Former Sikkim CM backs Gorkhaland
Statesman News Service
GANGTOK, July 21: Former chief minister of the state Mr. Nar Bhahadur Bhandari sought for a separate state of Gorkhaland and called it a genuine demand.
While stressing on the demand for Gorkhaland he said, according to Article 3 of the Constitution any region can demand a state or any state can merge with any other state or they can even create their own state in the country as this is their democratic right. “So the West Bengal government should not pose any restriction to this movement” he added.
However, before claiming or demanding for any separate state in the country demarcation is the most important. “Gorkhaland should touch the Bihar border including Northeast states so that the Gorkhas living in the Northeast are not deprived while demarcating the separate state” suggested Mr. Bhandari. “But the inclusion of Siliguri either half of it or full, remained a big question” he said. He was attending the intellectual forum meet at Kalimpong yesterday as he was invited as a special guest to suggest the forum on the demand of Gorkhaland. “The strong core and central committee should be formed immediately and people from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Siliguri and Dooars should be included in the committee” suggested Mr. Bhandari. “The adibasi tribal people of Dooars should not be deprived from the committee as they are also part of the Gorkhaland” he said.
While suggesting the forum he said, the continuous discussion on the issue should be made in the committee and they should focus on the tripartite meeting with the Centre where all the members from the region should be included in the delegation team for tripartite meet. “But one shouldn't mock the other while forwarding the demand in the Centre which could peril the demand” he added. He also apologised to the forum for the Sikkim government who had filed the case against the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) in the Supreme Court for blocking the NH 31A during an indefinite strike called by them for the demand recently. “We had never filed any case against the GNLF during the 1986 agitation for Gorkhaland where even the NH, 31A was shut for 40-days” recalled Mr. Bhandari. “In fact we had provided shelter to over 50,000 people from Darjeeling district who flocked here during the agitation and ” he added. He also said: "This is the fight of our blood brethrens so we should never stand against them and have cope with them either directly or indirectly.
Apart from Mr. Bhandari the meeting was also attended by Mr. Roshan Giri General Secretary of GJMM, Mr. Pravakar Devan a senior advocate of Kalimpong, Mrs. Ramulima Subba along with Mr. Manoj Tega and Mr. Vivek Sarkar from Dooars and Siliguri.
Darjeeling MP to vote for UPA government
DARJEELING, July 21: With assurances from both UPA chairperson Mrs Sonia Gandhi and the PM Dr Manmohan Singh, Darjeeling MP Mr Dawa Narbula has decided to cast his vote in favour of the UPA government. “Since the response from both the Congress president and PM is positive I will use my vote to save the government from this crisis”, confirmed Mr. Narbula from Delhi today.
The PM assured the MP that Gorkhaland would certainly feature in the list of smaller states when the next State Re-organisation Commission formed when they met last evening. “The PM like Congress president assured me that Gorkhaland would be added in the list of the next State Re-organisation Commission”, Mr. Narbula said. Arrangements for a tripartite meeting will also be done after the Trust motion takes place tomorrow, he added. The development comes following GJMM's pressure that the MP should secure a written assurance from the government in favour of Gorkhaland before casting his Trust vote. “I have always raised my voice for Gorkhaland and have also used this opportunity lobby for the Gorkhaland demand. The PM is aware of our plight. He has pledged the Congress party's and the governments support towards the Hill people”, he said. In Darjeeling, GJMM supporters took out a rally demanding that the MP use his vote to get an assurance for Gorkhaland. n SNS
Two days Intellectuals Symposium concludes
DT Correspondent
Darjeeling, July 20: The two days symposium on ‘Smaller states & stronger federal structure role of Gorkhaland’ has been concluded here in Darjeeling at Gymkhana Club. The programme was organised by Darjeeling district and Dooars Intellectual Forum and hosted by Mr. P Arjun and Dr. Kabita Lama. The Symposium was backed by GJMM.
