HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN        Aug 1, 2012

 74% turnout for peaceful GTA polls  

Darjeeling, July 31: At least 74% turnout was recorded in the first Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) polls in the hills on Sunday. Voting in the 17 of the total of 45 seats was peaceful and at least 74% of the electorate participated in it, said Darjeeling District Magistrate Saumitra Mohan.

Superintendent of Police Kunal Agarwal said there had been no untoward incident from any part of the hills.     

There are a total 45 seats in the GTA, 28 of which have been won uncontested by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. The CPI-M and Trinamool Congress had withdrawn from the contest. An independent also contested in the polls in Nimdong constituency in Kalimpong.

Despite TMC’s withdrawal from the polls, some of its nominees took part in the polls. While some TMC candidates say that the party failed to inform them of its decision to withdraw from the polls others say since they could not withdraw from the race since they had already decided to contest.

Several opposition parties in the hills boycotted the polls as they feel that the GTA was a sellout to the statehood demand.

Voters of Belgachi and Panighata did not participate in the polls as they do not want to join the GTA, PTI reported.

 People in Sukna boycotted the polls as they felt there had been no development in the past few years.

CBI books ex-IGNOU Vice-Chancellor

Permission to Sikkim Manipal University illegal:CBI

New Delhi, July 31: Rajasekharan Pillai, former Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University, has been booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation for allegedly misusing his position to grant approval to two universities to run distance learning courses in 2009 despite certain deficiencies highlighted by an expert committee.

Pillai, who was also holding the post of Distance Education Council chairman, granted permission to Punjab Technical University and Sikkim Manipal University for running two distance education courses for which he was allegedly not authorised.

The CBI suspects that Pillai had received some sort of illegal gratification in lieu of granting permission to the two universities.

Following registration of the case, the CBI on Friday conducted searches at the residence of the former Vice-Chancellor at Thiruvanthapuram. The role of the two universities’ managements is also being probed.

Pillai has denied charges leveled by the CBI.

"All guidelines and procedures were followed while granting permission to Sikkim Manipal University and Punjab Technical University to offer IGNOU's distance education courses," he said in a statement.

CBI, which booked Pillai, said that during his tenure as IGNOU VC between 2006-11, Pillai had allegedly misused his official position to allow Sikkim Manipal University and Punjab Technical University to run distance learning courses in violation of laid down procedure.

China presses Panchen Lama to address unrest in Tibet

Beijing, July 31:  As suicides continued unabated in Tibet, China for the first time pressed Panchen Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist monk being groomed to counter the Dalai Lama's influence, to campaign against the self immolations, especially among young monks.

22-year-old 11th Panchen Lama, who was appointed in 1995 by China replacing his Dalai Lama appointed "predecessor" Choekyi Gyaltsen at the age of six in a controversial circumstances, began taking active role in the recent months with high-profile publicity from the state-owned media, PTI reported.

Mostly based in Beijing, the young Lama, who is also the Vice President of Buddhist Association and nominated member of the Chinese People's Consultative Conference, for the first time stepped out of main land China in April this year and attended a Buddhist conference in Hong Kong.

Since last week he is touring Lhasa, the provincial capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, making high-profile visits to Buddhist temples and monasteries and urging monks to safeguard China's interests and work for social stability.  

Described by China's official Xinhua news agency as "a spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism", the young Lama on Thursday visited the Tibet Buddhist Theological Institute in Lhasa and called on monks to "love their country and abide by laws".

Opened in October 2011, the institute hosts 150 students, including monks from various Tibetan Buddhist sects.

After performing the rituals, Panchen Lama, regarded as the second most highest monk after the Dalai Lama, asked students to abide by national laws and serve the country and its people.

"I hope you can make good use of the sound learning conditions that the institute provides to learn the essence of Buddhism and safeguard our country and serve its people, so as to be true Buddhists," he said.

In his meeting with local leader on July 24, the Lama said it is both the "basics" and responsibility for a religious person to help people do good deeds, and promote harmony and social development by religious preaching.

His comments were made in the back drop of 44 self immolations by monks and other Tibetans in different parts of Tibet but mostly in Abba county in Sichuan province.

The suicides were stated to be aimed at protesting high security as well as to demand the return of the Dalai Lama from exile.

China against Indian influence in Nepal in the name of federalism: Baidya

Baidya

Kathmandu, July 31: “Foreign influence in Nepal in the name of federalism is not at all acceptable to China”.

This is the Chinese message communicated through the courtesy of Chairman Mohan Baidya Kiran of Nepal Communist Party-Maoist. Baidya returned home after a ten-day trip to China.

 “As a friendly neighbour China has expressed that growing foreign influence in Nepal in the name of federalism is not acceptable,” Baidya told media persons at a press meet here on Thursday.

“It is true that China is not in favour of ethnicity based federalism. However, they do not want to dictate their terms. They are worried if Nepal being influenced by foreign forces will undergo disintegration while adopting the federal model”.

 “I found the Chinese quite concerned over the present state of peace and constitutional processes”, he said and added, “I found the Chinese leaders concerned whether we will be able to restore peace and draft our constitution.”

“The Chinese leaders told me that we should not have divided the party”, Baidya told reporters.

 “I told them that since the leaders of Unified Maoists Party were on the verge of surrendering all the achievements of decade long revolt, I told them that to preserve those historical milestones the party split was a needed move”.

He also claimed that China takes his party as a strong nationalist political force.

“I was assured that China will never interfere in the internal matters of Nepal whereas it will continue extend supporting for the prosperity of Nepal”.

JK ‘stateless’ face uncertain future

 Jammu, July 31: It's a trauma that has lingered for 65 years. Some 2,000-3,000 Hindu families had migrated to Jammu and Kashmir from West Pakistan when the sub-continent was partitioned in 1947. Many of the elders have died, but their descendants, who have swelled to 2,00,000, are yet to get citizenship rights because the State's constitution does not permit this.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured them some four years ago that he would have their case examined. In spite of this and despite petitions in the Supreme Court and the State High Court, there has been no movement forward, IANS reported.

Sixty-year-old Mela Ram Bhagat put it poignantly: "Manmohan Singh is also a refugee but he has become the prime minister. We are still where we are.”

The villian of the piece, as it were, is article 370 of the Indian Constitution by virtue of which Jammu and Kashmir has a special status. Those originally from the State have citizenship rights and are called ‘State Subjects.’ These State subjects can own property, get government jobs, free higher education and the like.

This is not so for the refugees as their ancestors were not original residents of the State. Thus, even though they have access to government healthcare they don't have the rights of the other citizens. Curiously enough, they can vote in the Lok Sabha elections but not in the State Assembly elections.

They are not even entitled to ration cards, as a result of which they have to buy their provisions from the open market. This is quite a tall order as most of the refugees are daily wagers and barely manage to eke out a living. The others run small shops, tea stalls and the like.

