MY GORKHALAND Headline Animator
Thursday, May 1, 2008
CM may take steps against GJMM’s threat to boycott taxes
SILIGURI, April 30: The Darjeeling district CPI-M leadership today claimed here that chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has promised stern administrative measures against Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha’s threat to boycott central and state taxes and disrupt power supply in the Hills and the plains.It may be mentioned here that the GJMM leader Mr Bimal Gurung announced a government tax boycott and BSNL and electricity bill boycott programme in the Darjeeling Hills and threatened to disrupt power supply from various Hill-based power projects to the plains as a protest against the state’s denial to grant permission to the GJMM to hold a rally in Siliguri. CPI-M leaders Mr Ananda Pathak and party state committee member Mr Jibesh Sarkar today condemned the “terror tactics” being applied by the GJMM, especially on the CPI-M activists in the Hills. “ The GJMM has let loose a reign of terror in the name of a democratic movement. The Opposition, especially those connected with the CPI-M are being threatened and money is being extorted from the common people,” Mr Ananda Pathak alleged. Coming down heavily on the GJMM Mr Sarkar said that the threat of disrupting power lines was part of a premeditated conspiracy to provoke a Hill-plain conflagration. “The chief minister has taken serious note of the threat along with the threat of boycotting central and state taxes. He has assured of strict administrative measures to curb such ‘infantile act’ on the part of GJMM,” Mr Sarkar added. Slamming the Congress’s ambivalent stand on the demand of Gorkhaland, the CPI-M leader said that the party was indulging in double standards with the Congress MP from Darjeeling Mr Dawa Narbula persistently advocating the Gorkhaland theory and the party leadership downplaying the issue by branding it Mr Narbula’s personal opinion. “This is a dangerous game and a national party like the Congress should come clear on the issue,” Mr Sarkar stated. (The Statesman)
CPM twisting facts on Morcha rally issue : RSP
Statesman News Service SILIGURI, April 30: The Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) today alleged that the Darjeeling district CPI-M was deliberately twisting facts over the issue of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s rally in Siliguri. “The CPI-M district leadership is confusing people over the issue, giving incorrect information in regard to RSP’s avowed stand regarding the controversy,” the RSP Darjeeling district leadership said.The CPI-M state committee member from Siliguri Mr Jibesh Sarkar said yesterday that the RSP had thrown its full weight behind the state administration’s decision of not giving permission to the proposed GJMM rally in Siliguri at the district Left Front meeting on 27 April. Criticising the CPI-M for misrepresentation of facts, Mr Bikash Sen Roy, a district committee member of the RSP, said today that the GJMM Siliguri rally issue had not been discussed at all at the last Darjeeling district Left Front meeting. “The issue was not on the meeting agenda and so the question of the RSP’s supporting the state administration in the matter does not arise,” the RSP leader said. “I was present at the meeting and the agenda centred around the proposed Left Front programme of Human Chain on May Day. I was astonished to see the statement of Mr Jibesh Sarkar in the newspaper saying that the RSP had supported the state administration in this controversial matter,” Mr Sen Roy added. Meanwhile, Mr Binay Chakravarty, the state committee member of the RSP said today that the CPI-M was quickly becoming isolated over the issue and is twisting the facts.
Shun hills, Asok to tourists
April 30: Bengal minister Asok Bhattacharya today advised tourists to give Darjeeling a miss this season because of the turmoil in the hills, for which he blamed the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.
“I earnestly request tourists not to head for Darjeeling this summer. The situation in the hills is too complicated,” Bhattacharya told reporters at the Writers’ Buildings. “Whenever tourists get stuck in the hills because of the Morcha’s demonstrations, police are forced to come to their rescue. It goes to show that the situation is far from normal.”
The Morcha, spearheading the movement for a separate state of Gorkhaland, recently shut down all government offices in the hills for 14 days. Tourist facilities were kept outside the strike’s purview, but the toy train rides remained suspended.
