withdrawn yet. 

 Today, the Morcha also requested the Union home minister to ensure that Pintail Village near Salbari is vacated by the Indian Reserve Battalion. “We have requested the minister to ensure that the force vacates the property,” Giri said. The other demands raised before the home minister included, granting of tribal status to Gorkhas, other than those belonging to the SC community and providing special incentives to tourism industry in the hills on the lines of the north-eastern states.

 This morning, Gurung and the other hill leaders also met rural development minister Jairam Ramesh in Delhi. “The minister has decided to visit Darjeeling on April 7 and 8 to assess the various rural development projects being implemented in the hills,” Giri said. Yesterday evening, the Morcha team met railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal in the presence of Raiganj Congress MP Deepa Das Munshi. The hill party demanded immediate restoration of the DHR lines at Tindharia and a new railway out agency (booking counter) at Gorubathan. 

The Morcha also demanded that Darjeeling Mail should originate from Sukna instead New Jalpaiguri, an NJP-Chennai express and an Anand Vihar express from Sukna to New Delhi. The party also demanded laying of railway tracks between Siliguri and Darjeeling via-Mirik, renaming Gulma railway station as Darjeeling Road and upgrading the station to a model station. 

The hill leaders also demanded revival of the Darjeeling-Bijanbari rope-way. “We have received a positive response from the railway minister,” said Giri. High court PIL The Calcutta High Court today admitted a public interest litigation (PIL) moved by the Darjeeling People’s Front challenging the legality of the Morcha in the hills. 

 A division bench of Chief Justice A.K Mishra and Justice Jaymalya Bagchi has fixed March 8 for a hearing. “The Morcha announced that government establishments in the three subdivision of Darjeeling would not be allowed to open from March 9 to March 27. How can a political party give such a call?” the petitioner claimed.

जमुना तामाङ हत्याकाण्ड : पुलिसले बडायो जाँच हत्यारा अझै बेपत्ता

 डी के वाइबा, कालेबुङ। कालेबुङ शहरमा भएको चोरी अनि हत्याको काण्डले सनसनी छाएको छ। बिशेष यहाँको ईष्टमेन रोड स्थित सोम्बार साँझ भएको चोरी अनि हत्याको काण्डले कालेबुङ शहरमा आतङक सृजना भएको छ। उक्त हत्याकाण्ड बिषयमा पुलिस प्रशासनले जाँच अभियान तिब्र पारेको छ भने हत्याकाण्डको आरोपी बिषयमा भने अझसम्म कुनै सुराग पाउँन सकेको छैन। हिज साँझ यहाँको ईष्टमेनरोड स्थित लक भग 50 बर्षिय जमुना तामङको आफ्नै घरमा हत्या भए पछि पुलिसले शवलाई उद्धार गरेर पोष्टमार्टम गरेर आज परिवार पक्षलाई सुम्पियो।

 हत्याराले कुन अभिष्टको निम्ति हत्या गरेको हो भन्ने स्पष्ट हुन नसके पनि प्रारम्भिक चरणमा पुलिसले उक्त हत्या चोरीको उद्देश्यले गरेको हुनसक्ने अनुमान लगाएको छ। उक्त हत्याकाण्डको गुत्थि सुल्झाउँन आज कालेबुङ पुलिसले सिलगडीबाट स्निफर डग ल्याएर घटना स्थलको जाँच गर्योभ। घटना स्थलबाट पुलिसले आवश्यक त्यथ्यहरु संकलन गरेको छ भने हत्यारा कुनै परिचित व्यक्ति हुनसक्ने पनि पुलिसले अनुमान गरेको छ।

