Bangla body to raise volunteer force to counter GPL
Statesman News Service
SILIGURI, July 23: The Bangla O Bangla Bhasa Bacho Committee (BOBBBC) - a Bengali nationalist outfit based in Siliguri has announced to raise a volunteer force to counter the Gorkhaland Personnel (GLP) of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM).
The decision was announced by the BOBBBC president Dr Mukundo Mazumdar during a ‘citizen's convention’ held at the Ramkinkar Hall in Siliguri today. Representatives of the Bharatiya Banglabhasi Mahasabha, Jana Jagaran, Jana Chetana and other individuals attended the convention.
“We are naming it the ‘Bengal Volunteer’ and the process for enrolment of volunteers would begin by next week. The primary task of the BV would be to fight the demand for further division of Bengal in a peaceful manner, as also to increase public awareness against the separatist claims,” Dr Mazumdar elaborated. Initially, the organisation is eyeing to enroll 100 volunteers in Siliguri sub-division and then spread recruitment to the Dooars and other parts of the state. The organization, however, has not yet decided whether to equip members of the ‘Bengal Volunteer’ with any sort of weapon or not. “We have not yet taken a decision on it, but the volunteers may be allowed to carry batons at best,” the BOBBBC president said.
The Darjeeling based Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha is fighting for a separate state of Gorkhaland and is raising the GLP as a volunteer force to carry on its struggle for the separate statehood. The BOBBBC on the other hand, is opposed to the Gorkhaland demand and has been persistently campaigning against the GJMM campaign in this regard.
Order on Czech duo reserved till 25 July
DARJEELING, July 23: After a 28-day cease work by the Darjeeling Bar Association lawyers, Czech entomologist Mr Petr Svacha and his contrymate and forester friend Mr Emil Kucera arrested on charges of violating Indian wild life rules, had a defence lawyer pleading their bail today. But this time the de facto complainant, which in this instance is the forest department, failed to appear with the seized articles, documents and passports of the two arrested persons.
Under the circumstances, the chief judicial magistrate court has reserved the decision regarding the bail matter of the Czech duo arrested for allegedly collecting rare insect species from the Singalila National Park, till 25 July. “The court heard the bail plea even though the prosecution asked for time as his party was not present. The hearing was more or less complete today except that the court ordered the prosecution to present all articles and documents on 25 July when the verdict on the bail would be given,” defence lawyer Mr Taranga Pandit said.
In response to the outcome of the last hearing when the court had sought bail security from the Czech embassy, the defence presented a forwarded copy of the fax from the Czech ambassador to the External Affairs Ministry assuring that he would provide adequate security for their bail.“The letter is addressed to the external affairs ministry and copies were forwarded to the Calcutta High Court, the chief minister and me. The ambassador assured that he would be a guarantor and that the two would not avoid trial after getting bail. He would be personally present if required and directed by court,” Mr Pandit informed.n SNS
Czechs in court with lawyers, finally
- ‘Final order’ on July 25 OUR CORRESPONDENT - The Telegraph
Darjeeling, July 23: The chief judicial magistrate of Darjeeling today said a “final order” on the bail petition moved by the Czech scientist and his companion caught with a cache of beetles and other insects from near a national park would be given on July 25.
After two hearings in which they had to plead for themselves, Petr Svacha and Emil Kucera came to court armed with a battery of lawyers. Since their arrest more than a month ago, they have been lodged in the Darjeeling Correctional Home.
U.K. Nandi, the CJM, directed the prosecution to produce items — except for the beetles and insects — mentioned in the list of articles seized, on July 25.
Earlier in the day, the prosecution had prayed for time, saying that forest officials were busy in Sukna and would not be able to attend court. However, the judge went ahead and heard both sides.
The Czechs were refused bail the first time they were produced in court on June 23, a day after their arrest. Their second appeal for bail could not be heard on July 7 because of inaccessibility to records, the fallout of an agitation of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which had shut down all government offices including courts.
Not only that, the same day, the duo pleaded for themselves the first time, as lawyers in the hills were on ceasework. The courts along with government offices opened on July 21, the day the Czechs appeared for themselves a second time as the lawyers’ strike was yet to be over. It was lifted yesterday.
Today, the defence submitted a letter written by the Czech embassy to the external affairs ministry and the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, which said its officials would be guarantors for the arrested duo. The guarantors would vouch for the scientist and his companion that they would not avoid trial or leave the country without court permission.
The lawyers had submitted a faxed copy of the letter, but said the originals would be filed if needed by the court as and when it is available to them.
Pandit later told reporters: “I had a telephonic conversation with the Czech embassy officials and they are ready to stand as surety in the case if the court directs.”
Although the court had explored the possibility of a guarantor during the July 21 hearing, it had not given any specific direction asking the Czech embassy to be present before it. The CJM had asked the Czechs if their embassy would stand by them as guarantor and Svacha had replied in the affirmative.