Yesterday, no hired vehicles was available in Darjeeling town from 10am-2pm as Morcha-affiliated taxi drivers trooped off to a meeting of their association.
State home secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti said Jalpaiguri divisional commissioner B L Meena would hold a meeting with Morcha leaders tomorrow to look into their demands. “A clear picture will emerge after the meeting,” Chakrabarti said.
Asked if it would be advisable for tourists to stay away from the hills, the home secretary said: “I will not comment on that. But newspaper reports are talking about disturbances in the hills.”
Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee remained silent when asked if the situation in Darjeeling was going out of control.
The hill affairs minister, however, said the government was running out of patience. “There’s a limit to our patience. The Morcha’s unconstitutional movement cannot be allowed to go on like this. It has led to losses amounting to several crores (in the hills).”
In Darjeeling, the general secretary of the Morcha, Roshan Giri, reacted strongly to Bhattacharya’s “request to tourists”.
“Asok Bhattacharya has proved that he is anti-Darjeeling and anti-hill people. There will be no major problems for tourists if they come to the hills. Bhattacharya is acting irresponsibly and has forgotten that he is a state minister. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee should immediately sack him for making such irresponsible comments,” Giri said.
Asked about the possible problems that tourists might face in Darjeeling, Giri said: “We do not have any plans to call a strike immediately. And if we are forced to do so, we will announce it in advance.”
Full salary
Government employees in the hills, including contract workers of the DGHC, will receive full salary for April even though they did not attend work for a fortnight when the Morcha shut down the offices. (The Telegraph)
“I earnestly request tourists not to head for Darjeeling this summer. The situation in the hills is too complicated,” Bhattacharya told reporters at the Writers’ Buildings. “Whenever tourists get stuck in the hills because of the Morcha’s demonstrations, police are forced to come to their rescue. It goes to show that the situation is far from normal.”
The Morcha, spearheading the movement for a separate state of Gorkhaland, recently shut down all government offices in the hills for 14 days. Tourist facilities were kept outside the strike’s purview, but the toy train rides remained suspended.
Yesterday, no hired vehicles was available in Darjeeling town from 10am-2pm as Morcha-affiliated taxi drivers trooped off to a meeting of their association.
State home secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti said Jalpaiguri divisional commissioner B L Meena would hold a meeting with Morcha leaders tomorrow to look into their demands. “A clear picture will emerge after the meeting,” Chakrabarti said.
Asked if it would be advisable for tourists to stay away from the hills, the home secretary said: “I will not comment on that. But newspaper reports are talking about disturbances in the hills.”
Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee remained silent when asked if the situation in Darjeeling was going out of control.
The hill affairs minister, however, said the government was running out of patience. “There’s a limit to our patience. The Morcha’s unconstitutional movement cannot be allowed to go on like this. It has led to losses amounting to several crores (in the hills).”
In Darjeeling, the general secretary of the Morcha, Roshan Giri, reacted strongly to Bhattacharya’s “request to tourists”.
“Asok Bhattacharya has proved that he is anti-Darjeeling and anti-hill people. There will be no major problems for tourists if they come to the hills. Bhattacharya is acting irresponsibly and has forgotten that he is a state minister. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee should immediately sack him for making such irresponsible comments,” Giri said.
Asked about the possible problems that tourists might face in Darjeeling, Giri said: “We do not have any plans to call a strike immediately. And if we are forced to do so, we will announce it in advance.”
Full salary
Government employees in the hills, including contract workers of the DGHC, will receive full salary for April even though they did not attend work for a fortnight when the Morcha shut down the offices. (The Telegraph)
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Sex trade flourishes in Darjeeling
Porous borders along Nepal and Bangladesh have fuelled the growth of cross border trafficking in and around the tea estates in Darjeeling. And here intense poverty and unemployment, a deadly cockta...
Nepal's Maoist leader speaks to Al Jazeera - 09 April 08
I wonder what would happen if the maoist fails to prove their worth and all these years of whatever they've been fighting for and hope we don't end up in some civil wars killing each other. Not to forget that paperworks has been a lot easier these days than before unless we hand in some tips. Hope we'll have a peace bright future..