The participants of Symposium were Mr. Somen Nag, historian and writer; Mr. Devasis Chakrawarti, human rights leader; Dr. Mahendra P Lama, Mr. Joel Rai; Mr. Swaraj Thapa; etc. The discussions were held on various aspects of Gorkhaland, such as: history of Darjeeling, economic viability in the proposed state of Gorkhaland, issue of human rights and Bengal government, assessment of Bengal attitude towards Hills and Dooars, importance of Language etc.
750 seats vacant in colleges
OUR CORRESPONDENT - The Telegraph
Siliguri, July 21: Over 750 seats are lying vacant (see chart) in seven colleges in and around Siliguri after the admission process that raises a clamour of “less seats” gets over.
On the other, the undergraduate council of North Bengal University (NBU) sanctioned more than 40 extra seats in different honours streams in some of its affiliated colleges today.
After the publication of the Higher Secondary results this year, there was a huge uproar in five colleges of the Siliguri subdivision with student unions complaining of less number of seats. The college authorities, too, expressed helplessness for being unable to accommodate all the students.
The admission crisis had led to ransacking of Siliguri College of Commerce, followed by subdivision wide strikes. A large number of students, unable to secure a seat in the under-graduate courses, continued visiting the institutions. Bengal urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya announced that two new colleges would be opened at Sevoke Road and Naxalbari.
“We have been saying that there is no dearth of seats in the colleges of Siliguri, especially after the new colleges were opened. Now it has been proved,” said Partha Sarathi Das, the principal of Surya Sen College. “The problem was with getting chance in the preferred subjects.”
Malay Karanjai, the principal of Siliguri College, also echoed the same. “There was never any shortage of seats. It is true that there was a deadlock in some colleges. Students, who went out of the town after securing berths in the Joint Entrance Exams or got themselves admitted to self-financed courses, took admission to the local colleges also. But they did not cancel the same, till they secured admission at other places.”
Karanjai said some more seats would be vacated, as many other students would cancel their admission like previous years.
This year, NBU had fixed July 19 as the last date of admission in all its affiliated colleges, save the two new institutions.
“Admissions closed on that date,” said Ranajit Das, the principal of Kalipada Ghosh Tarai Mahavidyalaya or Bagdogra College.
At Bagdogra College, 850 and 325 students have taken admission to pass and honours courses in arts stream and 150 and 205 students in commerce, Das said.
According to a source, spot admissions were conducted in many colleges till July 19. “Despite that, seats are vacant, mostly in the general pass courses.”
Radical groups slam govt on GL number plate issue
Statesman News Service
SILIGURI, July 21: Several Siliguri-based radical organisations slammed the state government for remaining inactive when the West Bengal number plates of the private vehicles were being changed into GL (meaning Gorkhaland) number plates in the Darjeeling district. “The state government must rise up to the gravity of the situation and punish the law breakers,” the leaders of the organisations said.
The president of the Jana Jagaran, Mr Haren Ghosh said that the state government was sending a wrong signal to the lawbreakers. “The situation would take a turn for the worse if such nonchalance on the part of the government continues. The cars must be seized and confiscated and the car-owners must be arrested in accordance with the law of the land,” he said.
Speaking on the issue Dr Debaprasad Kar, the president of Jana Chetana, said that this kind of appeasement on the part of the state government was wrong and this confirmed the pusillanimity of the government before the bullying tactics being adopted by the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha.
“This is a serious issue warranting a serious approach from the state government. Yet it seems that the state government has ceased to have the will to govern.”
The Constitution is being flouted in the Darjeeling Hills with the state government meekly acquiescing. This reflects a sorry state of affairs for the state administration,” he said.
He further said that his organisation would organise street corner meetings in and around Siliguri to mobilise public opinion against the failure of the state government in maintaining rule of law in the Darjeeling hills.
