Halted bus service resume after Morcha’s pressurization

KNE; Kalimpong, January 23 The North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) had provided two buses at the Kalimpong depot, one from Kalimpong to Siliguri and the other from Kalimpong to Pani Tanki. But the sudden halt of the bus services has resulted severe problems to the commuters. The bus used to ferry students and the office goers to Siliguri to and forth. The concerned department officials have blamed the Kalimpong depot In-charge, Anil Kumar Sarkar for the halt of the bus services.

 “He was planning in removing the bus services from the depot”, they accused. The GJM Yuva Morcha spokesperson Binay Ghisingand the Central Committee member Bijay Sundas has tried to learn the matter with the officials of the concerned department, following which the GTA Deputy Chief Col Ramesh Allay, member Subh Pradhan, GJM Sub Divisional Committee president Sarita Rai and secretary Kumar Chamling reached the spot and pressurized the In-charge to restart the service. 

After much pressure, the In-charge contacted Bikas Das, divisional manager at Siliguri, who assured to continue bus service to Siliguri with effect from Thursday. The divisional manager also said that the bus service to Pani Tanki will resume in few days. The GJM has warned that if the bus services will discontinue, they will not let the In-charge leave from Kalimpong easily.

Youth claims dog pack attack - Hill town residents want canines to be killed

Sachadev Lepcha at the Darjeeling District Hospital.
Picture by Suman Tamang 

TT;VIVEK CHHETRI Darjeeling, Jan. 22: A youth in Darjeeling today said a pack of stray dogs attacked him last night at the same spot where another man was found dead with parts of his flesh torn away. Twenty-year-old Sachadev Lepcha said he would have also died but for the intervention of the residents of Toongsoong, who heard his cries for help when the dogs set upon him.

 Lepcha was admitted to the Darjeeling district hospital with bite marks all over his body. A doctor of the hospital confirmed that Lepcha had been bitten by more than one dog. Lepcha, who works in a hotel in Siliguri and had come to Darjeeling yesterday, said from the hospital bed: “I was returning home around 11.15pm when a pack of eight dogs started barking at me. They soon attacked me from all sides.” 

 Lepcha’s jeans were torn and his hand was badly bitten. When he fell to the ground, the dogs attacked his neck. “I started crying for help loudly. I saw local residents come out of their houses. I could see some throwing water at the dogs. But the animals continued to attack me. Then people came and chased away the dogs by throwing stones at them,” he said.

 Lepcha, a resident of Laden-la Road in Darjeeling, was administered anti-rabies vaccine. “The patient was admitted with multiple dog bites. We have given him the anti-rabies vaccination and his condition is stable. The patient seems to have been attacked by a pack of dogs,” said Dr R. Ghosh, the superintendent of the district hospital. 

 The road in Toonsoong where Lepcha was attacked is the place where 11 days ago, 47-year-old Chengba Sherpa was found dead. The flesh of some parts of his body seemed to have been torn away. The death on January 11 made many residents suspect that a leopard, seen in the area earlier, was on the prowl. 

Toonsoong is just over a kilometre from the Mall, the spot where almost all tourists to Darjeeling hang out. In order to catch the leopard, a cage was laid and goats were kept inside as bait twice. In both instances, the goat was found dead and partially eaten. The CCTV cameras near the cage captured stray dogs. After last night’s attack, many residents want the municipality to kill the dogs.

 “Human life is more precious than stray dogs. Animal activists who are against killing of dogs should keep these dogs in their houses. The place has become totally unsafe,” said a resident. The Darjeeling municipality, which had stopped the killing of stray dogs and started sterilising the animals with the help of NGOs, seemed to have woken up to the gravity of the canine menace. Suk Bahadur Biswakarma, the vice-chairman of the Darjeeling municipality, said: 

“Human lives are precious. We cannot also just catch the dogs and take them to some other place as the animals seem to have started attacking human beings.” The municipality has decided to call a meeting soon with the district administration to find a solution to the problem. The Darjeeling town is estimated to have more than 1,000 stray dogs.

