Rebel Gorkha leader Chattrey Subba criticizes GTA

Darjeeling: Seventy one years old Chattrey Subba is considering taking sannyas from politics. However the rebel did not fail to criticize the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA- an administrative arrangement for the Darjeeling Hills) and pitched for the separate state of Gorkhaland. It was a day of mixed emotions at the Subba household at Raushey Bazar in Kalimpong on Saturday, the day after Chattrey's release from the correctional home after 10 long years. While the family celebrated his return; bail being denied to his son Santosh Subba in a different case, cast a long shadow on the revelry. Subba had been arrested on March 24, 2001 in connection with the Subash Ghising assassination bid case. He was finally acquitted on September 9, 2011. Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) leader Subash Ghising, then the Chairman of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) had been attacked at Saath-ghoomti under the Kurseong sub division, on his way back from Delhi. Two police drivers died in the attack along with a suspected attacker. Six others were injured. “Whosoever raises the demand for Gorkhaland is either murdered as in the case of Madan Tamang or sent behind bars like me. Even the GTA deal has been clinched over Madan Tamang’s dead body. Blackmailing over the murder forced a compromise” alleged Subba. “I believe that only Gorkhaland can resolve the crisis of the Gorkhas. I do not have faith in anything less. Because I opposed the DGHC earlier Ghising along with the government conspired and sent me behind bars. The attack on Ghising was orchestrated by Ghising and the government to put me behind bars. While in the Correctional Home the government had offered me a high power Council which I could head. However I did not accept their proposal hence I was forced to languish in jail. They even tried to kill me” alleged Subba. He stated that while he was in the correctional home in 2003 he had a severe heart ailment and was shifted from the Jalpaiguri Correctional Home to a medical facility in Kolkata. “There they had kept me under heavy security without giving me a single medicine for my cardiac ailment. But seeing that I did not die they were forced to send me back to the correctional home in Jalpaiguri. Subba used to head the militant wing of the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) during the violent agitation of the 80’s led by Subash Ghising. He however had parted ways with Ghising over the formation of the DGHC in 1988. He had floated a new outfit Gorkha Liberation Organisation (GLO) Subba had vehemently opposed the DGHC and had given a call for the continuation of the separate state agitation. “Councils and similar administrative bodies delay the main goal of separate State. It also does not fulfill the political identity issue not accords a political security to the Gorkhas. Only a separate state than ensure this” stated Subba. When questioned on his future plans, Subba stated “My family members want me to retire from politics and I am planning to do so.” More than 10 years behind bars seemed to have dampened the rebel spirit. Regarding his son Santosh Subba being arrested in the Kalimpong blast incident, Subba stated “If he is guilty he should be punished. If not they should not keep him behind bars like they did to me for 10 years after which they acquitted me. I have lost precious years of my life” On July 26, 2011, the Kalimpong motor stand was rocked by a low intensity blast at around 3am in the morning with a stove allegedly planted below a North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) bus having exploded. Santosh was arrested in connection with this case on July 31. “I am happy that my husband is back home after 10 long years but I am also sad that my son is behind bars though he is innocent like his father” stated Monika Subba, wife of Chattrey Subba. Source: Hindustan Times

House burnt in GJM-GNLF clash

DARJEELING: Trouble is brewing in the Hills once again. On Tuesday, Chimney, a small hamlet in Kurseong, turned violent with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) supporters clashing over a cultural programme.

According to the police, GNLF supporters on Monday were celebrating the signing of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) accord at Majuwa in Chimney, about 20 km from Kurseong town. During the celebration, some GJM supporters allegedly tried to disrupt the celebration, resulting in a minor scuffle.

On Tuesday morning, things took an ugly turn with supporters from both sides clashing once again. The house of Sangay Rumba, a GNLF supporter, was set on fire and his vehicle torched, allegedly by GJM cadres. "Several GJM supporters attacked our house around 11.30 am. My husband was dragged outside and beaten up. They also ransacked our belongings," alleged Bangmu Rumba, Sangay's wife.

She managed to escape with her daughter through a window. Fire tenders arrived on time to douse the fire and the house was only partially damaged. Sangay sustained minor injuries.