The original families had realised way back in 1947 what they were in for and wanted to shift to neighbouring Punjab but were disuaded from doing so by then Chief Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, who assured them of justice.

"We do feel bad about this, but what can we do now? At the time of partition even some of us wanted to shift to Punjab from Digiana (on Jammu's outskirts) but Sheikh sahib (Abdullah) promised that we will get all rights. Now we are children of no where and no one," Bhagat lamented.

"Although we are human beings, yet we are living the life of an animal. This is our fourth generation here. But still we are aliens here," added Bhagat, who lives with his family in a mud house in the Niki Tawi area on the western outskirts of Jammu. The small house is on a rented piece of land as the refugees cannot buy property in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The worst part is that we are not even entitled to government scholarships. They (the school authorities) ask for a state subject certificate if we want to pursue higher education. And we cannot pay for private education. We are three sisters and a brother and our father is a labourer. What do we do?" Sunita Rani, 17, who just finished her Class 10, asked while speaking to IANS, tears in her eyes.

She wants to study further but the situation does not permit her to do so as one

In all this, the politicians are fishing in troubled waters, says Labha Ram Gandhi, a leader of the refugees.

"The Kashmir-centric political setup does not want to take this decision in favour of us (refugees) living in Jammu as it would amount to losing the Kashmiri vote bank. This has become a political issue," Gandhi said.

Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla of the Congress speaks for the political spectrum: "There is a technical problem in making them state subjects as Article 370 does not permit this. But we are thinking of providing them basic facilities.”

Editorial

ETHNIC TENSION

Locals Fear Illegal Migrants

Ethnic tension in ‘Bodoland’, which has now erupted in a violent manner, is not an isolated event in Assam, a State that has faced many communal violence and political upheavals in the past so many decades. In 1971, after the Pakistani crackdown in East Bengal, more than one million refugees sought shelter in Assam. Most of them went back after the creation of Bangladesh, but nearly 100,000 remained. After 1971, there occurred a fresh, continuous and large-scale influx of land-hungry Bangladeshi peasants into Assam. But land in Assam had by now become scarce, and Assamese peasants and tribals feared loss of their holdings. However, this demographic transformation generated the feeling of linguistic, cultural and political insecurity, which overwhelmed the Assamese and imparted a strong emotional content to their movement against illegal migrants in the eighties.
Migration of outsiders into Assam has a long history. The British administration had encouraged migration of thousands of Biharis to work on the tea-plantations and of hundreds of thousands of Bengali peasants to settle on the vast uncultivated tracts of Assam. Till recently, Assamese landlords had welcomed the hardworking Bengali tenants in the sparsely populated Assam. Between 1939 and 1947 Muslim communalists encouraged Bengali Muslim migration to create a better bargaining position in case of partition of India. Partition led to a large-scale refugee influx from Pakistani Bengal into Assam besides West Bengal and Tripura. 
Though illegal migration had surfaced as a political matter several times since 1950, it burst as a major issue in 1979 when it became clear that a large number of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh had become voters in the State. Afraid of their acquiring a dominant role in Assam's politics through the coming election at the end of 1979, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and the Assam Gana Sangram Parishad (Assam People's Struggle Council), a coalition of regional political, literary and cultural associations, started a massive, anti-illegal migration movement. The current Bodo-Muslim violence in Kokrajhar and its adjoining areas showcase the undercurrents of ethnic tension in Assam and many parts of the volatile northeast region of India.
Assam violence: A history of conflict rooted in land

By Kishalay Bhattacharjee and Sandeep Phukan

Guwahati: At 3 pm on Thursday (July 26), 100 soldiers carry out a flag march - an exercise to demonstrate the Army is on hand and working to revive law and order - in Jurigaon, a small village in Kokrajhar district of Assam. There is no civilian in sight. There are the remains of homes set on fire.  Some cattle deserted by its owners strays aimlessly.

Jurigaon is one of the villages defeated by the ethnic conflict that has ripped through the lower Assam in the last week. 42 people have been killed. Two lakh people are homeless - some among them have found room in refugee camps in places like Bijni and Bongaigaon; others wait in line.

The violence was triggered when four young men from the indigenous Bodo community were killed in a part of the Kokrajhar district inhabited mainly by Muslims. Those killings - and the ones that followed - are the unforgiving manifestation of the multiplying pressures on the land in this part of the state. The Bodos - the indigenous advidasis - have sustained their community through agriculture for decades. But in recent years, wave after wave of Muslim immigrants - some from across the border in Bangladesh - has convinced them that they are being robbed of their land.

The conflict began when the British ruled India and brought Adivasis from the Chhota Nagpur plateau to Assam, putting them to work in tea gardens, and assigning them small pieces of land in exchange. In mid-30s, settlers from East Bengal (what is now Bangladesh) started arriving here. They were hard-working and they were cultivators, who knew how to make the land work for them. The local tribals - the Bodos - now found themselves up against the adivasis brought in by the British, and Bengali-speaking Muslims from East Pakistan or Bangladesh. By the mid-70s, the lines were so clearly drawn between the communities that neighbours were undisguised enemies.  The tension between the communities rode out through student politics, spawning militant outfits with conflicting agendas.

One of those groups - the Bodo Liberation Tigers or BLT - decided to fold into the Congress government in 2003. The Bodoland District Territorial Council was set up to govern four areas. Non-Bodos in this part of Assam argue that political power at the hands of Bodos has altered the dynamics on the ground and that's a source of constant fear among non-Bodos.

Since the 90s, clashes have erupted with such frequency and force that Bodoland has become home to one of the highest internally-displaced people.  The changing demographics forge violent assertions of identity.

The All Minority Students Union, which has been protesting against the attacks on non-Bodos, says it has been writing to Congress Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for two months, warning of the increasing tension. The government refutes charges of indifference.

Through the crisis, the Congress has to balance political equations. It needs the vote of both Bengali Muslims in the area, as well as its Bodo coalition partner. (NDTV)

China needs to be sensitive of India's concerns: Analyst

Gasa Dzong at the Bhutan-Tibet border in Northern Bhutan
As Bhutan, India's closest ally is all set to establish diplomatic ties with China, a Chinese strategic analyst said Beijing should be sensitive to New Delhi's anxieties while improving its relations with South Asian states.

"With the increasing impact of China in South Asia, Bhutan has begun to enhance its ties with China, as the two countries agreed to establish diplomatic relations, stirring a new round of geopolitical concerns for India - the traditional power of the sub-continent," Chinese state-run Global Times said.

The understanding was reached between the recent meeting between Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his Bhutanese counterpart Jigmi Y Thinley on the sidelines of UN Conference on Sustainable Development at Brazil.

Bhutan is the last of the South Asian states to open up to China, after Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, besides Pakistan which has developed "all weather relations" with Beijing decades ago.

Yang Xiaoping, an expert on Indian studies at the state run Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said India's concerns about growing influence of China in South Asia are understandable, but unnecessary.

