In 2024, the contest was between two major party – BJP and TMC, however, the contest had been made interesting by the entry of individuals, who are popular on social media. The interesting equation was made further interesting by the entry of Kurseong MLA Bishnu Prasad Sharma, who entered the fray against his own party BJP’s official candidate Raju Bista.
The students from Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars used to have hostel rooms given on priority, considering the actual distance needed to travel to NBU, difficul geographical conditions, physical remoteness of the place from where students would come etc. However, students allege that since the past few years, the NBU administration has only noted the distance denoted in the Google Map, without considering the actual time taken for reaching NBU, while allocating the hostel rooms. Because of this, majority of the hill students are being deprived of hotel rooms by NBU authorities.
In a shocking incident, senior nurse from Darjeeling Sr. N. Tamang, who is currently posted in the Maharaja Jirendra Narayan Medical College and Hospital, Cooch Behar was physically assaulted and verbally abused by a first year PGT Dr. Vivek Raj.
When we were young, you needed a special permit to drive from Bhanu Bhawan to the Zoo. Today, there are many “taxi stands” that have come up on the Mall Road. Who permitted those stands? So much so, even the Mahakal Mandir premise has been converted into Hotel and Taxi Stand zone. Another half has been taken over by the so called “hawkers”. Whatever little is left, is at times converted into “gundri bazar”, at times to “dog show” venue, at times to “marathon venue”, at times to “political rally venue”, at times “government program venue”…
Even if for a moment we consider that giving away jobs to the volunteer teachers was right, we come up to question how the volunteer teachers were selected. Was a fair and open opportunity given to everyone to compete for the volunteer posts? Was the information dissemination done freely and fairly? Was everyone who got regularized, actually a “volunteer teacher”?
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday, April 14, released its manifesto or ‘Sankalp Patra’, with the tagline “Modi ki Guarantee”, for the Lok Sabha election 2024. Their 67-page manifesto, which is more of a big canvas policy statement, has avoided mention of all political issues, including – Gorkha aspirations.
There is no mention of PPS, or inclusion of 11 left-out Gorkha sub-tribes as Schedule Tribes.
The Indian Football Association’s (IFA) circular mentioned that the players had to prove that they were born between 1st January 2008 and 31st December 2009. GHFA had the responsibility of ensuring children qualified and all documentation was completed. Surprisingly, only 6 of the 20 children met the requirements. The rest were rejected due to lack of proper documentation verifying their date of birth. Subsequently, the entire team was disqualified and they did not play a single game in this important tournament.
Not a single regular staff has been appointed by the Government of West Bengal so far! It has been functioning under the mercy of NBU and college teachers in and around the region. Why is there no full-time VC, Registrar, Finance Officer, Controller of Examinations, Librarians and faculty members in the university even after three years of its establishments. Why is the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the custodian of well-being of Darjeeling hills, not pushing and putting pressure on the state government?
Contrary to claims made by Hamro Party Chief Ajoy Edwards and Congress Candidate Munish Tamang, Congress Manifesto is silent on Gorkhas
Harsh Vardhan Shringla is yet to make his views clear on the issue of “Gorkha Aspirations” but it would also be too premature to rule him out. If he has enough pull in the “corridors of power”, that could be useful for the masses to get their aspirations fulfilled. At worst, he can be similar to the past three BJP MPs.