Gangtok welcomes Prashant Tamang, Indian Idol 3

M onday was a dry day in Gangtok.
But alcohol was hardly required to buoy the local spirits.
There was a gigantic buzz in this prosperous hill station, the capital of Sikkim located at about 4,700 ft, up in the Himalayas.
Indian Idol Prashant Tamang was paying his very first visit to the Darjeeling-Sikkim area since winning his national title.
It was an enormous moment of Nepali pride.
Tamang may hail from Darjeeling, but is a Nepali like much of the population of the mountainous state of Sikkim and massive Indian Idol voting -- organised with fierce regional loyalty -- in every town and hamlet in Sikkim, in part by Sikkim's Nepali chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, (in the pic with Tamang) helped propel Tamang towards the crown.
Tamang had now come to say dhanyavad.

The newly-minted star had not yet been to Darjeeling and could not go on this trip because his organisers anticipated problems there after the flare-up post his win.
All of Gangtok's picturesque, winding, up-and-down roads led to Paljor Stadium where Tamang was to perform at 5 pm under the shadow of the snowy Mount Kangchenjunga.
Stylishly dressed youth from all income groups and lots of middle-aged and elderly people -- even a few monks -- poured down the roads towards the stadium. Posters welcoming Tamang dangled from every electricity pole. Tickets -- for Rs 150 -- were being sold at each street corner.
Hundreds gathered, from hours before, outside the gates of Gangtok's best hotel Nor-Khill, where he was staying. Once a royal lodge belonging to Sikkim's King, and now people were waiting for a glimpse of new royalty -- a simple Nepali police constable, now turned a singing hero.
Inside the hotel and outside his room, aunties, uncles, cousins, wee kids, students, friends, reporters from Darjeeling's Nepali papers, acquaintances (some of them as distant as you can get), hotel guests, including a few foreign tourists, hung around waiting for even the smallest glimpse of Tamang as he bounced energetically between rooms, being extremely polite and accommodating allowing photos, hugs and handshakes by the score, much to the exasperation of his handlers.

Tamang is a gentle, shy, and modest young man; very likeable. He is soft-spoken and extremely courteous to his fans and admirers and repeatedly acknowledges their support that got him his win.
One sari-clad auntie-type character, staying in the hotel, having come from Mumbai, sat on a sofa nearby declaring over and over again loudly and excitedly like a child, "Kabhi humaare naseeb mein nahin tha ki hum Indian Idol se mile. Aur idhar aake humko ye mauka mila!" (We never thought we'd have the luck to meet the Indian Idol, and got the chance after coming here) She gushingly praised her good luck about 50 times, while she waited to get a picture of Tamang.
A young man, accompanied by a female friend, who had studied with Tamang patiently waited outside his door to meet him. He said he had always gone to hear Tamang sing when he gave concerts in Darjeeling, and loved his voice. An English tourist -- and mum to a few brats -- delightedly chuckled at the fact that her boys had infiltrated Tamang's room.
Loads of his relatives, dressed in the finest saris and Nepali outfits, had journeyed from Darjeeling, 94 km away, to congratulate him. Tamang (pictured with his parents) was meeting his mom Rupa and pretty sister Archana for the first time since his win. And it was an emotional moment.

As it edged beyond 5 pm, and the crowds of friends and well-wishers outside his door swelled, the atmosphere got a bit more electric as thousands of fans waiting for him across the road at the stadium began chanting "Pra-shaaant, Pra-shaaant!"
It began to rain and the energetic bellowing only grew louder. Tamang was bundled across the road to the stadium at lightning speed by his minders and an exuberant bunch of police officers, as eager crowds chased him. A deafening roar went up in the air as he made his entry. A ceremonial white silk scarf was wrapped around his shoulders, a Nepali hat propped on his head and the chief minister personally welcomed him. Together they released his thank you album, Dhanyavad.
Tamang quickly launched into a Nepali song. The surging, ecstatic crowd of about 20,000 went hysterical with glee. Tamang has a very folksy, lilting voice. You can almost visualise the countryside -- green fields, tea gardens and mountains of Darjeeling -- in the happy Nepali song he croons.
Hot cups of coffee were passed around. Bikas, minding the coffee machine, a Bengali hailing from Sikkim, said, "I must have voted for him on SMS at least 1,000 times! I wanted him to win because he is from here." Bikas is very happy to be here and hear his hero sing.
Young Kuber, a local restaurant owner, explained that he had minded an SMS-stall during the Indian Idol campaign. "I manned about 15 cellphones. I must have voted myself over 50 times! Every one from 5-year-old children and up voted for him. We had booths set up in 200 places in Gangtok alone, and then in every village. Grass-root people as well as the wealthy all turned out to vote for him. A poor man even sold his cow so he could vote!"
Tamang, who shared the stage with Charu, a fellow Indian Idol contestant who had accompanied him to Gangtok, sang for 3 hours through bouts of cold rain, cheerfully, playing to the crowd and belting out top Hindi numbers as well as local songs. The crowd lapped it up the cheers, never diminishing till the end. The evening was probably Gangtok's proudest moment since footballer Bhaichung Bhutia returned home.

