Darjeeling on the boil: CM Mamata wants Bengali mandatory in schools, Gorkhas want Nepali, Hindi

[open-source]

Darjeeling on the boil: CM Mamata wants Bengali mandatory in schools, Gorkhas want Nepali, Hindi
After GJM cadres clashed with police following their protests against Mamata's decision to make Bengali compulsory in syllabus of schools, the Army was called in to control the situation.

After Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) cadres clashed with police following their protests against CM Mamata Banerjee's visit to Darjeeling and her decision to make Bengali compulsory in syllabus of schools across the state, the Army was called in to control the situation.

On request of the West Bengal government, Army has been deployed in Darjeeling to control the situation. Two Army columns each, comprising 80 men, have been moved.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has been campaigning for the creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland.






The GJM has been demanding Nepali as a language instead or can accept Hindi, but is strictly against the making of Bengali mandatory in all schools across the state.

Buses vandalised by GJM protesters in Darjeeling.



HERE IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. Thousands of GJM supporters had gathered on the streets and bylanes of the hills with black flags and placards.
2. The protests have intensified with each passing hour even as Mamata Banerjee held a cabinet meeting for the first time in the hills on Thursday, in an attempt to highlight the importance of the region for her state government.
3. The GJM supporters took out a protest rally only 100 metres away from the venue of the meeting. The protestors shouted slogans and burnt effigies of Mamata Banerjee.
4. The anger of protesters spiralled out of control. The police was finally forced to resort to lathicharge and fire tear gas shells on them.
5. The protesters retaliated by hurling stones at the cops and torching police vehicles, just outside the Bhanu Bhawan in Darjeeling where Mamata Banerjee was holding a cabinet meeting. The Army had to be called to control the situation.
6. Since thousands of people were involved in various processions in different parts of Darjeeling, the intensity of protests continued unabated. The GJM supporters decided to show their strength in numbers against Mamata's frequent visits to this Darjeeling region and repeated warnings to them to give up their demand of Gorkhaland.
7. The protesters kept shouting 'Jai Gorkha' slogans, waving black flags on the streets of Darjeeling and demanding that the voice of Gorkhaland be heard.
8. Founder President of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha Bimal Gurung said, "I want to thank all the people who have come from various places to be a part of this three-day rally. The people, who have revolted on the roads of Darjeeling, want to protect their Nepali language. Mamata Banerjee claims in the speech she gave in Mirik that this decision is not a compulsion. Studying Bengali is a choice. She needs to pass a bill in the assembly that Gorkha Nepali shall remain untouched and assure us of the protection of our language. Mamata has said that she will get a special audit conducted in this place. According to me, the audits should be imposed on Sharda scam, chit fund scam, Narda scam after which the ministers involved in corruption should be investigated. Her 'dadagiri' has become too much for us to stand. We won't let her gain political benefits from this land and we shall definitely strive for the creation of Gorkhaland."
9. Mamata Banerjee, however, said that she was concerned about the people of Darjeeling and that it was her government that had till now taken all decisions beneficial for the hills, including the recognition to the language.
10. Mamata had been threatening strong action against the GJM leaders, many of whom have been booked in cases of murder and vandalism of state property. She alleged that there were large-scale financial irregularities committed in the running of the autonomous council Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) by the GJM members.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/...rotests-bengali-school-syllabus/1/973908.html

 

[Hindustani78]

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...amata-banerjee-says-no-one-above-law-4697013/

AS THE 12-hour strike called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) paralysed life in the hills, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday described the bandh as “illegal” while saying that the “law will take its own course” against the protesters.

While most shops and markets kept their shutters down and vehicles stayed off the roads in Darjeeling, GJM workers reportedly torched an under-construction ITI building at Mungpoo — 33 km from Darjeeling. Even in the evening, a few shops were seen open in Darjeeling and the adjoining areas. Amid this, local channels were blacked out in the town.

The GJM on Friday announced that it will hold a central committee meeting of the party on Saturday to plan its future course of action. This comes a day after the Army was called in Darjeeling after violent protests erupted against the “imposition” of Bengali language by the state government.

Initially, while the state government had said that Bengali will be a mandatory subject in schools from Class I to X, it had later clarified that it will be optional for schools in the hills.

Following Thursday’s violence, the government had got an FIR lodged under non-bailable sections at Darjeeling Sadar police station against GJM chief Bimal Gurung and party general secretary Roshan Giri.

“The government has compromised a lot and the people of hills have endured a lot. The bandh is illegal and we will take legal action against those who took part in it. Those who are setting public properties on fire will not go scot-free. The government will not compromise with those who put lives of tourists in danger by organising violent protests and cause disruption to the common man by creating unrest. The government is very tough,” Mamata said after holding an emergency meeting at Richmond Hill in Darjeeling.

“Nobody is above law,” she added while adding that Friday’s violence in Darjeeling was “unfortunate” and should be condemned.

Meanwhile, the Army on Friday carried out flag marches in Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Kurseong. Initially, two Army columns were deployed in Darjeeling. Late Thursday, the Army was requisitioned by the state government for Kurseong and Kalimpong as a precautionary measure.

