Bomb Blast at Sukhiapokhri in Darjeeling Last Night

Darjeeling: A bomb blast took place at Sukhiapokhri last night. An eyewitness says lots of noise of breaking of window panes by stones being pelted in the middle of the night was heard.

Sources say some vehicles glasses were also broken. The incident took place at around 1.30am.

Details awaited..

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Darjeeling in Shock After Late Night Blast

Darjeeling in Shock After Late Night Blast
A late night blast, which was loud enough to wake up pe deep slumber has left everyone in Darjeeling concerned, as well as puzzled.
The blast which occurred in front of the old super-market, has left window panes shattered in the old super market, and shutters - made of steel, in some of the shops with holes. A small crater has also been formed on the road.
Locals are worried that this will add to the atmosphere of uncertainty, which is already prevailing in the hills.
Oneindia News has quoted Darjeeling SP Akhilesh Chaturvedi, Superintendent of Police, as saying, "There was a huge blast at around 12.15 am in front of the Old Supermarketown in Darjeeling. Though there has been no loss of life or injury, most of the nearby shops have been damaged. Police are investigating to ascertain what caused the blast and who are behind the blast."
Pics: Mingyur Dromo Tsering

Darjeeling Toy Train Loses Rs. 2.5 Crore Due To Agitation

Darjeeling: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) has incurred an estimated loss of Rs. 2.5 crore due to the ongoing Gorkhaland agitation in West Bengal, an official said on Monday.
“If the situation would have been normal, that is the amount we would have earned in this time by running our trains. Services have been suspended since June 12,” Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Chief Public Relations Officer Pranav Jyoti Sharma told IANS.
Till June 12 this year, the DHR registered earnings of Rs. 3.05 crore.
The heritage train operates under NFR. The UNESCO granted world heritage status to the DHR on December 2, 1999.
Following the agitation, the Sonada and Gayabari stations of DHR were damaged besides the DHR headquarter Elysia building at Kurseong. The Gayabari station was gutted in a fire.
“We used to run nine trains daily from Darjeeling to Ghoom. There used to be a train from Siliguri to Darjeeling and one from Darjeeling to Siliguri. All the trains have stopped. We have to sit back till the situation normalises,” Mr Sharma said.
All advance bookings from July 12 for DHR toy trains were cancelled and money refunded. The annual expenditure of the DHR is estimated at Rs. 15 crore.
The hill passenger railway started operations in 1881.
Local parties have been protesting in the Darjeeling hills demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland.

CM asks parties to withdraw agitation

#GorkhalandIssue

CM asks parties to withdraw agitation

Mamata Banerjee today asked political parties in the hills to withdraw the indefinite strike, referring to hardships caused by the agitation to various sectors like education, tourism, trade and tea plantation.

"I would like to tell political parties in the hills to restore normality. Darjeeling is an international brand and it should not be spoiled. You can ask for anything from us. We will try to meet them at our best," the chief minister told a public meeting here in North Dinajpur.

Mamata appeared a bit mellowed today and refrained from launching a scathing attack on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. "Why should one create tension, spark violence and resort to arson, inconveniencing several people?" she asked.

The chief minister reeled off the troubles caused by the strike.

"Workers in tea estates are not getting food. Over 80 tea estates have closed down. Why have you resorted to a movement that has led to the closure of tea estates, schools and colleges? Students cannot study and several of them find their future bleak and are about to lose an academic year. I would like to reiterate that if somebody speaks of responsibility, then they should work in the interest of common people," Mamata said.

She said any movement could achieve success only if it worked for common people. "Here, people are not getting food, there is no employment and they are disappointed. On the other hand, some people are indulging in politics."

Mamata also mentioned the sectors hit by the strike. "Tea, trade, tourism and transport sectors are close. What's happening?" she asked.

"...I will lay down my life but would not allow the division of Bengal. I will continue my struggle against those who want to divide Bengal," the chief minister said.

It’s simple: Darjeeling wants out -Mamata Banerjee will have none of it, even as the demand for Gorkhaland makes sense on cultural and political grounds

It’s simple: Darjeeling wants out
-Mamata Banerjee will have none of it, even as the demand for Gorkhaland makes sense on cultural and political grounds
Writes: Pratim Ranjan Bose