लेप्चाहरुको निम्ति सरकारले लेप्चा बिकाश परिषद यथाशिघ्र गठन गर्नुपर्छ – युसुफ सिमिक

कालेबुङ, 22 जनवरी। दार्जीलिङ पहाडका खोला नाला, देवरालीहरुको नाउँ लेप्चाहरुले राखेका हुन अनि प्रत्येक नाउँको पछि धार्मिक आस्था रहेको बताउँदै आज यहाँको रेली खोला पलाटारमा लेप्चा समुदायका मानिसहरुले रेली पाला खोला उत्सव पाल गर्यो । ईण्डिजेनियस लेप्चा ट्राईबल एसुसिएसनको आयोजनमा बिभिन्न स्थानहरुका मोठ 11 वटा लेप्चा संगठनहरुलाई लिएर आयोजना गरैएको कार्यक्रमा लेप्चा समुदायका मानिसहरुको उत्साहजनक सहभागिता रहेको थियो।

 यस अवसरमा लेप्चा युथ एसोसिएसनका प्रमुख सल्लाहकार युसुफ सिमिकले कार्यक्रमलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै लेप्चा जातिको गरिबीपन तथा पछुटेपनलाई मध्यनजर राखेर लेप्चा बिकाश परिषद गठन गर्नुपर्ने माग आफुहरुले गर्दै आईरहेको भए पनि यस समबन्धमा सरकारले केवल आश्वासन मात्र दिएको बताउँदै लेप्चा बिकाश परिषद यथाशिघ्र गठन गर्नुपर्ने माग गरे। लेप्चा बिकाश परिषदबारे आफुहरुले कुनै समुदायसंग झगडा नगरेको अनि यसमा अफुहरुको कुनै धर्म अथवा जातिसंग द्वेष नभएको श्पष्तिकरण दिदै लेप्चा बिकाश परिषद गठन भए पछुटे लेप्चा जातिको उन्नती हुने सिमिकले बताए। 

तिनले पहाडी ईलाकामा लेप्चा जातिको भाषा महत्वपूर्ण भाषा रहेको बताउँदै उक्त भाषाको बिकाश गर्दै लेप्चा जातिको उत्थानको निम्ति सरकारले यसै वर्षदेखि लेप्चा भाषामा पठनको सुबिधा समेत उपलब्ध गराउँनुपर्ने तिनले माग गरे। ‘लेप्चा भाषा पढाइनुपर्छ भनेर हामीले बङ्गाल सरकारलाई हामीले धेरैपल्ट भनिसकेका छौं। तर हामीले सरकारबाट आजसम्म आश्वासनबाहेक केही पाएका छैनौं। हामी अनि हाम्रो सङ्गठनहरूबाट यसमाथि जे काम गर्नुपर्थ्यो त्यो सबै भइसकेको छ। हामीले पाठ्य पुस्तकहर तयार पारिसकेका छौं।

 यो पठनपाठन शुरु गर्ने काम प्रशासन अनि सरकारले हो। यसमा विलम्ब गर्नुहुँदैन’- तिनले भने। लेप्चा जातिको बिकासको निम्ति केही महिना अघि जीटीएले लेप्चा बिकाश बोर्ड गठन गर्ने प्रस्ताव पारित गरेको सन्दर्भमा लेप्चा युथ एसोसिएसनले उक्त प्रस्तावलाई सकारात्मक बताए। “जीटीए सभाले पनि लेप्चा डेभ्लोम्पमेन्ट काउन्सिल हुनुपर्छ भनेर प्रस्ताव ग्रहण गरेको छ।

 यसको अर्थ क्षेत्रीय रुपमा पनि लेप्चाहरूले आफ्नो अधिकार पाउनुपर्ने कुरा महशुस गरेको छ। यसैले अब सरकारले लेप्चा डेभ्लोपमेन्ट काउन्सिल गठन गर्न विलम्ब गर्नु हुँदैन। लेप्चा डेभ्लोपमेन्ट काउन्सिलको कुनै राजनैतिक स्वार्थ अनि सिमाना छैन। यो केवल पछौटे परेका लेप्चाहरूको विकासको निम्ति हो’-सिमिकले भने। 

यता कार्यक्रमलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै लेप्चा युथ एसोसिएसनका अध्यक्ष दोर्जी टी लेप्चाले पनि जीटीएले ग्रहन गरेको प्रस्तावलाई सकारात्मक रहेको बताउँदै आगमी दिनहरुमा लेप्चा जातिको भाषा संस्कृतिको बिकाशको निम्ति जीटीए सभाले लेप्चा भाषालाई मान्यता दिलाउँन पहल गर्ने आशा व्यक्त गरे।तिनले लेप्चा जति पहाडको जिउँदो ईतिहास रहेको बताउँदै लेप्चा भाषाको मृत्यु भए दार्जीलिङ पहाडको कतिपय ऐतिहासिक तथ्यहरु मेटिने जनाए।

