SIKKIM OBSERVER Saturday Sept 6-12, 2014

Blog:jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com

TEACHERS’ DAY AWARD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani with Sikkim’s Tashi Namgyal Academy (TNA) Principal Kuldip Singh Heran (back row right) and other teachers on the eve of Teachers’ Day (Sept 5) in New Delhi. The teachers/principals have been selected for National Award on Teachers’ Day.

Battle between ‘people power’ and ‘money power’ has begun, says RN Chamling

PK Chamling

Gangtok, Sept 5: Unfazed by his brother and Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s threats, Rup Narayan Chamling, says the ensuing by-polls in the Assembly constituency of Rangang-Yangang in South Sikkim, is a battle between dhan shakti (money power) and jan shakti (people power).

   The Chief Minister reiterated during his election campaign in Yangang on Wednesday that his younger brother did not have his “blessings”, that he never discussed about contesting the by-polls with him,  and that if he wins he would not be taken into the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF). Chamling, instead, urged the people to vote for SDF candidate Kumari Mangar.

    “SDF will not take Rup Narayan should he win. The doors of SDF are closed forever for him”, Chamling said and added, “My brother does not have my blessings. He is also my opponent, do not be fooled by his misleading statements.”

In response to this RN Chamling reacted, “This is a fight between money power and people power. The SDF umbrella is almost broken and rusted. It needs to be changed.”

 “I have been forced to contest after seeing SDF using all its power against the innocent people. SDF has brought in all its ministers, MLAs and senior leaders here to trample the aspirations of the people of Rangang Yangang,” he said at a public meeting in his constituency.

RN Chamling

If the SDF succeeds in convincing the people that its real candidate is Mangar and not RN Chamling, locally known as ‘Rupen’, then the fight would be between Chamling’s brother and his party’s official candidate.

However, BJP’s candidate Bikash Basnet is likely to put up a tough fight given the fact that he is backed by both the BJP and Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) to which he belonged before he switched over  to BJP just before the by-poll process began. In fact, Basnet gave a tough fight to Chamling from Rangang-Yangang during the recent Assembly polls.

The seat remained vacant as the Chief Minister retained the Namchi constituency. The Chief Minister is originally from Yangang, where members of his family still reside.

Sikkim Lokayukta to probe corruption allegations against SDF ministers: Subba

Gangtok, Sept 5:   The Lokayukta will inquire into all allegations of corruption against 18 former ministers of Sikkim afresh, despite the clean chit given to them by the Justice R K Patra Inquiry Commission.

Law Minister R B Subba told the Assembly that the cases automatically stood transferred to the Lokayukta as the Lokayukta Act was now in force in Sikkim, PTI reported.

The State unit of the Congress had levelled allegations of corruption against 22 former ministers of the SDF government in 2010. A commission of inquiry, headed by Justice (retd) R K Patra, was set up by the State Government to look into the allegations.

The commission's report was tabled in the Sikkim Assembly this week. Of the 22, the commission had "not fully accepted the explanations furnished" by four former ministers - Sonam Gyatso Lepcha, N K Pradhan, T T Bhutia and Menlom Lepcha. These are all ex-ministers of the ruling party.

Law Minister RB Subba

The commission had directed the state government to "inquire into certain aspects" of allegations levelled against them. Subba told the Assembly that the Lokayukta would look into the allegations against these four ministers separately.

"In effect, allegations against all the 22 have been forwarded to the Lokayukta for further inquiry," he explained.

The Law minister said he himself had received summons from the Lokayukta to appear before him on September 16.

No talks being held with Beijing: Tibetan PM

Dharamsala, Sept 5: The head of Tibet's government-in-exile has rejected a claim by Chinese authorities that the Dalai Lama is in talks with Beijing through his envoys about the possibility of his return to Tibet.

"As we have always been transparent, right now there isn’t any official contact or dialogue taking place [with the Chinese leadership]," Tibet’s Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay told  Radio Free Asia.