Trinamool supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee doesn’t like opposition. In the past six years, her party has not only won most elections, but has also ‘acquired’ winning candidates from the CPI(M) and Congress camps. And this summer, she wanted to free the estimated 12 lakh Nepali-speaking Gorkha majority population in the Darjeeling hills bordering Sikkim, Nepal and Bhutan from the stranglehold of Bimal Gurung’s Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). The Morcha has an alliance with the BJP which recently emerged as the key opposition in Bengal. Encouraged by her party’s win in a small hill municipality and after generously spending on 15 community development boards set up to divide the hill population, Banerjee went ahead to prove her supremacy, ahead of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) election later this year.
With financial and administrative control remaining in the hands of the State government, GTA was a lame-duck body that she sold to Gurung in 2012 during the last agitation. It replaced the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council formed after the first major agitation in 1988. Cornered, Gurung used an old State circular to make Bengali mandatory in schools, in order to revive the demand for Gorkhaland. The circular was later withdrawn but the bullet had been fired.
Darjeeling is now paying the price for its rebellion against Mamata Banerjee. At least seven persons have been killed, allegedly by security forces. Both mobile internet and broadband services have been banned since June 20. A Nepali TV channel was shut down. Efforts are on to close down Facebook pages promoting Gorkha aspirations. The chief minister has blamed the agitators for “resorting to violence”, necessitating the clampdown.
FAIRLY PEACEFUL
No doubt there were incidents of sporadic violence in the hills. But the current Gorkhaland agitation is relatively peaceful compared to earlier movements in Darjeeling or the recent stirs in Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat and elsewhere. Many political rallies in Kolkata, including a few led by Banerjee during her days in the Opposition, were probably as violent. But an unrelenting Banerjee accused agitators of having links with North-East ultras, slapped criminal charges on top GJM leaders, saw the ‘hand’ of a foreign country, rebuked Sikkim for showing sympathy to the movement, and most importantly kept blasting at the BJP for all the trouble on a daily basis.
No one dared ask her why the BJP would disturb the peace at this strategic border location next to the all-important Chicken’s Neck (otherwise known as the Siliguri Corridor) at this juncture with an aggressive China in close proximity. Nor would she say what is so wrong about Darjeeling upholding its linguistic and cultural identity vis-a-vis the rest of Bengal; if the Statehood demands of Mizoram, Jharkhand or Telangana have been granted how is Gorkhaland any different?
It is hard to figure out why it should hurt Bengal to yield political control over a small economy dependent on a sick tea industry and mass tourism, contributing barely 3 out of 294 seats in the State assembly? Banerjee ruled out the demand for Gorkhaland. She is “open to discussion” with the hill parties — all united on Gorkhaland — but on her terms. This is as good as refusing to negotiate; however, no one evinced interest in her offer either.
POLITICAL FOOTBALL
Banerjee is no political novice. She knows how deep the sentiment for Gorkhaland runs in the hill population. She is merely looking to reap fresh political mileage from the agitation. In a country that had shown outstanding political maturity in resolving issues right from the North-East to the deep South over the last 30 years, Darjeeling remained an exception. Banerjee is drawing strength from this piece of history.
She is trying to put the BJP in a bind over Darjeeling on two fronts. First, the BJP promised to “sympathetically examine and appropriately consider the long-pending demands of the Gorkhas, the Adivasis and other people of Darjeeling district and the Dooars region” in their election manifesto both in 2009 and 2014. This is well in line with their stance towards smaller States. But it directly confronts the fake Bengali sub-nationalism about Darjeeling. Banerjee expects any support by the BJP to the Gorkhaland movement to enhance her electoral prospects in Bengal.
Second, to support Gorkhaland, Delhi has to override the security myth created by its own agencies. This will bring into the scene an unstable Nepal with which it shares a complex relationship and which has a history of using China as a trump card against India. The Maoist uprising in Nepal has added to the apprehensions. That the Naxalite movement originated in the foothills of Darjeeling only bolsters such fears.
These concerns are not misplaced. But the fact is that every rebellion in Nepal had its roots in India. The Nepali Congress was headquartered in Patna and top Maoist leaders were more visible in Delhi than in Nepal. To add spice, some Gorkha folklore claims Darjeeling was once a part of Nepal. This is as misleading as the Bengali sentiments concerning Darjeeling, but enough to fuel the imagination both in Delhi and Kolkata.
WHAT NEXT?
Both the Modi government as well as the BJP have been silent on the Gorkhaland issue. Hopefully, they are aware that the problem is political in nature and keeping it alive is not in the best interests of the nation. There is merit in Darjeeling’s aspiration for self-rule, as the voice of a few lakh-strong electorate gets lost in the cacophony of nearly six crore voters in West Bengal.
It is natural that Gorkhas on both sides of the border will share a common link. But political instability and lack of opportunities in Nepal have weakened this link. Nepal too is looking forward to stability and this may be the right time to solve this puzzle.
It is wrong to see agitators in Darjeeling through the prism of separatism. They are merely seeking democratic resolution of a pending issue. Clamping down on free speech not only sets the wrong precedent, it paves the way for more unrest.
It is high time the country restored internet connectivity in Darjeeling and started the political dialogue for a lasting solution. What is the best option for Darjeeling? Should it be a State, a Union Territory or something else? Basically, Darjeeling wants freedom from Kolkata’s rule.
[Via: BusinessLine]

#USA ll WORTH #SHARING ll

Very powerfully written article on GORKHALAND by Salil Gewali, published in Chicago-based (#USA) media. The author is a research-scholar and best known for his world-famous book – “Great Minds on India” which is edited by a #NASA Chief Scientist.
https://www.newsgram.com/why-gorkhaland-for-gorkhas/…


