Posters at Chowkbazaar, Darjeeling
Siege over, DM office deserted
OUR CORRESPONDENT - The telegraph
The deserted collectorate in Darjeeling on Friday. Picture by Suman Tamang
Darjeeling, Feb. 5: The Vidyarthi Morcha lifted its 11-hour siege of the district magistrate’s office today, but work could not resume at the collectorate as the hill outfit did not let government vehicles ply.
No government officer used his vehicle today. District magistrate Surendra Gupta, who was confined to his office till 2.15am, did not come to the collectorate either. Gupta, however, has an office at his residence as well.
The deputy magistrates posted at the collectorate were also absent. Many of them had been with Gupta, waiting for his release till early morning.
Gupta admitted that the officials were not using their vehicles. “No government vehicles plied. The police, too, have not used their vehicles so there is no question of being stopped,” he said.
But Vidyarthi Morcha activists did stop a few government cars (one of them was with registration number WMX-191) in town on Chowrastha Road.
Kismat Chhetri, the president of the student wing of the Morcha, said: “We allowed the district magistrate to leave his office this morning after telling him that we would wait for another seven days for permission. We also told him that till we get the nod to hold the meeting, we will not allow any government vehicles to ply across the hills.”
Official sources said since police had already sent a report apprehending a breach in peace and tranquillity if students were allowed to hold the meeting in the plains, it is unlikely that the district magistrate will give permission.
“Unless the situation improves dramatically and the police change their report, it is unlikely that the district magistrate will give permission especially after yesterday’s incident,” a source said.
In the morning, the Morcha brought out a procession in town and demonstrated in front of the collectorate. Soon, members of the Vidyarthi Morcha arrived and submitted a memorandum at the district magistrate’s office.
“We have submitted a memorandum to the police superintendent and have demanded action against the circle inspector of Bagdogra and the inspector in charge of Pradhannagar police station as they had led the lathicharge,” said Kismat Chhetri.
In Kurseong, MLA Shanta Chhetri’s house was stoned around two in the morning.
“Since my husband is in his last days and is in hospital in Kurseong, the Morcha leadership has allowed me to stay (in the hills). Despite supporting the cause of Gorkhaland, my house was targeted once again. This is very sad,” said Shanta Chhetri.
Since the Morcha writ began in the hills two years ago, the MLA has not been allowed to return to her house despite resigning from the GNLF.
Morcha keeps govt cars off roads in hills
OUR BUREAU - The Telegraph
Feb. 5: After a night of violence, the student wing of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today went about enforcing its “ban” on all government vehicles plying in the hills and called for a closure of educational institutions in the area it wants as “Gorkhaland” till permission is granted for a rally in Siliguri.
With members of the Vidyarthi Morcha keeping a sharp eye on the roads, not a single government vehicle, including those belonging to police, moved in the hills and almost all officials stayed away from work.
Although there was no fresh violence, tension was evident in the hills as Morcha supporters stalked the streets and the police stayed behind shut doors.
However, the closure call to schools is unlikely to impact immediately as the educational institutions in the hills are only scheduled to reopen after winter holidays at the end of this month and the Morcha’s writ does not run in the plains.
But 10-odd schools and colleges in the Sukna area in the foothills may have to bow to the Morcha diktat.
Last night, after the police forcibly removed several youth supporters of the Morcha on an indefinite fast in Siliguri and arrested 22 of them, a police jeep was set on fire in Darjeeling and a constable and guard were beaten up in Kalimpong, where two buses were also torched.
The indefinite fast was announced to press for permission to hold a rally in Siliguri.
District magistrate Surendra Gupta, who had been confined to his office for 11 hours by the Morcha, was allowed to leave at 2.30am today, after the release on bail of all Morcha supporters arrested in Siliguri.
Although Morcha chief Bimal Gurung, who was in Kalimpong yesterday refused comment, central committee member Amar Lama said: “It is normal for the administration to provoke our supporters just before talks are to be held. They are to be blamed fully for the lathicharge.”
But inspector-general of police, north Bengal, K.L. Tamta, blamed the Morcha leaders for not being able to contain the violence unleashed in the hills by their supporters.
“They burnt police and government buses and even attacked a policeman in Kalimpong where Bimal Gurung had been camping last evening,” Tamta said. “The Morcha leadership has no control over its followers.”
Despite the blame game, the district administration made it clear that it would not go for any confrontation on the issue of plying of government vehicles. “No government vehicles are on the road, neither are there any police vehicles around,” Gupta said.
Officials said they would allow space for “tempers to cool” so that there was no repeat of last night’s flare-up.
But the Morcha is in no mood to relent on its demand for permission to hold a meeting in Siliguri.
“We have given the district magistrate seven days’ time to give us permission,” said Kismat Chhetri, president of the Vidyarthi Morcha. “If there is no permission forthcoming even after that, then government vehicles will not be allowed to ply in the hills.”