"If dialogues are to take place, as we stressed earlier, it would be between the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and representatives of the new Chinese leadership," he said. "It has been like this before and will remain like this in the future."

China’s government in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) claimed last week that the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, was in discussions with Beijing through his “personal envoys” but the talks were only about the possibility of his return to Tibet.

Wu Yingjie, the deputy secretary of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's Committee for Tibet, had told a group of Indian journalists on a special visit to the TAR capital Lhasa that the talks with the Dalai Lama were “ongoing and always smooth, but we are discussing only his future, not Tibet’s.”

Talks held on Tibet’s status between envoys of the Dalai Lama and Beijing were stalled in January 2010. There has been no progress in the discussions since then despite calls from U.S. President Barack Obama and other world leaders for a resumption of the Sino-Tibetan dialogue.

Sangay, a Harvard-educated lawyer, was elected Tibet’s exile political leader in 2011 after the Dalai Lama relinquished his political role as the leader of the government-in-exile, ending a tradition spanning centuries of the Dalai Lamas holding both spiritual and political authority.

MM Rasaily hailed as a ‘Great Son of Sikkim’

Gangtok, Sept 5: Forty years after he was sidelined and punished by anti-Sikkim, pro-India authorities in Gangtok  for his principle stand against Sikkim’s ‘merger’ , Madan Mohan Rasaily, who passed away here on Wednesday, is being hailed as an “upright person”  and a “great son of Sikkim”.

Chief Minister Pawan Chamling described Rasaily (89) as “an upright person with impeccable integrity”. He said Rasaily’s demise is “an irreparable loss” to Sikkim.

Recipient of Denzong Thu ki Norbu (The Jewel of Sikkim), the highest civilian award of the then Kingdom of Sikkim, and Pema Dorjee (for dedicated service), conferred by the Late Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal in 1974, Rasaily studied in Mt. Hermon School and completed his Senior Cambridge (class 11) in 1943.

He held many posts in the State Government, including Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Home Secretary. He was with the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front for a brief while in the 1990s after his retirement from service in 1988.

He is survived by his wife Rani Mala Rasaily, two sons and two daughters.

Editorial

SIKKIM BY-POLLS

Drama Or Revolt?

Hardly anyone takes Pawan Kumar Chamling seriously these days. And he knows it and yet he carries on with his usual bluff. Fortunately or unfortunately, no one believes Chamling when he says his younger brother does not have his blessings and is not his ruling Sikkim Democratic Front’s candidate for the up-coming by-polls. Rup Narayan Chamling himself says he is not the ruling party’s candidate for the Rangang-Yangang Assembly constituency by-polls in South Sikkim.  ‘Rupen’, as he is known locally, will find it very difficult to convince the voters that he is not with his brother and the ruling party. Because of these factors the ruling party’s official candidate Kumari Mangar is facing a difficult situation.

The Chief Minister has openly declared that ‘Rupen’ will not be taking into the ruling party even if he wins. While skeptics will have to wait for the polls to be over to find the truth there is a section who believes that CM’s younger brother has revolted against him and his party which has been ruling Sikkim for over two decades. Chamling has sent a full brigade of his party workers to camp in Yangang for the by-polls. Come what may he has to win the seat which he has vacated. Otherwise the ruling party may see a further division of its support base. Already PS Golay’s Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), which has 10 of the 32 seats in the Assembly, is waiting in the wings to wage another assault on the ruling dispensation. SKM’s former candidate of this Assembly seat, Bikash Basnet, who is now the BJP’s candidate for the by-polls, may be lucky if SDF votes get divided and his own vote share remains intact.

Mamata to set up CMO in Darj, thrust on development

Darjeeling, Sept 5: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said she would set up a small office in the Darjeeling hills to facilitate administrative work for the people of the region.

“I have decided to set up a small office in the hills to be manned by an official from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO),”  Banerjee, who is on a three-day visit to Darjeeling hills told reporters in Kalimpong.