“Why #Gorkhaland for #Gorkhas”
One scholar from Punjab recently wrote on his Facebook wall -- “While our brave Gorkha soldiers are shooting the dreaded terrorists in the hostile Indo-Park borders, in Darjeeling their relatives are being gunned down by the West Bengal Government. What a contrary fact and heartless act!” Logically speaking, is this the price for being patriotic, and serving the country at the cost of life? Does it come under the laws of the land that those who shed blood for the nation should also be treated apathetically and even hurt grievously? I think we have to recheck the constitution and sit down for a serious introspection. I don’t think it is right to hit a person with a ladle spoon who lovingly cooks and serves you the food.
Firstly, it should be borne in mind that the history of Gorkha is not littered with any treacherous misdeeds. The betrayal of trust, be it in service or in social setup, is not in their DNA. They never at any time acted like a terror group against India which some leaders want to claim. Indeed, it’s Gorkha army which is one of the most robust “armours” of the country. For ages, the fierce Gorkha fighters have been standing like a rock along the porous borders and terror-ridden POK et al in order to protect the country and safeguard its citizens within. Of course, many top leaders never miss admiring our warriors -- ‘Indians are sleeping because those brave soldiers are not asleep’. Given the spine-chilling situations across the borders, it is not an exaggerated appreciation either.
A rare pride which Indian Army often takes for having at its disposal 7 number of dedicated Gorkha Regiments such as 1 Gorkha Rifles (GR), 3 GR , 4 GR , 5 GR, 8 GR, 9 and 11 GRs, is always encouraging and rays of hope. These badass regiments had been most confidently chosen to put up strong fights against Sino-Indian War in 1962, Indo-Pakistani War in 1971, Battle of Sylhet, Kargil War in 1999. And, on several occasions, they represented Indian Army to serve in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Siachen and also sent for UN peacekeeping missions to Sudan, Lebanon, and Sierra Leone. How they fought and what ways they earned the unmatched commendations for “valor” are fully recorded in the arm forces archives. Yes, there hardly a month goes without a couple brave Gorkha warriors being martyred while fighting against the enemy.
But what do ones feel when these loyal army personnel’s children and relatives are accused of having connections with the terrorists or insurgent groups? This is quite outrageous. What a big irony that during the present Trinamool’s rule the West Bengal has witnessed, and also endured, a lot many horrendous activities that have literally convulsed the state. Here now exist a swarm of “special citizens” who never hesitate to have a connection with terror elements/groups within and outside. But they all are well snuggled by all-comforting and forgiving Chief Minister. No wonder, it is often reported that many of her loving voters, who are mostly ill-bred but over pampered, were even caught red-handed manufacturing bombs. NIA (National Investigating Agency) has unearthed many such citizens having established secret nexus with other underground brigands outside the country too. It was also brought to the public that their special academic institutions also teach such kind of lessons to the children which themselves are the recipe for disaster. Many are of the apprehension, instead of expanding the “economic investments”, the Chief Minister of the West Bengal is facilitating the “explosive investments” which might in future put the country in dire straits. But, our all-merciful Didi never felt any regret, nor threatened and worried.
But contrastingly, when no-nonsense Gorkha populace humbly kneel down and beg her to resolve their identity crises then she loses her cool. If they persist with their demand then her administration sends ruthless police forces. Needless to say, the backbone of security of the nation has apparently stolen the Chief Minister’s sense of security. She hurried herself to make a number of caste-based developmental boards. Cunningly schemed, the move was ostensibly to sever the mutual bonds among the several Gorkha tribes/castes and thus plant the seeds of discord in every possible way. The imposition of the compulsory Bengali language upon the Gorkha is the Chief Minister’s long-term plan. She must have felt the link language Nepali, which is constitutionally recognized, could act as a great unifying factor among the Gorkha’s castes and tribes. The CM must have feared that her objective could not be achieved if the Gorkha’s lingua franca (Nepali) is not undermined at the outset.
Yes, thus her excessive passion for remaining in power has amply brought out what is worst in human. She never gave a second thought to deploy the central forces. And consequently, three innocent Gorkhas were shot dead. But it did not touch the CM’s heart. Her police force rather pounced upon even the poor and naïve women from the villages and tortured them brutally. It is usually expected that one, being wrapped in a “white sari”, and with a “hawai chappal”, should always walk on the path of humility and compassion, not ever being overcome by the materialistic greed and antagonism. But Mamata-ji has seemingly beaten even the snobbish pretense of a Bollywood’s star by cleverly masking her “true self” with the garb of sanyaasini. A good many dirty scams by her party men have long sullied Didi’s "lily white sari" .
It is quite apparent that Mamata-ji is steadily eyeing Darjeeling and its adjoining areas as her private fiefdom. It seems a bunch of good scholars are now urgently required to wise her up about its history. She probably does not know about the Nepal Kingdom which was prudent enough to come to have a patch-up agreement, under Sugauli Treaty 1815-16, with then rapaciously imperialist ‘East India Company’. So, Nepal, to avoid continuous unpleasant conflicts, surrendered about one-fourth of its land to the British. This included the major chunk of the mountainous, hilly and plain terrains. Areas like Darjeeling, Sikkim, Nainital, Kumaon, and Garhwal handed over to the East India Company. Logically speaking, if all this vast area of land, its mountains, its pristine hills, rivers, flora and fauna can be regarded as Indian then why can’t the human inhabitants in it? Why is there so much skepticism and callousness? It is totally unconstitutional. Well, if our leaders still become confused and desist from resolving the identity crises of the two-legged native of this land then I would suggest them to meet the bio-scientists and geoscientists, or, if still, the doubt persists, then rush for the psychiatrist. Now all eyes are fixed on “S. S. Ahluwalia-ji”, very compassionate and considerate MP elected by the Gorkha people, who should take the lead role.
Yes, when I shared this article with one of my friends from New Delhi he sharply retorted – “it is total injustice to the Gorkha people by our leaders. Such apathy of a pluralist Nation towards those brave soldiers who ‘came with land’ is unbecoming. Even UNO or World leaders will be shocked when they know how Gorkha are ill-treated in their own land.”
Incidentally, India’s leaders jump in ecstasy when Sunil Chhetri scores a goal. Whole India cheers for Chhetri’s outstanding performances and lovingly call him Ronaldo of India. Shiva Thapa was affectionately patted on his back by none other than PM Narendra Modi while seeing-off for the Olympic. One feels, Gorkhas have enough of the lip service. Now what is most important is a “true pat” on the back of the whole Gorkhas by fixing their identity crises. Well, Gorkhas came with the land, never like other invaders or infiltrators who have been posing serious threats to the NATION. Gorkhas are the stout walls of security and integrity for the country. It is time for India government to pay back their dues with gratitude. They can’t bite the bullet all the time under the brutally heartless administration of West Bengal.
-- Salil Gewali, Shillong
Email: sgewali1@gmail.com
#iSupportGorkhaland

#GorkhalandIssue: Communal Disharmony in the Plains - Hill People Targeted in Siliguri and Nearby Areas

Writes: Ravik Bhattacharya

WITH the strike seeking a separate Gorkhaland entering the 18th day, tensions between the Bengali and Nepali communities of the region are coming to the fore. While a state minister has issued a statement promising safety of people from the hills in the plains, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha that is spearheading the demand for Gorkhaland has accused the government of inciting “communal hatred” and “division” between the two regions.
Meanwhile, reports are coming in of harassment of people from the hills and Sikkim in towns such as Siliguri, which has an overwhelming population of Bengali-speaking people, and of people even leaving.

