CPRM to attend seminar at Jadavpur University, Govt balm on DGHC workers, Drunks go to ‘jail’ for 7 hours

CPRM to attend seminar at Jadavpur University

DARJEELING, July 1: A four-member CPRM team would attend a seminar convened by the All India Students’ Association at Jadavpur University, Kolkata on 9 July. The party general secretary Mr RB Rai and members Mr Gobind Chettri, Mr Kishore Pradhan and Mr Arun Ghatany comprise the CPRM team that would attend the seminar.

“It is a seminar of the intellectuals to be attended by 13 Left parties excluding the CPI-M. Leaders of the RSP, Forward Bloc and CPI-ML are among those who would attend and discuss the current political situation of the Darjeeling hills. The separate state of Gorkhaland will be the prime issue of discussion,” informed party spokesperson Mr DS Bomzon.  The youth and the women's wing of the CPRM, which has been lobbying for Gorkhaland among the Left in West Bengal, recently staged a dharna at Writers'. “This is the immediate outcome of the dharnas and rallies organised by our women and youth in Kolkata.

It is a positive sign as 17 Bengali organisations participated with us in the rally,” Mr Bomzon stated. In addition, the CPI-ML also staged a dharna for Gorkhaland in New Delhi, he added.

In the future, members of the Democratic Revolutionary Youth Front and Democratic Revolutionary Wom en's Front will also organise demonstrations in support of Gorkhaland in New Delhi. “Our women and youth front would stage demonstrations in New Delhi for the separate state during the monsoon session of the Parliament,” Mr Bomzon said. n sns

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Govt balm on DGHC workers
- Bengal home secretary tells employees to expect decision on regularisation demand by July 8 OUR BUREAU -The Telegraph

Siliguri, July 1: Bengal home secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti today hinted that the state government would take a positive decision by July 8 on the demand of regularisation raised by the 8,000-odd casual workers of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council.

Chakrabarti met an eight-member delegation of the Janmukti Asthai Karmachari Sangathan – the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-affiliated association of the employees — at the circuit house here today.

“After serving for 15-20 years as casual workers, they have suddenly raised the demand of permanency. However, the state government will definitely consider their demand, but right now, it is not possible for me to give any assurance. I have asked them to wait till July 8 and expect from the government some important message that will be sent through the caretaker administrator of the council,” Chakrabarti said.

Yesterday, the caretaker-administrator of the DGHC, B.L. Meena, had issued an order, which said that since the last six-month contract of the workers had expired on June 20, 2008, they would continue to serve in their respective status until a new agreement is enforced.

The new agreement, drafted by the council in consultation with the Sangathan, says the workers will not be under time-bound contracts until the process of regularisation is completed.

Yesterday’s order prompted the Sangathan to withdraw its fast-unto-death, launched on Saturday, and seek an appointment with Chakrabarti for further assurance.

A source said the state government is seriously contemplating the demand and the employees, serving in different grades, might be made permanent in phases. “It is not possible to make all of them permanent overnight as factors like financial liability need to be considered. But the government must have something in store which is likely to be finalised and forwarded to the workers in the next seven days,” he added.

The Sangathan leaders appeared satisfied. “He told us to wait till July 8 to hear what the state government is planning to do about our demand,” Machendra Subba, the Sangathan president said.

On other issues, the home secretary said if the Morcha resumes its indefinite bandh on July 5, additional forces would be deployed in the region. “We have assessed that 10-12 companies of CPMF (central paramilitary force) are necessary for Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts,” he said before leaving Siliguri.

In Calcutta, Chakrabarti said the state government is expecting a communiqué from the Morcha after its central committee meeting on July 3. “We think a decision will be taken by the Morcha leaders on whether to go ahead with the shutdown or not and also whether they will agree to another round of talks with the state government.”

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Drunks go to ‘jail’ for 7 hours
VIVEK CHHETRI

2nd Mile (Darjeeling), July 1: The rough wooden structure with a chair placed inside along the busy Peshok Road, connecting Darjeeling to Kalimpong, appears to have cured a whole bunch of men of their fondness for liquor in just three months.

The structure, dubbed “the jail” by the women of the locality, has a simple function. Any individual found drunk and loitering in the village, located 12km from Darjeeling town, is confined to the 5ft by 4ft cubicle for seven hours. They are also made to pay a fine of Rs 500 for the “offence”.

The “jail”, which has been endorsed by the Gorkha Janmukti Nari Morcha, was built on March 10 this year.
“We decided to construct this jail after holding a meeting with the villagers. We also issued a warning to all the people to refrain from drinking both for our political cause and for the wellbeing of the society. So far we have jailed about 15-20 men and it has worked wonders,” said Srijana Tamang, the 2nd Mile local committee president of the Nari Morcha, the women’s wing of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

Every detail of the “punishment” has been thought out in detail. “People get drunk mostly in the evenings. However, we do not take them to the jail immediately. They are confined from 8 in the morning and the women take turn to guard the cell and also escort them out if they need to answer nature’s call,” said Tamang.