She said the office in Darjeeling would help in disbursing funds from the Chief Minister’s Relief fund to the people of the hills.

“The Uttarkanya office (secretariat in north Bengal) in Siliguri is functioning well and will continue,” she said.

Banerjee also announced that four hydel power units would come up in the region, while one medical college would be set up under the PPP model in Kurseong.

The chief minister also held a meeting with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders over the transfer of departments to the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabha, senior GJM leader Roshan Giri said.

Giri, who was present at the meeting along with five other GJM leaders, said the issue of disbursement of funds from the state to the GTA Sabha also came up for discussion.

Emphasising on exploiting the unexplored areas in Kalimpong for increasing tourism in the district, Banerjee said that thrust would be given on developing new tourist spots in the region for boosting the local economy. "Darjeeling is becoming saturated. There are a lot of unexplored areas in Kalimpong. We have already set up Lamahatta eco-tourism. We are giving stress on home tourism." she told a meeting in Kalimpong on Wednesday.

Chinese TV satellite targets PoK, Sikkim

New Delhi, Sept 5: Indian telecom operators and broadcasters have raised concern over the latest satellite Asiasat-8 launched recently by China which has been designed to keep the border areas of the country away from signals being beamed by these operators and broadcasters.

The operators and the broadcasters point out that the Chinese satellite is not only the most powerful launched so far, but has been designed to take the northern border of India and North East territories out of India beam., agencies reported.

These have been made a part of the China beam as if these are a part of the Chinese territory. The territories, which have been earmarked as part of the China beam include the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan. The satellite was launched by China on August 5.

Reports suggest that the move from China came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the possible SAARC satellite by India to bring the SAARC countries closer.

Asiasat-8 has been designed as a commercial satellite offering VSAT/DTH, Internet and telecommunications capacity for various users in India and China. However,  hidden in its design is to establish its signals on Indian territory, which China has been disputing and claiming as its own.

Lok Sabha member of Parliament from Maharashtra Hansraj Gangaram Ahir has written to Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the perils of the satellite to India.

In his letter Ahir has urged the Home Minister to come out with a notification banning the use of this satellite by any Indian Telecom, VSAT or DTH operator.

Ahir has pointed out that the new Chinese satellite will allow anyone in PoK, Ladakh, Leh, Nepal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and all along the northern border of India and North East to use this high-powered satellite to establish two-way communications from India which will be inaccessible to Indian security agencies and poses grave security threat to the country.

OBITUARY Madan Mohan Rasaily

The Jewel of Sikkim

Born on 22nd September 1928, the fourth son of Manbir Singh Rasaily, Finance Secretary to His Highness, the Maharaja of Sikkim, Sir Tashi Namgyal,  Madan Mohan Rasaily studied upto Class IV at Sir Tashi Namgyal High School, Gangtok,  and went to join Mt. Hermon School, Darjeeling,  as a boarder, from where he completed his Senior Cambridge in 1943.

 He pursued his B.Sc. at St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta, and later shifted to the Government College, Darjeeling, when they introduced the subject Botany. Before going for his higher studies he taught Science and Geography at Sir Tashi Namgyal High School for sometime as there was no subject teacher available at that time.

From the year 1955-58 he underwent Higher Forestry training at Indian Forest College, Dehradun. After successful completion of his training he came back and joined the Sikkim Forest Department as Assistant Conservator of Forest on 1st of March 1960. He became DFO, East when Arjan Singh was the Conservator of Forest on deputation from Punjab. He took the charge as Head of Forest Department as Conservator of Forest after the tenure of Dakman Lama.

He served as a bureaucrat for 35 years. Working in tandem with the vision of the 12th Chogyal of Sikkim, His Highness, Palden Thondup Namgyal, he helped to set up the State Trading Corporation of Sikkim, the State Lottery (for aiding Development Plans), the Sikkim Jewels, the Sikkim Time Corporation and the Sikkim Supreme Factory at Singtam. At the time of Chinese invasion in 1962 he was entrusted with the work of Civil Defence Commissioner.