On Saturday evening, GJM supporters tried to set afire three finders in Kurseong, in the first such attack on emergency services. This followed repeated attacks in the plains on vehicles travelling to the hills. Vehicles crossing Siliguri on their way to Sikkim with essential items and food via NH10 continue to be vandalised.

Recently, West Bengal Tourism Minister Gautam Deb said the government will ensure that people from the hills are safe in the plains. “We are identifying the miscreants. Steps are being taken to ensure people of the hills who are in Siliguri and others parts in the plains for work or education do not feel threatened.”
In a statement on Sunday, the GJM said, “Anti-Gorkhaland forces and TMC government-sponsored elements have been actively inciting the people of Siliguri, Odlabari, Malbazar, Meteli and parts of Dooars in communal hatred and division between hills and the plains.”

A number of apolitical rallies have been taken out in Siliguri against the demand for a separate Gorkhaland. Apart from pro-Bengali groups and organisations, which have again become active, ruling Trinamool Congress workers are a prominent presence at such rallies.

The latest agitation for Gorkhaland was sparked by an order from the government making Bengali language mandatory from Class 1 in all schools across the state. Khushiranjan Mondol of ‘Amra Bangali’, a pro-Bengali organisation which was active during the 2010 Gorkhaland protests, says, “Bimal Gurung should be immediately arrested. We will not let Bengal get divided. The bandh in the hills should be immediately called off. One must remember they are dependent on the plains for food stocks.”

Mukunda Majumder, the president of the ‘Bangla of Bangla Bhasha Banchaon Committee’, justifies the anger in Siliguri. “While vehicles from Bengal are being ransacked on their way to Sikkim, Sikkim vehicles are collecting stocks from here. How can this be?” Condemning the attacks on Sikkim vehicles in Siliguri, the GJM has said it would write to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. “We would request the government of India to take steps to ensure the safety and security of Sikkimese and Gorkhali people in Siliguri. The state police are acting as bystanders when incidents of violence take place,” it said.

In its statement on Sunday, the Morcha said, “The GJM on behalf of all the Gorkhas worldwide condemns the harassment being meted out to the people of Sikkim in Siliguri. Sikkim and Darjeeling have always shared a cordial and warm relationship. Sikkim coming forward in support of Gorkhaland is an example of it. India being a democracy, everyone has the right to voice their opinion, that does not mean that Sikkimese vehicles should be vandalised and Sikkimese people harassed in broad daylight in Siliguri.”

The GJM also accused “anti-Gorkhaland forces” and the TMC government-backed elements of instigating violence to defame its agitation. “The GJM finds it intriguing as to how these arsons and attacks on government offices and properties are taking place in the presence of a large number of West Bengal Police and CRPF personnel,” it said.

Via: Indian Express

INTERNET RESTRICTION EXTENDED FOR EIGHT MORE DAYS

The West Bengal District Administration on Monday extended the restriction imposed on internet services for another eight days in Darjeeling, to halt rumours from spreading through social media.
Earlier on June 20, the state government had also planned to extend the internet service till June 26. But people alleged that the proposed step will violate their freedom of expression.
Scores of people yesterday took out a torch rally here demonstrating a protest, demanding a separate Gorkhaland state.
The roads were swamped with men and women holding torch and raising slogans like, "We want Gorkhaland".
On the other hand, people in Darjeeling took out a bike rally protesting for the same.
"We want a separate Gorkhaland state. Protesting for the same we are taking out this procession," said a local.
[Via: Outlook India]

CENTER SEEKS ANOTHER REPORT ON DARJEELING

-This is the second time that the Center has sought a report from the State on Darjeeling.
The Centre has sought another report from the West Bengal government on the ongoing Darjeeling violence as the State government has asked for the withdrawal of women CRPF personnel among other measures.
The State government also asked the Home Ministry to replace the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans.
The Home Ministry said that the request was “inappropriate and incongruous.”
The Ministry asked the West Bengal government to send a detailed factual report on the law and order situation in Darjeeling, which has seen violence for nearly 20 days.
This is the second time that the Centre has sought a report from the State on Darjeeling.
The communication was sent after the West Bengal government asked the Ministry to recall 100 women personnel of the CRPF deployed in Darjeeling.
The women personnel were rushed there after the outbreak of violence in the hill district as per the request of the State government, said a spokesperson.
The State government also requested the Ministry to recall around 300 SSB men and replace them with CRPF personnel.
[Via: The Hindu, (Photo: Partha Paul)]

Youth arrested for passing slew and derogatory remark against woman - Even college to take action

Krishna Gupta is arrested for passing slew and derogatory remark against Women. Readers Across Social Network Have Condemned and Lambasted Such Statement.
He was picked up by Ranipul Police from Tadong area of Sikkim last night around 7 PM confirmed Police source on basis of group complaint.
He is student of Damber Singh College 6th Mile Tadong , a residence of Bihar, Chhapra age 22 years.
Further course of action Awaited against him from College Administration today, as informed.

The Wounded Soldier – Anjan Dutta

It is in Darjeeling that I smoked my first cigarette, wrote my first love letter, got ditched by my first girl and drank my first bottle of beer, told my first lie, fought my first fight, tasted blood in my mouth for the first time... It is there that I heard my first Elvis Presley, saw my first James Dean, first dabbled in Jack London... It is there that I learnt certain basic values like courage, loyalty, honesty, humility and love. And it was not just my boarding school teachers up in Jalapahar who taught me all these. But the Gorkha ponywallah at the Chowrasta, the average Gorkha shopkeeper who scolded me for swearing, the Gorkha Landrover driver who refused a light when I wanted to smoke at 14, the Gorkha coolies who carried enormous heavy loads and steadily climbed up steep stairs, who continuously gave me my values... And I returned to Kolkata, my roots, to become what I have become. But through the years, every time I went up there, I saw those same people of my childhood get poorer and more ignored...