Prashant fans not happy with Sony

GANGTOK, Nov. 5: Thousands of Prashant fans thronged at the Palzor Stadium to watch his first ever show in Sikkim after winning the ‘Indian Idol’ crown in September.However, people are dissatisfied with Sony Entertainment channel this time as they again raised about Rs 45 lakh from the hill state in one show as they charged Rs 150 per ticket. “We are not happy with Sony entertainment as they charged Rs 150 to make Prashant Tamang “say thanks to Sikkim” for voting him, if so he could have done it through the channel itself which is watched all over the country,” said Mr Padam Chettri a local singer. “We know Sony has a year’s contract with our hero but it doesn’t mean that Sony had bought him forever," he added.Meanwhile, the show disturbed the on-going Governor’s Gold Cup football tournament in the stadium. “We are not against the show but it would have been better after completion of the whole match not during the tournament which made us lose Rs 7 lakh per day,” said an officials of the Sikkim Football Association (SFA). He added that they had to postpone the semi-final to the next day. Sony however, made a profit of Rs 45 lakh and the state lost Rs 11.25 lakh as entertainment tax (from 25 per cent of the cover price of the ticket). “This is totally illegal because Sony Entertainment channel didn’t seek permission nor placed any application or paid any entertainment and amusement tax and made a fool of the people of the state” said a state urban development and housing official

Prashant Tamang's maiden music album released in Gangtok Concert

Prashant Tamang Makes Gangtokians Dance

Gangtok ,November5: The Indian Idol winner Prashant Tamang on Monday night regaled the audience by singing popular songs of Hindi movies at a grand reception held in his honour at the Paljor stadium here at which the chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamgling released the audio cassette of the former's maiden album.
A 10,000-strong crowd, comprising the men, women and children, cheered lustily for Tamang who sung hit numbers of popular movies at a two-hour function held to felicitate him for bringing laurel to the people of the hill region of Darjeeling and Sikkim by becoming the Indian Idol at a private entertainment channel's programme last month.
The music lovers also showered their praise for another budding singer Charu Silwal, who took turn with Tamang in entertaining the gathered audience at the grand musical nite, the first of its kind held in the state capital.
Earlier, the chief minister released the maiden music album of Tamang and lavished praise on him for his achievement which, he said, has brought laurels to the hill people of the north-eastern region.
Tamang, on his part, thanked the people of Sikkim as well the rest of the Himalayan region for voting for him in large numbers which enabled him to win the Indian idol crown last month.

He was perhaps the most-feted reality show winner this year. And nearly two months after he edged out his nearest rival and country cousin Amit Paul, Indian Idol Prashant Tamang has unveiled his maiden album.
Titled Dhanyabad, the album was released by Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling during a felicitation-cum-live performance programme at Paljor Stadium in Gangtok.
The album is a bilingual collection of Nepali and Hindi songs.
Thousands of hysterical fans braved the chill and drizzle and thronged the stadium to cheer for Tamang who has become the new sensation in the eastern hills.
Tamang preformed to the brigade along with another Indian Idol finalist Charu Senwal.
Acknowledging the support from Sikkim, Tamang told the rapturous crowds that the state had given him confidence to win the contest

Idol fans fume at coupons

Gangtok, Nov. 4: The decision of Sony Entertainment Television to sell 150-rupee entry coupons for the Prashant Tamang show at Palzor Stadium tomorrow has not gone down well with people here.
Sony is releasing 30,000 CDs of Prashant’s first album, Dhanyabad, each priced at Rs 150, on November 18. Everyone with a coupon here will get a CD as well as the chance to see the Indian Idol perform live.
A government official alleged that the coupons are a ploy to force Prashant fans to buy the CD while Sony gets away without paying any entertainment tax, which it would have had to if it sold tickets instead of coupons. “Sony is making use of a loophole in the tax law,” he said.
Sony stands to make Rs 45 lakh if all the coupons are sold, while the Sikkim government will lose out on 11.25 lakh as entertainment tax (25 per cent of the cover price of tickets), the official added.
Normal procedure entails that an application for waiver of entertainment tax be made to the amusement taxes cell of the urban development department.
Another government official said Sony has made no such application.
Moreover, the organisers of such shows are supposed to hand over all the tickets to the cell to be stamped with the urban development department’s seal before they are sold.
However, the coupons are already up for sale in various counters all over the capital minus the seal.
People here are also unhappy about the high price of the coupons.
“We are told that Prashant is coming here to thank us for our support during the Indian Idol contest. Is Sony making us shell out Rs 150 to listen to our idol say ‘thank you’,” asked Dhiren Sherpa, a school student and a die hard Prashant fan.
The local organisers of the event, the Central Reception Committee, today clarified that they are not involved with the coupons, which are being handled by Sony through outlets manned by its own people.