 यस अवसरमा लेप्चाहरुको सांस्कृतिक कार्यक्रमहरु पनि सम्पन्न भयो भने जन जागृतिमूलक सडक नाटक पनि कार्यक्रममा प्रदर्शित गरे। कार्यक्रममा इण्डिजिनियस लेप्चा ट्राइबल एसोसिएसनका अध्यक्ष एलएस ताम्साङ, लेप्चा राइस्ट मुम्भमेन्टका प्रतिनिधि डीटी नाम्चु, पद्मश्री सोनाम छिरिङ लेप्चा आदिको बिशेष उपस्थिति रहेको थियो। लेप्चा युथ एसोसिएसनका अध्यक्ष डीटी लेप्चा, प्रमुख सल्लाहाकार युसुफ सिमिक आदि प्रमुख रुपले उपस्थित थियो।

गोर्खाल्याण्डको माग गर्दै युवा मोर्चाको राँके जुलुस

डी के वाइबा, कालेबुङ 22 जनवरी । “गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाले गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलन त्यागेको छैन” भन्ने पार्टीको बयानलाई प्रमाणित गर्न आज गोजमुमो पार्टीको भातृ संगठन युवा मोर्चाले शहरमा राँके जुलुस निकाले। यहाँको डम्बर चौकबाट शुरु भएको उक्त राँके जुलुस मेन हुदै शहरको परिक्रमा गरेपछि पुन डम्बर चौकमा आएर समापन भयो। यस अवधी युवा मोर्चा कार्यकर्ताहरुले ग्पोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको माग गर्दै जोडदार नाराबाजी लगाए।

 छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठन गरेर गोर्खाहरुलाई न्याय दिनपर्ने माग गर्दै जुलुसले नाराबाजी लगाएको थियो। दार्जीलिङ पहाडमा जीटीए गठन पछि छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको माग गर्दै युवा मोर्चाले कालेबुङ शहरमा प्रथम पल्ट निकालेको जुलुसमा मानिसहरुको सहभागिता भने साह्रै उत्साहजनक रहेको थिएन।

 समरण रहोस, केन्द्रिय ग़ृह मन्त्री शुसिल कुमार सिन्देले तेलेंगना राज्य बारे यसै महिना निर्णय लिने घोषणा गरे पछि अप्ठ्यारोमा परेको गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चालाई गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलन अघि बडाउँनुनै पर्ने अप्रत्यक्ष जनताको दबाव सृजना भएको छ। छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको मागमा 44 महिना आन्दोलन गरेर क्षेत्रिय प्रशासनिक व्यवस्था जीटीए स्वीकार गरेर अहिले दार्जीलिङ पहाडको बिकास कार्यमा जुटेको मोर्चालाई तेलेंगनाको मुद्दाले जीटीए त्यागेर भए पनि गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलन गर्न सडकमा उत्रनुपर्ने बाध्यता सृजना भएको छ।

 केन्द्रा सरकारको तेलेंगना प्रतिको सकारात्मक दृष्टिकोणले गोर्खाल्याण्ड प्रेमी जनताको अप्रत्यक्ष दबाव झेल्न परिरहेको मोर्चाले जीटीएको सम्झौता गरेर पनि बारम्बार गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलन त्यागेको छैन भनेर गरेको घोषणाहरुलाई जनताको अघि प्रमाणीत गर्न राजनैतिक कसरत अघि बडाएको छ भने एकाधिक राजनैतिक कार्यक्रम समेत हातमा लिएको छ।

 यता दार्जीलिङ पहाडको अन्य राजनैतिक पार्टीहरुले भने गोजमुमो पार्टीले “चौकि र आन्दोल एकैसाथ हुँदैन” भनेर मोर्चाले जीटीएको चौकि त्याग्नुपर्ने माग गरिरहेको छ भने मोर्चाले जीटीएको चौकि छोड्ने सम्बन्धमा भने आफ्नो अडान स्पष्ट पारेको छैन। यद्यपी गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलन प्रति पार्टी ईमान्दार रहेको प्रमाणीत गर्न भने दार्जीलिङबाट जुलुस तथा पोष्टरिङ शुरु गरिसकेको छ। यसै सिलसिलामा गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलनलाई अघि बडाउँन मोर्चाले आगमी 12 फरवरीको दिन पार्टीको भावी कार्यक्रमको घोषणा गर्ने जीटीए प्रमुख तथा गोजमुमो अध्यक्ष बिमल गुरुङले घोषणा गरिसकेका छन।