 आज घटना स्थलको जायजा लिन कालेबुङका अतिरिक्त पुलिस अधिक्षक सोङमित लेप्चा, आईसी प्रसाद प्रधान आफ्नो दलबल लिएर पुगेका थिए। यस अवसरमा घटना स्थलको पुलिसले स्निफर डग लगाएर हत्यारा सम्म पुग्ने अभियान शुरु गरेको छ। घटना स्थलको परिदृष्य हेर्दा हत्याराले चोरीकै उदेश्यले हत्या गरेको हो भन्ने प्रतित भईरहेको थियो। कुनै कार्य लिएर आएका परिचित व्यक्तिले नै जमुना तामङको हत्या गरेर चोरी गरेको हो भन्ने पुलिसले समेत अनुमान गरेको छ। हत्यापछि हत्याराले उक्त घरको तीनवटा दराज फोरेर सम्पूर्ण गरगहना अनि पैसा लुटेको छ।

 यसको साथै हत्याराले मृत जमुना तामङको शरिरमा भएको सम्पूर्ण गरगहना समेत लुछेर लगेको छ। यस समबन्धमा आज अतिरिक्त पुलिस अधिक्षक सोङ्मीत लेप्चाले पत्रकार सम्मेल डाकेर हत्याराको कुनै पक्राऊ नभए पनि पुलिस प्रसाशनले जाँच अभियान शुरु गरेको जानकारी दिएकी छिन। तिनले उक्त हत्याकाण्ड चोरीकै उदेश्यले गरेको हुन सक्ने पत्रकारहरुलाई जानकारी दिएकी छिन। पुलिसले हत्याको रहस्य पत्तो लगाउँन अहिले शंका भएका व्यक्तिहरु माथी कडा नजर राखेको थप जानकारी दिएकी छिन।

 उक्त हत्याकाण्ड सम्बन्धि अहिले नै केहि भनिहाल्न नसक्निने बताउँदै हत्याराले हत्याको सुराग समेत लुकाएको अतिरिक्त पुलिस अधिक्षक लेप्चाले जनाईन। यता आज उक्त हत्याकाण्ड सम्बन्धि कालेबुङमा गोर्खा जनमुक्ति युवा मोर्चाले भर्त्सना जनाउँदै हत्यारालाई यथाशिघ्र पक्राऊ गर्नुपर्ने माग गरेको छ। उक्त हत्याकाण्डले मानिसहरुमा आतङक सृजना भएको बताउँदै युवा मोर्चा अध्यक्ष बारुद थापा सचिव बिनय घिसिङको नेतृत्वमा रहेको प्रतिनिधी टोलीले कालेबुङ थानामा एउटा ज्ञापन पत्र चडाएर हत्यारालाई यथाशिघ्र पक्राऊ गर्नुपर्ने माग गरेको छ।

 यस समबन्धमा पत्रकारहरुसंग कुराकानी गर्दै युवा मोर्चा अध्यक्ष बारुद थापाले हत्यारालाई पक्राऊ गरेर कडा सजाय दिनुपर्ने माग गरेको छ। समाजमा बडदो अपराधलाई निर्मूल पार्न युवा मोर्चाले प्रसासनलाई सहयोग प्रदान गर्ने बताउँदै यस्ता असमाजिक तत्वहरुलाई कडा सजाय दिनुपर्ने माग गरे। यसरीनै युवा मोर्चा सचिव बिनय तामाङले ईष्टमेनरोडमा भएको हत्याकाण्डको दोषी पेदोङमा भएको जिना प्रधान हत्याकाण्ड जस्तै बिलिन नहोस भनि माग गर्दै प्रसाशनले सक्रियता अप्नाउँनुपर्ने माग गरे।

 अर्कोतिर उक्त हत्याकाण्ड सम्बन्धि कालेबुङका माकपा नेता तारा सुन्दासले बिरोध गर्दै प्रसाशनले हत्यारा पक्राऊ गर्नुपर्ने माग गरेको छ। हत्यारा पक्राऊ गर्न पुलिसले यथाशिघ्र पहल गर्नुपर्ने माग गर्दै कतिपय घटनाकाण्डहरुले पुलिसको भूमिका माथी प्रश्न उठ्ने गरेको तिनले बताए। समाजमा बडदो अपराधका घटनाहरुलाई निर्मूल पार्न पुलिसले हत्याराहरुलाई यथाशिघ्र पक्राऊ गरेर कार्वाही गरे मानिसहरुको मनमा पुलिस प्रति विश्वास जाग्ने बताउँदै यहाँको कतिपय घटनाहरुमा आरोपीहरु पक्राऊ नपर्नुले पुलिसको कार्यप्रणाली माथी प्रश्न खडा भएको सुन्दासले बताए।