"Historically, India has wielded a strong political influence unmatched by any other county in this region, so it is worried that China's involvement will shake its status," she told Global Times. China's expansion is focused only on financial cooperation. China loaned money for the construction of Sri Lanka's (USD 1.5 billion) port, but the facility is managed solely by Sri Lankans, she said.

South Asia will not be focus of China's diplomatic agenda in the coming decades, because most of the conflicts between China and the US occur in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, she said.

Yang also said that China should understand India's concerns, saying that the two sides have complementary strengths, and they can help ensure regional stability.

Chinese official strategic analysts are taking more favourable view of China-India ties in the recent months as India too has begun making forays into China's backyard with its 'Look East Policy' firming up its ties with Vietnam, Japan and South Korea besides consolidating its linkages with ASEAN countries.

A number of write-ups by analysts here in recent times have asked Beijing to take note of India's independent stance in foreign policy despite being wooed hard by United States.

Some have argued that China's push into South Asia also made India to focus on improving its relations with neighbouring countries.(The Economic Times)

Sikkim, Northeast join Team Anna on graft campaign

Anna to visit Sikkim: Sikkim team

YT Lepcha during a hunger strike in Gangtok (file pix: Sikkim Now)
New Delhi, July 31: Supporters from the northeastern states can be spotted more often at Team Anna's fasts now. At Jantar Mantar, several from Sikkim are keeping fast with team members and youths from the northeast studying in the city have also begun to drop in.

"We are five of us," says Y T Lepcha, who runs the Swatantra Sramik Sangathan in Sikkim. His companions come from south and east Sikkim. He wears a straw cap with peacock feathers, traditionally worn by the Lepcha community, and carries a sheet of paper with its various features explained in Hindi.

"I thought people might ask about the cap," he says. "I want to request the group to visit the State. Our leaders only make speeches. None of that is translated into action." He has brought with himself a 2011 CAG report with the sections dealing with issues like roads and garbage disposal highlighted, a national daily reported.

Padam Sharma, who accompanied Lepcha and spoke during the rally, said team leader Anna Hazare has accepted their invitation to visit the State.

"Our support here is directly related to our backing for Irom Sharmila," says Imphal-based student Bob Wiju. He is in the city to write an entrance exam and has spent his free time at the protest. "Manipur is one of the most corrupt states, all funds are misused. The issues are the same as here."

Wiju admits that northeast locals don't relate to the movement here but he says, "If such protests are held in Manipur, they will find a lot of support." He also adds that the language barrier — most of the speeches at the fasts have been delivered in Hindi — may also have been a reason for the large number of students from the northeast in Delhi not joining in.

Brothers, Tridib and Bijoy Bordoloi, attended the protest on Wednesday for the first time. Though they are not fasting, they explained that they support Anna in his cause. "Anna is speaking about issues that affect us all. Right now he seems our best bet," says Tridib, elder of the two, who works in finance.

But Jamia student Bijoy said, "The issues Anna speaks about might affect all, but they are discussed in a general manner. The problems of the northeast require more careful handling."

Don’t fool people, Upreti tells govt on student scholarship

Congress leader KN Upreti

Gangtok, July 31: Senior Congress leader KN Upreti has urged the HRD Department to immediately clear all dues to students who have been assured scholarships by the State Government.

The former HRD minister came down heavily on the government for its alleged failure to make payments to students who were awarded scholarships on the basis of ‘merit’ or their poor economic condition.

Upreti’s remarks come at a time when Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has made promises to reward students who performed well in their school leaving exams.

The government is merely fooling the people, said the Congress leader in a press statement.

“If the government and for that matter the department of education has no resource to make payment then why are they fooling the student communities by their commitment to pay scholarship and all high talks on the welfare of the student communities,” Upreti said.

 “As we all know, a great number of parents from poor section of the society send their children outside for further studies sincerely believing that the government would award scholarship to their wards, are now feeling cheated by the government as the department of education which is responsible for payment has failed to pay even once when the course for which the candidate was sent has almost been completed,” Upreti said in his press release.

“We express our extreme displeasure on the matter and demand that all dues be cleared by the concerned department immediately so that the students suffer no more,” he added.

HC refuses stay on GTA poll results

Ghising

Kolkata, July 31:  The Calcutta High Court Friday refused to pass any interim stay on the declaration of results of Gorkhaland Territorial Authority (GTA) election and oath-taking of the elected members.

Justice Dipankar Gupta refused to pass an interim order on a plea by All India Gorkha League (AIGL) and directed that the parties in the case would abide by the final outcome of the case. The AIGL had moved the petition earlier this month seeking a stay on the GTA election and its counsel Bikash Bhattacharya prayed for an interim stay order, PTI reported.

Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) President Subash Ghisingh's counsel Arunabha Ghosh submitted that as the matter involved the future of lakhs of Darjeeling residents, it be taken up at the earliest. Justice Gupta directed that the matter would come up for hearing on August 10.

The oath-taking of elected members of the first GTA, which replaces the earlier Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, is scheduled on August 4. Ghisingh had on June 14 filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court challenging the GTA Act 2011 claiming that it was ultra vires to the Constitution. The petition claimed that the GTA Act could not come into force in Darjeeling Hills without amending the Constitution.

The Constitution provides that if the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council Act, 1988 (DGHC) was repealed, the entire area would come under the purview of the Indian Panchayat and Municipalities Act, the petition stated. If the DGHC was scrapped, the new act could not come into force without amending the Constitution, Ghising's petition claimed. The court directed Gorkha Janmukti Morcha President Bimal Gurung, who has been made a respondent in the case, to file his affidavit in opposition to the petition within August 4

Cong banked on illegal migrants for vote-bank politics in Assam:BJP

Guwahati, July 31: Blaming the Congress government for illegal immigrants for Assam violence, BJP has charged the Congress with "inaction" in checking their entry into the country for vote-bank politics and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

The BJP pressed that Indo-Bangladesh border be sealed immediately and sought more deployment of army and para-military forces to check the spread of violence that had so far claimed 45 lives in the State.

"The government did not take appropriate action in time to prevent the Assam violence.... Illegal migrants are behind the problem. But the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government is not doing anything on the issue.... It is only doing vote bank politics," BJP general secretary Vijay Goel said.

Goel, who is incharge of party affairs in Assam and headed a fact-finding team that visited the violence-hit areas of Assam, charged the State Government with not being "sensitive" to the problem.

"They are not sensitive to the problem. If they do vote- bank politics, they will get such results," Goel said, demanding that "Tarun Gogoi should immediately resign as Chief Minister, as he has failed to take appropriate steps to stop the violence."

Goel said the situation in violence-hit areas of Assam was still tense and people will not go back to their homes unless the Army deployment is done in the interiors of affected areas in the state.

"The deployment of Army and para-military forces is still very low.... It is only doing flag marches on main roads and not visiting the interiors. If that does not happen, confidence will not be built and people will not return to their homes," Goel said.