 केन्द्रमा तेलेंगनाले राजनैतिक पारा उँभो चडाईरहेको समयमा दार्जीलिङमा भने तेलेंगनाको मुद्दाले निकै जोडल राजनैतिक उथुल पुथुल ल्याउँने निश्चित बनेको छ। यसै अवधी गोजमुमो पार्टीले पोष्टरिङ अनि जुलुस गर्ने कार्य प्रारम्भ गरेको छ भने मोचाको यस दोस्रो चरणको आन्दोलनले कति प्रभाव पार्ने हो भन्ने प्रश्नको जवाब भने भविष्यकै गर्भमा लुकेको छ।

Morcha must not resist those who voice for Gorkhaland- CPRM

kishore pradhan

KNE;Kalimpong, January 21: The Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) president Kishore Pradhan today said that no party in the Hills should resist another who voices for Gorkhaland. Pointing the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), he said that if the  Morcha loves Gorkhaland they should not oppose those parties who agitated for Gorkhaland.

 Pradhan held that if Gorkhaland has to be achieved, then the GJM must not only be limited to table talks with the oppositions in the Hills but must also be united in the streets. The parties who favor Gorkhaland agitation in the Hills are somehow countered in the Hills, he believed. Likewise, the CPRM secretary Mohan Poudyal opined that the Gorkhas residing in different parts of the country are facing severe problems as compared to the Hills, as they are in minority. 

Thus, the demand of Gorkhaland has to be fulfilled under Article 3(A) of the Indian constitution, he said. “The Telengana demand is younger than that of the Gorkhaland but time and again the leaders of Telengana have stood united, which is vice-versa in the Hills. The leaders here have been quarreling with each other which has to end immediately”, said Poudyal. 

 He added that for attaining Gorkhaland, all parties of the Hills have to come under one banner. The CPRM shall voice for Gorkhaland until and unless it is formed”, advocated Poudyal. The Marxists also carried massive postering drive today in Kalimpong.

Hint at GTA word on state - Hill body to pass resolution on gorkhaland

 (Left) Nepal’s consul-general
 Chandra Kumar Ghimire
and Bimal Gurung in
 Darjeeling on Monday.
 Picture by Suman Tamang 

TT;VIVEK CHHETRI;Darjeeling, Jan. 21: Bimal Gurung today said the GTA Sabha would pass a resolution seeking the creation of Gorkhaland, a move which could embarrass the state government and strain the relation between the hill party and Mamata Banerjee. Gurung didn’t specify a date for the GTA Sabha to pass the resolution. After holding talks with the consul-general of Nepal in Calcutta, Chandra Kumar Ghimire, at the Darjeeling Planters’ Club, the GTA chief executive said: 

“We discussed a lot of issues regarding tourism, even though the meeting was an informal one. The tourism flow (to the hills) has increased in recent days and development works are taking place. But the current situation could bring a halt to all development works. Time has also come for the GTA Sabha to pass a resolution on creating Gorkhaland.”

 Roshan Giri, an executive member of the GTA, said once a resolution was adopted by the GTA Sabha, a copy would be sent to the Bengal home secretary. “The state government does not need to ratify resolutions passed by the GTA Sabha,” he added. The Sikkim Assembly had adopted a resolution, moved by chief minister Pawan Chamling, a few years ago on the creation of Gorkhaland.

 A resolution on Gorkhaland by the GTA Sabha is bound to embarrass the state government under which the hill autonomous body functions. “Such a move by the GTA Sabha before Mamata Banerjee comes to the hills on January 29 could leave the chief minister in an uncomfortable situation, as she always claimed that the Darjeeling problem had been solved by agreeing to form the GTA. 

If a resolution is passed, it will also affect the cordial relations between the Morcha and Mamata,” said an observer. Gurung said the Morcha couldn’t afford to stay with the GTA forever. “Our primary demand is statehood and we cannot afford to stay with the GTA forever. We are committed to the cause of Gorkhaland and we will go all out to demand statehood,” said the Morcha president. The hill leader, who had skipped the Morcha’s public rally at Darjeeling yesterday to renew the agitation for statehood, today said the party would hold a centralised meeting here on February 12.