Indian Idol Vs Football : Stalemate over Gangtok stadium

Gangtok, Nov. 2: Confusion prevails over the postponement of the first semi-final of the 29th All India Governor’s Gold Cup scheduled for November 5.
Members of the Sikkim Football Association (SFA), which is organising the tournament, have not issued any official release regarding the postponement. They claimed that there had been no “official” request from either the Central Reception committee, which wants to organise a show by Indian Idol Prashant Tamang at the stadium on that day, or the state sports and youth affairs department for possession of the stadium.
According to sources, the SFA will stand to lose Rs 7 lakh from gate receipts alone if it has to postpone the semi-final.
The reception committee approached the state sports and youth affairs department this evening for permission to use the stadium. The joint director of the department, R.K. Rai, told media that the committee’s proposal would be placed before the departmental heads tomorrow for approval.
Prashant’s first album will be released at the show.

Indian Idol Prashant Tamang muscles out soccer

Gangtok, Nov. 1: Indian Idol Prashant Tamang will perform at Palzor Stadium on November 5, forcing the first semi-final of the All India Governor’s Gold Cup to be postponed by a day.
At the programme, Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling will release Prashant’s first music album. Chamling had earlier given a big boost to the Darjeeling boy’s chances of winning Indian Idol 3 when he had spoken out in his support.
Sony Entertainment is going to release 30,000 CDs of Prashant’s songs and will keep the proceeds of 20,000 CDs, each priced at Rs 150. The remaining 10,000 will be given to the local organisers, who will use the proceeds to pay off their BSNL telephone bills, which ran into lakhs when they had voted en-masse for Prashant to help him win the talent hunt contest.
“We still owe BSNL around Rs 15 lakh,” said C.M. Khatiwada, an executive member of the Central Reception Committee for Prashant.
People who want to watch Prashant perform live will have to buy a coupon worth Rs 150, the organisers said, which will get them the CD as well. Apart from Prashant, Idol-contestant Charu Semwal will also be present.
While the news of Prashant’s visit will bring cheer to music-lovers here, members of the Sikkim Football Association (SFA) are worried about the potential financial repercussions of hosting two semi-finals on the same day (November 6).
According to SFA sources, this would mean a loss of around Rs 7 lakh from gate receipts alone.
“We are not against the show and will extend full support to the organisers, but it means we will be suffering considerable losses,” said SFA president Tempo Bhutia.
Efforts to postpone the Prashant show had failed because Chamling will be unavailable after November 5.

PRASHANT'S CONCERT TO CLASH WITH GOLD CUP MATCHES

Football fans upset, Idol fans happy with the double treat

GANGTOK, October 30: At a time when the football fever reigns supreme in the Capital, the tentative date set for the first ever live performance of Indian Idol 3 Prashant Tamang in the State has dampened the spirits of the football lovers.
Since the Paljor Stadium has been booked by the Sikkim Football Association till the finals slated for November 7 for the ongoing 29th edition of All India Governor’s Gold Cup, the association is perplexed whether they will have to stop the games if the date is finalised for a live musical programme at the same venue.
This annual football tournament is Sikkim’s most awaited annual extravaganza which draws huge crowds from every corner of the State, including the neighbouring Darjeeling Hills.
Given the overwhelming support Prashant received during his bid for the Indian Idol title, it was expected that he would first perform here in Sikkim, as a token of his appreciation.
The organizers for Prashant’s live show have tentatively fixed on November 5, clashing with the Gold Cup.
“If Prashant’s live concert is meant for his fans in Sikkim, then it should not disappoint many of the football lovers too who have eagerly waited to witness the annual football extravagance,” stated majority of the city dwellers.
However, as per the match fixture published by SFA, November 5 has been designated for one single match at the first semi-final stage which would definitely attract huge spectators.
“The early preparations for the concert will engage the stadium for the entire day from morning with regard to erecting a stage inside the playground along with preparations and designs of seating arrangements for the VIPs etc,” a group of locals present at the stadium voiced.