Arunachal govt to provide CCTVs to media houses

Tongam Rina

Itanagar, July 31: The Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to install CCTV cameras in all media establishments of the State to instill confidence in the working journalists. Political secretary to CM Bamang Tago on Thursday visited all media houses in the capital complex with experts and technicians to survey and finalize installation of CCTV cameras, sources said.

The media fraternity, represented by the Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) and Arunachal Press Club (APC), met Chief Minister Nabam Tuki on July 20 and expressed concern on the safety and security of working journalists. They also sought fast-tracking of all pending cases related to assault, manhandling and threats to mediapersons and media houses in the past, The Times of India reported.

Assuring cooperation and immediate steps, Tuki had issued specific directions to concerned authorities to fulfill the demands placed by APUWJ and APC in order to instill confidence amongst the working journalists as they were shaken after the attack on Tongam Rina, associate editor of Arunachal Times on July 15.

The chief minister had emphasized on installation of high resolution CCTVs in all mediahouses as it is a necessity for investigation and identification of criminals. He had also mooted the idea of CCTV installation in all important public places and market complexes.

"Some media houses have already installed CCTVs, which are, however, of poor resolution. We will replace these with high resolution CCTVs and install CCTVs in all media houses, which do not have one. Poor resolution hampers speedy investigation. The installation process will be completed within a few days," said Tago.

As in Sikkim, a vote to Sangma hits Tripura politics

Sangma

Agartala, July 31: A vote against Pranab Mukherjee in the just-concluded presidential election has triggered a controversy in Tripura. Both the ruling CPI-M and opposition Congress are blaming each other for cross-voting despite committing to support Pranab.

The election result reveals that out of 57 votes cast in Tripura, Pranab got 56 and one went to P A Sangma. However, both the parties opposed to Sangma.

The ruling CPI-M has pointed fingers at lone INPT legislator Bijoy Kr Hrankhwal for voting in favour of Sangma, indicating that the issue of tribal sentiment and political differences with Mukherjee was the reason of cross-voting. Both Congress and INPT have denied the claim and stated that CPI-M had hatched a conspiracy to scrap the political alliance in anti-Left forces.

Leader of the opposition, Ratan Lal Nath, said, "Voting was done in secret ballots. How can the CPI-M allege that Sangma got Hrankhwal's vote. Rather, I believe, it is a planned conspiracy of CPI-M and may be Chief Minister Manik Sarkar himself cast his ballot for Sangma for politics."

Hrankhwal said, "This is an attempt of the ruling party to malign me for its narrow political interests in the coming assembly elections." He added that political activities of Congress and INPT have put Manik Sarkar in trouble in all 20 tribal reserve seats and it was nothing but an attempt to breach INPT's relation with Congress.

Sikkim, too, faced a similar situation recently when one vote of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front, which has all 32 seats and backs the UPA at the Centre, went to Sangma. Dissident ruling party legislator PS Golay abstained from voting. Golay’s aide and former MLA Bhojraj Rai alleged that the ruling party conspired to cause misunderstanding between the rebel leader and the UPA.

 INTERVIEW Mary Kom

Hurt at missing out on a medal at the World Championships for the first time, MC Mary Kom (29) tells Harish Kotian she's looking for revenge at the upcoming London Olympics

For Manipur’s Mary Kom, her first bout at the 2012 London Olympics is going to be doubly special. Firstly, it will be the realization of a long-cherished dream to compete on a big stage like the Olympics. Second, the bout is on the fifth birthday of her twin sons Raengpe and Naidong.

Mary Kom speaks to rediff. com in an exclusive interview. Excerpts.

ON HER TWIN SONS:

I will be fighting my first bout at the Olympics on August 5th, which is also the fifth birthday of my two sons. It is both a good and bad thing for me. The good thing is that I feel it will be a lucky day for me, but the bad thing is that I will miss both my children. I want to win that bout; it will be the best present for my two sons. It is very difficult for me as a mother, because I miss them a lot. They keep calling me a lot everyday.

PREPARATIONS:

The preparations are going on well. I was able to analyse my opponents during the World Championships. Even though I did not win the gold, I was able to take a lot of positives from the event which will help me in preparations for the Olympics.

(Having won a gold in the 45kg at the 2002 World Championships, three gold in the 46kg at the 2005, 2006 and 2008 editions and a gold in the 48kg in the 2010 event, Manipur's 'Mother Mary' was disappointed.)

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS & OLYMPICS:

I was very hurt that I didn't win the gold medal at the World Championships. I was very upset that I didn't win a medal, because in every championship before this I won a gold medal on five previous occasions. I think I was unlucky to not get a medal, but, at the same time, I am happy that I qualified for the London Olympics.

I am very, very angry and I hope to remove this anger on all my opponents at the Olympics.

GOD & ALI

I don't believe in mental training. I just do the normal physical training and my normal boxing training. The only mental training for me is praying to God.

I am a big fan of Muhammad Ali; I took up boxing when I was small because of him. I love his style, his footwork in the ring and everything else that he did.

ON HER FANS

I think getting so much support from Olympic Gold Quest and love from all the Indians fans is a big motivation for me to do well at the Olympics.

SIKKIM OBSERVER July 26, 2012

Golay places it safe, abstains from voting

‘Conspiracy’,says Golay aide Bhojraj Rai

Rebel leader and dissident MLA PS Golay

Gangtok, July 24: Dissident ruling party legislator PS Tamang (Golay) did not cast his vote for the presidential polls. He was not in the House to cast his vote on July 19.

However, one vote from the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front went in favour of PA Sangma, the candidate of the BJP. Two votes were declared invalid.

Golay’s aide Bhojraj Rai alleged that the ruling party had conspired against Golay to create misunderstanding with the UPA. By casting one vote in Sangma’s favour, the SDF, which supports the UPA, tried to implicate that it was Golay’s vote that went against the UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee, Rai, a former MLA, said in a press statement.

Rai said the rebel leader, who was ready to take part in the polls, was aware of the conspiracy and abstained himself from voting. This has exposed the conspiracy and cheap politics of the ruling party, Rai said.

Pranab got 28 votes valued at 196 while Sangma got one vote valued at 7.

Teachers must know fundamentals of law: Justice Wangdi

Justice SP Wangdi

Gyalshing, July 25: Justice SP Wangdi of the High Court of Sikkim highlighted the importance of teachers to be well-equipped with the fundamentals of law. This would not only benefit them in their teaching career but would also help students to know the value of legal knowledge.

Justice Wangdi, who presided over the valedictory function of a two-day held here this week, handed away certificates to fifty government teachers of schools in the west district who attended the workshop.

The two-day programme on basics of law and para-legal volunteers was organized jointly by Sikkim State Legal Services and Human Resource Development Department (HRD) here at the Zilla Panchayat Bhawan.