 “On that day, we will chalk out our strategies. Before the Darjeeling event, public meetings will be held in Kalimpong (on February 24) and in Kurseong (February 29),” said Gurung. Darjeeling MLA Trilok Dewan also met Nepal’s consul general and made a proposal to the neighbouring country to set up an immigration checkpost at Pashupatinagar along the border. “At the moment, tourists have to enter India from Nepal through the Kakarivitta outpost. 

It will be convenient for tourists if an immigration post is set up at Pashupatinagar as the distance (from there to Darjeeling) would be less,” said Dewan. Dewan also mooted a proposal to set up dry ports at Kakarivitta and Pashupatinagar in Nepal to increase trade. He requested the Nepalese government to start air services through Bagdogra. 

 “The Bhutan airline uses the Bagdogra airport and there are talks of Bangladesh airline also coming to Bagdogra. Nepal should explore the possibility of using Bagdogra airport,” said Dewan. Darjeeling district officials said India had already identified land to set up customs checkposts along the border near Kakarivitta and Pashupatinagar. Ghimire termed the visit a “courtesy call” and refused to speak to the media. 

गोर्खाल्याण्डको माग गर्दै क्रामाकपाले गर्योघ पोष्टरिङ

डी के वाइबा, कालेबुङ 21 जनवरी । केन्द्रमा तेलेँगना राज्य गठन बिषयमा जोडतोडले चर्चा सुरु भएपछि दार्जीलिङ पहाडमा छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलनले राजनैतिक पारा तताउँन सुरु गरेको छ। गोर्खा जनमुक्ति मोर्चाले छुट्टै राज्य तेलेँगना गठन गरे पहाडमा बिस्फोट हुने चेतावनी दिईसकेको छ भने सरकारलाई दबाव दिदै जुलुस निकाल्न समेत थालेको छ। 

यता तेलेँगनाको चर्चा शुरु हुन साथ क्रामाकपाले भने गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको माग गर्दै बिभिन्न स्थानहरुमा पोष्टरिङ सुरु गरेको छ। गोर्खाल्याण्डको माग गर्दै गोजमुमो पार्टीले भन्दा अघिबाटै पोष्टरिङ गर्न शुरु गरेको क्रामाकपाली आज पुन: शहरको बिभिन्न स्थानहरुमा पोष्टरिङ गर्यो्। 

यस अवधी आज क्रामाकपा कालेबुङ आञ्चलिक समितिले यहाँको न्यायलय परिसर, नगरपालिका कार्यलय परिसर लगायत अलगडा, पेदोङमा पोष्टरिङ गरेको छ। राष्ट्रप्रति समर्पित गोर्खा जातिलाई भेदभाव र हेलचेक्र्याई किन भन्ने प्रश्न गर्दै गोर्खाल्याण्डलाई किनारा लगाउनु गोर्खाहरु माथी घोर अन्याय गर्नु हो भनि क्रामाकपाले पोष्टरमा उल्लेख गरेको छ। 

यसको सातहि “केवल पैसा, सहुलियत र मनोरञ्जनमा मात्र गोर्खाल्याण्डलाई साटन दिदैनौ” भनि क्रामाकपाले पोष्टरमा पार्टीको अडान स्पष्ट पारेको छ भने ‘टालटुले जम्मै व्यवस्था त्यागौ, गोर्खाल्याण्डको माग तिब्र पारौँ’ भनि थप पोष्टरमा क्रामाकपाले आह्वान गरेको छ। 

यता छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठनको माग गर्दै क्रामाकपाले शहरमा पोष्टरिङ गरेपछि पार्टी कार्यलयमा पत्रकारहरु संग कुराकानी गर्दै क्रामाकपा कालेबुङ आञ्चलिक समितिका प्रवक्ता मोहन पौड्यालले भारतभारी छरिएर बसेका गोर्खाहरुले बाराम्बार राष्ट्रिय राजनैतिक सुरक्षाको समस्या भोग्न परिरहेको बताउँदै गोर्खाहरुको राष्ट्रिय राजनैतिक सुरक्षा अनि राजनैतिक चिन्हारीको समस्याबाट मुक्त हुनको निम्ति गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठन हुनै पर्ने बताए।