‘Martyrs’ in Morcha fold
OUR CORRESPONDENT - The Telegraph
Darjeeling, July 23: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is looking forward to making sweeping changes in programmes held to observe Martyrs’ Day, so long associated with the GNLF.
Subash Ghisingh’s party had dedicated July 27 to “martyrs” of the Gorkhaland movement in the eighties. On that day in 1986, nearly 15 people were killed in police firing at a programme organised by the GNLF.
Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the Morcha, today said: “The people who died during the firing had laid down their lives for Gorkhaland. This is why the Morcha will organise Martyrs’ Day across areas that we want to be made part of Gorkhaland.” Martyrs’ Day, in that case, will be observed in some parts of the Dooars and Terai as well.
In Darjeeling, the Morcha programme will start from 5pm, unlike the GNLF meet which was held during the day, at J.B. Thapa Park where party chief Bimal Gurung will light 1,200 lamps in memory of each of the “martyrs” killed during the 28-month-long agitation.
The Morcha has also decided to repaint the martyrs’ memorials in white.
Gurung’s party today faxed a congratulatory note to Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and Shivraj Patil for winning the trust vote in Parliament. “We have mentioned the tripartite talks on Gorkhaland which chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee requested the Centre to convene,” said Giri.
The Morcha said it was confident that the Centre would look into the “oldest demand in the country” with a new perspective, now that the Left was no longer in power at the Centre.
“Darjeeling is in Bengal by default and even though the Communists talk of self-determination, in the case of Gorkhaland demand, they sing a different tune. We are hopeful that the assurances given by Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh will turn into reality,” said Giri.
GJMM to observe Shahid Diwas
Statesman News Service
DARJEELING, July 23: The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha will re-christen the 1200 GNLF martyrs of the 1986 Gorkhaland agitation simply as “Martyrs for Gorkhaland” depriving the GNLF the sentimental advantage it enjoyed in the Darjeeling Hills for the past two decades. “These people laid their lives for the cause of Gorkhaland and hence they should bear no political party tag. They will now be known simply as martyrs for Gorkhaland,” declared GJMM general secretary Mr Roshan Giri today.
All martyr columns and cemeteries would be painted white and a white flag planted alongside indicating “peace” on the eve of ‘Shahid Diwas’ to be observed by the GJMM on 27 July at JB Thapa Park to commemorate the martyrs. “No party flag would be seen fluttering in their cemeteries which would be painted white. A white flag would be planted as the Shahid's should not be tainted by any political party'scolour,” Mr Giri stated.
The GJMM has formed a seven-member committee to co-ordinate the Shahid Diwas preparations to be observed in all areas of the proposed state of Gorkhaland. The observance will start with a prayer followed by lighting1200 lamps in memory of the martyrs. “These martyrs have not been paid a true tribute till now and we intend to take up from here,” Mr Giri said.
However, there is still no indication whether the GNLF would hold a parallel ceremony to commemorate the martyrs like it did until last year.
Bear sets upon boy & mother
OUR CORRESPONDENT - The Telegraph
Kalimpong, July 23: A bear attacked a woman and her son in their cardamom field near Lava today, scratching and biting the duo.
The two of them were later admitted to the Kalimpong subdivisional hospital, about 35km from Lava.
Ganga Sherpa, the mother, said the incident took place around 2pm when they were clearing weeds from the field, a 20 minute’s walk from their residence in the Goshkhan line area of Lava.
“My son Akash was working in front of me when the bear, which must have been lurking near our field, pounced on him. I immediately went after the bear with my sickle, which prompted it to turn its attention on me,” Ganga told The Telegraph from her hospital bed.
When Akash saw his mother was in danger, he attacked the animal with his bare hands since the khukuri he was carrying had slipped off his hand when he was fending off the bear. “Luckily, we were on the edge of a small slope, and I somehow managed to kick the bear over and escape with my mother,” said Akash.
The mother was bitten on her right hand and had deep scratch wounds on her left cheek. The boy was bitten on his right leg and had scratches on his back. Doctors said both of them were out of danger.
Attempts to contact senior forest officials of the Wildlife Division II proved futile. But sources said since the mother and son were attacked in a field and not while trespassing in a protected area, the forest department would bear their medical expenses .
Gorkhaland will be there by next 10 months certainly: Bhandari
DT Correspondent
Darjeeling, 23 July: Soon after the declaration of UPA wins, GJMM has sent a fax letter to Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister of India to initiate immediate tripartite talk and consider the case of Gorkhaland.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sonia Gandhi expressed her gratitude to the people of Darjeeling hills and she will not step back on her assurance given to hill people, she is always sympathetic towards the demand of hill people, according to Mr. Dawa Norbula, MP, during the thanks giving programme in New Delhi.
My entire dreams are almost completed except to see a Gorkhaland, a free state of Gorkhas, which also may accomplish soon, said Mr. Narbahadur Bhandari, former chief minister of Sikkim, interacting with reporters in one of the hotel of Gangtok. He also claimed that the State of Gorkhaland will be accomplished within next 10 months.
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(Posted by Sampang, July 30, 2008, 6:37 AM)