टास्क फोर्सले गोर्खाल्याण्डको औचित्य बुझाउँदै भेट्यो गुजरातका मुख्यमंत्री नरेन्द्र मोदीलाई

 डी के वाइबा, कालेबुङ 5 फरवरी। छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्डको समर्थन बटुल्न राष्ट्रिय स्तरका नेताहरुलाई भेटघाट गर्न गएका गोर्खाल्याण्ड टास्क फोर्स (गोटाफो) टोलीले गुजरातका मुख्यमन्त्री नरेन्द्र मोदिसंग भेटघाट गरे। गुजरात राज्यको गान्धीनगर स्थित मुख्यमन्त्री निवासमा गोटाफो टोलीले भेट गरेको जानकारी गोटाफो समन्वयक आर मोक्तानले दिएका छन। आज गोटाफो अध्यक्ष सुखमान मोक्तान अनि गोटाफोका राष्ट्रिय समन्वयक आर मोक्तानले मुख्यमन्त्री मोदिलाई भेटेर गोर्खाल्याण्डको समर्थन गरिदिने अनुरोध गरेको एक प्रेस बिज्ञप्तिमा जानकारी दिएको छ। 

गोटाफोको प्रतिनीधि टोलीले गुजरातका मुख्यमन्त्री मोदीलाई भेट गरेर छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको औचित्यबारे अवगत गराएको बिज्ञप्तीमा अझ जानकारी गराएको छ। “भारतभरी छरिएर बसेका गोर्खाहरुको राष्ट्रिय राजनैतिक सुरक्षा छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्डले मात्र पुरा गर्नेछ। छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनलाई लिएर गोटाफो गम्भिर रहेको छ। यसैसिलसिलामा अहिले गोटाफोले राष्ट्रिय स्तरमा गोर्खाल्याण्डको समर्थन बटुल्न दोस्रो चरणको अभियान चलाईरहेको छ। 

यसै अभियानको क्रममा आज गुजरातका मुख्यमन्त्रीसंग भेट गरेर गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको औचित्य बुझाउँदै स्मारक पत्र दिएका छौ” – सुखमान मोक्तानले बताएका छन। मुख्यमन्त्री मोदीसंग भएको भेटघाट खुबै सकारात्मक रहेको अनि तिनले छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्डको मागलाई राष्ट्रिय स्तरमा आफ्नो पार्टीको पक्षबाट समर्थन गर्ने आवश्वासन दिएको प्रेस बिज्ञप्तिमा जनाईको छ। तिनले छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्डको मुद्दा राष्ट्रिय फोरमा आएको खण्डना पार्टीको पक्षबाट साथै व्यक्तिगत रुपले समर्थन गर्दै अघि बडाउँने गोटाफो टोलीलाई आश्वासन दिएको बिज्ञप्तिमा अझ जनाएको छ।

 यसरी नै उक्त जारी बिज्ञप्तिमा गोटाफोले गोर्खाल्याण्डको औचित्य बुझाउँदै अखिल भारतीय अदिवासी बिकास परिषदका अध्यक्ष सोमजी भाईलाई भेट गरेको जानकारी दिएको छ। सोमजी भाई सातपल्ट सम्म लोकसभा सांसद भएको अनि तिनी आदिवासी बिकास परिषदका उच्च नेता रहेको कारण तिनलाई गोटाफोले गोर्खाल्याण्डको औचित्य बुझाउँने कार्य गरेको हो। यस भेटघाटमा तिनले पनि गोर्खाल्याण्डको मागमा समर्थन जनाउँदै पश्चिम बङगाल राज्य कमिटिलाई गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको निम्ति समर्थन गराउँन लगाउँने आश्वासन दिएको गोटाफोद्वारा जारी बिज्ञप्तिमा उल्लेख गरिएको छ।