As of now, six columns have been deployed — three in Darjeeling, two in Kalimpong and one in Kurseong. Each column comprises 43 personnel.

Three companies of CRPF have also been deployed.

On Friday morning, Mamata was seen walking the streets of Darjeeling and asking shopowners to open their establishments. “Three or four people are doing all this. I will tell the tourists not to worry because the government is with them. We will give them full cooperation. We have already started free bus services for them to return to Bagdogra or Siliguri,” she said.

“I have been walking around since morning. I have seen the manner in which vehicles were set on fire. There was no issue or any incident. We want peace and development in the hills. The Army has already started route marches. Police are also taking action in a peaceful manner. Law will take its own course,” she added.

Speaking to the people through a microphone while travelling in a car, she said: “Do not worry. We are with you.”

Slamming the GJM, Mamata said: “The term of GTA is coming to an end. After failing to do any development in the hills, they are causing disruption and torturing the people. Lakhs of tourists come here and without them, the people will lose their business. I have no idea what kind of movement they are organising, which is forcing tourists away. They are driving away Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) from the hills. We are with the brothers and sisters of the hills and will give them full help and ask them not to support GJM chief Bimal Gurung.”

Later, after holding an emergency meeting, Mamata announced compensation for policemen who were injured in Thursday’s violence.

“One policeman was seriously injured. He has received injuries in an eye. We have decided to airlift him to Kolkata and give Rs 1 lakh to his family. If needed, we will send him to Singapore for treatment. Moreover, while Rs 25,000 each will be given to other injured policemen, Rs 20,000 each will be provided to others who were hurt.” Later, she visited the policemen at the hospital.

In the evening, Mamata reportedly left Darjeeling for Siliguri, where she is set to hold a meeting on Saturday.

While 3,906 tourists arrived at the Bagdogra airport on Friday, some were seen paying exorbitant fares to arrange for private vehicles in a bid to return to the plains. The state government has set up two help desks at Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Stand and the Mall.

Roshan Giri said GJM was also arranging private vehicles and buses for stranded tourists. “We are helping them because the strike was called at the eleventh hour,” he added.

On Friday, GJM workers stopped a government bus in Kurseong, which was ferrying passengers to the plains, and started a demonstration. With the intervention of Army personnel, the demonstration was lifted and the bus was allowed to leave.

The state government, meanwhile, has set up a six-member committee to carry out a special audit of funds received by the GTA in the last five years. The report has to be submitted within two weeks. A PIL was also filed at Calcutta High Court demanding the the state government’s intervention to end the unrest in the hills. It will be heard next week.

 

[scorpionx]

Bengali is not even a second language in their curriculum, it is fourth language. Ans this 'enforcment of foreign language' should have occurred to Gurung before the six member enquiry committee was formed to probe corruption charges in GTA. And don't forget election is coming. So Gurung really have to try harder.

 

[Kedardel]

Will the Modi Govt. make a Gorhaland, next state of India, out of WB??

 

[Hindustani78]

Mahabharata speaks of Paundraka Vasudeva who was lord of the Pundras and who allied himself with Jarasandha against Krishna. The Mahabharata also speaks of Bengali kings called Chitrasena and Sanudrasena who were defeated by Bhima and Kalidasa mentions Raghu defeating a coalition of Vanga kings.

in 1905 Bengal was divided by the British rulers . The partition stoked controversy among hardline Hindu nationalists, who described it as an attempt to "divide and rule" the Bengali homeland.

Researcher on Rabindra Nath Tagore Bikach Chowdhury said: “Tagore’s close relations with the princely state of Tripura and its four successive tribal kings form an important chapter in the state’s history. This relationship prompted him to visit the state as many as seven times between 1899 and 1926.”

“Tripura had a special place in many of Tagore’s songs and he wrote a number of novels with the then princely state’s history as the theme. Some of these are ‘Bisharjan’, ‘Rajarshi’ and ‘Mukut’,” he added

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...ney-in-time/story-7hPeYh3E6MvdCISrqNDUzM.html

Darjeeling’s British legacy: A journey in time

Hindustan Times chronicles some magnificent structures from the British era that have evolved into Darjeeling’s heritage landmarks

St. Joseph’s School, North Point started its journey in 1888(HT Photo)

Darjeeling, the queen of the hills, is on the boil again.

Sporadic violence since the inception of Gorkhaland movement in mid-80s has taken much of the sheen off the quiant hill station. It’s no longer as popular a tourist destination as it used to be when Rajesh Khanna crooned “Mere Sapno Ki Rani Kab Aayegi Tu”, driving a jeep across the picturesque hills dotted with tea gardens in the movie Aradhana.

But despite all odds, Darjeeling still offers old-world charm, thanks to colonial structures that withstood the test of time.

Here HT chronicles some magnificent structures from the British era that have evolved into Darjeeling’s heritage landmarks.