32 held over statehood row
Cooch Behar, April 29: Thirty-two supporters of the Greater Cooch Behar People’s Association were arrested near the district magistrate’s office here today when they brought out a bicycle rally to demand the scrapping of the “illegal” panchayat polls.
In an unannounced programme, the protesters appeared at the gate of the office around 1.30pm and started shouting slogans demanding a separate state of Greater Cooch Behar and scrapping of the polls. Police seized 31 bicycles from them.
The district administration had clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC at Chhotokeshbari village in Mathabhanga since midnight last night in view of the association’s proposed cultural programme and a rally in the area to demand a separate state.
A large contingent led by additional police superintendent James Kujur was deployed in the area. The association, however, did not hold any programmes there.
“We do not want any untoward incident in connection with the association’s programmes before the polls and that is why the prohibitory orders were put in force,” said Rajesh Kumar Sinha, the district magistrate.
“Under the treaty of accession, Cooch Behar is a state where elections by the Bengal government are illegal,” said association leader Nirmal Roy.
Two association members had been killed when the police fired on a rally on September 20, 2005. Three policemen, including an officer, were also lynched. (The Telegraph)
In an unannounced programme, the protesters appeared at the gate of the office around 1.30pm and started shouting slogans demanding a separate state of Greater Cooch Behar and scrapping of the polls. Police seized 31 bicycles from them.
The district administration had clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC at Chhotokeshbari village in Mathabhanga since midnight last night in view of the association’s proposed cultural programme and a rally in the area to demand a separate state.
A large contingent led by additional police superintendent James Kujur was deployed in the area. The association, however, did not hold any programmes there.
“We do not want any untoward incident in connection with the association’s programmes before the polls and that is why the prohibitory orders were put in force,” said Rajesh Kumar Sinha, the district magistrate.
“Under the treaty of accession, Cooch Behar is a state where elections by the Bengal government are illegal,” said association leader Nirmal Roy.
Two association members had been killed when the police fired on a rally on September 20, 2005. Three policemen, including an officer, were also lynched. (The Telegraph)
Gurung warns of blackout
Siliguri, April 29: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung today threatened to blackout Siliguri by disrupting work at the hydro-electric plants in the hills that feed the trade hub’s power lines.
“We have decided not to pay any tax or bills due to the government from May 1 and they include electricity bills. If power supply to households in the hills is disconnected for non-payment of dues, we will stop work at all the power generating plants that feed Siliguri,” Gurung told reporters at Pintail village on the outskirts of Siliguri this evening.
“Rammam, Jaldhaka and a number of other hydel projects are located in the hills, along with transmission networks through which power flows into Siliguri. In the hills, we may have to light candles after dark, but the people of Siliguri will have to do the same,” Gurung added.
In Darjeeling, Morcha supporters today picketed the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd to prevent people from paying their power bills. The Morcha-affiliated All-Transport Joint Action Committee, too, has said its members would not pay road taxes until the condition of the roads improve.
The Morcha chief added that his supporters would definitely sit in an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Siliguri subdivisional office from May 1. The Morcha called the fast in protest after the Bengal government refused to give it permission to hold political programmes in Siliguri.
“Let us hold one meeting in Siliguri and we are sure that the political equation of the town will change overnight,” Gurung said.
The Morcha will also start changing the number plates of vehicles across Darjeeling district from “WB” to “GL (for Gorkhaland)” from July 7, said Gurung. “We have assigned serials A, B, C and D for the three hill subdivisions and Siliguri,” he said.
“We have also sorted out our differences with the Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP Atul Roy-faction) and Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party about the boundaries of the separate states that we are demanding. We will not disclose the boundaries right now but Siliguri will be in Gorkhaland,” Gurung added.