Efforts on to get embassy ‘surety’ over fax
- Cuffed, Czechs come to court OUR CORRESPONDENT - The Telegraph
Darjeeling, July 21: Cuffed to each other and looking tired, Czech entomologist Petr Svacha and his companion Emil Kucera were brought to the chief judicial magistrate’s court around 12.30pm today, much to the consternation of their defence lawyers.
The duo were with five other under-trial prisoners, none of whom were cuffed.
“The Supreme Court has specified that it is only in exceptional cases that undertrials can be handcuffed but even then a permission has to be taken from the magistrate. Specifics of the exceptional cases has been underlined clearly (by the apex court),” said T.K. Pandit, one of the lawyers.
The exceptional conditions will be applicable if the undertrial has a violent nature or there are instances when he or she has tried to disrupt the hearing in court. “Those who have a tendency to flee from custody while being produced in court can also be handcuffed,” the lawyer said, stressing that none of these conditions were applicable to his clients.
The two Czechs were not handcuffed when they were produced in front of the judge.
Pandit, however, said he has no immediate plans to protest against the treatment meted out to the two foreigners. “We are now concentrating more on securing bail.”
The cease-work called by the Darjeeling Bar Association is expected to be lifted tomorrow. Government offices, however, opened today ending a 14-day strike called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which is spearheading the movement for a separate state.
Chief judicial magistrate U.K. Nandi explored the possibility of granting bail or interim bail to the two Czechs arrested on June 22 from the fringes of Singalila National Park and charged with collecting beetles, larvae and butterflies illegally.
“The judge asked us to get a guarantor to ensure that we stay in Darjeeling till the case is disposed of. We are trying to get a surety from our embassy in New Delhi over fax,” Svacha said after emerging from court along with Kucera. The next date of hearing has been fixed for Wednesday.
The prosecution argued that Kucera had come to Darjeeling on three different occasions using three different passports in 1999, 2003 and 2008. Svacha said he had told the judge that although he was not aware of Kuceras passports, his country went through major political changes during this period.
The magistrate also quizzed the duo on why they had failed to register themselves as foreigners at the Rimbick office. “Going by past experience, I thought that getting ourselves registered at Maneybhanjan was enough,” Kucera said.
The duo, who pleaded for themselves since the lawyers’ cease-work was on, said they were collecting insects outside the national park.
Later, Svacha told reporters that he had come to India for the first time to look for three species of beetles found in the Himalayas. “Unfortunately, we could not find them here. We would have gone to Nepal and Bhutan,” Svacha said. He said most of the insects that they had caught were from areas around the lodge near Srikhola where they were staying.
Darjeeling court rejects bail plea of Czech scientists
Express News Service
Kolkata, July 21 The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Darjeeling, today rejected the bail petition of Czech scientist Petr Svacha and Emil Kucera and extended their custody for two more days.
As the strike called by the Darjeeling Bar Association continued today, no advocate could move the bail plea of the scientists. Assistant Public Prosecutor Gobind Chetri was present in the court to oppose the petition.
Defending their act, the scientists said that they had not violated any law.
Svacha and Kuchera are lodged in Darjeeling jail since June 22, for violation of the Wild Life Protection Act.
Both were arrested by the Forest department from Singalila range in Darjeeling on June 22.
Meanwhile, vice-president of the Darjeeling Bar Association Anand Verma said the strike might be called off on Wednesday.
Since the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha called a strike in the government offices on June 10, district and sub-ordinate courts in Darjeeling were opened for the first time on Monday. Last week, the GJM had announced it would withdraw the strike from Monday.
A spokesman of the Czech embassy in Calcutta said that they would wait for July 23, till the next hearing at ACJM court, Darjeeling.