The Town Hall and Clock Tower: Located on Landenla Road, the main thoroughfare, the town hall houses the Darjeeling Municipality.

houses the Darjeeling Municipality. (HT Photo)

Its foundation stone was laid by Lord Ronaldshay in October 1917. The hall was built at an estimated cost of Rs 2.5 lakh, half of which was donated by the maharaja of Cooch Behar. The plan included a hall big enough for 600 people, a reading room, a square, a 100-ft-high stone clock tower, an octagonal gable roof and flag-staff.

It was inaugurated by Ronaldshay in 1921. A full- fledged municipality was set up in the build in 1850.

The clock has four faces, just like the Big Ben. It was set up by GT Gent and Company, England. The clock though survived a devastating fire in 1996, had stopped working. It was repaired in 2006, thanks to the efforts put in by the Darjeeling Rotary Club. The town hall has been declared a heritage site by the West Bengal Heritage Commission.

St. Andrew’s Church: This is arguably the most prominent and picturesque landmark of Darjeeling. The foundation stone of this old Anglican church was laid on November 30, 1843, the day dedicated to St.Andrew. The first visitors were mostly Scottish soldiers and tea planters. The building was built at a cost of Rs 9000 - a princely sum back in those days - to accommodate a congregation of around 150 people.

is arguably the most prominent and picturesque landmark of Darjeeling. (HT Photo)

The edifice was erected under the supervision of Captain Bishop, commander of the troops. The clock tower was erected in 1883 and the north and south transepts with porches were added in 1897. There are plaques set up in the memory of some of the famous residents, including Lt. General Llyod, the discoverer of Darjeeling who died in 1865 and Charlotte Canning, wife of Charles Canning who served as the Governor General during the Sepoy Mutiny. Charlotte came to Darjeeling in 1861 to sketch the landscapes. On her way back, she halted at the Terai where she contracted malaria and died in Calcutta.

St. Joseph’s School, North Point: This renowned school started its journey at Sunny Banks in 1888. It was shifted to its present location on Lebong Card Road in 1892. The property was procured by Fr. Henri Depelchin, SJ, the founder. The foundation stone was laid on April 27, 1890, and on February 18, 1892 the building welcomed the first batch of North Pointers. In 1908, Sir Andrew Fraser donated Rs. 21,000 which was used to complete the construction started by Brother Eugene Rotsaert.

The maharaja of Burdwan owned the Ladbrooke Farm just below the construction site. It was acquired on long-term lease.

In 1934, St. Joseph’s was severely damaged by an earthquake. The west wing was thoroughly shaken. The outdoor infirmary collapsed and the ornamental turrets at Fraser Hall were thrown down the slope towards Tukvar Road.

So severe was the damage that school holidays had to be extended till the property was deemed fit for occupation. A clock tower, swimming pool and an auditorium were added in recent years.

St. Luke’s Garrison Church: Located at the Jalapahar Army Cantonment, the church was founded in 1889 exclusively for the British army. However, in September 1948, it stopped functioning since few Christians were left in the army of Independent India. Also, the steep three-km walk discouraged town people from paying a visit. The magnificent gothic structure was subsequently converted to a multi-purpose hall for the army to hold parties. It also served as an indoor badminton court. In 2006, the army decided to restore the Church to its former glory. The single-storey structure suffered heavily in the earthquake of 1935 and extensive repairs were carried out.

MacFarlane Memorial Church, Kalimpong: The most prominent landmark in Kalimpong is 125 years old. It is named after William MacFarlane, the first missionary from the Church of Scotland who visited Darjeeling in 1870. The structure is a visual treat.

125-year-old MacFarlane Memorial Church in Kalimpong is a visual treat. (HT Photo)

The foundation stone was laid in 1890 and it was opened in 1891. Designed in Scottish style, the church belongs to the Gothic revival school of architecture. It is said that the tower and pinnacles were added later. The structure was damaged in an earthquake in 2011 and it remained closed till 2013.

was founded in 1889 exclusively for the British army. (HT Photo)

125-year-old MacFarlane Memorial Church in Kalimpong is a visual treat. (HT Photo)

The foundation stone was laid in 1890 and it was opened in 1891. Designed in Scottish style, the church belongs to the Gothic revival school of architecture. It is said that the tower and pinnacles were added later. The structure was damaged in an earthquake in 2011 and it remained closed till 2013.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...-bengal-govt-set-for-face-off-monday-4699427/
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the West Bengal government are set to have a showdown on Monday over the former’s call for a shutdown of all government offices in the hills. While GJM chief Bimal Gurung has said they will not allow the state government offices to function, the government has issued a circular, warning employees of loss of pay and disciplinary action if they do not turn up on Monday. Heavy deployment of forces will be made at all government establishments, sources in police have said.

GJM chief Bimal Gurung on Sunday demanded that the Centre immediately set up a committee for the formation of a separate state of Gorkhaland and warned of retaliation if police use force against protesters. “Our protest will be democratic, but if police use force, I won’t be responsible for what happens. If force is used against us, we will resist it. The people want Gorkhaland. That is our only goal. We will not allow the state government to run offices in the hills and the adjoining areas,” the GJM chief told reporters.