In Darjeeling, Morcha secretary Roshan Giri said the party had postponed its march to Calcutta with 10,001 supporters. It will be held after May 25, when the matches of the Indian Premier League get over. (The Telegraph)
“We have decided not to pay any tax or bills due to the government from May 1 and they include electricity bills. If power supply to households in the hills is disconnected for non-payment of dues, we will stop work at all the power generating plants that feed Siliguri,” Gurung told reporters at Pintail village on the outskirts of Siliguri this evening.
“Rammam, Jaldhaka and a number of other hydel projects are located in the hills, along with transmission networks through which power flows into Siliguri. In the hills, we may have to light candles after dark, but the people of Siliguri will have to do the same,” Gurung added.
In Darjeeling, Morcha supporters today picketed the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd to prevent people from paying their power bills. The Morcha-affiliated All-Transport Joint Action Committee, too, has said its members would not pay road taxes until the condition of the roads improve.
The Morcha chief added that his supporters would definitely sit in an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Siliguri subdivisional office from May 1. The Morcha called the fast in protest after the Bengal government refused to give it permission to hold political programmes in Siliguri.
“Let us hold one meeting in Siliguri and we are sure that the political equation of the town will change overnight,” Gurung said.
The Morcha will also start changing the number plates of vehicles across Darjeeling district from “WB” to “GL (for Gorkhaland)” from July 7, said Gurung. “We have assigned serials A, B, C and D for the three hill subdivisions and Siliguri,” he said.
“We have also sorted out our differences with the Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP Atul Roy-faction) and Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party about the boundaries of the separate states that we are demanding. We will not disclose the boundaries right now but Siliguri will be in Gorkhaland,” Gurung added.
In Darjeeling, Morcha secretary Roshan Giri said the party had postponed its march to Calcutta with 10,001 supporters. It will be held after May 25, when the matches of the Indian Premier League get over. (The Telegraph)
GJMM for taxes boycott in the Hills
SILIGURI, April 29: In what would only add to the state government’s trouble on the Darjeeling Hill issue, the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha has called for non-payment of all sorts of central and state taxes including the BSNL telephone and electricity bills across the Hills from 1 May.The GJMM’s call to boycott taxes comes as a mark of protest to the state government’s persistent de-nial in allowing the GJMM to hold a public rally in Sil-iguri in favour of its Go-rkhaland demand. The Hill party has also called for an indefinite hunger strike on the same issue from 1 May, which is to be simultaneously carried out in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Siliguri and the Dooars. Announcing the boycott in a Press conference at the DGHC resort ‘Pintail Village’ in Siliguri this afternoon, the GJMM president Mr Bimal Gur-ung said, the tax and bill boycott program would continue unless and until the state government granted the GJMM permission for a rally in Siliguri. Adding further on the issue, the Darjeeling Hill’s new strongman said, in ca-se of telephone bills, the b-oycott would be applicable only to the BSNL landpho-ne, while the state-run telecom giant’s mobile services would be spared. Reacting to a query as what would happen if the power-supplying agency disconnected the lines due to non-payment of the bills, Mr Gurung said: “In that case, we would cut off the main supply lines that carry power to the plains from the various power plants located in the Hills.” Alleging that it was the state urban development minister and the Siliguri MLA, Mr Asok Bhatt-ach-arya who was actually instrumental in not allowing a GJMM rally in Siliguri, the GJMM president cautioned that if the state government does not budge from its stand, the people of the Hills would come out on the streets and thus a grave law and order situation would be created. Mr Gurung also deman-ded that the state urban development minister sh-ould seek a public apo-lo-gy for allegedly referring the Hill people as ‘foreigners’.“Instead of making indirect comment that he has not termed the Hill people ‘foreigners’, let Mr Bhattacharya seek a public apology for the remark and once he does that, he would be free to move anywhere in the Hills and carry out public meetings,” Mr Gurung said. Referring to the proposed indefinite strike slated for 1 May, the GJMM president today said, in case of Siliguri, the fasting venue would be the Siliguri SDO office campus. Earlier, the party was planning to organise the Siliguri leg of the hunger strike near Darjeeling More in the town.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
GJMM's 'modus operandi'
In the past few days the report says that Morcha was not allowed to satge a rally at Siliguri on 27th April. Soon they declared it will hold rallies in Siliguri anytime between April 28 and 30, despite the Bengal government making it clear that no permission would be granted for such a programme. Again on 28th the report said "Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders today stuck to their plan of an indefinite hunger strike in Darjeeling district and the Dooars from May 1 after the Bengal government refused to alter its position and give them permission to hold political programmes in Siliguri.The Siliguri subdivisional office has been selected as one of the venues of the fast."
