Ex-GNLF leader’s car burnt at night

Morcha accused of arson and ransack
Kurseong, Sept. 11: The house of a former DGHC councillor was ransacked and his car set on fire last night allegedly by a mob led by two Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders even as party president Bimal Gurung claimed that efforts were on to maintain peace in the hills.

The former councillor, I.N. Pradhan, was the Kurseong branch president of the GNLF before he quit the party last year.

Around 8.30pm, two Morcha leaders — Bobby Pradhan, a central committee member, and Suprem Chettri — called Pradhan out of his house at Ghayabari, 15km from here.

“When I came out, they started accusing me of attending a GNLF meeting at Longview area some days ago. I told them to show me authentic proof of my attending the meeting. A few minutes later, they went away threatening to return with more supporters,” Pradhan told journalists today.

Pradhan reportedly called up the subdivisional police officer (SDPO) seeking protection. “The Morcha duo had returned with some 20 supporters around 9:30pm and started throwing stones at my house. They first broke the windowpanes, then broke open the garage and brought out my WagonR (WB 66 3322) and set it on fire. They had fled by the time police arrived. ”

Pradhan and his wife Deepa had by then locked themselves inside the house. The former councillor filed an FIR with Kurseong police naming Bobby and Suprem as the main accused.

Pradhan denied having attended the Longview meeting. “I had resigned from the GNLF on July 27 last year. On September 7, I had been to Siliguri to buy vegetables in the evening. If they (the Morcha) prove (that I attended the meeting), I promise that I will leave the hills within 12 hours. When I don’t have links with the GNLF why should I attend the meeting?”

The SDPO of Kurseong, Rakesh Singh, confirmed that an FIR had been filed. “We are investigating the incident. No one has been arrested so far,” he said.

The Morcha, however, refused comment on the attack. “I am going to Ghayabari to investigate the incident. I will be able to speak on this matter only after I come back,” said Kamal Thapa, the vice-president of the party’s Kurseong unit, over the phone around 3pm.

The media and publicity secretary of the Morcha, Rohit Sharma, said he was busy attending a meeting.

The arson in the hills continues even as Gurung said on September 6 that while chalking out fresh agitation plans, he had kept in mind the “Centre’s request to maintain peace”.

Last year, on September 7, the Maruti car of Rajen Mukhia, a former GNLF leader, was set on fire allegedly by Morcha supporters in front of his house at Panighata in Mirik.

Morcha supporters had also occupied the sprawling bungalow of GNLF leader Dawa Pakhrin in Kalimpong on August 22 last year, planting flags atop the building and its main gate.

The residence of former civic chief of Kalimpong C.K. Kumai had been ransacked and Maurice Kalikotey’s house torched as Morcha supporters went on the rampage following the death of one of its supporters in Darjeeling on July 25, 2008. The bullet that killed Pramila Sharma had been allegedly fired from the house of Deepak Gurung, the Darjeeling branch committee president of the GNLF.

The Morcha took over GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh’s two-storeyed house at his native village in Manju Tea Estate, around 15km from Mirik, and converted it into a unit office on July 29 last year.

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha plan for Delhi Talks

Amar Lama, the leader of the Delhi delegation

Darjeeling, Aug. 10: A 12-member Gorkha Janmukti Morcha delegation today held a two-and-a-half-hour brainstorming session in New Delhi to fine-tune the strategy to be adopted tomorrow at the third round of tripartite meeting.

This time, the Morcha has decided to counter the government’s “why Gorkhaland” with a “why not”. Instead of speaking on statehood, the hill party will filed the question why not Gorkhaland.

“We had held a meeting with Jaswant Singh recently and we are fully prepared for the talks starting at 10.30am tomorrow,” said Amar Lama, a central committee member and leader of the delegation.

In Darjeeling, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said the party would not speak on or discuss any issue other than Gorkhaland. “The team has been briefed by Bimal Gurung to speak only on the demand of Gorkhaland. The state government has also agreed to discuss the issue,” said Giri.

The strategy had been finalised by the Morcha’s Study Forum after a three-day deliberation in Deolo, Kalimpong.

In the hills, the All-Transport Joint Action Committee has asked taxi drivers to park their vehicles at 10.30am for two hours to help form a human chain from Lebong to Siliguri tomorrow.

“Since the roads are narrow at various points along NH55 and at various railway intersections, we appeal to the taxi drivers to park their vehicles at the respective motor stands,” said Sanjeev Tamang, the secretary of the committee. The committee is an umbrella organisation of taxi syndicates affiliated to the Morcha.

The party has asked the hill people to form the human chain along the highway for an hour from 11.19am to express solidarity with the demand on Gorkhaland.

Although there was no explanation as to why 11.19am was chosen, many of the Morcha programmes usually stick to that timing.