In the mid '80s, when I was either away in Berlin or acting in films of Mrinal Sen and others, trying desperately to etch my career, I heard of unrest and violence in the Hills. The long history of exploitation and subjugation had taken its toll and clear voices were being raised for freedom and Gorkhaland. I heard and read about people fighting, dying, bloodshed, chaos... followed by the inevitable compromise, peace and ruthlessness of political diplomacy. Order was restored. Bengalis again kept rushing up to their favorite holiday destination. The nation never cared to take stock. The state powers put on their shades...

But as a successful adult, when I went up there every year, my Darjeeling seemed like a wounded soldier whose wounds were far from healing. To most of you, it's your toy train, the Kanchenjunga, your fragrance of Darjeeling tea on the Keventers rooftop, your quick, cheap getaway from the heat of Kolkata. To me, it has been all that and the sad faces getting sadder.

The handsome house boy, who served my morning tea every time I went there to write my film scripts, hid his hurt and anger with a smile. But the torn vest peeping from behind his uniform, the dirt on his torn shoes, the blisters in his hands could never lie. Every time I rolled my camera for my TV or feature films, the apparently beautiful, blue hills looked more and more devastated with poverty and degradation. Even the richer hotels, which I and my wife could afford now, served food that did not taste better than the cheaper ones we stayed in during our honeymoon. Everyone blamed it on the political unrest and government's nonchalance, but very rarely I found my own community addressing the issue in its true light. What had gone wrong? When? How?

It all dates back to the early 19th century when the British colonized the Hills. The region was annexed by Sikkim from Nepal. With the Treaty of Sugauli in 1816, Darjeeling was handed over by Nepal to the British. With the Treaty of Titalia a year later, it was handed back to Sikkim. But the East India Company found it a great sanatorium for relaxation and forcibly demanded it from Sikkim and the Raja leased it to the British with a Grant of Deed in 1835. Other surrounding parts were annexed from Bhutan. When Dr Campbell founded the first tea plantation in 1850, the British encountered tribes whom they called the Gorkhas (with sub-groups called Lepchas and certain other tribes, Adivasis and Rajbanshis).
With the tea plantation the British concentrated on these tribes for cheap labour. The British found the Gorkhas primarily docile, loyal, very tough, fearless and recruited them as fighters for the British Army. This race of "natural born warriors" was ideal for the British in their foreign wars too. Thus, the Gorkha Regiment. This docile yet fearless race was continuously dominated and exploited by the British. This subjugation continued even after Independence. As I recently read in a student's journal in JNU, Field Marshall Manekshaw once said: "If a man says he is not afraid to die, he is either lying or a Gorkha." From this quotation, thanks to some Gorkha students of JNU Delhi, it is clearly evident that the history of the Gorkhas has always been a history of dehumanization. Dehumanization that inevitably reaches the crises of Identity.

This identity crisis has not been looked into, nor addressed, nor ever given respect by our government. The state never wanted to understand why their holiday destination cried out for freedom. The rest of the nation, least interested. Perhaps because the ballot in the Hills was never crucial when it came to winning elections, this voice has always been ignored, subjugated, suppressed and finally bribed whenever it cried out. A time has come when this voice of the loyal, dutiful, fearless Gorkha cannot be suppressed any more because it has reached more than its limits of suppression. Telangana or not, this voice would have cried out anyway. The wounds have not healed and the soldier, according to Sam Manekshaw, is too tough to withdraw from the battle...

Now, what does this soldier want? A separation from Bengal? Well, he was never historically a part of Bengal's culture, its history, its language, its tradition, its food habits, its looks, its everything. Does he want to break Bengal? Another partition? No way. He just wants his own Identity and his own place in India, as a true dedicated Indian citizen. Is he anti-Bengali? Never. The man who composed the tune of Subhas Chandra Bose's "Kadam Kadam Baraye Ja" was from the Gorkha Regiment. The Gorkhas and Nepalis of Darjeeling have always cared and respected the Bengalis and the relationship can be far healthier if the soldier is given his due. The demand for Gorkhaland is a demand for his Identity. And, no matter what we say or feel, any form of economic growth comes from one's own identity. Given their identity, your tourism and holidays will not only remain intact but become healthier and more productive.
Now if you conveniently bypass your holidaying spirit and raise questions about whether the soldier can take care of his own territory economically, then ask yourself one simple question. Which state in this country is free of corruption, political instability? Given the chance and time, the newborn will steer through all problems with support from neighboring states. Remember, he is a born soldier. Our nation has survived so much divide for almost 60 years. Our democracy has withstood so many religious, ethnic, cultural clashes from within and from outside... We are still intact. We still raise our Tricolor every year with pride. We have the generosity to open our doors to the Dalai Lama and cross swords with China. How can Gorkhaland make any difference to that pride?

We are true Indians because this democracy has given us our space to enjoy our own ethnic freedom as Punjabi, Maharashtrian, Madrasi, Bengali, Mizo, Naga, Bihari, Kashmiri, Manipuri.... all others. We will just have one more brother in the clan. A true fighter in the gang. Why deny this courageous, tough brother his identity?
I truly, honestly am not educated enough in politics. But this I know that when an entire region peacefully and democratically demands their true identity for several years, it is no longer just a political debate for elected candidates of our nation to ponder upon. It is a social cause. It needs your support and understanding as individuals who care and value your identity. It's your voice that will also finally matter, whether you are a Gorkha or not.

I write this with the belief that you may understand what is happening in a tiny part of your own country. Right now about 15 battalions of CRPF are deployed on the streets of Darjeeling, fearing violence. The locals have not shown any signs of violence till now. Thousands of locals from all walks of life are democratically rallying while coping with devastating storms, trying their best to tell you the truth... The pent-up agony is brewing. The dark skies and gloomy streets are sending you desperate warnings... If things get worse, I only pray my leadership or someone in the corridors of power sees the truth and makes a difference. As for me, the best I can do is to go up there and write some more articles, perhaps another song. But when will you see the truth? When will you, as a socially concerned Bengali or Indian, understand that it's high time you cannot misconceive that which is democratic?