GJM leaders, however, denied the allegations and instead blamed GNLF for the violence. "Our supporters did not have a hand in the violence. In fact, it was GNLF men who attacked the house of our supporter Padam Rumba on Monday night," alleged Niru Sherpa, a GJM leader of Chimney.

Both parties blamed each other for the violence and also filed FIRs at Kurseong police station. Police said no arrests have been made so far. "We are investigating what happened in Chimney though the situation is under control now. There were minor clashes between the GNLF and GJM over a celebration," said Nima Sherpa, the Kurseong SDPO. Adequate police forces have been deployed in the area to avert any untoward incidents.

On August 22, 1988, Subash Ghisingh, the GNLF chief, signed an agreement with the state and central governments to form the DGHC, after nearly 28 months of bloody agitation. More then 1,200 people were killed in the 1986 agitation that was ultimately dropped after signing of the accord.

Source: Times of India

Protection cell prop for GNLF comeback - Resistance groups for ‘social work’

The GNLF has started forming village protection cells but emphasised that contrary to popular belief they had not been set up to challenge the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s lathi-wielding Gorkhaland Personnel.

Youths in the age group of 18-30 will be members of the VPCs, the GNLF said.

“The VPCs have been formed of conscious and educated youths to undertake social work in a given area. They will neither be trained nor lodged in camps as done by the GLP,” said Shivraj Thapa, spokesperson for the Darjeeling GNLF sub-divisional committee.

Observers said that the VPCs would give the much needed muscle power to the GNLF which is trying a comeback in the Darjeeling hills. The announcement on the village resistance groups comes at a time when Bimal Gurung’s party has called a 27-day strike in the hills in phases for Gorkhaland from January 12. With the Srikrishna panel suggesting bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh as one of its options for the Telangana region, the Morcha now feels the proposed interim set-up for Darjeeling is too modest a goal. The GNLF, however, is for Sixth Schedule status for the hills.

According to GNLF leader Thapa, several village development committees had been set up across Darjeeling and Kalimpong sub-divisions. “A chief will be in charge of 10 VDCs. The chief will also appoint 11 VPC members from each village who will directly report to him. These members will provide the chief with information on the village.”

Thapa claimed that 600 “conscious” youths from Darjeeling and Kurseong had already enrolled in the VPCs. “The motive is totally social and should not be misconstrued. Issues of trafficking of girls from villages will be looked into by these youths. The youths have to be Madhyamik qualified to be able to join the VPC,” said Thapa.

The Morcha’s GLP had been formed purportedly for crowd and traffic management during the party’s public meetings. Later, they were trained by ex-servicemen from the hills and tried to function as a parallel police force.

Even though the Morcha has withdrawn the GLP from the public domain in recent times, it accompanies party president Gurung to public meetings.

The Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) had also unveiled its Swyam Sevak Bahini, which consisted of volunteers in red caps, during its May Day public meeting in Darjeeling last year. But during the next few months, the Bahini has not been spotted anywhere in the hills.

Unlike the Bahini and VPC members, the GLP volunteers are paid a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000-Rs 1,500 and have uniforms. In fact, have recently started cases against the GLP at Darjeeling, Mirik, Runglee-Rungliot and Kurseong police stations for wearing army fatigues, as one of its uniforms. Civilians are prohibited from wearing such fatigues under Section 140 of the IPC.

Rivals welcome fast

The ABGL and the CPRM have welcomed the Morcha decision to start an indefinite hunger strike from February 16 for Gorkhaland.

“We welcome the decision… but do not believe that general strikes will have any impact and will only inconvenience the general public,” said Naryan Chhetri, spokesperson for the ABGL.

The CPRM added that it would be “great” if Darjeeling MP Jaswant Singh, too, participated in the fast.

Legal threat to restore peace in the Darjeeling hills

GNLF leader Dawa Pakhrin today threatened to move Calcutta High Court against the state and central governments for their alleged failure to restore normality in the Darjeeling hills.

A former GNLF branch president of Kalimpong, Pakhrin also admitted a “difference of opinion” within the party, which he said, had been affecting its activities in the plains and the hills.

“We have repeatedly written to the Centre, state and both the human rights commissions, highlighting the atrocities of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. It is unfortunate that nothing has been done to restore normality in the hills, resulting in eviction of over 250 families who are spending days in the plains in pitiable conditions,” said Pakhrin, who gave up his party post on April 20, at a media conference here.