Current indications are that the permission that the Morcha is seeking may not be forthcoming in a hurry. “All our reports suggest that there will be a breach of law and order if we give the Morcha youths permission to hold the rally in Siliguri,” a police officer said.
AIGL calls 24-hour bandh on Feb 9
The Times of India
DARJEELING: All-India Gorkha League (AIGL) has called a 24-hour bandh in the Hills region and the Dooars on February 9 to protest against the state government's "apathy towards the demand for a separate Gorkhaland".
"The government is conspiring to thrust the Sixth Schedule on us. We will not accept it and have decided to call a 24-hour bandh on February 9," said Madan Tamang, AIGL president.
"We appeal to people to stay indoors for a day. We don't believe in causing inconvenience to people, but this agitation will send a loud and clear message to Kolkata and Delhi," said Tamang.
Tea gardens, government offices, milk and water carriers and NH-55 have been brought under the strike purview. Vehicles belonging to the police superintendent and district magistrate as well as NH-31 and NH-31A have, however, been exempted.
ABGL sets ‘sincerity’ test for February 9
OUR CORRESPONDENT - The Telegraph
Darjeeling, Feb. 5: The ABGL has decided to “challenge the people’s sincerity towards Gorkhaland” by calling a 24-hour “janta curfew” on February 9.
This is the first people-centric political programme of the ABGL following the formation of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in 2007. Observers believe the call for the curfew is an effort to test the ABGL’s popularity and disenchantment with the Morcha among the masses.
“We appeal to Gorkhaland- loving people of Darjeeling, Dooars and Terai to stay indoors for 24 hours on February 9. We are calling this programme janta curfew and we want to send a loud and clear message to the Centre, state and five-six leaders from Darjeeling who are willing to stay with Bengal. We have to tell the government that there can be no alternative to a separate state,” said ABGL president Madan Tamang.
“This is a very easy agitation as we do not believe in strikes or inconveniencing the general public. The janta curfew is a challenge to the people’s sincerity towards Gorkhaland. Just for one day, we want the people to stay indoors. Let us not even use vehicles that bring us milk or water as people can store them beforehand,” said Tamang.
The leader, however, said district administration and police could use their vehicles. Emergency services like ambulance, hearse and vehicles for wedding ceremonies, too, will not come under the purview of the curfew
“The mantra for attaining Gorkhaland is to be conscious citizen, a sincere leadership and a strong political programme. If our janta curfew goes on to be a success, it will inspire us to start new agitations. We know that the Centre, state and the agents of Bengal will try and disrupt our programme but the people have to support us as they are supreme in a democratic set-up,” said Tamang.
Even though Tamang did not take the name of any political party, the leaflet issued by the ABGL has accused the Morcha of confusing the people by talking about secret reports, set-ups and delimitation of boundaries. “By talking about secret reports, set-ups and delimitation of Gorkhaland boundaries, Bimal Gurung (Morcha president) is trying to force on us the same council that Subash Ghisingh had formed by merely changing its nomenclature,” said the leaflet.
Gurung, who is touring the hills, has been iterating that he will settle for nothing less than statehood.
Cop boss questions party hold on cadre
- Police and Morcha in blame game
- Constable’s condition serious, say doctors OUR BUREAU - The Telegrph
Morcha president Bimal Gurung addresses a meeting in Sangsey; and (below) party supporters at a rally in Darjeeling on Friday. Pictures by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha and Suman Tamang
Feb. 5: The top cop of north Bengal today questioned the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s control over its supporters in the Darjeeling hills, referring to last night’s violence in Kalimpong where a constable was brutally attacked and two state buses were set on fire.
The Morcha leadership, on the other hand, accused the administration of “provoking” its supporters into committing the violent acts, while expressing regret for them.
The backlash erupted last night after the administration used force to defuse a menacing stand-off in Siliguri between the residents of the plains and the members of the Vidyarthi Morcha, the student wing of the Morcha.
The Vidyarthi Morcha had also confined the district magistrate of Darjeeling to his office for 11 hours, starting from 3.30pm yesterday.
K.L. Tamta, the inspector- general of north Bengal, was particularly critical of Morcha president Bimal Gurung who has been touring Kalimpong subdivision since January 28.
“I fail to understand how one of our constables was brutally attacked and state buses set on fire by Morcha supporters when their president was camping in the subdivision and a police vehicle burnt in Darjeeling. Have the Morcha leadership lost control over their supporters? Political leaders must have control over their supporters and maintain peace. Just the opposite (of peace) happened in Kalimpong yesterday,” he said.
Tamta, who visited the injured constable at a Siliguri nursing home today, said doctors attending on him have reported that the policeman’s condition was serious and they would not be able to comment on his recovery before 72 hours. “He has deep cuts on his head and internal haemorrhage,” Tamta said.