I am sure my favorite house boy will no longer be there to give me my morning tea when I'm there. He will be standing in some rally with his torn shoes but with his head held high. But I am - and will forever be - proud of him. Because I know that, unlike me, he is a soldier. A soldier, who like his forefathers, is never afraid of battles. Only this time, he is fighting for himself and not others.

PUSH FOR #GORKHALAND: 'Ready for Collective Leadership' - says Gurung

Writes: Pramod Giri

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) president Bimal Gurung has said he is ready to consider the issues of joint leadership for the struggle to realise Gorkhaland but advised parties like Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) to hit the streets immediately.

“I am ready to seriously consider the GNLF and other parties’ suggestion of a joint leadership to the movement as well as other suggestions such as walking out of the GTA. But the leaders of other parties including the GNLF should immediately come out and hit the streets as I am doing now,” Gurung told HT.

On Wednesday, Gurung claimed that 85 families have returned to the Morcha fold from Trinamool camp. “On Monday, 42 families came back to our fold, followed by 85 today. Soon we will have a largely Trinamool free Darjeeling,” remarked Gurung, who had to witness Mamata Banerjee’s party post their first electoral victory in the hills in May in Mirik municipality. Gurung claimed Takvar, his own constituency in GTA, has already become a ‘Trinamool free’ zone.

On Thursday, tension may rise in the hills as Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha (GJYM) has decided to organise a rally. If the police want to resist, GJYM threatened to call an indefinite total bandh. According to adviser of GJYM, Jiten Rai, the rally is to protest against ‘police atrocities’ and demand immediate release of those arrested since June 8, when violence broke out leading to the deployment of army.
Gurung also sounded a veiled alarm bell for the tourists. “How can tourists enjoy when the police are regularly resorting to unprovoked lathi charge on our supporters. No matter how many police and para-military personnel are deployed, the movement for Gorkhaland cannot be stopped. The police super and Darjeeling DM are working like TMC cadres,” Gurung alleged.

On Tuesday Gurung got a shot in the arm after five parties and an apolitical pan-India Gorkha body turned up at the all-party meeting he called in Darjeeling and unanimously vowed to fight for a separate state of Gorkhaland. The development is a direct challenge to chief minister Mamata Banerjee who has resolved not to allow a division of Bengal.

The unity of hill parties largely depends on how long GJM and GNLF, the alliance partner of Trinamool Congress for the civic elections, could work together.
GNLF has put forward five conditions to the GJM to accept before they could work together for Gorkhaland. GNLF that spearheaded the 28-month-long violent movement for separation from Bengal from 1986 to 1988 has asked the GJM to unilaterally withdraw itself from the tripartite GTA Accord signed on July 18, 2011.

“The GTA is a stumbling block to Gorkhaland. GJM’s unilateral withdrawal from the GTA Accord is a pre-requisite before we could join the hands with the GJM for a prolonged movement,” GNLF spokesperson Niraj Zimba told HT. He also hinted that unless GJM walks out of the GTA Accord, GNLF will not be a part of the movement.

GNLF also wants that all the three GJM MLAs should resign from the Bengal assembly, and all municipal councillors of the Morcha should resign too.

Zimba said, “GNLF has no problem in accepting Gurung as the leader of the joint movement provided he accepts our five conditions.”
Incidentally, Bimal Gurung has said frequently that they will resign from GTA as “the state government did not allow the GTA to function in true spirit of GTA Accord.”

In 2013 there was an attempt to work out a collective movement to spearhead the movement for Gorkhaland. But the exercise did not take off as Gurung allegedly failed to agree on ‘common minimum programme’ suggested by other parties.

Rajen Mukhia, Trinamool leader in the hills alleged that GJM supporters are threatening TMC supporters. On Gurung’s claim that Takvar area has become TMC free, Mukhia reamrked, “Those who joined GJM from TMC did so because they were threatened by Gurung and his men.”

For increased monitoring of GTA, the state government on Wednesday created a new post of executive director appointed Deepap Priya, an IAS who is also known to be close to the chief minister. C Murugan was appointed as the GTA’s full- time secretary.

[Via: Hindustan Times]

Gurung blames Mamata Banerjee for Darjeeling Flare-Up

Writes: Vivek Chhetri

Sitting in his Singamari office in Darjeeling on Friday, surrounded by supporters who had spilled on to the Lebong Cart Road, Bimal Gurung opened up his mind before The Telegraph on the current situation and his plans.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president said Gorkhaland would be the only subject that he would broach in future and blamed "her" for the prevailing situation in the hills.

Violence on Thursday

This was a pre-planned move of Trinamul. We had earlier held protest and everything was peaceful. Yesterday, too, we had finished demonstration and most of the demonstrators were inside the auditorium for the meeting. I think a few Trinamul cadres might have mingled in the group and started hurling stones, leading to such a situation.

The present agitation

See, everything was peaceful in the hills. It was she who said Bengali language was to be mandatory across Bengal and specifically told the media that if one could learn Nepali, what was the harm in learning Bengali. Isn't this imposition? Should we just remain quiet and accept anything that is being done to us. Language is our mother. We cannot keep quiet, our future generation will not forgive us. So, did I create this situation.

Working relation with the state

The GTA was formed but was it allowed to function? Have the departments been transferred? Are employees of transferred department reporting to the GTA? Every time she comes, she only undermines our people, divides us into bits and pieces, undermines our sentiments. We were to have selection boards to recruit people to the GTA, school service commission, college service commission. But has it been formed even in five years? On the other hand, teachers who joined Trinamul were immediately given permanent jobs? Can we establish a working relation (with the government) when everything is being trampled upon.