युवा कवि मनोज बोगटीलाई युवा साहित्य अकादमी पुरस्कार

डी के वाइबा, कालेबुङ 5 फरवरी। युवा कवि मनोज बोगटी साहित्य अकादमीको युवा पुरस्कारको निम्ति चयन भएका छन। “घाऊका रङहरु” लामो कविताको पुस्तकको निम्ति तिनलाई नेपाली साहित्यको युवा अकादमी पुरस्कार 2012ले सम्मानित गरिने भएको छ। आज कोलकातामा बसेको साहित्य अकादमीको कार्यकारी पर्षदको बैठकमा कवि वोगटीको नाम नेपाली साहित्य युवा अकादमीको निम्ति घोषणा गरिएको हो।

 साहित्य अकादमीको कार्यकारी पर्षदले आज नेपाली भाषामा युवा साहित्य अकादमी पुरस्कार कवि वोगटीलाई दिने लिएको निर्णयमा अकादमीका अध्यक्ष विश्वनाथ प्रसाद तिवारीले मोहर लगाएका हुन्‌। अकादमीबाट कवि वोगटीलाई मेलमात्र पनि यो सूचित गरिएको छ। आगामी 22 मार्च 2013 को दिन विवेकानन्द केन्द्र इन्सटिट्यूट अफ कल्चर गुवाहाटीमा एक कार्यक्रबीच उक्त पुरस्कार प्रदान गरिनेछ।

 युवा कवि बोगटीलाई उक्त पुरस्कारले सम्मानित गरिने खबर फैलिए पछि कालेबुङका युवा साहित्यकार अनि पत्रकारहरुको जमानता खुशीको लहर छाएको छ। “घाऊका रङहरु” एउटा लामो कविताको संकलन हो। उक्त पुस्तक 2008 मा प्रकाशित भएको थियो भने उक्त पुस्तक अघि तिनको 2008 मा तिनको कविता संकलन “बिम्बगोष्ठी” प्रकाशित भईसकेको छ। यस पछि तिनको थप तिनवटा कविता संकलनहरु प्रकाशित भईसकेको छ। 

नेपाली साहित्यमा निरन्तर रुपले कलम चलाउँदै आईरहेका कवि बोगटीको “गीतको रिस”, पसिनाको छाला अनि आखाँ बाहिर थप अन्य प्रकाशित कृतिहरु हुन। स्मरण रहोस्‌, कवि वोगटीले यसअघि कुवैतबाट कविताको निम्ति ‘अभिजमान स्मृति पुरस्कार’, नेपाल काडमाण्डौंबाट ‘देवकोटा स्मृति स्वर्णपदक’- आदि प्राप्त गरिसकेका छन्‌। उनको अहिलेसम्म पॉंचवटा कविता कृति प्रकाशमा आइसकेको छ। पेशाले समय दैनिक पत्रिकाका पत्रकार वोगटीले 1996 देखि साहित्यिक यात्रा शुरु गरेका हुन्‌।

 34 वर्षिय कवि वोगटी रोङ्गो-दलगाउँ निवासी हुन्‌। साहित्य अकादमीको युवा पुरस्कारको निम्ति चयन भएको बिषयमा युवा कवि बोगटीलाई प्रतिक्रिया लिँदा तिनले अत्यन्तै हर्ष लागेको बताए। “आजसम्म कृतिको रुपमा पाँचवटा पुस्तकहरु प्रकाशित भए पनि म आफैलाई मनपर्ने कृति भने “घाऊका रङहरु” नै हुन। अहिलेसम्म लामो कविताको रुपमा लेखिएको एकमात्र यस पुस्तकले यसरी अकादमी पुरस्कार पाउँने खबर पाउँदा हर्षको कुनै सिमा छैन” कवि बोगटीले भने।

A murder and 3 thefts in a day

Kalimpong, March 04: Today, three different places in Kalimpong saw theft in a single day. The thefts occurred in 9th Mile, Atisha Road and in East Main Road. The thieves responsible for 9th Mile and Atisha Road incident were later intercepted and arrested at Rambi Thana while trying to flee to Siliguri. All the stolen things were recovered. In the 3rd incident, 50 years old Januka Tamang was brutally murdered at her residence and robbed.