Local scribes form Journalist Union of Sikkim, gets affiliated to national body

Members of the newly-formed Journalist Union of Sikkim (JUS) with representatives of Indian Journalist Union (IJU – seated) at the Press Club of Sikkim, Gangtok, on Sunday.

Gangtok, July 25: Local scribes have formed the Journalist Union of Sikkim (JUS) under the presidentship of Bhim Rawat. The new body will be affiliated to the Indian Journalist Union (IJU).

IJU President SN Sinha was here to form the Sikkim unit of the national body at a function held here at the Press Club of Sikkim office on Sunday, according to a press release of the JUS.

President of Assam Journalist Union, Geetartha Pathak, was also present during the function.

The Executive Committee of the JUS are: Bhim Rawat (President), Neeta Nirash, Vishnu Neopaney and KK Chettri (Vice-President) Joseph Lepcha (General Secretary), Nirmal Manger, Shekhar Khawas and Pradeep Mizar (Joint-Secretary), Prabin Khaling (Treasurer), Samir Subba (Assistant Treasurer), Bishal Gurung and Chewan K. Dahal (Publicity Secretary).

15 executive members of the committee are: Roshan Chettri (The Sikkim Daily Encounter), Rupesh Sharma (Himalibela), Menuka Pandey (Samay Dainik), Prakash Adhikari (News Live), Anusha Gurung (Sikkim Now), Chandra Prashad Dahal (Hamro Prajasakti), Amber Lachikathi (Himalaya Darpan), Bijoy Gurung (Sikkim Express), Arjun Piyush (Himilibela), Sandeep Rai (Himalayan Mirror), Homnath Dabari (Samay Dainik), Sanjay Agrawal (District  convener, East ), Wangchuk Bhutia (District convener, North ), Namo Dixit (District  convener, South) and Madhu Sharma (District  Convener, West) .

The new body will raise issues and problems pertaining to the working journalists in the State, the release said.

The first meeting of the new body will be to hold a two-day national seminar on the problems of journalists and newspapers in the country in Gangtok on October 6-7 this year.

The IJU will also hold its convention of the national executive committee during the two-day meet. The IJU has its state units in 24 states, including Sikkim.

SACRED SIKKIM: II

Relics of Buddha preserved at Norbugang Chorten in Yuksam

By Sonam Yongda

The sacred landscape consists of a large congregation of gompas or monastries such as Dubdi, Pemayangste, Tashiding, Ralang, Norbugang Sinon, Melli etc. Dubdi is the first Buddhist monastry in Sikkim and can be reached after an arduous climb being located on a hill in a verdant forest- a sacred grove near Yuksam. A stone throne shaded by a three hundred year old Cypress tree still stands here today. A footprint on the stone in front of the throne is said to belong to Lhatsun Namkha Jigme and is worshipped by the Sikkimese people.

Norbugang Chorten in Yuksam, West Sikkim

Opposite this throne is the Norbugang Chorten (stupa), which contains soil and water from all over Sikkim. Norbugang is the oldest chorten built in Sikkim and is believed to contain the conch shell, hair and cloth of the past and present Buddha and also the cloth of Maha-Maudgalaya and Sariputra (two disciples of Lord Buddha). It also contains the left shoe of Lord Padmasambhava and hair of Khandu Yashe Chogay (Consort of Lord Padmasambhava.)

The Pemayangste monastery commands a magnificent view of the Khangchen Dzonga and houses priceless religious idols and icons. Its interiors are covered with brightly painted murals of the Tibetan Buddhism pantheon. The site of the Tashiding monastery at the junction of the great Rangit and Rathongchu rivers is believed to have been miraculously raised up by Guru Padmasambhava. The holiest chorten of Sikkim, the Thongwa Rondol is situated here and it is said that a mere glimpse of this chorten is enough to cleanse all sins.

Premier Lama Ngadag Senpa Chenpo, after reciting 'vajra guru mantra' a hundred thousand times filled the precious vase with holy water which is regarded as very auspicious. The water of this vase is kept inside Tashiding monastery and taken out once every year. The level of water is predictive of future events and natural calamities. Apart from these important sacred sites which attract a large number of devotees during festivals, the landscape also consists of numerous monasteries and sacred sites of local significance, each village in the region having its  own a monastery and places of worship.

Tashiding Monastery, Tashiding, West Sikkim.

     During the annual Bumchu Festival of Tashiding (observed since many centuries ago), the water of the Rathongchu river is mixed with the holy water of the vase in Tashiding monastery. The Rathongchu River turns slightly white at the exact location where it meets River Rangeet. It is from this place that a designated quantity of water is collected for the holy vase, and distributed among thousands of devotees who come to this place not only from Sikkim but from the farthest regions of the Himalayas such as Nepal, Bhutan and West Bengal.

In the month of August during the Pang Lhabsol festival, Buddhist monks perform rituals and prayers in the name of the Khangchen Dzonga deity. The monks and devotees go all the way up to Dzongri, 'Dhaplha Gang' to offer prayers ánd offerings to the Khangchendzonga deities for a good harvest and to free the whole country from disease, hunger, famine war etc. Kathog, Khecheopalri lakes, etc. are important lakes in this area. Yuksam is considered as 'Lhakhang' or altar for offerings to the Khangchendzonga deities.

The seven holy lakes surrounding Khangchendzonga viz Khecheopari, Katok, Tso, Bar Cho Marpu, Phu Cho Karpu, Ka Bur La Tso, Sume Ten Tso and Darfuk Yum Tso are the seven offering bowls to the Khangchendzonga deities. Every landscape of highland, midland and low land and every river, stream, cave big trees have guardian deities (Yulha Zibda) of their own and therefore during the morning ritual in every monastery these deities are worshipped.

There are two monasteries in Dubdi, and the smaller one is dedicated to the protector deities of the region. The people of Yuksam make an offering of newly harvested food crops every season to thank these deities for their blessings. The head monk has the power to divert hailstorms, cyclones and other natural calamities with the recitation of mantras. This helps in preventing the crops from getting destroyed.

The region has many forested areas recognized as ‘sacred groves’ that are associated with the monasteries managed by the Lamas. Sacred groves, are sometimes also referred to as gynas (an ethnic Bhotia word meaning ‘forest garden’) They may either be stand-alone entities or part of a larger ‘sacred landscape’, as is the case of the entire forested region of the ‘sacred’ cultural landscape of Demojong.

Khecheopalri lake in West Sikkim

It is also, mentioned in the text that burning of any undesirable things like meat, killings, destructions of objects of worship like stupas, cutting down of trees and plants, misuse of lakes, destruction or, defacement of hills and rocks of the sacred areas of Sikkim would directly affect the deities of Sikkim and will invite disasters and natural calamities.

Khecheopalri known as the 'wishing lake' is one of the most sacred lakes of Sikkim. According to legend, Khecheopalri lake was originally situated at Yuksam, where people dumped carcasses of animals and other dirty things desecrating and polluting the sacred waters. This annoyed the deities of the lake which got shifted to its current location at Khecheopalri.