Another human chain is also likely to be formed from Kalimpong to Siliguri along NH31A during the same time. The highway is the arterial link between Sikkim and the rest of the country.

The Janmukti Sishu Siksha Karmasuchi Sahayak/Sahayika Sangathan, a Morcha frontal body of non-formal teachers, appealed to all Sishu Siksha Kendra and Madhyamik Siksha Kendra staff to take part in the human chain.

The association has asked its members from Darjeeling to assemble at the Ghum railway station at 9am tomorrow. “Our members from Mirik and Kurseong are requested to gather at the Kurseong motor stand while those from Kalimpong should assemble at Damber Chowk around the same time,” said Sushila Alay, a member of the association.

The Janmukti Asthai Karmachari Sangathan has already asked its members residing near the highways to take a day off and participate in the rally.

Apart from the human chain, the town committee of the Morcha has decided to organise all-faith meetings from tomorrow at Chowrastha.

“The prayer meeting from 9am to 6pm every day will continue till August 17 with a break on August 15. The meeting is being organised for Gorkhaland and also for a successful tripartite meeting,” said Dinesh Gurung, the Morcha convener. The party is expected to announce a new agitation programme.

On Sunday, the Bharatiya Gorkha Bhutpurba Sainik Morcha’s Darjeeling town committee also organised a prayer at the Mahakal temple here for a “successful” meeting.

Bimal Gurung outfit in Kalimpong

Kalimpong, Oct. 31: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) today held its first public rally in the subdivision at the Motor Stand here.
However, a large chunk of the nearly 15,000 supporters apparently came from outside the subdivision. They arrived in no less than 700 vehicles from various parts of Darjeeling, Kurseong and the plains. The supporters of the new outfit were seen all over the town well before 11am, when the meeting began.
During the meet, GJM president Bimal Gurung went hammer and tongs at the local GNLF leadership, especially targeting its Kalimpong unit president Dawa Pakhrin. He also hailed murdered strongman and one-time associate of Subash Ghisingh, C.K. Pradhan, as a martyr and sought a CBI inquiry into the murder.
Gurung also expressed support for another former GNLF leader, Chhatrey Subba, who has been incarcerated in a Jalpaiguri jail on charges of masterminding an attack on Ghisingh near Kurseong on February 10, 2001.
“We will work towards securing the release of Chhatrey Subba,” said Gurung.
Both Pradhan, who was killed on October 3, 2002 some time after he fell out with Ghisingh, and Subba were torchbearers of the Gorkhaland agitation in Kalimpong and Gurung’s statement is in keeping with the rebel outfit’s pro-Gorkhaland stand.
The GJM president also announced that his party would gherao the Lal Kothi, the DGHC headquarters in Darjeeling, for 15 days beginning November 7.
“After that I will come to Kalimpong and spend about a month here touring the hinterland,” Gurung said.

Sikkim CM Dr. Pawan Chamling to deliver a lecture in Darjeeling

Darjeeling, Oct. 30:The hills are expected to witness a flurry of activity with the chief minister of Sikkim scheduled to come here soon.

Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling, on the other hand, is scheduled to deliver a lecture on "Nation, Politics and Our Society "at Loreto College on November 2.
The visit of the Sikkim Democratic Front president is expected to be important because the leader has been openly supporting the Gorkhaland demand. In a symbolic move, Chamling had passed a resolution in the Sikkim Assembly in support of Gorkhaland.
A group of lawyers of the Darjeeling Bar Association have formed a Legal Rights Forum and will hold a debate on the special status on November 2.

Meanwhile,Advisor to the Sikkim CM ,Shri B.B.Gooroong rubbished reports appearing in a section of the vernacular press alleging that Dr.Pawan Chamling is providing funds to the leader of the breakaway group of GNLF- Bimal Gurung.Mr.Gooroong categorically states that such reports are totally false and baseless ."Such reports are without foundation and are white lies" he stated.Further adding that ,Sikkim has no role to play in politics of the Darjeeling and therefore there was no question of financing the movement led by Bimal Gurung. He further debunked rumours that Sikkim Chief Minister ever had a meeting with Bimal Gurung.

Acknowledging the fact that people of Sikkim had come together with Darjeeling in supporting the Darjeeling led Prashnat Tamang's Indian Idol bid.Mr.Gooroong clarified that support for Prashant Tamang was a social issue and essentially an emotional engagement of people and should not be construed to suggest political affinities.