“It is not that we are not interested in watching Prashant perform live here in the Capital on November 5 but then we cannot compromise the football match with his singing,” added another football fan. He also said that the organizers should have taken such issues into consideration before keeping November 5 as the day for Prashant’s musical event. For him, the best day to watch Prashant sing some of the soulful songs of Kunal Ganjawala would have been during the Deepawali holidays, anytime from November 9-12.
On the other hand, the staunch supporters for Prashant stated that there is no harm in sacrificing one day of football for the much-awaited Indian Idol concert. They also opined that it is good that football and music should go hand in hand. After all, we did spend our money and our sweat to vote for him, didn’t we? So what better than to have our own Indian Idol performing for us together with the Gold Cup tournament? A double treat, certainly.

Indian Idol issue: anticipatory bail of radio jockey rejected

KOLKATA, OCT 29 (PTI) : The Calcutta High Court today rejected an anticipatory bail prayer of radio jockey Janardan Nitin Brady, whose comments on Indian Idol Prashant Tamang sparked large-scale violence in Siliguri last month.
Brady had apparently made some derogatory comments against Tamang on September 24 during a programme of an FM channel aired in Delhi, which enraged the Nepali community in Darjeeling district from where Tamang hails.
A division bench comprising justices Amit Talukdar and Tapas Giri rejected Brady's bail prayer. The jockey has been accused of inciting violence under section 153A of IPC.
The army and BSF had to be called in to control the violence in Siliguri after Tamang's fans and local people clashed and torched several cars.
The town had virtually turned into a battleground with thousands of people getting involved in the clashes.
Police failed to bring the situation under control and the army had to be called to restore normalcy.

'Indian Idol III' becomes Sony's golden goose

Kathmandu, Oct 29 (IANS) When Prashant Tamang won Sony TV's 'Indian Idol III' contest and a contract worth Rs.10 million, people thought it was the making of the Darjeeling boy whose father's death forced him to become the family's bread earner in his teens. However, going by the incredible response here, it is Sony that has struck a gold mine.
On Oct 30, Kolkata cop Prashant, accompanied by one of this year's top 10 finalists, Charu, would be performing at the Kalika Secondary School in west Nepal's Butwal town. It would be followed by two more concerts at Jhapa in November and Pokhara city, where he has already staged a packed show.
The November gigs are also expected to be super hits with Idol finalist Amit Paul, dubbed the boy with the golden voice by the judges, making his debut in Nepal.
Prashant's two earlier shows in Kathmandu and Pokhara with Ankita and Dipali created a kind of mass hysteria.
So great was Nepal's joy at the victory of the boy of Nepali origin that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who has been refusing to meet powerful lawyers and student unions pleading indisposition, invited Prashant and his companions twice.
At the second meeting, Koirala even gave a gift-wrapped present to Prashant.
All this adulation is keeping Sony's cash register ringing, with the company collecting hefty fees from each show.
So great is the craze in Nepal, not just for Prashant but for the top 10, that DMI, the event management company that first brought them to Kathmandu, has now become the Sony franchisee in Nepal for staging concerts starring 'Indian Idol III' contestants.
Nepal's corporates are rushing in to cash in on the craze.
Surya Nepal, ITC's joint venture in the Himalayan kingdom, sponsored the first Prashant shows to advertise its Springwood brand of men's wear.
Now McDowell will sponsor the Butwal show.
And it's not just a Nepal phenomenon.
In November, Ankita, who had never set foot abroad till last month, would head for the Big Apple with Emon for more shows there.
They would be followed in December by Prashant and Amit, who would entertain NRIs in New York, Washington, Dallas and Los Angeles.
From the US, the new singing sensations are to perform in the West Indies, South Africa and Hong Kong.
That's only for now.
Raju Singh, the DMI chief, predicts that the craze for the Idol III top 10 would last at least till May 2008.
'In the earlier contests, only the first two or three contestants were talented singers,' he says. 'So the others did not stay in people's memory. But in Idol III, all the top 10 have star qualities.'

PRASHANT TAMANG LIVE PERFORMANCE IN GANGTOK IN NOV 1st WEEK

Indian Idol winner Prashant Tamang is set to perform live in Gangtok,Sikkim in first week of November 2007 tentatively on November5.
Along with Prashant, a couple of other Indian Idol III contestants would also be performing at the ground of Palzor stadium of Gangtok, present venue of annual sporting event of Sikkim Governor's Gold Cup 2007.

Organisers have claimed that 25,000 people will attend the performance. They said they paid Rs 3 million to Sony Television to bring in Prashant Tamang to Sikkim for Live Performance.