On the fifteenth day of the first month of the Sikkimese calendar a special puja is offered by the monk of Khecheopalri monastery and the community of Kecheopalri village in order to propitiate the lake deities to avert disease, natural calamities and personal harm. It is believed that any large scale destruction induced by human being within these areas will destroy these hidden treasures and will harm them. (to be continued)

PRIDE OF SIKKIM Padam Singh Gurung

By Shital Pradhan

The late Padam Singh Gurung (seated) with his grand children and great grand children.
Rifleman Padam Singh Gurung was a war veteran

It has been just thirteen days since he left this world but for those who knew him his legacy will live for forever. This World War II veteran was in his 100^th year when he passed away at Singtam, East Sikkim, recently after prolonged illness.  

 Recipient of Burma War Medal, Jammu and Kashmir Medal, Independence Medal (India) and Republic Day Award (Sikkim), Rifleman Padam Singh Gurung, born in 1913, was indeed the pride of Singtam and we are proud to be associated with this legend.

Popularly known as Singtam Thakurbari Mandir’s ‘Gurung Bajey’, Rifleman Padam Singh Gurung joined the 58 Gorkha Regiment, then known as the 3rd Battalion of Second Gorkha Rifles (3/2 GR), at a tender age of 19 as a rifleman.  The year was 1941 and the World War II had already started.
Gurung did his initial military training at Dehradun and later his unit was shifted to Loralai, Baluchistan (Pakistan), for further training that suited the mountainous terrains in Burma, where they were to be sent.
The 3/2 GR moved from Baluchistan to Quetta and then to Lahore by road. Thereafter, the unit moved to Tiruchinapalli (Tamil Nadu) through rail route and from there to Trivandrum (now Thiruvananthapuram), capital of Kerala State). The unit was then dispatched to Burma through sea route. The Battalion landed at the southern tip of Burma and immediately joined the fight against the Japanese. The year was January 1942. The 58 Gorkha Regiment stayed for over three years at Burma where Gurung had participated in all the War Operations till Japanese army surrendered in 1945.
Mohan Pradhan ‘Neeraj’, noted Nepali literary writer from Singtam, remembers Gurung as a legend and a pilgrim of his generation. Pradhan recalls having a talk with the late Rifleman a few months back about his days at Burma during the WWII.
Gurung had said, “Japanese troops had invaded Rangoon and most part of Burma (now Myanmar) then. Our battalion was part of British Indian Army that fought the Irrawaddy River Operation against the Imperial Japanese Army. Every day for several hours heavy artillery firing was done from both sides along the Irrawaddy River.
“The situation there was such that we never knew that we would be alive to see our families back home. Bullets were passing through us.  In another instance, at Arakan Mountains, the Japanese troop had made captive Indian Army soldiers in their bunkers. It was here that 58 Gorkha Regiment showed their bravery and attacked the enemy post and released the Indian Army soldiers unhurt.”
Bhaskar Gurung recalls his grandfather talk about those army days when they did not possess well-equipped weapons as today but the sheer determination, courage, patriotism and the love for their country ultimately made them victorious. Bhaskar proudly says his grandfather always felt proud and honoured to have fought for the country. He believed that success comes through hard work and sacrifice and there is no short cut.
In his short stint of 13 years in the army he went on to win Burma War Medal, Jammu and Kashmir Medal, Independence Medal (India). Gurung was 31 when he retired from his service in 1953.
Married to Bhim Maya Gurung, who passed away in 1997, Gurung left behind three sons: Mani Kumar Gurung, Prem Kumar Gurung and Santosh Kumar Gurung and a daughter Sarda Gurung and half a dozen grandchildren and great grandchildren.
The Government of Sikkim honoured Gurung with the Republic Day Award in 2011 at the Republic Day function in Gangtok. Singtam Basibiyalo, a monthly literary, had also felicitated him last August. Gurung was an active member of the All India Ex-Serviceman Association of Delhi. He donated his land for the construction of Rajya Sainik Aaram Ghar at Singtam, which is used by ex-serviceman today.

He was also the land donor and the founder of Singtam Sai Samiti way back in 1970s. Gurung Bajey was also closely associated with the construction and development of Government Fruit Preservatory Factory, Singtam.  His involvement towards the construction of Singtam Nepali Dharamsala in early 2000 is also well-known.

Northeast ditches Sangma, sides with Pranab

New Delhi, July 25: Though the former Lok Sabha Speaker, Purno Agitok Sangma, who was fielded by the NDA-AIADMK-BJD in the recent presidential poll, claimed that he had the backing of the All India Tribal Council, he was able to manage just 9.64 per cent of the total votes from the MLAs of the eight northeastern hill States.

His rival and UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee, who was declared elected as the President on Sunday, got as much as 87.75 per cent of the votes. There were around 2.61 per cent invalid votes (total 13 votes).

A quick look at the voting pattern showed that Sangma was able to get the support of 48 of the 498 MLAs in the region, whereas Mukherjee received 437 votes.

While Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura Legislative Assemblies have a strength of 60 members each, Assam has 126 members. Sikkim (32) and Mizoram (40) are the other States.

The only consolation is that in Meghalaya, where Sangma and his son are MLAs, he received the support of 23 of the 60 members. In Tripura, Sikkim and Manipur, he got one vote each; in Aunachal Pradesh, two votes, and in Mizoram, 7. In Nagaland, he drew a blank and in Assam, Sangma obtained the votes of only 13 of the 126 members in the Assembly.

 Sangma obtained the highest votes of MLAs of Madhya Pradesh — 156, against Mukherjee’s 73 votes (total membership 230). This was followed by Tamil Nadu, which gave Sangma 148 votes against Mukherjee’s 45 (234) and Gujarat — Sangma, 123, Mukherjee, 59 (182).

In Mukherjee’s case, he got the record-breaking support of 351 members of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, against Mr. Sangma’s 46 (total membership 403).

This was followed by West Bengal, where the President-elect got 275 votes and Sangma, just three votes (294), and Maharashtra —  Mukherjee, 225, Sangma, 47 (288).

Editorial

MONEY POWER

Demand For Code Of Conduct

Allegations against the establishment for using threats and money power to wean away votes to get Pranab Mukherjee elected as the next President of India cannot be taken as a mere outburst of a frustrated loser, PA Sangma, who even failed miserably to get the much-needed votes from his own Northeast region. A large section of legislators in the Northeast would certainly have backed Sangma as he is a member of their clan and they would certainly want a tribal in the top post of the country. To say that caste politics in the polls to the highest office of the land is demeaning of the post is hypocritical and naïve.

