This 2021 Assembly elections in West Bengal, specially in the hill areas will be an uneventful , issueless and uncharacteristic election, full of rhetoric, devoid of societal passion, but replete with usual zeal and brinkmanship that only ubiquitous money power can trigger.
हो साँच्चै हाम्रो जातिलाई, हाम्रो समाजलाई पनि परिवर्तनको नितान्त खाँचो छ। एउटा नयाँ परिवर्तन जसले हाम्रो आकांक्षा बोकेर ल्याएर दिएको होस्। जसले गरीब दुखी चिया बगान श्रमिकहरूको रगत पसिनाको हक र अधिकार -न्यूनतम ज्याला प्रदान गरेको होस्। पिता पुर्खादेखि बस्दै आएको घर जमिनमा मालिकाना हक र अधिकार- पर्जा पट्टा दिलाएको होस्। त्यो परिवर्तन जसले गोर्खाहरूको शताब्दी पुरानो मांग अनि आकांक्षा ” स्थायी राजनीतिक समाधान” ल्याएको होस्। कल कारखाना , संरचना, रोजगार ,शिक्षा आदि कुराहरूले बिकासको नयाँ आयाम तयार पारेको होस्। त्यो नयाँ परिवर्तन जसले गोर्खा जातिलाई पनि राष्ट्रको हरेक छेत्रमा अनि स्तरमा प्रतिनिधित्व र प्रतिस्पर्धा गर्ने मौका दिएको होस्। त्यो परिवर्तन जसले गोर्खाहरूको दूर्भाग्य र द्वेष मेटाई दिएको होस्। त्यो परिवर्तन जसले हामी गर्वसित भन्न सकौं कि हामी आप्रवासी होइनौं- हामी भारतीय हौं। त्यो परिवर्तन जसले हाम्रो शिर खडा गरीदिएको होस्। त्यो नयाँ परिवर्तनको नयाँ बिहानीको न्यानो घाम गोर्खा जगतमा उदाएको होस्
The history of Darjeeling and Kalimpong hills is just not about the toy train, timber, and tea but it is also about its dark tryst with cold-blooded murders, unsolved and unresolved till date, swept under the carpet by those who did it and those who supported it.
For all his flaws, Bimal Gurung is still liked by a large section of the people from North Bengal. Especially in remote rural regions where politicians rarely venture, Bimal Gurung is seen as someone who has cared for the people. But will this sentiment prevail across the region? It’s difficult to say. But in tying his fate to TMC and also himself, Bimal has made a bold move, will it help him bounce back or will it backfire?
Darjeeling is blessed with women of extraordinary strength, resourcefulness, vision and perseverance, and today we celebrate our women, all of whom have stood tall against all odds and triumphed. Sadly we cannot profile everyone, so here are seven lesser-known women from Darjeeling, who lead from the front during COVID Pandemic.
Now, with the announcement of poll dates by the Election Commission for the West Bengal Assembly elections and the state going into the electoral mode, for the first time in the Darjeeling Hills, the century-old emotive issue of Gorkhaland is conspicuous by its absence, as it has been put to the back burner by the principal parties GJMM 1 and 2 after almost a decade.
“आर यू फ्रम नेपाल?”
यो प्रश्नले शायदै भारतीय गोरखाहरूलाई पिरोलेका छन् जत्तिको मलाई पिरोलेका थिए जब रोजगारको शिलशिलामा विदेशको नौलो ठाँउमा शुरूका दिनहरूमा जागिर खाई रहेको थिए म । आज सम्म नै यो प्रश्नले मेरो मन मथिंगलमा भूँइचालो ल्याउँने गर्दछ ।
It is very embarrassing and heart wrenching for me to get sarcastic remarks being an Indian Nepali or Gorkha in the rest part of Indian soul. Living away from the cold mountain air and friendly own community of the hill for Postgraduate and M.Phil. Studies did come across many times with such sarcastic remarks as Chinese because of having ‘Chimso’ eyes and “How Nepali language while living in Bengal!” considered as some bitter remarks are the inner pains of the Indian Gorkha who resides plains or rest part of Indian soil.
Often described as the Queen of the Hills for its stunning natural beauty, complemented by the world-famous and UNESCO world heritage – the Himalayan Railway, also holding an intoxicating political history the Darjeeling hills does not fail to mesmerize the tourists as well as the scholars. It is sad but not surprising that the Queen of the Himalayas has always been a victim of political betrayal (Dhoka) and there is neither a “ Queen” like leader, nor a permanent “Hills” like solution to achieve its true potentials.
His association with literature brought him in close contact with the who’s who of the Nepali Bhasa Manyata Andolan, in which he was an active participant. His articles and write-ups in Hindi and Urdu languages made people outside Darjeeling region aware of the plight of Nepali speaking Gorkhas. A dedicated foot soldier of Gorkha cause, Gopal Singh Bhandari openly supported the demand for Gorkhaland even as a Government servant. The then Govt of West Bengal transferred him to Krishnanagar as a punishment, following which he had resigned, but later the government relented.