“We have decided to write a final letter to the chief minister and the Union home minister. If they continue with their silence, we will file a suit in the high court.”

Pakhrin said: “The GNLF chairman (Subash Ghisingh) is harping on the implementation of the Sixth Schedule, while we are in favour of Gorkhaland, our ultimate goal. This difference of opinion is affecting our activities.”

Source: The Telegraph

In hills, ban on govt cars - GNLF for wheel jam in Siliguri today

Darjeeling, April 18: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has “banned” the movement of government vehicles in the hills for an indefinite period, demanding the immediate arrest of GNLF supporters who had allegedly beaten up some Morcha men in the Terai last week. The “ban” extends to police cars as well.

The GNLF, too, has threatened a chakka jam tomorrow at Darjeeling More in Siliguri if the Morcha supporters involved in Tuesday’s clash are not arrested immediately. Subash Ghisingh’s supporters will stop all hill-bound vehicles and those coming down.

The Morcha has, however, decided to allow the subdivisional and the block offices to start functioning from tomorrow. It had shut down the offices on April 7, citing hike in water tax and lack of transparency in implementing the 100 days’ work scheme. Following the closure, the Darjeeling municipality rolled back the tax.

Party general secretary Roshan Giri said: “We have decided to open the subdivisional and the block offices from tomorrow, keeping in mind the census that has started.”

Media and publicity secretary Rohit Sharma said it was party president Bimal Gurung’s idea to go for the indefinite bandh. “We told him that we had imposed a 24-hour ban to press for the arrest of the GNLF supporters but he told us that this would not work and the ban should be indefinite.” Asked whether the “ban” on vehicles would affect the census, Giri said: “This is the party’s stand at the moment.”

This is not the first time that the Morcha has “banned” the movement of government vehicles. But given the government’s policy of non-confrontation in the hills, the administration is unlikely to take any action.

Morcha insiders, however, said the vehicle ban is a pressure tactics to force the state and the Centre to accept an interim arrangement for the hills that would include parts of the Dooars and the Terai.

Territory has been a major bone of contention between the government and the Morcha. The state and the Centre are reluctant to part with any part of the plains and want the interim set-up to be confined to the hills.

Source: The Telegraph

GNLF renews statehood demand on foundation day

Siliguri, Apr 5 (PTI) The Gorkha National Liberation Front today said it will mobilise public opinion against the 'Taliban' rules of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and pledged its resolve for a Gorkhaland state.

GNLF, which celebrated its foundation day today, renewed its statehood demand for Gorkhaland state.

GNLF would no longer demand Sixth schedule nor accept any interim settlement as suggested by the GJM, Dawa Pakhrin, party's Kalimpong unit chief, said in his address at Panighata in the foothills of Darjeeling, about 35 km from here.

"From today onwards, we will not settle for anything less than the statehood," Pakhrin said.

He said GNLF would now start mobilising public opinion against the 'Taliban' rules of GJM in the hills and regain its lost ground.

Source: PTI

GNLF cries govt apathy to plight - 200 families hounded out: ghisingh party

The GNLF today accused the state government of ignoring the plight of its supporters, alleging that around 200 families had been hounded out of the hills and their houses ransacked or torched by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha ever since its emergence almost three years ago.

It also said the government had trashed the order of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) directing the administration to ensure that all GNLF supporters returned home safely.

“The Morcha leaders and their followers have either torched or ransacked at least 65 houses of our supporters spread across the three hill subdivisions. Also, more than 200 families have been terrorised and forced to leave the hills by the Morcha. They are spending their days outside their homes, and the state government and police remain mute spectators,” said the GNLF’s Kalimpong branch president, Dawa Pakhrin.

Pakhrin threatened to sit on an indefinite hunger strike in front of Writers’ Buildings in Calcutta to protest the state government’s inability to arrest the culprits responsible for the crimes against GNLF supporters.

“Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is our chief minister as well and he cannot shun his responsibilities. We want the state to immediately establish the rule of law in the hills and take punitive action against those guilty of attacking the GNLF workers and torching and looting their houses. If he continues to remain silent to our requests, we would have no other option but to launch an indefinite hunger strike. Our party leaders will sit within a fortnight to chalk out the final plan for agitation,” he added.