 Who are the legislators who are ruling the states and the country? Many of them not only have criminal background but are well-known for their corrupt deeds. This is not say that Pranab would have lost the polls if the whole system in the entire country is neat and clean. But the reality – something many people pretend not to know – is that threats (CBI) and money power which come in the form of financial packages do work. In fact, the whole system in the country is corrupt to the core and this has a direct bearing on political activities such as the presidential polls. It is worth noting that Rs. 57,000 was given to Uttar Pradesh and Rs. 27,000 crore to Bihar as financial packages recently when Pranab was the Union Finance Minister. Many former CMs and prospective CMs are also under the CBI scanner. Therefore, Sangma’s suggestion that elections to the post of president and vice-president must come under the code of conduct is valid and reasonable.

Teesta III hydro project likely to be ready by Dec 2013

Gangtok, July 25: The 1,200 MW Teesta-III hydro project in Chungthang in North Sikkim, delayed by natural calamities and legal hurdles, is likely to be commissioned by December 2013. The project, which would supply power Sikkim, Haryana and Rajasthan, among others, is being developed by Teesta Urja, where four entities, including Sikkim government have stakes.

Power trading solutions provider PTC India, which holds 11% stake, said the project is expected to be ready by the end of next year, PTI reported.

"The construction activity of Teesta III project got affected due to the earthquake of September 2011. The project is now expected to be commissioned in December 2013," PTC India chairman and managing director Tantra Narayan Thakur told PTI.

Singapore-based Asian Genco Pte holds 50.1% stake in Teesta III while Sikkim government and Athena Projects Pvt Ltd has 26% and 11% shareholding, respectively.

Going by initial schedule, first unit of Teesta III was to be commissioned in August 2011, as per Teesta Urja website. The project would have six units of 200 MW each.

Sources said that more than 70% of work at Teesta III has been completed.

Apart from last year's earthquake that affected the project site, differences between Teesta Urja Ltd and Sikkim government have also delayed the implementation of Teesta III.

A Teesta Urja official said that delays have escalated the project costs, which is now estimated to be around Rs. 8,000 crore. Initially, the project expenses were projected at about Rs. 5,700 crore.

Earlier this month, issues regarding transfer of 26% stake to Sikkim government were resolved, sources said.

The Sikkim government had resorted to legal action on the issue of transfer of 26% stake in the project to itself.

On July 13, Rural Electrification Corp -- one of the lenders for the project -- had convened a meeting of Teesta Urja stakeholders. REC has proposed to take up cost over run funding to the tune of Rs. 1,000 crore.

According to the minutes of the meeting, Sikkim government officials assured support on all project-related issues, including infusion of equity and issue of no objection certificate (NOC), for bridge construction.

The run of the river project was awarded by the Sikkim government to Teesta Urja Ltd on BOOT (Build Own Operate Transfer) basis for a period of 35 years.

Finnish mission in Lachen

A Missionary School in Lachen, North Sikkim, around 1938. The Finnish missionaries taught the Lachenpas not only how to read and write in English but also how to weave rugs and plant potatoes.

HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN      July 25, 2012

Prachanda to clean up corruption tag

Kathmandu, July 24: Maoist chief Prachanda has decided to vacate his multi-crore mansion and return expensive vehicles he was using after strong criticism from within and outside the party over his luxurious lifestyle.

Addressing the closing session of the five-day long plenum of UCPN-Maoist party yesterday, Prachanda said he would vacate the Lazimpat residence after making a new arrangement, PTI reported.

He also said that he would only use vehicles provided by the government.

His high-profile residence had made headlines in the media. Soon after Prachanda moved into the mansion from his previous residence, a section of party cadres had claimed that he had purchased the multi-crore property.

While aides claimed that Prachanda had been staying in the house on rent, party insiders say the mansion was actually bought in the name of a close associate of Prachanda.

"I have been staying on rent. But it was rumoured that I have bought the house," Prachanda said. "Being a former prime minister, the government should provide me a house and a vehicle," he said. (see page 2)

Team Anna to expose Pranab on July 25

We will release proof of corruption against Pranab: Kejriwal

New Delhi, July 24:  Team Anna claimed on Sunday that they have “proof” of corruption against Pranab Mukherjee and it would be made public on 25 July when they launch an indefinite fast coinciding with his swearing-in as the President.

“The Prime Minister is corrupt, now we have a corrupt President as well. We will release proof of corruption against Pranab Mukherjee on 25 July during our fast,” Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said, Reuters reported.

Kejriwal was speaking at a rally here to drum up support for Team Anna‘s indefinite fast in the national capital from Wednesday, saying they are ready for a “fight to finish” and will not be satisfied with mere assurances.

Led by Kejriwal, Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan, the car and bike rally began from Rajghat and reached Jantar Mantar where they spoke against the UPA government for its alleged inaction in tackling corruption.

“We are ready for fight to finish. This time around we are not going to give up our fast on mere assurances. We will end our agitation only after we get solutions to our demand.

“We don’t trust the government anymore. Either we’ll get solutions or our bodies will be lifted from here,” Kejriwal told the protesters.

‘Common Cause’, a public interest organization, has decided to join hands with Team Anna to make its July 25 indefinite strike a success. The organization said it will launch its anti-corruption logo, which has been designed by the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday.

China for stability, not separatism in Tibet

Beijing, July 24: China wants stability in Tibet, not separatism. The battle against separatism should be stepped up in Tibet where "ethnic unity, social harmony and stability is the lifeline," a top Chinese leader has said.

Underlining the importance of maintaining stability in the remote Himalayan region, Li Changchun, a Standing Committee member of the Politburo of the Communist Party's Central Committee, said that improving people's livelihood should always be "a top priority" for the Tibet government, PTI reported.

Li, ranked fifth in the hierarchy of the ruling Communist Party, was on a five-day visit to Tibet's Nyingtri and Lhasa, places where Beijing plans to undertake multi-billion dollar tourism projects.

"Ethnic unity, social harmony and stability is the lifeline for Tibet," he said, adding that the ethnic unity education and the anti-separatism battle should be deepened.

Li stressed on ethnic unity and cultural development in southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, as well as building an "ideological basis" for anti-secession and stability maintenance, he said.

Tibet should seize the opportunity of the implementation of the western development strategy, and innovative efforts should be made to promote the region's leapfrog development and lasting stability, Li was quoted as saying.

“The centre is using the CBI as its puppet”

Ramdev threatens to launch movement against black money

Dehradun, July 24:  Yoga Guru Ramdev on Saturday staged a dharna in protest against the arrest of his aide Balkrishna accusing the Centre of misusing the CBI to harass nationalist people. He also vowed to fight black money and corruption through a renewed agitation, which would start from August 9 in New Delhi and said he would continue to fight for bringing back Rs 400 lakh crore of black money stashed abroad.

"Acharya Balkrishna is not a terrorist or a criminal, rather he has honestly worked for the welfare of crores of people through his knowledge on Ayurveda. We are standing by him on moral grounds," Ramdev told reporters here at Lachhiwala area where he was stopped by the police.

Later, Ramdev sat on a dharna in front of the CBI office here to protest against the arrest of Balkrishna.