The success of the plan is based on the psychological blow it delivers. “I was arrested once and felt really bad when inquisitive people travelling along the busy road kept peeping at me. I have completely stopped drinking now,” said Nima Tamang, a 31-year-old unemployed man.

Initially, there had been some resistance. “But later, all the families agreed to this mode of punishment,” said Tamang.

The Nari Morcha leaders maintain that the idea struck them when they saw drunks taking part in protests and strikes organised over the Gorkhaland demand.

“We are now very happy. The ambience of the village has improved. People have even stopped drinking inside their homes. We need discipline in our movement for Gorkhaland and this is a novel way (to ensure that),” said B.L. Pradhan, a retired armyman, who said he has never indulged in any form of intoxicants.

The Nari Morcha has also requested the “three-four” houses in the locality that used to make local brew to stop doing so. “These people have agreed. In fact, the jail has had such an effect that even people form other villagers do not pass by it when they are drunk,” said Pradhan.

Binay Tamang, the media and publicity secretary of the Morcha, however, said he had no knowledge of the “jail” and added that it might be a local initiative.

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SDO gets charge of civic body
OUR CORRESPONDENT - The Telegraph

Kalimpong, July 1: The subdivisional officer of Kalimpong, P.T. Sherpa, took over as the drawing and disbursing officer of the town’s municipality today in a development that effectively renders civic chairman C.K. Kumai powerless.

In a letter addressed to Darjeeling district magistrate Rajesh Pandey, the deputy secretary of the municipality affairs department, B.C. Ghorui, said the SDO would take over the dual charge for “drawing and disbursing the arrears, if any, and current salaries payable to the employees of Kalimpong Municipality”.

The SDO has also been authorised to incur expenditure from the municipal fund for the purpose of running the day-to-day activities of the municipality.

Observers said the decision was forced on the government because of the continuing impasse in the municipality ever since the GNLF board was reduced to a minority following the defection of the majority of its councillors to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. This happened weeks after Kumai defeated a no-trust motion tabled against his board on January 24. A fresh floor test could not take place immediately because the municipality rules stipulate that another no-confidence motion can be tabled only after six months from the last one.

The Morcha, however, refused to let Kumai function as the chairman on the grounds that he had lost the moral right to do so.

Kumai on his part played out a farce of sorts last month when he resigned as the chairman only to take back the letter the next day.

In the 23-member board, the Morcha enjoys the support of 14 members, while the rest are with the GNLF members.

Kumai was not available for comment on the day’s development. “We will comment after reading the letter of the deputy secretary,” said a senior Morcha leader.

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Teacher in trouble over speech
OUR CORRESPONDENT - The Telegraph

Kurseong July 1: The authorities of a school in Kurseong have passed a resolution to expel a contractual teacher allegedly for speaking “against Gorkhaland and Bimal Gurung” in class.

Rabin Tamang teaches geography in Panchawati High School at Selphu Bustee, 35km from Kurseong town. Like all contractual teachers, he is an employee of the DGHC.

“The teacher spoke in class against Gorkhaland and our president Bimal Gurung on June 25. The matter came to light after the students told their parents about it. We gheraoed the school yesterday and pressured the authorities to expel him,” said Ratan Thapa, the Sittong-Selphu area convener of the Morcha.

“We asked the students and they told us that the teacher had spoken against Gorkhaland and Bimal Gurung. We have sent the resolution to expel the teacher to the authorities concerned, who will take the final decision,” said school managing committee president Ambar Chettri.

However, the chief principal secretary of the council, Rajesh Pandey, said he had not received any information on the matter.

Tamang has been working in the school since 2000 and is the only earning member in a family of eight. “I definitely delivered a lecture on Gorkhaland, but not against it. The students may have misinterpreted the whole matter,” said Tamang, adding that he was teaching Class VI students.
 

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Congress MP backs farm loans
Statesman News Service

DARJEELING, July 1: The implementation of the waiver on farm loans as announced in the Budget Session of the Parliament this year has not begun in the Darjeeling hills. In view of that, the Congress MP from Darjeeling Mr Dawa Narbula met the bank authorities and urged them to quicken the process.

“The deadline for listing the names of the farmers was on 30 June but there is no progress on the issue in this region so far. I have requested the banks to submit the list of names of the beneficiaries to me so that the farmers of Darjeeling hills can enjoy the benefit of the relaxation as well,” the MP Mr Dawa Narbula said today.

Among the various banks only the Uttar Banga Krishi Bank and Central Bank have prepared the list of beneficiaries so far. According to the UBK Bank, the names of farmers with loans collectively amounting to Rs 39 crore, is present in their list. While the list prepared by the Central Bank has the names of farmers with a debt of Rs 2 crore 35 lakhs.