 “अहिले गोर्खाल्याण्ड भन्दा पछि उठेको माग तेलेङगनाबारे सरकारले निर्णय लिने पक्षमा रहेको छ। यता छुट्टै राज्य गोर्खाल्याण्ड माग्नेहरु भने एकार्कमा हिलो छेप्ने कार्य गरिरहेका छौ। यो समय एकार्कमा हिलो छेपाई गर्ने होईन। हिजको मनमुटाऊहरु बिर्सेर हामी एक भएर गोर्खाल्याण्ड राज्य गठनको निम्ति अघि बड्नुपर्छ” – मोहन पौड्यालले भने।

 सन 2002 मा तीनवटा राज्यहरु गठन हुँदा गोर्खाल्याण्ड माग्नेहरुको आपसी मेल मिलापको कमी रहेको बताउँदै यस वर्ष पुन: त्यस्तो भूल गर्न नहुने अनि गोर्खाल्याण्ड प्राप्तिको निम्ति सबै एकबद्ध हुनपर्ने आह्वान गरे। यस साथै प्रवक्ता पौडयालले ‘तेलेँगना राज्य गठन भए गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठन हुनपर्छ’ भन्ने गोजमुमो पार्टीको भनाई प्रति असहमति प्रकट गर्दै ‘तेलेँगना गठन नभए पनि गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठन हुनै पर्छ” भने।

 यसै क्रममा क्रामाकपा कालेबुङ आञ्चलिक समिति अध्यक्ष किशोर प्रधानले पत्रकारहरु संग कुराकानी गर्दै सामुहिक आन्दोलनको बिषयमा सबै राजनैतिक दलहरु एकहुनपर्ने कुरा गरे पनि वास्तवमा एउटै मञ्चमा आउँन नसकेको बिषयमा टेबलमा सामुहिक भएर नहुने बताए। “गोर्खाल्याण्ड कुनै एउटा राजनैतिक पार्टीलाई चाहिएको होईन।

 सबै राजनैतिक पार्टीहरुले गोर्खाल्याण्डको कुरा गरिरहेको छ अनि यसको निम्ति सबै राजनैतिक पार्टीहरु एक भने हुन सकेको छैन। सबैले सामुहिक आन्दोलनको कुरा मात्र गर्छ तर क्रामाकपाले सामुहिकताको कुरा टेबलमा सिमित राखेर नहुने ठानेको छ। यहाँ सामुहिक आन्दोलन टेबलमा होईन सडकमा हुनपर्छ” – किशोर प्रधानले भने। 

तेलेंनाले तातिएको गोर्खाल्याण्ड आन्दोलन बारे गोजमुमो पार्टीको राजनैतिक कसरत शुरु 

कालेबुङ, 20 जनवरी। केन्द्रमा छुट्टै तेलेंगना राज्य गठनको बिषयमा चर्चा चुलिएको पछि दार्जीलिङ पहाडमा पनि राजनैतिक पारा उँभो चडेको छ। यतिखेर दार्जीलिङ पहाडम प्रकृतिको चिसो मौसम चलिरहेको भए पनि राजनैतिक मौसम भने एका एक तातिन थालेको छ। तेलेंगनाको मुद्दाले तातिएको दार्जीलिङ पहाडमा यस चोटी साँच्चै सरकारले तेलेंगना गठन गरेर गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठन नगरेको खण्डमा भने भयावह स्थिती सृजना हुनसक्ने राजनैतिक जानिफकारहरु बताउँछन।

 यता मोर्चाले पनि तेलेंगगना गठन गरेर गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठन नगरे पहाडमा डलेलो सल्कने चेतावनी सरकारलाई दिईसकेको छ। तेलेंगनाको मुद्दाले तातिएको दार्जीलिङ पहाडको सत्तासिन दल गोजमुमोले अहिले जनताको विश्वास कायम राख्न राजनैतिक कसरत सुरु गरिसकेछ भने क्रामाकपा अनि गोटाफोले भने गोर्खाल्याण्ड बाहेक अन्य कुनै पनि बिषयमा सम्झौता नगर्ने अडान राखेर अभियान चलाईरहेको छ।