“The central government should immediately form a committee for the formation of a separate state of Gorkhaland. We will send a team to Delhi soon. No government, be it the state government or the Centre, can undermine the sentiments of the people,” he said. Nearly 100 Trinamool Congress workers joined GJM in Gurung’s presence on Sunday at the outfit’s office in Patlaybass in Darjeeling. “This is only five. Police may arrest 5,000 of us. We don’t care. We stand united on the issue of Gorkhaland,” said Gurung. District magistrate, Darjeeling, Joyoshi Das Gupta, said, “All measures will be taken to ensure normalcy.”

While the GJM has asked its workers in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Mirik and other areas to enforce the shutdown of government offices and to organise rallies, the ruling Trinamool Congress has announced that it will hold marches against the shutdown call. Besides deploying force at government offices and establishments, the administration is also trying to provide security to officials and employees who attend work on Monday in Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong, Mirik and other areas. Police has been asked to take steps to prevent arson and destruction of public property.

The state government circular, asking employees to report to work, has exempted employees who are hospitalised or if there is a death in the family. Those severely ill from before June 9 (when the unrest began) and those whose maternity leave, medical leave or earned leave was sanctioned before June 9 have also been exempted.

Meanwhile, five GJM workers were arrested in connection with incidents of arson on Thursday. Sanjib Tamang, Rabindra Pradhan, Tika Tamang, Santosh Thapa and Bhuban Giri were produced in court and remanded in police custody for two days. On Sunday, Darjeeling and the adjoining areas remained normal, but the number of tourists had dropped considerably.

 

[pikkuboss]

Will the Modi Govt. make a Gorhaland, next state of India, out of WB??

No, Creating Gorkhaland will make him loss the greater Bengal. He would prefer to continue playing the game.

 

[Hindustani78]

No, Creating Gorkhaland will make him loss the greater Bengal. He would prefer to continue playing the game.

In 1905, Bengal proper was partitioned, with Eastern Bengal and Assam headquartered in Dacca and Shillong (summer capital).

 

[Hindustani78]

A bus torched allegedly be GJM workers in in Patlebas in Darjeeling district of West Bengal.

 

[Hindustani78]

Indian army personnel stand guard during an indefinite strike called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in Darjeeling, West Bengal on June 16, 2017. Paramilitary troops and riot police increased patrolling after fresh violence as a result of a raid at GJM party chief Bimal Gurung’s office on Thursday. The GJM’s call for an indefinite strike stems from demands for a separate state of Gorkhaland and escalated with apprehensions against the imposition of Bengali language in local schools. (Diptendu Dutta/AFP)

Security personnel watch from a distance as a vehicle torched by suspected protestors after a raid at GJM chief Bimal Gurung’s office, goes up in flames in Darjeeling, West Bengal. (AP)

Police personnel stop Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supporters following a raid at the GJM office in Darjeeling on June 15, 2017. Incidents of arson against government establishments were reported throughout Thursday. (Diptendu Dutta/AFP)

Stranded tourists wait for communication during the indefinite strike called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. Tourists in the hill station have been left stranded with transport, hotels and food services affected. (Diptendu Dutta/AFP)

A woman carries her child as paramilitary personnel stand guard on June 16, 2017. Schools, ATMs and markets also remained closed. (Diptendu Dutta/AFP)

A child rides her tricycle as paramilitary personnel stand guard in the background in Darjeeling, on June 16, 2017. (Diptendu Dutta/AFP)

Resident sit outside a shuttered shop reading newspapers with normal life at a pause and an indefinite strike in place. (Diptendu Dutta/AFP)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...indian-idol/story-APP3gCHTH6VQeiOT5G6LAJ.html
How the man behind Darjeeling’s Gorkhaland protests owes his rise to Indian Idol
In 2007, Bimal Gurung formed the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) to fight for Gorkhaland.
india Updated: Jun 16, 2017 19:55 IST

Probir Pramanik
Hindustan Times

Bimal Gurung, head of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) party takes part in a news conference in Darjeeling on June 14, 2017.(AFP Photo)
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...indian-idol/story-APP3gCHTH6VQeiOT5G6LAJ.html
Bimal Gurung, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leader blamed for the recent turmoil in West Bengal’s Darjeeling, owes his rise to a TV reality show.

He was a foot-soldier of Subhash Ghising, the leader who spearheaded the violent Gorkha agitation for a separate state in the 1980s, until Prashant Tamang – a Kolkata police constable hailing from the Darjeeling hills – caught popular imagination by qualifying for the last rounds of the Indian Idol song contest.

Gurung helped Tamang’s cause by reaching out to Nepali-speaking residents of Darjeeling and adjoining areas to vote via SMS for Tamang, who ultimately won the 2008 edition of the show.

Nearly a decade later, Tamang has fallen off the radar. But Gurung is still going strong, even though he is on the run after police raided his office as violence erupted over the ‘imposition’ of Bengali language in the hills by chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Having signed a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the state and settled for an autonomous administrative council instead of full-fledged statehood, just months ago Gurung was faced with the real possibility of losing both the plot and personal popularity. The latest controversy, however, has given him a fresh lifeline.