Meanwhile, Prashant is also set to perform in Pokhara on November 17 where he will be accompanied by Indian Idol III finalist Amit Paul, according to Tamang Ghedung, Kaski, which is organising the event.
Immediately, after he won the title in September, Prashant had come to Nepal and performed live in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Prashant Tamang to be roped in for AIDS awareness

New Delhi: After winning the hearts of millions and attracting frenzied passion in the north east, Indian Idol stars may now be roped in for a purpose.
The National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) is planning to use their star appeal in the north east, to propel their AIDS awareness campaign.
“This is aimed at those young people who continue in such risky relations but they should not get HIV in the process at least,” says NACO Director General Sujata Rao.
No confirmation has come from the stars yet, but this social marketing is only one aspect of the AIDS program.
The Australian Government has committed $8.9 million to the four states of Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram for tackling AIDS, with the help of the UN and the Government of Sweden.
“The UN is there to organize this technical assistance and capacity building. We are fully behind it,” says UNAIDS country coordinator Denis Broun.
It’s a known fact across northeastern states that the churches decry the usage of condoms.
Therefore for the teams working on the AIIDS program and also perhaps for the Indian idols, if they agree to carry on the campaign, a tough road lies ahead.

INDIAN IDOL PRASHANT TAMANG TALKS

After becoming the Indian Idol Prashant Tamang, 24, has become one of the most talked about people these days. A veritable household name. Recently, he came to Nepal for his first ever concert. Shiva Sharma caught up with Prashant to talk to him about what it was like to compete in Indian Idol, the attitude of Anu Malik, his favourite music and his Nepali roots.

Excerpts:
Q. How did you come to take part in Indian Idol?
Prashant Tamang: When the forms for the show came, my friends asked me to fill them up. But I didn’t give it that much importance. However, some of my friends from the police force SMSed my participation in the competition. That's how I came to give an audition.

Q. Did you ever think that you'd progress up to the audition round?
Prashant: Never. I had come to the venue at 9 am and my turn came only 12 hours later at 9 pm. I hadn't eaten anything for the whole day. I hadn't at all thought of getting into the audition round. But I sang from deep inside my heart and luck favored me.

Q. You had represented a small town Darjeeling. Had you ever felt that you could be in the top 10?
Prashant: I hadn't thought of reaching the top 10. But I was helped more by luck than talent. Moreover, the public and God were with me. Finally, I succeeded in reaching the top 10. After this, my Idol trip continued.

Q. It seemed the judges weren't supporting you much.
Prashant: I can't say so. All of the judges were fair enough. I progressed in the rounds with the support from all of them.

Q. But the behavior of Anu Malik towards you wasn't fair, was it?
Prashant: It's obvious for the judges to comment. The comments they gave me led me to advance and work hard every time. I took those comments to hone my talent and deduced my Achilles heel. I never felt them to be negative because they made the comments for my improvement.

Q. Who did you like the most among your contenders?
Prashant: I liked Abhisekh a lot. He was my well-wisher and a good friend who supported me in any circumstance.

Q. Finally, you ended up being the Indian Idol. How do you feel?
Prashant: I'm overjoyed. I can't express my joy in mere words. Some of the contenders in the top ten were better singers than me. However, I always kept on improving myself. I got big support from the Nepali folk, from Darjeeling and Sikkim. The support also from Indian well-wishers led me to the title.

Q. When John Abraham was about to declare the winner, did you think that you were the winner?
Prashant: I didn't think about winning and losing at that time. I was more concerned about my supporters who did so much for me through the days and nights to make me the Idol. I was thinking what they would say to me if I lost.

Q. When John Abraham raised your hand to declare you the winner, who did you think of at that time?
Prashant: I thought of God first. I also thought of my sister and mother and then of all the Nepali folk and millions of my supporters.

Q. Did you think you'd be the Idol?
Prashant: Not really. Luck backed me a lot. The blessing of God and the support of the public was the main factor.

Q. Did you ever think you'd get support from the Nepalese?
Prashant: At the start I hadn’t thought that I would be getting such support. After I read in some magazines that I was getting support from across the border, my happiness knew no bounds. So many Nepalese acknowledged me. Then I worked harder thinking that I was not singing just for me, but so many people.

Q. When you heard of your craze here in Nepal, how did you feel?
Prashant: The Nepali people came over the border to support me because there was no system of voting from Nepal itself. The support of the Nepalis who came across the border made me proud.

Q. What is the difference in Prashant then and now?
Prashant: Prashant is the same as before. The only difference then and now is that then he was known to only a few people and now a lot of people know the same simple Prashant.

Q. What do you prefer to sing the most, Nepali or Hindi songs?
Prashant: Both are the same. I can't live without Nepali songs. You know my love for Nepali songs. I sing both Nepali and Hindi songs.

Q. How have you seen the love given to you by so many Nepalese people?
Prashant: The love is from my own people. I couldn't have come to this point, if they hadn't loved me. I hope for the same kind of love forever.

Q. Which Nepali singers do you like?
Prashant: Anil Singh, Nima Rumba and Adrian Pradhan. I was overwhelmed to sing with Nima Rumba and Adrian Pradhan here.