 While the incident happened she was alone in the house near the PHC Water Office in East Main Road. She was stabbed with a sharp weapon twice on her chest, 4 on her neck and one at the rear part of her head. First time such incident has happened in Kalimpong.

 The incident was discovered by one of the family members at around 6 pm. It was believed that the murder happened in the day. After the information, Kalimpong ASP Songmit Lepcha along with police personnel of Kalimpong Police Thana reached the spot and investigated. The body has been sent to Kalimpong Hospital for postmortem and the case is under investigation.

GJYM Sub Divisional committee reconstituted

Kalimpong, March 04: The Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha (GJYM) called on its organizational meet at the GJM party office today. The meet was held under the presidentship of GJM Sub Divisional Secretary, Kumar Chamling. The main aim to conduct the meeting was to reconstitute the GJYM committee. After the committee’s President, Sunil Pradhan and Secretary Nima Tamang were nominated as GTA Sabhasads, the posts were lying vacant. Until now an adhoc body was running the committee. The reconstituted committee includes Barood Thapa as the President, Passang Sherpa and Ranjit Rai as Vice Presidents, Binay Ghising as Secretary, Arun Gurung and Dushyant Tamang as Joint Secretaries, Bal Krishna Thapa as Publicity Secretary, Seysey Bhutia as Treasurer. Barood Thapa in his address said that the GJYM is participating in the Gorkhaland agitation. He said that the Morcha aims to make the 3rd phase of the agitation a successful one.

No more talks with state, says Gurung -

Morcha team leaves for Delhi  

BIRESWAR BANERJEE;Bagdogra, March 4: Bimal Gurung while leaving for Delhi today said the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha wouldn’t hold talks with the state government any more. “Right now, there is no question of holding talks with the state. We would prefer to talk to the Centre which is the ultimate authority to decide on our demand for Gorkhaland,” the Morcha president told journalists at Bagdogra airport before flying to Delhi where he is expected to meet the President and the home minister. 

 Along with Gurung, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri and Darjeeling MLA Trilok Dewan also left for the capital. The team will also meet railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. Gurung alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government had indulged in politics over the hill party’s Gorkhaland demand, aggravating the situation in Darjeeling.

 “As the Centre started working on the formation of Telangana (in January), we again raised our demand for Gorkhaland. The state government became annoyed with this and… resorted to politics in the hills. Such acts by the state complicated the situation in the hills,” said Gurung, who is the chief executive of the GTA Sabha.

 He iterated the charge that the state was coming in the way of the proper functioning of the GTA. “It is unfortunate that the tripartite agreement signed by the Centre, state and the Morcha for the creation of GTA has not been implemented in a full-fledged manner by the Mamata Banerjee government.

 This is causing inconvenience in the running of the GTA. Instead of trying to implement the deal, the state is interfering in GTA work.” Morcha sources said Gurung would call on the President on March 6. “Before that, our leaders will meet railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.

 An appointment has been sought with Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, but the time and date are yet to be finalised,” said a source. Asked about the meeting with the railway minister, Giri said: “In the railway budget for the next fiscal, not a single project has been announced for the hills. 

Nor did we find any allotment for the development of railway infrastructure in the hills. We would meet Bansal and request him to do the needful.” Gurung has said there was no move as of now to reconsider the Morcha’s call for 48-hour general strikes from March 14 and 21 and the closure of government offices from March 9 to 27 in the Darjeeling district. 

 “So far, we have not thought of calling off the shutdowns. However, in case there is any development in the discussions with central leaders in Delhi, we would surely give a second thought to the call for the strike,” said Gurung. The Morcha refused to say if the tourism industry would be kept out of the purview of the strike. “We can only say all examinations would be exempted from the ambit of the strike, apart from emergency services,” said Giri.