According to Pakhrin, GNLF supporters have been crying hoarse over the issue since 2008 and had approached Bhattacharjee, Union home minister P. Chidambaram and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Pakhrin’s house in Kalimpong was torched along with the homes of several other GNLF leaders on July 26, 2008. The arson followed the death of Morcha supporter Pramila Sharma from a bullet fired allegedly from the house of the GNLF Darjeeling branch president Deepak Gurung a day earlier. The latest victim of alleged Morcha atrocity is Kurseong GNLF MLA Shanta Chhetri, whose house was set on fire on February 18.

“We had also filed petitions with the National Human Rights Commission, mentioning our plight. The NHRC had sent orders in December 2008 to the Bengal chief secretary and the director-general of police, directing them to take action against those who had indulged in these crimes and make arrangements so that we can return home. Nothing, however, has happened so far and we are still staying in Siliguri and in the plains,” the GNLF leader said.

The orders, issued by the assistant registrar (law) of the NHRC asks “……the state government of West Bengal to provide adequate protection to the leaders and members of GNLF and to take appropriate action against those who indulge in criminal activities…”.

It was further mentioned in the order that “…the state cannot abdicate its constitutional duty to protect the life and liberty of citizens. Omission to take action against persons indulging in crime amounts to negligence in prevention or violation of human rights…”.

Asked about the future plans of the GNLF, Pakhrin said: “We are not getting minimum legal support from the state or the police. There is no democratic ambience that allows the coexistence of all political parties in the hills. That is why we plan to go to the chief minister. Our party leaders are also contemplating holding a public meeting in Calcutta to apprise the residents of the state of the atrocities of the Morcha and the apathy of the state.”

Morcha leaders, however, have denied the allegations levelled by the GNLF. “They must not forget that they were responsible for the deaths of more than 1,200 people in the eighties when Subash Ghisingh led the bloody movement for Gorkhaland,” said Harka Bahadur Chhetri, the media and publicity secretary of the Morcha.

“We feel they are poor in statistics and are furnishing irrational figures. Forget 200, let them just name 20 families whose houses were torched and they were shoved out of the hills.

“It is better that the GNLF does not speak of democracy as, any party or individual in the hills, can voice his/her stand now, while during the GNLF era, nobody dared to speak out,” Chhetri added.

Source: The Telegraph

GNLF to hold ‘expose’ rally

The GNLF is planning to convene a public meeting in the Darjeeling hills this month to “expose” the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders.

The party is also thinking of observing its foundation day on April 5 in Kurseong after four years.

“After yesterday’s meeting in Delhi, it is apparent that the Morcha leaders are more interested in getting funds from the central government rather than achieving separate state,” said Rajen Mukhia, the convener of the GNLF’s Terai branch, today. “Quite aptly, they have been satisfied by the Centre’s offers. They came out of the meeting without expressing any anguish over the one-and-a-half months delay caused by the central and the state governments.”

Mukhia said they had apprised party president Subash Ghisingh of the Delhi meeting and he had instructed them to convene a public meeting in the hills before the end of March. “At that meeting, we will expose the Morcha leaders who are simply pocketing government funds and becoming millionaires over the years.”

At the foundation day rally, the GNLF will highlight how the Morcha leaders have deviated from the Gorkhaland issue. “They want to settle the matter with the governments and therefore harping on the formation of a regional authority,” Mukhia said.

“They have lost their relevance in the hills and like an expired medicine, their regime was also over on March 10, when their president (Bimal Gurung) failed to meet the commitment (of achieving the separate state).”

After March 15, when Gurung unveiled the “secret proposal”, the GNLF revived its political activities across the hills. A meeting was organised at Sukna the next day to criticise the document.

The GNLF accused the Morcha leaders of confusing the hill people for a separate state. “Unlike we, who gave no false hopes, they have been confusing the people over the past three years in the name of Gorkhaland,” Mukhia said.

Rahul Sinha, the state BJP president who reached here today, welcomed the outcome of the Delhi talks. “We have demanded talks to sort out the (Gorkhaland) issue. It is good that both the governments are finally convening meetings,” he said.

The Telegraph