Q. What are your plans for the future?
Prashant: I haven't made plans as such. I have become Indian Idol just now. I wish to do something new in music, let's see what happens.

Q. How many proposals have you got, please be honest?
Prashant: (Laughs) Really…no one has proposed anything like that yet.

Q. If that’s so, then were the rumors about a relationship happening between you and another contender Charu unfounded?
Prashant: This is totally wrong. Charu was a good friend of mine. She used to support me, that's it.

Q. You must have a girlfriend, right?
Prashant: There was a time when I had a girl friend, but not now.

Q. What do you think of marriage?
Prashant: I haven't thought about it. First let me do something. Marriage will happen in the end.

Q. How long have you been in the police and do you plan to continue?
Prashant: I’ve been in police force for five years. I have come to this stage with the help of my police sahibs(smiles). I will continue this profession alongside music.

Q. Is it true that the album Sony TV is launching with you will have some Nepali songs as well?
Prashant: I had asked for some Nepali songs. They agreed on this, let's see what they do.

Q. Where are your concerts after here in Nepal?
Prashant: I can't say right now. It's Sony’s contract. Wherever they send me, I have to go.

Q. What are your hobbies?
Prashant: Football, music and travelling.

Q. Finally, what do you want to say to Nepal?
Prashant: I had always wanted to come to Nepal and release an album. Something I wasn’t able to do because of my financial status. It is the love from the Nepali people that has, right now, brought me here. I will always be grateful to all the Nepali people who supported me. I ask them all to unit into single garland.

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.

Song sung blue in Siliguri

Friday October 5, Last Saturday, when Siliguri exploded in violence, it was an event that was waiting to happen. The victory celebration for Indian Idol 3, Prashant Tamang, turned sour, with the Nepalese and non-Nepalese population in the township ending up battling each other. For several hours violence raged. Police jeeps were set on fire, armed bands of youth looted shops, and it seemed imminent that the violence would spread to the hills of Darjeeling along communal lines. Fortunately that did not happen. A curfew was imposed in Siliguri town and the army was called out to defuse the explosive situation.
It would be naïve to read the flare-up as a minor, isolated event. The outburst was an expression of the tensions underlying this multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-cultural and highly strategic region, and demonstrated the fragility of its social fabric.
Prashant Tamang had emerged in the course of the popular TV talent show as a great idol for the Nepali community. There have been other icons, too, like footballers Shyam Thapa and Baichung Bhutia or, on a different plane, Subash Ghisingh. This predilection to create heroes - which sometimes translates into mass hysteria - reflects the passionate search for identity of a community that often finds itself on the margins of Indian society.
It is extremely significant to trace the gradual building up of the 'Indian Idol' fever. A vast region, centred around Darjeeling and covering eastern Nepal and Sikkim, had virtually turned into a simmering cauldron over the contest. There were early signals of the shape of things to come. A BSNL office in Darjeeling was vandalised by Tamang supporters, who alleged that the service provider had miserably failed to ensure that the SMS votes polled by them reached the jury in time. When Tamang entered the final phase of the contest, the angst took on multiple dimensions. Tamang became the rallying point for the Nepalese across geographical boundaries and the urban-rural divide.
Ever since the Gorkhaland movement, its propagator Subhash Ghisingh had marked out a fine distinction between those he called the 'Gorkhas' of Darjeeling and the Nepalis of Nepal. The surge for a 'Gorkha' identity saw the emergence of the Gorkhaland movement of the mid-eighties. The 'Indian Idol' contest was probably the single biggest emotive factor that unified the people here after the struggle for Gorkhaland, and it evoked the earlier movement. At the same time, it is interesting to observe that on the Tamang issue, the Nepali-Gorkha distinction disappeared, and the two communities almost forged a single identity comprising Darjeeling-Sikkim-Nepal. This was almost a mirror image of the coalescing of the Khasis, Garos and Jaintias in Meghalaya in favour of the other contestant, Amit Paul. For example, in the final leg, jeep loads of Tamang supporters from Nepal with Nepalese flag fluttering atop their car bonnets would arrive in Darjeeling. They would campaign around the hills, enjoying the generous hospitality of the locals. There were even designated hotels in Darjeeling where they would camp for days together to whip up the 'Idol' frenzy. Tamang fan clubs sprouted in large numbers, many backed by political bigwigs.
In neighbouring Sikkim, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling could hardly ignore the signals as the madness spread to his state. Sikkim's politics is largely under the control of the Nepalese so much so that even in constituencies reserved for ethnic Bhutias and Lepchas, almost 70 per cent of the electorate is Nepalese and even Bhutia or Lepcha nominees have to depend on the support of the Nepalese to win the polls.
Another aspect of the 'Indian Idol' contest was that it was on a popularity rating through SMS votes. This is where the muscle flexing came in. The Tamang fan clubs that sprouted all over the hills were patronised by a businessmen-contractors combine. Funds were raised to buy cell phone recharge cards and volunteers were recruited whose sole job was to ensure maximum polling. According to one estimate, Tamang is said to have polled over 10 crore votes over the entire selection process. Its total cost would be over Rs 30 crore if each SMS is calculated at Rs 3.
Such an expensive campaign invariably had its pitfalls. There were allegations of extortion and high-handedness. Vehicles plying from Siliguri to Darjeeling and Sikkim had to pay for cell phone re-charge cards. The local business community saw it as a business opportunity and "donated" generously. In the process, the Nepalese-non Nepalese divide got deepened and took an extremely ugly turn in Siliguri - testifying to the region's rapidly changing demography.
The only reprieve was that the local administration acted fast and contained a possible backlash in the hills. But the inherent, latent hostility continues to remain in the region.

