Politically, Darjeeling-Duars never belonged to West Bengal. The region was ruled by Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal. This has been admitted by the Government of West Bengal in a White Paper published in 1986.
There are so many associations in Darjeeling. All of them, including those that doesn’t exist or has come about overnight, has announced their support to one or the other candidate that we felt there was no point in supporting any candidate. Actually, by keeping aloof from the political scenarios, we wanted to protect our identity without being seen as frustrated
“People here are looking for a permanent political solution in the highest form of constitutional autonomy. They will vote in favour of BJP as it has always tried to accommodate the Gorkha aspirations in its political manifesto while the Bengal government has clearly stated that they oppose the idea of Gorkhaland,” he said.
The eldest son of Doma and Jagat Singh Tamang, Dipen was a resident of Chambi village under Sitong-1 of Kurseong, his in-laws are from Latpanchar. He did his schooling from Panchvati Shelpu High School. He leaves behind a young wife and a baby son.
Some tea–gardens are planning not to vote at all. Every hill vote is important. Do not waste it. Names of favourites unlikely-to-be-voted are also being suggested as candidate. There can be only two parties fighting it out this election–TMC and the GNLF-GJMM original. It is clear what each means for the future. There are no more choices. So use your precious votes judiciously.
Asked if and how many had been refused entry into India, the Home Minister C Rajagopalachari referred to the customary nature of Tibetan travel to India: “They are ordinary trading people and no question of refusal arises.”
Here is a rare historical document from Bhasa Andolan Days. On Mirik on 15 August 1982 – our “Bhasa Sangrami” demanded that the beautiful bridge over Mirik Lake named as ‘Indreni Bridge’ in honour of INA freedom fighter Sahid Indreni Thapa by Late Tirtha Singh Moktan in a programme organized by All India Nepali Bhasa Samity, Mirik Branch.
If we compromise today, thousands of Gorkha youths like me will be asked, not only in distant foreign lands, but also in our own country, “are you from Nepal”. They will always be looked upon with suspicion, and they will continue to be discriminated against.
Sangeeta Mall, the wife of Martyred Gorkha jawan Shisir Mall, who made the supreme sacrifice while battling terrorists in J&K, was commissioned into the Indian Army after passing out from the Officers Training Academy in Chennai on Saturday.
Ever since Pakistan achieved nuclear parity with India in the 1980s, it had clung on the precarious nuclear balance to allow itself to sponsor low-intensity…