Discrimination

HILL STUDENTS’ DENIED HOSTEL FACILITIES AT NBU – Demand Fair Calculation of Distances

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.


Darjeeling Hills University (DHU): Where are the milestones?

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?


NO LAND FOR TEA GARDEN, CINCHONA GARDEN WORKERS – But…

I cannot help but wonder, why would the WB Govt post a quarter page ad on the front page of a leading Nepali language daily, about Parja Patta rights being given to “refugees” in Nadia, while denying the same rights to the people from Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars?

It’s because TMC knows that they will get away with murder, literally, as long as it happens in the North. They will continue to deny us our rights, for as long as we remain divided. They will keep the South appeased, as there are more MP and MLA seats in the south. They will to keep the indigenous communities of the North deprived, because they can afford to do so.

But, can we, the people from the North, afford to keep on appeasing a government that discriminates our region and people deliberately?


TEA TOURISM, EXPLOITATION?

The tea garden workers despite working for generations, are still deprived of their right to land – Parja Patta, they are paid less wages than what other workers, even unskilled labourers make in West Bengal, the facilities they are entitled to are rarely provided. Adding salt to their woes, the WB Govt has allowed the tea garden owners to build commercial real-estate labeling it “tea tourism”.


United Bank of India Kalimpong Discriminatory Policy

“I know being in school that students get to open a zero balance account for any transactions from govt scheme. While in Siliguri UBI, this policy is followed, the United Bank of India, Kalimpong branch says that although it is a zero-balance account, we have to deposit Rs 1000 as they are doing it for their business purpose.