Old & new in rebel Bimal Gurung's Gorkha outfit

Darjeeling, Oct. 9: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today announced the formation of its labour and youth wings.
The names of the office-bearers of the central committee of the Morcha — the new outfit floated by former GNLF leader Bimal Gurung — have also been declared.
The list includes a few old— former GNLF members — and many new names. Earlier, Gurung had said he wants new faces to join his movement for a separate state.
Gurung was expelled from Subash Ghisingh’s party last week, shortly after he announced that the hills should accept nothing short of Gorkhaland. The announcement followed close on the heels of the Union cabinet’s approval of the Sixth Schedule status for the Darjeeling hills, a GNLF trump card. Gurung was sacked for “anti-party” activities.
While Gurung is the president of the new party, the selection of K.S. Ramudamu as vice-president and Roshan Giri as general secretary has come as a big surprise. Ramudamu is the president of the Akhil Bharatiya Nepali Anushuti Jati Sangh — an association of Scheduled Castes — and his new role suggests that the majority of the 9.7 per cent of SC population from the hills will support the Morcha. The Scheduled Castes in the hills are an unhappy lot, as they will not enjoy any reservation in the new council to be formed under the Sixth Schedule.
Even Giri’s decision to be an office-bearer of the Morcha is an indication that the All Gorkha Students’ Union (Agsu) — the apolitical students’ union of which he is the president — is supporting Gurung. Agsu will hold a meeting soon to discuss its status as people with political affiliation cannot be members of the organisation.
Raju Pradhan is the other general secretary of the party while representatives selected from Tindharia, Kalimpong and Kurseong have found place as executive members in the Morcha’s central committee.
Alokmani Kant Thulung, the former president of the GNLF affiliated Gorkha National Students’ Front (Darjeeling branch), has been made the president of the Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha — the youth organisation.
P.T. Sherpa, former assistant secretary of the GNLF affiliated Himalayan Plantation Labour Union, has also joined Gurung’s team. He has been made the convener of the workers’ front, the Darjeeling Hill Plantation Labour Union.
“Though we have not been able to visit all the places, people cutting across political lines are coming to us and forming units in their respective areas,” said Binay Tamang, the Morcha’s press and publicity secretary.
He claimed that 30 families from Lower Singtam in Darjeeling have decided to join the the Morcha. “Santosh Gurung has been made the president of the unit there.” Similar units have also been formed in the Maneybhanjyan-Sukhiapokhri-Simana area.
“Within a couple of days we will form unions for employers, teachers, women and students,” said Tamang.
Gurung is keen to extend his party’s base in Kalimpong. “We held our first meeting in Darjeeling and given Kalimpong’s importance in our scheme of things, we want to stage our next public meeting there,” Gurung said.

Bimal Gurung Forms "Gorkha Janmukti Morcha "

Bimal Gurung Float New Political Party in Darjeeling

PHOTO: Gurung at the public meeting and the crowd at the motor stand.

Darjeeling, Oct. 7: A music reality show has managed to create an anti-Subash Ghisingh wave in the hills, something unthinkable even a few months ago.
Thousands of people today raised anti-Ghisingh slogans in the motor stand here while welcoming the formation of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha — a party floated by former GNLF leader Bimal Gurung.
The rebel leader was one of the brains behind Prashant Tamang Fan Club — the organisation that garnered support to send SMS votes for the Indian Idol 3 winner. In the past few days, Gurung has reminded people that Prashant is synonymous with the identity of the hill people and that Ghisingh had never come out in his support.
Though he did not repeat it this afternoon, some of the leaders who took the dais were quick to take the cue. “Why did Subash Ghisingh remain silent on Prashant? These hill leaders bark only when they need money,” said Binay Tamang, one of the speakers.
Gurung got the axe last week and with his expulsion from the GNLF, the anti-Sixth Schedule voice has become stronger here. The rebel leader’s announcement that the people should accept nothing short of statehood came in the wake of the Union cabinet’s approval of the special status bill for the hills.
In the presence of almost 20,000 people, Gurung today launched his campaign against Ghisingh. He started with the GNLF chief’s interference in religious and cultural matters.
“He wants us to offer jhar (local brew) to gods and goddesses. Let him first give the same to his son and family. Every time we want to pay obeisance to the gods he asks us to go down to the rivers and pick up a stone (for sila puja). This time, Durga Puja will take place,” he thundered to a tremendous applause.
Gurung also claimed that none of the GNLF leaders knew what the Sixth Schedule was all about.
“I was part of the 17-member delegation that went to Calcutta with Ghisingh to discuss the special status. The entire team was confined to a room while Ghisingh and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee (the chief minister) went into a huddle for 45 minutes before returning to announce that our problems were solved. This is as far as the GNLF leaders’ knowledge of the bill goes,” said Gurung.
The new party’s trump card was the support it received from the Akhil Bharatiya Nepali Anushuti Jati Sangh — an association of Scheduled Castes who are unhappy with the Sixth Schedule status. In fact, association president K.S. Ramudamu presided over the public meeting. Ramudamu is being seen as the representative of the 9.7 per cent of the hill population, who are Scheduled Castes and have not been given any reservation in the new council to be formed under the special status, and his presence is a major blow to Ghisingh.
Even the All Gorkha Students’ Union came out openly in support of the new outfit.
Gurung was also quick to harp on the sop that he intended to distribute once he had his way.
“Ghisingh gave Rs 8,000 to every Gorkhaland martyr’s family, but we will give them Rs 5 lakh each. They deserve more,” he said.