A constable who was present when his colleague was attacked yesterday said the situation was normal even after the inspector-general had left Kalimpong police station at 7pm.
“Suddenly at 8.45pm, around 60 Morcha supporters came and started shouting slogans. Some of them threw stones at the police station prompting us to chase and disperse them. While most fled, a group ran towards the bus stand and set fire to the buses.
“Mohan Pradhan was caught by the mob which attacked and injured him on the head with sharp sickles and stones,” the constable said at the nursing home where Pradhan was admitted at 3am.
A guard of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation was also injured in Kalimpong and the windscreen of a prison van damaged.
On the sidelines of a public meeting in Sangsey, a village about 15km from Kalimpong town, Morcha president Gurung refused comment on yesterday’s events. “I will not speak on the matter. Please ask Amar Lama,” Gurung said when approached by The Telegraph.
“It is normal for the administration to provoke our supporters just before talks are to be held. They are to be blamed fully for the lathicharge,” said Lama, a Morcha central committee member. He, however, did not cite any example.
Lama regretted that the violence took place. “It should not have happened. We appeal to all to maintain peace,” he said.
BSNL hit by Gorkhaland stir, faces Rs.2.4 cr loss
Sify News
State-owned telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) faced a revenue loss of Rs.2.4 crore in the Darjeeling Hills during 2008-09 financial year due to the ongoing agitation for a separate Gorkhaland state, a company official said.
'We are indeed facing serious problems in Darjeeling Hills as several subscribers have stopped paying their BSNL telephone bills. The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) activists have also closed all BSNL counters in the region,' BSNL Bengal circle chief general manager Soumya Roy told IANS.
'The BSNL had faced a revenue loss of Rs.2.4 crore in 2008-09 financial year.'
'We have not calculated the revenue loss in the current fiscal but we are expecting similar figure this year also.'
Roy said that a few BSNL counters were opened almost five months back in Darjeeling Hills but those had to be closed again following GJM protests in the region.
Led by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), protesters are demanding a separate Gorkhaland state comprising the hills and parts of the plains.
'Several subscribers have declined to pay bills,' Calcutta Telephones chief general manager V.K. Garg said while launching BSNL's 3G additional video services.
Referring to the over 15,000 fixed landline subscribers in the Darjeeling hills, he said: 'It will be impossible for us to provide services to these customers without being paid for an indefinite period.'
Talking about the BSNL subscriber base, Garg said: 'Presently the BSNL Calcutta telephones has nearly 17 lakh mobile and 253,123 lakh broadband subscribers. The total figure of mobile subscription has gone up by two lakh compared to the corresponding period last year.'
'We are also expecting to touch 50,000 3G customer base from the current 12,000 by March 2010,' he said.
Police vehicles not running in Darjeeling hills
PTI News
Siliguri, Feb 6 (PTI) The situation in the Darjeeling hills was peaceful today even as police vehicles remained off the roads after incidents of arson earlier this week, police sources said.
30 arrested activists of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha students' wing Vidyarthi Morcha and Bangla O Bangla Bhasha Bacho Samiti have been released on personal bonds, the sources said.
22 activists of Vidyarthi Morcha and eight activists of Bangla O Bangla Bhasha Bacho Samiti were arrested on Thursday following torching of two police vehicles and two buses and gherao of the district magistrate and the three sub-divisional officers.
During the arson, a police constable, Mohan Pradhan was stabbed in Kalimpong. He was admitted to a nursing home here in a serious condition. Inspector General of Police (North Bengal) K L Tamta visited him yesterday, the sources said.
Gorkhaland activists calls for closure of schools in Darjeeling
One India
Darjeeling, Feb 6 (ANI): The students' wing of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJMM) gave a call for all educational institutions in the Darjeeling to close down from Friday.
This ultimatum was issued as a mark of protest against the police baton charging student activists staging a hunger strike in the cause of Gorkhaland.
The activists of GJMM students wing were seeking permission for an open rally to be held on February 6 in Siliguri to raise their demand, which was not granted by the administration.
Following this, the activists sat on hunger strike and also trapped district magistrate and other senior officials inside their offices.
"The police without any reason baton charged students who were staging a hunger strike as a mark of our demand for Gorkhaland. We strongly condemn this. And today we are saying that we don't want police which is acting like goons and hitting innocent students instead of overseeing law and order situation," said Keshab Raj Pokhreil, Secretary, Students' Wing of Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJMM).
The GJMM activists have also warned that they would restrict the movement of all government vehicles including the police in the hills area.
Gorkhas have been demanding a separate state, to be carved out of West Bengal, to protect their culture and heritage.
The Gorkha population in West Bengal is estimated to be around a million. (ANI)
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(Posted by sujit, February 11, 2010, 8:31 AM)