A ray of hope for arrested Czech tourists
Statesman News Service
DARJEELING, July 21: The two Czech nationals were visibly relieved when the chief judicial magistrate court declared in their third hearing toady that an interim bail could be granted if somebody provided security for their bail. “Our lawyers will immediately correspond with the Czech embassy in Delhi regarding the matter. In fact our ambassador who was here recently personally assured that we will not avoid trial if granted bail”, entomologist Petr Svacha was quick to respond.
For that purpose the court deferred the next hearing of the Czech entomologist and his companion Emil Kucera arrested for collecting rare insect species from Singalila National Park to 23 July.
The unavailability of official records and the absence of a defence lawyer due to cease work of lawyers coupled with indefinite closure of government offices proved the earlier two hearings to be futile. As the shutdown was lifted from today the case progressed this far with required documents.
Though they claim their purpose of visit as “partly tourists and partly to collect insects for research purpose” the duo travelled to India on a tourist visa. “Darjeeling lies in the foothills of the Himalayas and the 3 species of insects we were looking for biogenetic purposes is found here. We could have gone to Nepal or Bhutan but since Kucera knew this place well we opted to come here”, Mr. Svacha said. Moreover the fact that during three times of his visit to India in 1999, 2003 and 2008 Mr. Kucera procured three different passports and despite his 2003 passport being valid till 2009 he got yet another passport for his visit this year, this makes his position doubtful. “In our country it's normal to get new passports if they are in a bad condition or get lost”, explained Mr. Kucera.
The Czech ambassador for India who visited them last week also admitted that: “Importance of proper documents could not be undermined no matter how long it takes to procure them”.
According to court sources the lawyers may withdraw their cease work in a meeting tomorrow. “The decision to withdraw the cease work rests entirely on our meeting tomorrow. In case we withdraw the cease work I will do my best to secure a bail for the Czech national lodged in jail for the past one month”, assured defence lawyer Mr. Taranga Pandit.
Blood donation marks the end of NCC camp
Statesman News Service
KURSEONG, July 21: The closing ceremony after ten days of NCC's Combined Annual Training Camp-3, under the banner of 5 Bengal Battalion NCC Darjeeling was held today at Eastern Forest Rangers College in Kurseong.
To mark the ceremony, a cultural program and a blood donation camp was also organised, today, in which the cadets participated, in an enthusiastic manner.
During the Combined Annual Training Camp-3, which started on 13 July, the widespread training was conducted, on weapon handling, physical training, firing of arms, route marches, map reading, field craft etc. In the meantime, an awareness program on HIV/AIDS, Drug Abuse, and Environment was also held. The Football and Vollyball tournament was also played during the camp. Beside, a special lecture and workshop on career management had also been organised, during the camp. The Career Management was conducted by Lt Col Deepak Dhingra, who specialises in career counseling to cadets.
Meanwhile, through this camp, a total of 53 cadets were selected for Republic Day Parade Contingent 2008 and who will further undergo training prior to final selection for Republic Day.
Sixty-two cadets were also selected for “Thal Sena Camp” which is held in Delhi every year. These cadets will form West Bengal team and a final team will then be selected from 7 NCC groups for “Republic Day Contingent” and Thal Sena Contingent” of West Bengal NCC.
Notably, the camp was organised with a total of 525 cadets from north Bengal and Sikkim areas, two officers, ten ANO, eight JCO, sixteen NCO and other staffs.
Importantly, after a gap of 11 years, the NCC's Combined Annual Training Camp was staged in Darjeeling hills. The 5 Bengal Battalion NCC Darjeeling, CO Lt Con SR Singh informed that due to lack of proper place (accommodation) and drinking water facilities, the camp had not been organised in the hills.
He also claimed that through this Combined Annual Training Camp, the cadets were trained on several field and subject, in a compressed manner, through which, they will absolutely benefit in the near future in this competitive era, as well as it will also help to inspire them to work for the interest of social obligation and National interest.
| About Us | Contact Us |
Set as homepage 
|
Add to favorites 
|
(Posted by citizen, July 23, 2008, 12:03 PM)