GNLF Rebel leader Bimal Gurung expelled

Darjeeling, Oct. 4: The GNLF today expelled Bimal Gurung, the party president of the Singmari-Tukvar area, for indulging in “anti-party” activities.
The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the GNLF Darjeeling Branch Committee. The committee was specific about its charges and said Bimal was expelled for “opposing the Sixth Schedule status for the hills and for his speeches against Subash Ghisingh, the party president”.
For the past few days, especially after the Union cabinet approved the Sixth Schedule status for the Darjeeling hills, Bimal had been stoking the Gorkhaland fire. His decision to fight the new status tooth and nail — and announce that the hills should accept nothing less than Gorkhaland—had not gone down well with Ghisingh.
“The decision to expel Bimal Gurung from the branch committee was taken after taking note of the speeches delivered by him from September 10 onwards,” said Deepak Gurung, the president of the committee. Since the GNLF does not have any primary membership, expulsion from the branch committee is equivalent to being expelled from the party.
Bimal, however, said he did not want to be associated with a pan shop. “I welcome the decision. I have been expelled from a political party, which is like a pan shop found in every nook and corner. I want identity for the hill people and will try to get it.”
The rebel leader had offered his resignation almost eight months ago after apparently “getting disillusioned with the way the party was functioning”, but Ghisingh had refused to accept it.
Contrary to norms no showcause notice had preceded the expulsion. However, the committee will send its resolution on the expulsion to Ghisingh tomorrow.
Deepak was cautious when he reacted to questions on Bimal’s demand for Gorkhaland. He stuck to what Ghisingh said on October 2 in Siliguri: “Everyone has the right to raise the issue.”
The fact that the rebel leader holds sway over other areas too, other than Singmari-Tukvar, became clear when posters representing Ward No 25, and in Bimal’s support, appeared in town.
Deepak said the decision on whether any action will be initiated against Dinesh Gurung, the commissioner of the ward, will be taken by the GNLF Sadar I unit in a few days.
The GNLF has decided to organise public meetings across the hills to campaign for the merits of Sixth Schedule status. “The party’s Sadar I unit held a meeting today and another will be held in Pokhriabong on Saturday. The committee will also hold a grand meeting in Darjeeling at the earliest,” said Deepak.

DARJEELING FINALLY GETS SPECIAL STATUS WITH SIXTH SCHEDULE NOD

New Delhi, Oct. 1: The Union cabinet has approved the Sixth Schedule status for Darjeeling hills, less than two years after GNLF chief Subash Ghisingh signed the memorandum of settlement for the creation of a new council under it.
This means that the central government — one of the signatories to the agreement, the others being the Bengal government and Ghisingh — has given the go-ahead and Gorkha Hill Council (GHC) Darjeeling will be formed. But the powers and benefits under the new status will be conferred to GHC only after Parliament passes the bill in the winter session.
In the process, Articles 244 and 332 and the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution will have to be amended since so long the special status was restricted only to the north-eastern states only.
Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said in Calcutta: “It is a welcome development and we hope the bill will be tabled in the winter session of Parliament.” Asked about the demand for a separate state by a section of the GNLF, Bhattacharjee said: “Let’s not get into all that.”
Unlike the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council which was created out of a state act, the GHC will have constitutional guarantee which means more legislative power including tax collection and enactment of laws in areas like higher and adult education, rural development and land and land revenue. The new council will also be able to make appointments to all posts under its control except where recruitment is made on recommendations of the West Bengal Public Service Commission. Law and order will remain with the state government. The GHC jurisdiction will extend over the three hill subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong. Sixteen mouzas of the Siliguri subdivision will also be under the GHC.
Bengal urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya said in Siliguri today that it is imperative that elected representatives take charge of the new council, now that the draft proposal for the special status has been approved. The last elections to the DGHC was held in 1999.
“It was a long cherished dream of the hill people and of Subash Ghisingh,” information and broadcasting minister Priya Ranjan Das Munshi said while announcing the Cabinet decision. The announcement comes in the backdrop of the situation in neighbouring Nepal, where the Maoists withdrew from the ruling coalition, and disturbances in Siliguri over alleged derogatory references on Indian Idol 3 winner Prashant Tamang by a radio channel last week.