“He may in hiding for now, but his political future has been secured for the short term,” said a bureaucrat not willing to be named.

Few, in fact, dare to speak aloud about Gurung publicly in the hills. The 53-year-old leader has over the years acquired a fearsome reputation. He once led the dreaded Gorkha Volunteer Corps, the militant wing of Ghising’s Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF).

The Corps is suspected to have been behind many killings and kidnappings that marked the Gorkhaland agitation in the 1980s. Gurung first became an elected member of the autonomous council from Chow Bazar of Darjeeling town in 1999 after the murder of the sitting member Rudra Kumar Pradhan.

“He rules by fear,” said a police official who once served in the hills. Ghising had to flee Darjeeling after his bitter fallout with Gurung. Madan Tamang, a prominent Gorkha leader critical of Gurung, was hacked to death in broad daylight in 2012.

The latest turmoil, however, has overshadowed Gurung’s controversial past. With popular sentiment in the hills ranged against the state government, Gurung has once again emerged as the rallying point for local pride.

Still the elected chief executive officer of the autonomous Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, Gurung – the son of a tea garden worker - has now threatened to carry on with the agitation for statehood until it is achieved. “We will not stop,” he is reported to have said before going underground.

TIMELINE OF DARJEELING CRISIS
June 5

• West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee reaches Darjeeling for a 4-day trip.
• At a public meeting in Mirik, Banerjee announces special audit of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) to unearth financial irregularities that Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders allegedly indulged in.
• GJM supporter arrested for showing black flag to CM.

June 8

• GJM supporters organise agitation close to Raj Bhavan where Banerjee is holding a cabinet meeting.
• At press meet, CM clarifies Bengali will not be compulsory for hill students. In May, she had declared Bengali as a mandatory subject for students till Class 10 in schools across the state.
• Clashes erupt between police and GJM supporters
• Banerjee calls in the army as situation deteriorates.
• Bengal government withdraws security cover of GJM chief Bimal Gurung.

June 9

• GJM youth wing calls 12-hour bandh in the hills.

June 10

• In Siliguri, Banerjee hints at stern police action to deal with GJM. "Enough is enough. We can’t compromise any longer with a party that uses bombs and guns," she says.

• GJM retaliates by calling indefinite bandh.
• Agitators set fire to an outpost in Kalimpong
• Clashes erupt again between police and GJM supporters at Patlebas.
• Police claim they were fired upon by GJM supporters.
  

June 12GJM supporters set fire to the block development office in Bijanbari around midnight of June 11-12.

• Protesters set fire to PWD office and vandalise a state-run power utility office in Darjeeling.
  

June 13

• Resolution to push for separate state of Gorkhaland adopted at a meet by 4 political parties of the hills, the BJP and an apolitical body.

June 15

• Police raid GJM office in Patlebas, about 5 km from Darjeeling, seize weapons such as bows and arrows, axe, scythes and cash
  
  

June 20

• Date of the next all-party meeting

With the hills suddenly ablaze, even his rivals have begun to fall in line. Neeraj Zimba, the spokesman of Ghising’s GNLF, has expressed readiness to agitate for separate Gorkhaland under Gurung’s leadership. “We are ready to work under the collective leadership and don’t mind if Bimal Gurung leads the alliance,” Zimba said after a joint meeting of several parties last week. Most parties with a strong footprint in the hills participated in the meeting.

Dr Harka Bahadur Chettri, leader of the pro-Gorkhaland Jan Andolan Party which boycotted the meeting, also lent support to the Gorkhaland cause. Chettri has demanded that Gurung’s GJM extract a pledge from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for a separate state. The BJP has twice won the Darjeeling parliamentary seat with support from the GJM.

Ironically, Gurung finds himself on a strong wicket while on the run. The imposition of Bengali – a misplaced fear since the government has since clarified that it is optional and not compulsory – has allowed him fresh political ammunition. If he is arrested, he will acquire a brighter halo.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...ends-report/story-FqQTV3JqxZuUcM7QH7WDIK.html

The Centre said on Friday it will not send additional forces to quell a violent agitation in Bengal’s hill districts till the Mamata Banerjee government gives a report on the situation in the semi-autonomous region.

The government’s refusal could lead to a showdown with the Trinamool regime, which accuses the BJP of backing the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM)’s agitation for a separate state.

Since Thursday, rampaging protesters have torched government buildings and vehicles to protest a police raid on an office of the GJM which administers the Gorkha Territorial Council (GTC).

“We will take a decision on sending additional paramilitary forces only when we make an assessment of the prevailing situation in Darjeeling. It is possible only when we receive a report from the state government, which has not sent it yet,” a home ministry spokesperson said in Delhi.

On Thursday, the Centre had agreed to send 400 personnel to Darjeeling, in addition to 1,000 sent earlier. The state has sought eight more companies of central paramilitary forces even as the chief minister sent seven additional IPS officers to the hills to control the situation.