 अन्य राजनैतिक दलहरुले चालिरहेको अभियानलाई चुनौति दिदै अनि जनताको साथ मोर्चाले आफ्नो पक्षमा कायम राख्न अहिले आफ्नो राजनैतिक कसरत तिब्र पार्दै राजनैतिक कार्यक्रम अघि बडाउँन थालेको छ। यसै सिलसिलामा अज गोजमुमो कालेबुङ महकुमा समितिको अगुवाईमा सम्पूर्ण शाखाहरुलाई लिएर यहाँको पार्टी कार्यलयमा पार्टीको अन्तरिक सभा सम्पन्न भयो। 

उक्त आन्तरिक सभामा बिभिन्न समष्टि कमिटिका प्रतिनिधीवर्ग लगायत सभासदहरुको पनि उपस्थिति रहेको थियो। यस सम्बन्धमा जान्न चाहँदा गोजमुमो कालेबुङ महकुमा समिति सचिव कुमार चामलिङले गोर्खाल्याण्डको आन्दोलनलाई अघि बडाउँने दिशामा पार्टीको आन्तरिक सभा सम्पन्न भएको जानकारी गराउँदै भावि कार्यक्रमहरुबारे चर्चा गरिएको जनाए। केन्द्रमा तेलेंगना गठन बिषयलाई लिएर सरकार गम्भिर बनिरहेको अवस्थामा गोजमुमो पार्टी चुप नबस्ने बताउँदै तेलेंगना संगै गोर्खाल्याण्ड गठन गर्नुपर्ने माग गरे।

 अर्कोतिर गोजमुमो पार्टीको भातृ संगठन युवा मोर्चाले पनि गोर्खाल्याण्डको मागलाई अघि बडाउँदै सरकारलाई दबाव दिन भोलिदेखि राँके जुलुस निकाल्ने भएको छ। “गोर्खाल्याण्डॅको आन्दोलनलाई गोजमुमो पार्टीले कहिल्यै छोडेको छैन अनि छोड्ने पनि छैन। आन्दोलनको बाटोमा युवा मोर्चा अघिबाटै हिडीरहेको छ। यसकारण अब सरकारलाई दबाव दिन हामी कर्यक्रम गर्दै जानेछौ” – गोजयुमो कालेबुङ महकुमा समितिका प्रवक्ता बिनय घिसिङले भने। तिनले राँके जुलुस केवल सांकेतिक मात्र रहेको बताउँदै अब युवा मोर्चाले आन्दोलनलाई अघि बडाउँन बिभिन्न स्थानहरुमा जनसभाहरु पनि गर्ने जानकारी गराए।

Cautious start to hill agitation - Gurung absent from revival rally

Giri addresses the meeting
 in Darjeeling on Sunday.
Picture by Suman Tamang 

TT;VIVEK CHHETRIDarjeeling, Jan. 20: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today kicked off a fresh round of agitation for Gorkhaland with a rally but Bimal Gurung was absent and the party didn’t announce any bandh or strike, unlike earlier occasions. Nobody explained Gurung’s absence from the first big rally in Darjeeling to renew the movement. 

That the hill party also did not announce any disruptive prolonged protest plan had made supporters wondering if the Morcha was treading cautiously, probably because it did not want to antagonise the Centre. Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the Morcha who was the main speaker, said: “On January 11, our delegation met Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde.

 We told him that Gorkhaland must be formed if Telangana was created. We told him that we would immediately start an agitation for Gorkhaland.” Giri quoted Shinde as responding: “Don’t worry; you will not have to agitate for Gorkhaland.” Giri said: “We want the home minister to be more specific on what his thoughts are on the demand for Gorkhaland. 

Nevertheless, if Telangana is formed, we will not sit quietly, we will agitate. We should not be politically victimised.” Observers believe the Morcha has interpreted Shinde’s statement to its own advantage and is convinced that the party shouldn’t antagonise the Centre by starting an intensified agitation in the form of general strikes and bandhs. 

 “Earlier, whenever the Morcha called a meeting to press for the demand for the separate state, it would announce general strikes or blockades. But today the party was comparatively soft in its approach. It shows the Morcha doesn’t want to bother the Centre at this moment. If the Centre decides not to create Telangana, much of the problem will be solved for the party as it is happy with the GTA at the moment,” an observer said.

 Giri called upon the people of the hills to be “ready” for an agitation. “If Telangana is formed, a political volcano will erupt in the hills,” he said. Harka Bahadur Chhetri, the Morcha MLA from Kalimpong, said: “Telangana has 10 districts compared to our one district. They have 17 MPs and 119 MLAs, while we have one MP and four MLAs. Our population is merely 20-25 lakh but the population of the Telangana districts is 3.5 crore. Yet, we have forced the government to sit with us for 11 tripartite talks.