Broadcast tribunal stays ban on Red FM channel

New Delhi, Oct 4: The Telecom Disputes Settlement And Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) today stayed a Information and Broadcasting Ministry's order banning the private radio channel Red FM for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Indian Idol winner Prashant Tamang.

Justice Arun Kumar said that in this case the Ministry has not followed its own rule of giving 15-day prior notice.However, the TDSAT has made it clear that the Ministry can take fresh action against the FM channel within the law.The tribunal has also asked the Information Ministry to file a reply over the notice issued by it within 10 days.It would take up the matter on November 13.On October1, the TDSAT had allowed the Ministry to go ahead with the proceedings against the channel, but had stayed implementation of the direction. Yesterday, the Information Ministry had decided to impose a seven-day ban on the private channel.On September 28, Nepalese dominated fans of Tamang clashed with locals following some comments made by the radio jockey, which led to widespread violence in Siliguri of West Bengal.Army was called in and large numbers of paramilitary and police personnel were deployed in the city, where Section 144 was clamped.Tamang, an ethnic Nepalese youth, who is working with the Kolkata Police, won the closely fought competition after beating Amit Paul from Meghalaya.

Red FM likely to be banned for a week: I&B Minister

I&B sees red over Red FM's insulting remark

New Delhi: The hills of Darjeeling erupted in mob fury after an indelicate remark by a radio jockey of Red FM.
Recently-crowned Indian idol, Prashant Tamang, had been insulted — or so claimed his fans in Siliguri — as the bustling town burned. And now the Government is proposing a week-long ban on the radio channel provided the telecom tribunal upholds this
Union I&B Minister, Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said, "A one-week ban has been issued since Monday, subject to Telecom Disputes Settlement And Appellate Tribunal upholding it on October 4.''
So, Is there politics in that decision?
The Congress is gaining ground in Siliguri and north Bengal and Dasmunsi's own constituency of Raiganj is about 100 kilometres away from the scene of violence.Besides, in the game of oneupmanship, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had stolen a march on the Congress by demanding a ban.
"I am looking into this and have spoken to Delhi and the Home Ministry about the matter,'' said Buddhadeb.
However, the fact of the matter is that Dasmunshi is now getting used to cracking the whip. First it was Live India channel, which was banned for a month and now the in the politics of the prude, facing the minister's ire are underwear ads and the all time whipping post — Fashion TV.
While the Broadcast Bill that will govern the media has been put on the backburner for the time being, the Centre has made its stand clear by proposing a ban on Red FM.
If the media does not regulate itself, the task will happily be taken over by the Government.

Prashant Tamang with Prime Minister of Nepal

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and ‘Indian Idol' Prashant Tamang (second and third form right respectively) pose for photo after a rendezvous at Koirala’s official residence Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Saturday (Sep 29, 07). Indian Idol contestants Deepali Kishore (L) and Ankita Mishra (R) were also present during the meeting.