The Centre sought a report from the Trinamool government on June 13, days after the first wave of violence started over an alleged move to impose Bengali in schools in the hills.

Though the state government later said the subject will be optional, the GJM refused to back down and revived its demand for a separate state.

On Friday, the Calcutta high court declared as illegal an GJM-called indefinite shutdown, upholding its own order in 2013.

The court also sought an estimate from the state government on the losses incurred due to the agitation that has affected the region’s biggest money-spinner, tourism.

As violence raged across three districts including Darjeeling, a popular hill station, security forces guarded sensitive areas across the hills. The army was called out last week.

Though the GJM suffered a setback in court, in Darjeeling it won the support of the Jan Andolan Party (JAP) which has not joined the protests. The JAP had skipped a called by GJM on June 13 for a resolution to fight for Gorkhaland.

Led by party chief Harkabahadur Chettri, JAP activists staged a silent march in Kalimpong to demand Gorkhaland and to protest the raid on GJM’s office.

Chettri carried a placard that said,“I support Gorkhaland. Arrest me.”

Throughout the day, the streets were deserted as shops and business establishments remained closed. GJM president Bimal Gurung continued to remain in hiding fearing arrest.

A few hundred tourists were still stranded in the hills following the bandh called on Thursday.

Throughout Thursday night, suspected protestors attacked government properties including torching residential quarters of forest department employees at Tarkhola, about 30 km from Kalimpong town.

A primary health centre run by the state government-owned Ramam hydel project at Lodhama, about 70 km from Darjeeling and an supply were also set on fire. A panchayat building in Mirik, where the Trinamool Congress won the civic poll last month, was also set on fire.

The Ghayabari railway station of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, popularly known as the toy train, was set ablaze on Thursday night but local people managed to douse the fire.

The station is 31 km from Siliguri, which falls under Darjeeling district but not part of the GTC.

(With agency inputs)

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...jm-mlas-son/article19092804.ece?homepage=true

Even as a press conference by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is awaited in Kolkata,one person was killed and several were injured in a firing and other incidents in the Darjeeling hills on the third day of an indefinite strike called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morch (GJM).

While the identity of the deceased is yet to be ascertained, a GJM leader claimed that the person was a mid-level leader of the party.

The police, however, said that they “are not responsible for the firing.” ADGP (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma said, “We will investigate how the person has died and share it with you [journalists].”

GJM assistant general secretary Bimal Tamang confirmed the death of a party worker. He also said Darjeeling MLA Amar Singh Rai's son Vikram Rai, who was associated with the media cell of the outfit, was released. Mr. Rai was interrogated by the police for three hours, he claimed.

According to his family members, Vikram Rai was picked up by the police from his Darjeeling residence in the early hours of Saturday. Police said he was arrested in connection with the violence on June 8 in Darjeeling.

In fresh violence in the day, protesters targeted police and media vehicles. Following this, nearly all drivers left the hills.

A large number of supporters of the women's wing of the GJM clashed with the police during a rally in the Singmari area.

When women, raising pro-Gorkhaland slogans, took out the rally from Patlebas, they were confronted by security forces. The police had to face another rally coming from the opposite direction. GJM supporters hurled stones, bottles at policemen, prompting them to resort to lathi-charge and lob tear gas shells.

There was a pitched battle between GJM supporters and security forces and vehicles were burnt near Singmari.

A bunglow of the Public Works Department at Bijanbari was set on fire by miscreants.

The GJM has called for rallies across the hills.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...ts-stranded-in-darjeeling/article19090240.ece

Stampede-like situation prevails as people force their way into the few vehicles
It has been one of best holiday seasons for the tourism industry in Darjeeling but the sudden shutdown in the hills over the demand for a separate State of Gorkhaland has abruptly put an end to it.

On Friday, when there was a complete shutdown in Darjeeling, a huge crowd of tourists gathered at the Chowk Bazaar area, waiting for hours for a vehicle to take them back to Siliguri.

With the indefinite shutdown called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) after a raid at party president Bimal Gurung’s residence, hotels in the hills have asked tourists to leave one of the country’s most sought after holiday destinations as early as possible, citing limited supply of food and other essentials. Private vehicle operators have completely stopped operating.

A resident of Kolkata’s Salt Lake area, Tithi Mukhopadhay and her father Tapas Mukhopadhyay had already waited for six hours at Chowk Bazaar. “We have two children and two senior citizens who have had nothing except biscuits since yesterday,” Ms. Mukhopadhyay told The Hindu.

The family had arrived in the hills on June 11 and had booking till June 17 (Saturday) but had to leave the hotel early on Friday morning. “We have been standing here since 6 a.m. Now it is past noon and not a single vehicle has come,” Ms. Mukhopadhyay said.

Tourists from different States across the country as well as foreign tourists waited for hours, hoping the State government would provide vehicles.

“Darjeeling is a very nice place but there is no food and water. We are forced to go back,” said Sebastain, a tourist from France.

Long wait

Almost 1,000 tourists waited for State government vehicles to take them to Siliguri. By the evening, there was a near stampede-like situation when tourists tried to force their way into the vehicles. The State government was able to provide about half a dozen buses and one truck.