 The demand is alive and we are ready to resign as members of the Assembly as and when the party thinks so.” The Morcha will hold a similar rally in Kurseong on January 27 followed by one in Kalimpong on January 29. “A meeting will be held in Mirik also but the date hasn’t been finalised. After that, a meeting will be held in Darjeeling. Our party president is expected to attend the Darjeeling meeting,” said a source. 

Court to hear arguments 'in-camera' in Delhi gangrape case

file photo

 New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI): Trial proceedings in the December 16 Delhi gangrape case will be held in-camera before a fast track court, which on Monday decided to hear arguments on framing of charges against five accused on January 24. Upholding the previous order of a magistrate, the special fast track court judge said, “Only those who are connected with the case will stay in the courtroom. Others should vacate the court immediately.” 

 Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna also decided to hear “in-camera” the arguments on framing of charges against the five accused on January 24 as the judicial records were sent by the magisterial court after concluding the procedural formalities. Invoking a legal provision that bars open court hearing, the special judge said, “As per section 327 (2) of the CrPC, the proceedings will be held in-camera and section 327 (3) prohibits anyone from publishing and printing the proceedings.”

 ”I am upholding the same order passed by the Metropolitan Magistrate (MM).” Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir had inaugurated the fast track court at Saket district courts complex earlier this month following a decision of the Delhi government in this regard. 

 Earlier, the MM had allowed an application of Delhi police seeking in-camera proceedings following the chaos in the courtroom when the accused were being brought. The accused have been charged under the IPC for offences of murder, gangrape and destruction of evidence. The 23-year-old paramedical student was brutally assaulted and gangraped in a moving bus allegedly by six persons, including a juvenile, on the night of December 16 before being dumped in a south Delhi locality here.

 Her male friend was also assaulted. The victim later died at a Singapore hospital. Earlier, special public prosecutor Dayan Krishnan and Delhi police counsel Rajiv Mohan along with the investigating officer entered inside the packed courtroom where the proceedings were to commence before the special court at 2.30 PM for the first time. Besides 30-40 security personnel, defence lawyers and journalists were also inside the court room where all the accused were brought in with their faces muffled up.

 The driver of the bus Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh, Akshay Thakur, Pawan Gupta and Vinay are the accused in the case. While their juvenile accomplice is being tried separately at the Juvenile Justice Board here. Except Thakur, who was arrested from Aurangabad in Bihar on December 22, rest four accused were arrested within 24 hours of the incident. Special prosecutor Krishnan started the argument with a plea that the special court should give an order as to whether the trial proceedings would be open for all or it would be held in-camera. 

 Citing legal provisions and the previous order of the magistrate, he said the section 327 (2) and (3) of the CrPC specifically provides that the trial in rape cases “shall be held” in-camera. He argued that even though the detailed proceedings in the case cannot be allowed to be reported as per the earlier order, but the special court needs to pass an order which should decide the issue whether it can be reported or not.

 ”In-camera proceedings under section 327 (2) of the CrPC should go on. Reporting of proceedings by the media, under section 327 (3), is upto the court to decide,” Krishnan said. He also said that if the judge deems it fit then he can allow media to publish a brief of the proceedings or can pass an order regarding how much media can report or publish. But detailed reporting of the proceedings may not be allowed, he added. Defence lawyers V K Anand and R P Singh sought lifting of the ban on media saying that the denial may result in mis-reporting. 

 Swami Om Ji, a self-proclaimed spiritual guru who had earlier withdrawn his plea in the High Court seeking a direction to allow media to cover the case, today again appeared before the special judge raising the same issue. However, the court dismissed his plea saying he does not have any locus. Around 200-300 protesters had gathered outside the court complex for a brief period. Later, most of them left after security personnel denied them entry.

Spacio accident: Body of 3 year old recovered

KNE;Kalimpong, January 20: The count of dead of the Friday night Tata Spacio accident has reached up to seven until now. The 14 member rafting rescue team recovered a body of 3-year-old Nalindi Chettri from 19th Mile, which is around 10 kms away from the accident spot. The body was then taken to Kalimpong hospital. The deceased is a resident of Melli, South Sikkim. The search operation for the missing 9 is still on.