The Morcha's support base

They used everything, administration, money power, formed 15 boards and are doing everything that they can. But the people are still with us as Gorkhaland is not a political slogan, which she does not understand. It is something that everyone in the hills, including her own party leaders, want as it is a legitimate demand for our identity. We are not against any community or language, we are only against the state government's policy. Our support base is intact, we lost Mirik municipality because of own internal problem.

Future course of action

We will hold an emergency meeting of the party in Darjeeling tomorrow. However, we will now go for Gorkhaland. That will be the only issue I will speak. Even with the Centre, I will no longer talk on issues like granting tribal status to 11 communities or central university. It will only be on Gorkhaland. If I don't go ahead with the Gorkhaland issue now, the people will not forgive me.

Likely form of agitation

I had earlier said that we would have no bandhs in the hills. However, after yesterday's incident, where a number of our supporters were injured, the youths decided to give a 12-hour strike call. This has inconvenienced the tourists and I express my sympathy towards them. There will be no strike tomorrow. However, the government has closed down Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan. This cannot be accepted. We will have to protest. The principal secretary has been replaced without consulting the GTA. How long are we to accepted anything that they feel like doing.

(Source: The Telegraph)

After confidence-building steps and police beef-up, Mamata Banerjee leaves

Writes: Vivek Chhetri

Mamata Banerjee yesterday morning positioned herself at the frontline of efforts to restore normality to the hills and moved to the plains in the night, capping a day that saw a mix of confidence-building steps and law-enforcement measures.

The chief minister hit the streets to try and convince tourist and resident personally that she would not allow a rerun of yesterday's violence.

"Don't worry; we are here. All arrangements have been made," she told whoever she met, urging them to resume their normal lives.

"Open your shops," she prodded the local population. "I want to tell the tourists that Darjeeling is a peaceful place. An incident took place yesterday; now it's under control."

The initiative prompted an IAS officer to say: "I have never seen a chief minister play such a visible, proactive role in a crisis such as this."

Senior police officers with experience in Darjeeling have been called to the hills. Mamata left Darjeeling by road at 9.30pm and reached Siliguri around midnight.

The arrival of the senior officers and the departure of Mamata after a largely peaceful day are being seen as precursors to a revamp in the police administration in Darjeeling and a possible crackdown on mischief-makers.

Late tonight, sources indicated that a senior officer in Darjeeling had been transferred. An officer from Calcutta police has been asked to take charge tomorrow, they added.

"What happened yesterday happened only because we had not expected them to carry out such a taandav (rampage).... When we realised the situation, we took control of it. It won't happen again," Mamata had told reporters earlier in the day. Her comment suggested a lack of intelligence inputs on the possible courses the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's sit-in protest might take.

The army had to be called in yesterday after Morcha supporters stoned police and torched their vehicles, protesting an alleged government plan to impose Bengali on the hills' schools despite Mamata's assurances to the contrary.

The Morcha's youth wing had called a bandh today and the fear of more violence kept the shops shut, the streets deserted and most of the 87 tea gardens paralysed.

But Mamata went out with a sense of purpose rather than confine herself to closed-door administrative meetings. Ditching her signature shawl for a pink cardigan worn over her sari, she began her day with an 8am stroll towards Chowrasta, along a stretch that had witnessed pitched battles barely 17 hours ago.

She later toured the town in her car but with the windows rolled down and a loudhailer in hand, informing tourists about transport arrangements and reassuring everyone she was on top of the situation.

At Motor Stand, she got off the car and mingled with people. "Open your shops; the police will give you protection - the army too is here," she exhorted shopkeepers. "Who will benefit if the shops remain shut? They (the Morcha) only know how to burn and terrorise."

Although the town did not immediately respond to her call, the chief minister said that most government offices were open. "Some shops were closed today but, then, most of them are owned by linguistic minorities here and they were a bit shaken," Mamata told reporters.

The chief minister spent the afternoon at Richmond Hill, her official bungalow in Darjeeling, monitoring the situation and taking a slew of administrative decisions.

District magistrate Joyoshi Das Gupta issued an order barring anyone from entering the Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan without permission from the district magistrate or the police chief for the next two months.

The Bhavan houses Morcha chief Bimal Gurung's office, at least a dozen key departments of the Morcha-run Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and the GTA Sabha.

Das Gupta said she had information that the Bhavan had been used for a political meeting yesterday and "as a base and launch pad for violent activities". She said the order had been necessary to prevent misuse of the government building for illegal activities and to "preserve evidence".

The state government also withdrew Gurung's police protection. A special audit of the GTA that Mamata had already ordered kicked off today, with the report expected in two weeks.

(Source: The Telegraph)