At the Hills the morcha supporters are busy building their base. The approach is threatening (thank God there is no hatta bahar), coercing. The people are coerced or forced to join Morcha. Donations are asked. Gurung and his core team is busy in mobilizing the masses at Duars and they have been successful. Kamtapur People's Party(KPP) is supporting the movement. The critical mass of the movement is being established. The foot rallyiest are welcomed in all of the plcaces they visited which is a welcome gesture from the mass. The critical factor is Siliguri. The Morcha is not been able to establish its foot hold there as it is facing retaliation from the non-neplese community specially Bengalis. Till now the process of revolution is peaceful and as per the aspirations of the masses. The base which Morcha was trying to establish in the hills is almost complete with the Duars in the footline. The siliguri factor is the cliche. A big question arises how will Morcha proceed further? Will Governemt lend its ear to the Morcha's cry? Will Ashok Bhattacharjee be able to pacify the Morcha and entangle them in other business? Or will Morcha opt for the muscle war along with the politics?
Morcha has declared that it will stop paying the taxes and revenue state Government and will use GL as taxi number plate. Will they be successful in implementing the strategy? Morcha has declared to form Gorkhaland Police. (I heard that they have started recruitment process too but not confirmed)
It is worth quoting Prachanda here, "In history, wherever there has been a revolutionary movement, when people's movement moves forward - in the process of revolution, a clique of feudal elements will be staying within the fortification of the army. They will stay in there until their end comes but in the end, revolution will, as seen by history, destroy the feudal elements and in the end, these elements will have to come to the people's court and be tried. When the revolution begins, they will be staying within the army barracks and army protection and so they will not be the ones caught at the beginning. History has always shown this." Is Gurung following the Prachanda way?
At the Hills the morcha supporters are busy building their base. The approach is threatening (thank God there is no hatta bahar), coercing. The people are coerced or forced to join Morcha. Donations are asked. Gurung and his core team is busy in mobilizing the masses at Duars and they have been successful. Kamtapur People's Party(KPP) is supporting the movement. The critical mass of the movement is being established. The foot rallyiest are welcomed in all of the plcaces they visited which is a welcome gesture from the mass. The critical factor is Siliguri. The Morcha is not been able to establish its foot hold there as it is facing retaliation from the non-neplese community specially Bengalis. Till now the process of revolution is peaceful and as per the aspirations of the masses. The base which Morcha was trying to establish in the hills is almost complete with the Duars in the footline. The siliguri factor is the cliche. A big question arises how will Morcha proceed further? Will Governemt lend its ear to the Morcha's cry? Will Ashok Bhattacharjee be able to pacify the Morcha and entangle them in other business? Or will Morcha opt for the muscle war along with the politics?
Morcha has declared that it will stop paying the taxes and revenue state Government and will use GL as taxi number plate. Will they be successful in implementing the strategy? Morcha has declared to form Gorkhaland Police. (I heard that they have started recruitment process too but not confirmed)
It is worth quoting Prachanda here, "In history, wherever there has been a revolutionary movement, when people's movement moves forward - in the process of revolution, a clique of feudal elements will be staying within the fortification of the army. They will stay in there until their end comes but in the end, revolution will, as seen by history, destroy the feudal elements and in the end, these elements will have to come to the people's court and be tried. When the revolution begins, they will be staying within the army barracks and army protection and so they will not be the ones caught at the beginning. History has always shown this." Is Gurung following the Prachanda way?
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