Photo Courtesy: Sabin Tuladhar

I&B Ministry sees red; sends notice to Red FM

NEW DELHI: Acting on a request from the West Bengal Government, the Union Information & Broadcasting Ministry issued a show-cause notice to Red FM radio station on Saturday after concluding that it had prima facie violated the programme code by making derogatory remarks about the Gorkha community in one of its programmes.
The radio station has been given time till 4 p.m. on October 1 to explain why action should not be taken against it.
The show-cause notice comes a day after a clash broke out in Siliguri between fans of Prashant Tamang — winner of a television channel-sponsored music talent show ‘Indian Idol’ — and local residents over a comment made about his community by radio jockey (RJ) Nitin in a programme which went on the air on September 24.
While Mr. Nitin had apologised to Mr. Tamang earlier, Red FM tendered an apology on Saturday and clarified that “we have not intentionally caused hurt to the sentiments of any person or any particular community, caste or creed”.
The Red FM statement also suggests that some vested interests were fuelling the protests: “It is unfortunate that some vested interests are seeking to make political capital out of an innocuous comment made during the morning show and which has been taken out of context.”“Racist and insulting”
The West Bengal Government has been in touch with the Centre on this issue after the Gorkha community reacted strongly to the RJ’s remarks, protesting the stereotyping as “racist and insulting”.
According to the Ministry, general strikes had been called at several places including Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sukna in protest against the remark, and the Army and the para-military forces had to be called in to restore normality.
In its statement, Red FM also sought to underline the fact that it had supported Mr. Tamang’s journey in the talent hunt for crooners from the very start.

PEACE MARCH AFTER IDOL UNREST

Darjeeling/Siliguri, Sept. 29: The Prashant Fan Club prevented the Siliguri fire from spreading to the hills by calling off today’s 12-hour bandh and protest march against yesterday’s violence in the plains.

Hill politicians assured would-be Puja tourists they were welcome and had nothing to fear about “security and hospitality”.
Curfew was lifted in most of Siliguri from 2pm, barring 11 specified areas around the court, the scene of the street battles and eight-hour hostage drama. But the army and the BSF continued their vigil.

In Darjeeling, GNLF leader Bimal Gurung announced around 11am that “in the interests of peace”, the bandh was being withdrawn.

The GNLF had not taken a stand on the bandh but Gurung’s stature had ensured that streets in Darjeeling and Kurseong remained deserted in the morning. Later, some shops in Darjeeling opened and vehicles began plying.

Kurseong continued to stay indoors but allowed vehicles travelling between Darjeeling and Siliguri to pass. Mirik saw a peaceful rally.

District magistrate Rajesh Pandey, speaking after an all-party meeting in Siliguri, said: “The situation is totally under control.”

Schools and colleges will remain closed on Monday but public examinations, such as railway recruitment, will be exempt. Pandey appealed to the people to ignore rumours such as the ones that sparked yesterday’s rioting.

Inspector-general of police (north Bengal) R.J.S. Nalwa said pro-Prashant Tamang marchers had “manhandled” a patient yesterday in front of a hospital, prompting retaliation by shopkeepers and bystanders. “But the story about a pregnant woman being kicked was false.”

Pandey confirmed that the march organisers had taken permission.

Indian Idol Prashant's First Nepal Live tour Performance

Nepal Fans enjoy a live concert by Indian Idol Prashant Tamang at St Xavier’s ground in Jawalakhel on Saturday. Drenched to the bone, as rain pounded the capital since the morning, the fans did not let their spirit dampen.

Kathmandu, Sept. 29 (PTI): "Indian Idol" Prashanta Tamang today sought the blessings of Nepal Prime Minister G P Koirala as he entertained his fans during a live performance at a top college here.
Prashanta was accompanied by other Indian Idol finalists Ankita Mishra and Deepali Kishore during his meeting with Koirala at his residence in Baluwatar.
"The prime minister asked me how I felt after winning the contest. Then he put the Nepali 'topi' (cap) on my head and gave me his blessings," he was quoted as saying in the media.

Prashant Tamang at Kathmandu Airport

Braving continuous rain, some 10,000 girls and boys gathered in the damp ground of St Xavier's college amid tight security to see the Darjeeling boy sing along with Dipali and Nikita and the famous Nepali singer Nima Rumba.
Over one hundred policemen were deployed at the venue to prevent any untoward incident. The tickets of the show were priced at Rs 4,000 per person.
Prashanta lent his voice to dozens of Nepali and Hindi songs.
It was Prashanta's second performance, first being at Casino Royale yesterday. Prashanta will perform in Pokhara tomorrow before returning to India.

"Indian Idol" Prashanta Tamang's first public show at Casino Royale in the capital city fetched its organisers at least four million bucks in one go.
Casino Royale, owned by an Indian Rakesh Wadhwa, sold 1,500 tickets priced at Rs 2,500 for the three hour gala programme yesterday night.
The programme earned the casino at least Rs 4 million over night, according to a casino staff.
Besides that people also enjoyed various games of black jack, roulette, flush and baccarat at jam packed tables in the casino.
Though it was illegal to allow Nepalese people in the country's casinos, 90 percent of the audience comprised its citizens, according to eye-witnesses.
The show was organised a day after Indian Yoga Guru Rama Dev concluded his week long Yoga session that attracted 1.5 lakh people from all over Nepal.
Prashanta will be giving his second and third performance at St. Xavier's School in Jawlakhel in Kathmandu and famous tourist spot Pokhara today and tomorrow respectively.