The owner of a reputed hotel in Darjeeling town rued the fact that the shutdown had brought life to a complete halt. “We had full bookings till the first week of July. With the shutdown, there is not a single tourist in our hotel,” he said.

Tourism is the backbone of the Darjeeling economy.

 

[Banglar Bir]

Bangla Mamata
Ekram Kabir
Published at 07:00 PM June 16, 2017
Last updated at 08:11 PM June 16, 2017

It’s good that Mamata took the Bangla language seriously/AFP
Bangladesh could provide a roadmap for Mamata Banerjee
The recent protests in Darjeeling hills against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have drawn attention from many circles.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha came out in the street and called for a general strike against what they claimed was the chief minister’s decision to impose Bangla language in the schools there.

She, however, denied that it wasn’t an imposition as such. She has also exempted Darjeeling from implementing the decision.

A friend of mine living in Kolkata tells me that the state of Bangla language and culture in the entirety of West Bengal is at stake. The Bengali culture along with the language have been going through a crisis due to a weird onslaught of Hindi corporate culture.

The intelligentsia in West Bengal are also worried about the very existence of Bangla. This has also made the state administration apprehensive, and that’s why perhaps the chief minister has started thinking about the means to re-energise the glory of Bangla and the culture related to the language.

Damage control

This phenomenon perhaps has resulted in an attempt to make Bangla language compulsory in the schools of West Bengal. That’s perfectly OK for a government to do: Make Bangla a compulsory subject at the school level.

Perhaps she also wanted to create socio-economic opportunities for the Adivasis in West Bengal by involving them in the mainstream education. Previously, Bangla wasn’t a compulsory subject in the state; from now on it will be one.

There may be another reason for her to evoke the people’s sentiment around Bangla; perhaps she wanted to prevent BJP from gaining influence in West Bengal by using Bangla as a tool. There are a few states in India where the native languages are compulsory in schools. Therefore, making another native language compulsory in education may not be a new thing to do, but the way she has announced it made it seem like an imposition.

We all know that a language cannot be imposed on a population that has been bathing in a particular language for thousands of years. Since the history of the world is a history of migration, it’s the people who have carried languages from one place to another and thereby changed the flow of a language.

A language is like a flowing river; it changes course naturally; whenever one tries to change its course by putting up dams and or any other obstruction, the problems originate from there

A language is like a flowing river; it changes course naturally; whenever one tries to change its course by putting up dams and or any other obstruction, problems emerge.

Allow me to cite some examples from America. At the federal level, there is no official language, although there have been efforts to make English the official one. Louisiana state is unofficially bilingual in English and French. Hawaiians are officially bilingual — in English and Hawaiian.

Three American territories are also bilingual: American Samoa (Samoan and English), Guam (English and Chamorro), and Puerto Rico (Spanish and English). One US territory is trilingual: Northern Marianas Islands (English, Chamorro, and Carolinian).

The American states with a large Hispanic immigrant population such as California, Texas, and Florida often provide government services at the municipal level in Spanish as well as English.

In Florida, for example, Hialeah recognises both English and Spanish while Miami recognises English, Haitian Creole, and Spanish as official government languages.

Therefore, you see, it also depends on the people’s background as to which language would be spoken as well as used by them. If a language of a certain place or population is changed, it would change like the natural course of a river. Any kind of imposition is not wise.

A history lesson for the unwise
Remember what Pakistani leader Mohammad Ali Jinnah tried with Urdu in the erstwhile East Pakistan when he declared that Urdu would also be the language of Bengali-speaking people? He, perhaps, didn’t think much when he (or his advisers) decided to announce this (they miserably failed to fathom the consequences of the announcement).

His intention to impose a language brought misfortune. His announcement ignited protests in Bangladesh; they open fired on the peaceful protests. That’s when the seed of independence of Bangladesh was sown by a leader who sought linguistic hegemony in order to rule.

Yes, there could be one predominant language in a country where diverse languages exist. For example, Emperor Akbar had introduced Urdu as the language for the language of his troops who came from many different backgrounds.

Over the years, preserving a language and trying to enrich it have become a right of a population. Therefore, nations across the world have language policies — for preserving and enriching their existing language, not to imperialise their own language.

Will Banerjee follow Bangladesh?
Bangladesh could be a good example for Banerjee. We also made Bangla compulsory for the Adivasi population; and it continues to be compulsory. However, the government in Dhaka has changed its policy as far as the Adivasis are concerned.

There are many indigenous languages in Bangladesh. For Adivasis, the mode of education at the primary level is their own respective languages. They are taught in six languages in schools. Bangladesh government also has a plan to develop a dictionary of all Adivasi languages.

All said and done, we the Bangla-lovers must thank Banerjee for taking Bangla language seriously and making an attempt to uphold our language across her constituency. For doing that, she may have to engage the West Bengal litterateurs and the media in a massive way.