Darjeeling Daughter rescued in Bahrain

Darjeeling Daughter rescued in Bahrain
Prabina Rai, a resident of Gorabaari in Sonada, had gone to Bahrain to look for a job and hence for a decent living. Unfortunately, Prabina didn't get hold of a very good consultancy/agent and happened to land in the hands of a horrible employer.
Prabina got associated withe her employer after she was promised all the amneties that an employee should be availed with. After starting to work, Prabina realised that things were very different. She wasn't even allowed a phone to talk to her family and was made to do a lot of work. What should have been a very cordial relationship between an employee and her employer went on to take a cruel shape.
When the acts of the employer started to seem nothing less than torture, Prabina finally managed to inform her family about the misery she was living in and it already had been a month. Her family then went to contact the agent who had helped her get the placement where they were told that she had to atleast complete 3 months of her contract and then she could be brought back.
The family then decided to wait for two more months. Now 3 months had passed and there was no contact from Prabina and neither any chance of her coming back. One day again, Prabina called home and said that she could not tolerate the torture any more.
They again contacted the agent to inform them about Prabina's Situation, following which the efforts of bringing Prabina back home started. People in Bahrain were informed and asked for help. Soon, a whatsapp message started circulating like wildfire.
After waiting for some days and realising that some measures needed to be taken, Prabina’s family finally approached MARG, who wasted no time in initiating action. Soon, letters were forwarded to the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Embassy in Bahrain and everyone else who could lend their hands in support. Following that, an FIR was filed against the employer and the volunteers were mobilised in Bahrain for Prabina’s rescue.
The ground work was done by Birendra Kalicotey in Darjeeling, Rocky Rai from Kurseong and Diwas Gurung from Darjeeling. Mr. Ram Thapa from Nepal also had a crucial role circulating the message and also making sure that Prabina didn’t lose hope.
We are very much relieved to inform you that Prabina has been shifted to a Govt shelter home called LMRA shelter house. Mr. Dipesh Rai, on his visit to see Prabina, confirmed that she is now is a good state of mind and health. The process of claiming Prabina’s passport is underway, which for now is yet to be released from the sponsor. Once the needful formalities regarding the documents are completed, her passport is obtained and her visa is cancelled, she will be sent home without any delay.
We are so very thankful to MARG and all the people involved for putting their effort to rescue Prabina. It is because of their selfless work that Prabina will be coming home very soon. We would also advise our youths to maintain some concern when it comes to looking for a job abroad. Do not follow any agent blindly and verify all the details of your work and employer before flying abroad. Be careful and try to go through registered and dependable agencies or consultancies.

#Darjeeling - What happened yesterday

#Darjeeling - What happened yesterday
Writes: Vivek Chhetri
The army was called out in Darjeeling today after waves of young stone-throwers ran circles round police and torched security vehicles soon after Mamata Banerjee had ended the first cabinet meeting in the hills in 45 years.
Suspicion that the Bengali language would be imposed on the hills' schoolchildren - despite an assurance from the chief minister that it would not - sparked the violence at a time more than 10,000 tourists are holidaying in Darjeeling.
Sources close to Mamata said the chief minister would stay put in Darjeeling till she was sure the tourists were safe.
"She has instructed the administration to ensure the tourists are not inconvenienced," a source said.
A pitched battle was fought barely 200 metres from the Raj Bhavan, where Mamata and over a dozen state ministers had just ended their meeting, held here as a symbol of the chief minister's development agenda for the hills.
The last time the cabinet had met in Darjeeling was in 1972, when Siddhartha Shankar Ray was chief minister.
Normality returned in the evening after a meeting between the police and leaders of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which had spearheaded the protests, but thousands of tourists were trying to leave. Finding transport to the plains was proving hard, though.
Things are likely to get more difficult tomorrow as the Morcha youth wing has called a 12-hour strike.
"With the army coming in, the situation seems under control, but I can tell you that it's fluid," a police source said.
Mamata had arrived at the Raj Bhavan around 1pm. The cabinet met at 2pm for half an hour, and a media briefing followed. The violence broke out within 10 minutes of the briefing.
Morcha supporters went about torching police vehicles, police posts and public buses. Young stone-throwers arrived in waves, then vanished down the alleyways only to reappear again. The tumult raged from 3pm till nearly 5.30pm.
"Such scenes haven't been seen in the hills for a long time," an employee of a Mall hotel said.
A government official confirmed that all local channels had been asked to go off the air indefinitely from this evening.
The Morcha had upped its ante against the state government over the past few days with rallies and street-corner meetings. Mamata clarified in Mirik on Tuesday that Bengali would not be mandatory at schools in the hills and certain parts in Terai and the Dooars but Morcha chief Bimal Gurung demanded a formal cabinet announcement today.
As the cabinet met, Gurung was barely 300 metres away at the protest hub, the Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan, from where the police barricaded the road to the Raj Bhavan. The chaos started when some people burnt an effigy of Mamata.
"Suddenly, stones began raining. Soon, the violence spread to other parts of the city," a police officer said.
Similar scenes had been witnessed in 2013 over an alleged incident involving the police and a schoolchild. Since then the hills had been relatively calm.
Gurung was expected to announce a fresh programme of agitation today but refused to speak to the media and said he needed two or three days to think.
Morcha assistant secretary Jyoti Kumar Rai accused Trinamul supporters of instigating the violence by starting the stone-throwing.
Trinamul hills president Rajen Mukha dismissed the charge as "laughable" and alleged that Morcha supporters were carrying catapults, suggesting "pre-planned violence".
At least nine public vehicles, including six police vehicles and a state bus, were torched, as was a traffic outpost.
Some 52 cops, including district police chief Amit P. Javalgi, suffered injuries. Police sources said at least 25 Morcha supporters too were injured, and that at least one person had been arrested.
[Via: Telegraph]

#Darjeeling Region Shut Down Completely - Bandh Peaceful

The 12 hour strike called by GJM to protest against the alleged "high handedness of administration" is being observed across the hills and Terai peacefully.
Reports confirm that both the Kalimpong and Darjeeling districts are observing complete shut down.
Please maintain peace and HELP THE TOURISTS... welcome them to your homes if needed..

Police and GJM protesters clash in Darjeeling - Vehicles burnt down, lathicharge, tear gas rolling

Police had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse Gorkha Janmukti Morcha protesters in Darjeeling on Thursday when protesters allegedly set fire to three police vehicles, according to media reports.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is in Darjeeling to chair a state cabinet meeting.
A cabinet meeting is being held in Darjeeling after a gap for 45 years, media reported.
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is protesting against a number of issues, one of which is to do with the introduction of Bengali as a subject in schools, media reports said.
The GJM protesters had gathered in front of the Raj Bhavan, the West Bengal governor's summer residence and the venue of the cabinet meeting.Unrest also seen at Darjeeling More in Siliguri and Kaljmpong after Darjeeling agitation.'