He was also the Auditor General of Sikkim till 1974. During his tenure he held the responsibilities of Auditor General as well as Secretaries of different Departments like Trade, Industries and Commerce, Tourism, Education, Motor Vehicle, Home and also as Director Vigilance. He retired from the service in 1988 when he was posted as Home Secretary. Apart from the committed service to Sikkim, he was also involved in other activities. He was one of the founding members of the Rotary Club in Sikkim.

He was an avid footballer and played for the school team, college team and also the town team which consisted of officers serving the Chogyal of Sikkim. He accompanied the Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal in his visits to Switzerland, UK and also Birendra of Nepal.

 He also helped strengthen the Sri Satya Sai organization of Sikkim as its President and also helped in designing and completion of the Sai Mandir at Baluwakhani, Gangtok. He was conferred the Denzong Thu ki Norbu (The Jewel of Sikkim), the highest civilian award of the then Kingdom of Sikkim. He received this award in the year 1974 from His Highness, the Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal. He also conferred the Pema Dorjee medal, for his dedicated service. He retired from Government service in 1988 when he was Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Home Secretary.

Tributes to a true and loyal ‘Son of Sikkim’

Rasaily was an upright man: Chief Minister

The Chief Minister Pawan Chamling in his condolence message said that MM Rasaily, who held the high esteemed post of Secretary Home and many other departments in his service career, was known for his professionalism and his able administration.

“Shri Rasaily was an upright person with impeccable integrity and his demise is an irreparable loss to the state” the Chief Minister said.

He was loyal to his motherland Sikkim

With all respect and veneration, we the monks of Sikkim remember great son of Sikkim, Madan Mohan Rasaily on his passing away, early morning today.

The monks and people of Sikkim shall always remember late MM Rasaily with fond memory of his love for Sikkim. We believe he preceded every Sikkimese official, both amongst his contemporaries and present as far as loyalty and love for the motherland is concerned.

 Sherab Tenzing Lepcha

 General Secretary

 Monks of Sikkim

His love and loyalty for Sikkim inspires us

“On the passing away of Shri Madan Mohan Rasaily (Denzong Thuki Norbu’ and ‘Pema Dorje’), former Home Secretary of Sikkim and Ven Dorje Loben Sonam Angay Lama of Sumin Monastery early morning today, I express my heartfelt condolences to the members of the family of the deceased.

Shri MM Rasaily’s contribution and sincerity towards the delivery of his duties are legends in our Sikkimese society. A blue-eyed figure of Sikkim, his loyalty to his duty and motherland shall surely become a source of inspiration for all of us.”

 Sonam Lama

 Sangha MLA

He stood firm, we salute him

“The passing away of Mr. MM Rasaily has left an irreparable vacuum in the Sikkimese society, particularly the one who loves Sikkim. The conferring of Sikkim’s highest Civilian Award of Sikkim ‘Denzong Thuki Norbu’ and others as ‘Pema Dorje’ simply speaks the volume of the very principles and ordeals with which he delivered his responsibilities in high public office, officially and socially.

We particularly appreciate his love for the Sikkim and the Sikkimese people by means of never accepting the coveted IAS which otherwise would have had invited three more non-Sikkimese officials, an exemplary act which abundantly lacks amongst all his contemporaries as well as that of today’s.

We salute the pious stand that he undertook as Sikkim’s Home Secretary during the hour of her trials in the mid-1970s.

On the passing away of Mr. MM Rasaily, ‘Denzong Thuki Norbu’ and ‘Pema Dorje’, this organization bow it’s held in high veneration and respect.

Pintso Bhutia

 President

National Sikkimese Bhutia Organisation (NASBO)

FESTIVALS

Indra Jatra: A festival in honour of Lord Indra

Indra Jatra celebrations in Kathmandu.