Ekram Kabir is a fiction writer.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/opinion/op-ed/2017/06/16/bangla-mamata/

 

[wiseone2]

Bangla Mamata
Ekram Kabir
Published at 07:00 PM June 16, 2017
Last updated at 08:11 PM June 16, 2017

It’s good that Mamata took the Bangla language seriously/AFP
Bangladesh could provide a roadmap for Mamata Banerjee
The recent protests in Darjeeling hills against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have drawn attention from many circles.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha came out in the street and called for a general strike against what they claimed was the chief minister’s decision to impose Bangla language in the schools there.

She, however, denied that it wasn’t an imposition as such. She has also exempted Darjeeling from implementing the decision.

A friend of mine living in Kolkata tells me that the state of Bangla language and culture in the entirety of West Bengal is at stake. The Bengali culture along with the language have been going through a crisis due to a weird onslaught of Hindi corporate culture.

The intelligentsia in West Bengal are also worried about the very existence of Bangla. This has also made the state administration apprehensive, and that’s why perhaps the chief minister has started thinking about the means to re-energise the glory of Bangla and the culture related to the language.

Damage control

This phenomenon perhaps has resulted in an attempt to make Bangla language compulsory in the schools of West Bengal. That’s perfectly OK for a government to do: Make Bangla a compulsory subject at the school level.

Perhaps she also wanted to create socio-economic opportunities for the Adivasis in West Bengal by involving them in the mainstream education. Previously, Bangla wasn’t a compulsory subject in the state; from now on it will be one.

There may be another reason for her to evoke the people’s sentiment around Bangla; perhaps she wanted to prevent BJP from gaining influence in West Bengal by using Bangla as a tool. There are a few states in India where the native languages are compulsory in schools. Therefore, making another native language compulsory in education may not be a new thing to do, but the way she has announced it made it seem like an imposition.

We all know that a language cannot be imposed on a population that has been bathing in a particular language for thousands of years. Since the history of the world is a history of migration, it’s the people who have carried languages from one place to another and thereby changed the flow of a language.

A language is like a flowing river; it changes course naturally; whenever one tries to change its course by putting up dams and or any other obstruction, the problems originate from there

A language is like a flowing river; it changes course naturally; whenever one tries to change its course by putting up dams and or any other obstruction, problems emerge.

Allow me to cite some examples from America. At the federal level, there is no official language, although there have been efforts to make English the official one. Louisiana state is unofficially bilingual in English and French. Hawaiians are officially bilingual — in English and Hawaiian.

Three American territories are also bilingual: American Samoa (Samoan and English), Guam (English and Chamorro), and Puerto Rico (Spanish and English). One US territory is trilingual: Northern Marianas Islands (English, Chamorro, and Carolinian).

The American states with a large Hispanic immigrant population such as California, Texas, and Florida often provide government services at the municipal level in Spanish as well as English.

In Florida, for example, Hialeah recognises both English and Spanish while Miami recognises English, Haitian Creole, and Spanish as official government languages.

Therefore, you see, it also depends on the people’s background as to which language would be spoken as well as used by them. If a language of a certain place or population is changed, it would change like the natural course of a river. Any kind of imposition is not wise.

A history lesson for the unwise
Remember what Pakistani leader Mohammad Ali Jinnah tried with Urdu in the erstwhile East Pakistan when he declared that Urdu would also be the language of Bengali-speaking people? He, perhaps, didn’t think much when he (or his advisers) decided to announce this (they miserably failed to fathom the consequences of the announcement).

His intention to impose a language brought misfortune. His announcement ignited protests in Bangladesh; they open fired on the peaceful protests. That’s when the seed of independence of Bangladesh was sown by a leader who sought linguistic hegemony in order to rule.

Yes, there could be one predominant language in a country where diverse languages exist. For example, Emperor Akbar had introduced Urdu as the language for the language of his troops who came from many different backgrounds.

Over the years, preserving a language and trying to enrich it have become a right of a population. Therefore, nations across the world have language policies — for preserving and enriching their existing language, not to imperialise their own language.

Will Banerjee follow Bangladesh?
Bangladesh could be a good example for Banerjee. We also made Bangla compulsory for the Adivasi population; and it continues to be compulsory. However, the government in Dhaka has changed its policy as far as the Adivasis are concerned.

There are many indigenous languages in Bangladesh. For Adivasis, the mode of education at the primary level is their own respective languages. They are taught in six languages in schools. Bangladesh government also has a plan to develop a dictionary of all Adivasi languages.

All said and done, we the Bangla-lovers must thank Banerjee for taking Bangla language seriously and making an attempt to uphold our language across her constituency. For doing that, she may have to engage the West Bengal litterateurs and the media in a massive way.

Ekram Kabir is a fiction writer.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/opinion/op-ed/2017/06/16/bangla-mamata/

The Gorkha issue has been alive in West Bengal for the past 30 years

 

[pothead]

This is BJP hitting back at Mamta. Should keep her busy for next couple of years.
Wait for similar incidents to break out in all opposition states. Next in line is Kerala & Karnataka. oh, the fun BJP will have in Karnataka....