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Teacher expelled for anti-Gorkhaland lecture
Statesman News Service

KURSEONG, July 1: Mr. Ravin Tamang, a Geography teacher of Panchavati High School at Shelphu Busty under Kurseong sub-division was expelled by the school managing committee yesterday for allegedly delivering a lecture against ‘Gorkhaland and the GJMM chief Mr Bimal Gurung.

GJMM supporters and residents of Shelphu Busty gheraoed the school for around four hours and pressed the managing committee to expel the accused teacher.

The Panchavati High Scool, managing committee, president, Mr Amber Chettri said that during investigation, the students told us that the teacher spoke against Gorkhaland, GJMM and Mr Bimal Gurung following which, we have passed a resolution to expel the teacher and the resolution copy has been sent to the concerned authorities.

The GJMM, Sittong-Shelphu area convenor, Mr Ratan Thapa alleged that on 25 June, the teacher delivered a lecture, for one whole period against Gorkhaland and Mr Bimal Gurung to the students of class XI.

Explaining his position, Mr Tamang said: “I definitely delivered a lecture on Gorkhaland but not against it. Infact, the speech was in favour of Gorkhaland. He also lamented that he was not given the chance to clarify his position.

Mr Tamang had been working in the school since 2000 and received a monthly salary of Rs 5000. He is the only working member in a family of eight.

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Hills step on the gas
Statesman News Service

DARJEELING/SILIGURI, June 30: The Gorkha Jana Muki Morcha (GJMM) may be willing to wait till 7 July but it seems some residents of Darjeeling Hills bent on replacing the West Bengal number plates of their vehicles with Gorkhaland registration initials, however illegal, are not.

The GJMM had called for the use of such number plates from after 7 July when the All Transport Joint Action Committee (ATJAC), Darjeeling, affiliated to the GJMM would come out with the ground rules for adopting the GL plates from 7 July. But some Hills residents started replacing the number plates yesterday.

The ATJAC, Darjeeling has labelled the act “irresponsible”, though, and said it was liable to attract strict disciplinary action. “This (replacing number plates) is a political stand adopted by the GJMM. A date had been fixed for the switch and those chose to jump the gun have violated rules. We are making inquiries and will take appropriate action. If the offenders are arrested or penalised, the committee will not bear the responsibility,” Mr Pramod Simal, secretary of the association, said today.

Even the state government is offended. “Replacing WB on the vehicular number plates in the Darjeeling Hills with GL (indicative of Gorkhaland) will attract punishment under the Motor Vehicles Act 1939,” state Home secretary Mr Ashoke Mohan Chakroborti said in Siliguri today. He said police would take action as per the provisions of the Act. The home secretary was hopeful that the political turmoil in the Hills would be resolved through fresh rounds of talks between the state government and the GJMM, which is spearheading the renewed demand for statehood in the Hills.

The state transport minister, Mr Subhas Chakraborty, also said action would be taken against vehicles using GL instead of WB number plates. He said the Centre would be notified about this violation of the Motor Vehicles Act, which allotted states and Union Territories their respective registration initials.

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FB slams state govt for poor development in N Bengal
Statesman News Service

SILIGURI, July 1: The Forward Bloc state secretary Mr Asoke Ghosh today slammed the state government for lack of development in north Bengal and warned that the discontentment among the people might precipitate serious political crisis all through the neglected region.

“The state government should understand that the principal reason behind the ongoing agitation in the Darjeeling hills is lack of development and the force of public dissatisfaction that may spread to other areas of the region too if the people's aspiration remain un-addressed. It would be difficult for the state government to contain the mass discontent,” the FB leader said.

“The moribund North Bengal Development Council is a prime example of deprivation towards north Bengal. It was formed to facilitate swift development of north Bengal. But now it is lagging for lack of required fund. Our party has been trying to draw the state government's attention to the plight of the agency through various political means, but the state government's reluctance to address the issue is a cause of worry,” the FB leader remarked.

Emphasising upon the need to immediately revive the NBDC Mr Ghosh said that it was a paramount political necessity to uplift the region on a priority basis to arrest the growing divisive tendencies in some parts of the region. “The contrast in development between south Bengal and north Bengal is too glaring to be missed and this may turn ominous in the time to come,” he commented.

Supporting the FB state secretary's comment on the issue Mr Smritish Bhattacharya, the Darjeeling district FB secretary said that the virtual non-performance of the much- hyped NBDC was a sad commentary on the performance of the Left Front government in reference to north Bengal. “We would organise a mass convention on the issue in Siliguri this month to mount pressure on the government to strengthen the NBDC and to arrange for a separate ministry to look into it exclusively, after the development- aspiration of the region,” Mr Bhattacharya added.