Indra Jatra: This festival named after Lord Indra - the God of Rain and also the King of Heaven is celebrated by both the Buddhists and Hindus in Nepal in August/September. It is the biggest religious festival celebrated in Kathmandu, Nepal.

This festival lasts for eight days with singing, mask dancing and rejoicing. The chariot of Kumari – the Living Goddess is taken through the main streets of Kathmandu with much fanfare.

 On the first day, the King of Nepal also pays homage to Goddess Kumari. The crowd of excited people from performers to spectators engulfs the streets of Kathmandu during this festival. People get to enjoy various classical dances like elephant dance, lakhe – a very popular dance of a man with a mask.

The celebrations consist of two events. Indra Jātrā is marked by masked dances of deities and demons, displays of sacred images and tableaus in honor of the deity Indra, the king of heaven. The other event is Kumāri Jātrā, the chariot procession of the living goddess Kumari.

Family members deceased in the past year are also remembered during the festival. The main venue of the festivities is Kathmandu Durbar Square. The celebrations last for eight days from the 12th day of the bright fortnight to the 4th day of the dark fortnight of Yanlā, the eleventh month in the lunar Nepal Era calendar.

Indra Jatra was started by king Gunakamadeva to commemorate the founding of the city of Kathmandu in the 10th century. Kumari Jatra began in the mid-18th century.

Since 2010, this festival is also celebrated in Sikkim by the Newar community.

Pang Lhabsol: A religious festival unique to Sikkim

Pang Lhabsol festival at Tsuklhakhang Monastery, Gangtok.

Pang Lhabsol, a festival commemorating the conservation of Mt. Kanchenjunga as the guardian deity of the State, is unique to Sikkim. It has its origin in the Lepcha people's belief that the mountain is their place of origin. It is also believed that the festival has its roots in Lhatsun Chenpo's (the propagator of Buddhism in Sikkim) vision.

It also commemorate the treaty of brotherhood between the Lepchas and Bhutias, where Kye Bumsa the then Bhutia leader signed the brotherhood treaty with the Lepcha Chieftain Thekong Tek at Kabi Lunstok in North Sikkim in the 13^th century.

Subsequently, after the formation of the Namgyal Dynasty in Sikkim Chador Namgyal, the third Chogyal of Sikkim, introduced the "pangtoed" dance and dedicated it to Kanchenjunga as a war deity. The spectacular Pangtoed or warrior dance was choreographed by Chogyal Chador Namgyal, which is said to have appeared to him in a vision.

Khangchendzonga, Sikkim’s Guardian Deity. (file pix by Late Yarpa Paljor Tashi)

Pang Lhabsol combines masked dance with warrior dance, giving the festival an inherent drama, which surpasses that found in other Buddhist festivals. There are resplendent costumes and colorful masks, and the choreography is spectacular. Kanchenjunga itself is represented by a dancer wearing a red mask mounted with five human skulls, on top of which are mounted flags.

Mahakala, Kanchenjunga's Supreme Commander, wears a black mask, while the warriors who accompany them are attired in the traditional Sikkimese battle dress, complete with helmets, swords and shields. The dramatic entry of Mahakala, the protector of the dharma, or faith, is one of the highlights of the dance. It is Mahakala who commands Kanchenjunga and Yabdu to defend the faith and bring peace and prosperity to Sikkim.

Mahakala chham during Pang Lhabsol celebrations.

A week prior to the dance, the lamas of Pemayangtse monastery in west Sikkim, where the festival takes place, offer prayers, invoking Dzonga - the popular local name for Kanchenjunga - to protect the land and look after the people.

Pang Lhabsol celebrations in Rabong, South Sikkim.

To this day the mountain god is invoked and prayed upon at Pang Lhabsol to continue protecting Sikkim. The festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 7th month of the Tibetan calendar corresponding to late August/early September.