He criticised the centre for misusing their investigative agencies for harassing people, who dedicated their lives for the sake of people. "The centre is using the CBI as its puppet," he said.

Regarding the allegations on his aide Acharya Balkrishna for obtaining passport on fake documents, Ramdev claimed that Nepalese government has already communicated to India that Balkrishna is not a Nepalese citizen.

Ramdev said he was not scared of any investigation against him as well as his trust.

"I am not scared. Only those people should be scared who have stashed the country's money in foreign banks," he said.

Hydel projects pose threat to vegetation, aquatic life in Kullu

Manali, July 24: The impact of hundreds of hydroelectric projects being constructed in Himachal are are slowly but clearly becoming visible in the shape of vanishing aquatic life, depleting vegetation, water pollution, reducing irrigation water and livelihood of locals. The problem would deepen in the entire state in the near future, environmentalists have warned.

Villagers in Kinnaur have been complaining drying up of traditional water sources, specially streams near under-construction hydel projects at Sainj, Manikaran valley and Jagatsukh areas. Residents of villages downstream the Jagatsukh river, which has been diverted to Prini river through a tunnel, said that reduced water in the river has left their canals useless, making vegetation along the riverside vanish fast.

Similar to the situation in Kangra district, medium and small hydel projects are posing threat to fish and other aquatic life in Kullu, sources said. Most cold water brooks and rivers in Kullu district are rich with trout and other aquatic species, but the HP fisheries department has already issued NOC to 42 of the 58 proposed projects, TNN reported.

Says Dinesh Sharma, an environmentalist, who has been observing the impact of arbitrary and unplanned setting up of hydel projects in Kullu, which are changing the ecology of the area, "Water is being diverted from its natural course. Vegetation near water is diminishing and new breed of plants is replacing old varieties. Fish and other aquatic life, which thrive in big streams are either dying or are searching for new habitats."

Sharma said he has been studying the effects of diversion of water from Duhangan river near Manali and found that the decrease in mass of water was not only causing a rise in water temperature but also increasing the temperature in its immediate atmosphere and also reducing humidity in the surroundings. "Water temperature is increasing in the reservoirs and timings of rains have changed in the area," he added.

According to Kishan Thakur, another environmentalist, tunneling and underground blasting for projects is affecting the centuries-old underground routes of water, the impact of which would become visible soon. "Blasting causes cracks in earth and changes the course of underground water. Scared by the blasts, animals have already vacated nearby natural habitats. The only benefit from the projects is abundance of power, but it has many drawbacks, which are being manifested gradually."

According to data, over 500 hydel projects have been allotted to government and private sector players in Himachal Pradesh. Till July 2011, about 271 projects had applied for no objection certificate from Himachal Pradesh fisheries department. Of these, only about half-a-dozen projects have been rejected, while over 230 projects have been given NOC while others were under consideration.

In Kullu district, 58 projects had applied for NOC district whereas 57 projects are proposed in Shimla district. Promoters of the projects have deposited an amount of Rs 32.96 crore towards fisheries development funds with the fisheries department, sources said.

Editorial

MAMATA’S GESTURES

Take Full Advantage

Knowing the mood of the hill people in Darjeeling on the demand for separate statehood the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is unlikely to give up its demand for ‘Gorkhaland’. One cannot read too much into Harka Bahadur Chhetri’s speech in Kolkata during the Trinamool Congress’s rally. To say that the Morcha has given up statehood for the new council, the GTA, mainly because of Mamata Banerjee’s increasing popularity in the hills of Darjeeling is to view the present happenings in Darjeeling from a wrong angle. Of course, the people in the hills are very fond of didi and for many reasons. She has not only given top priority to the political churnings and economic aspirations of the hill people, she has also made several trips to Darjeeling in the past one year to sympathise with the people. Hill people will certainly view her recent trip to Kalimpong on Bhanu Jayanti as striking the right chord given the Gorkha people’s emotional identification with Bhanu Bhakta Acharya, whom many regard as a unifying factor for the Nepali/Gorkha community the world over.

The withdrawal of Trinamool’s candidates from the GTA polls was a magnanimous gesture on Mamata’s part. Now the ball is fully in GJM’s court and with its President Bimal Gurung expected to lead the new administration Darjeeling will not only heave a sigh of relief but its people will look forward to speedy economic development that is needed. Gurung cannot afford to go the Subash Ghising way, which is to say that the administration should be open, transparent and less corrupt and politics in the hills should be more democratic where the opposition should have its say. Unlike the Left Front government, which gave Ghising a free hand leading to the present mess in the hills, the Mamata government must keep a live interest on how the GTA runs. Gurung has repeatedly said that the GTA is a stepping stone for creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland. If that is to be believed Gurung must show how well he can handle a council before he attempts to become the first chief minister of Gorkhaland.

Britain was against Chinese influence in Bhutan

China’s growing presence in Tibet led to strengthening of Anglo-Bhutanese relations in early 20^th century

King Ugyen Wangchuck of Bhutan and Chogyal Thutob Namgyal of Sikkim at the coronation of  King George V as Emperor of India in Delhi in 1911.

The increasing influence on Tibet exerted by the Chinese in the beginning of the 20th century posed a grave threat to the security of Bhutan. The British-Indian Government and the Bhutanese Government viewed it crucial to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries. Lord Minto, the new Viceroy even advocated for an increase in the subsidy and a closer relations with Bhutan to encounter the possibility and danger of the Chinese government interfering in the Bhutanese affairs.
Charles A. Bell as the Political Officer in Sikhim, re-emphasized on the urgency and the need for strengthening the Anglo-Bhutanese relations as the Chinese activities began to intensify in Tibet. In a report on the British relations with China, Tibet and Bhutan Charles A. Bell wrote, “our policy with regard to Bhutan should be to show her all the friendliness we can and if opportunity offers, to make a brief treaty with her so as to enable us to control her foreign relations while leaving her absolute freedom in her internal affairs. This will enable us to keep Chinese agents, Chinese troops and Chinese influence generally out of the country……”
This resulted in London’s agreement to revise the 1865 Treaty of Sinchula. Consequently, Charles A. Bell accompanied by Captain Robert Kennedy was sent to Bhutan to negotiate on the revision of the Treaty of Sinchula. The British proposed for an increase in the subsidy to Rs. 100,000. Arms and ammunitions were also brought at the request of the King. On 8 January 1910 corresponding to the 27th day of the 11th month of the Earth Bird year the Treaty was successfully concluded at Punakha. The British-India Government was represented by Charles A. Bell and Bhutan by Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck.
The revised terms of the 1865 Treaty of Sinchula as incorporated in the Treaty of Punakha were as follows:
• By amending Article IV of the Treaty of Sinchula, the British Government increased the annual subsidy payment for the Duar areas to the Government of Bhutan from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 100,000 with effect from the 10 January 1910.
• By amending article VIII of the Treaty of Sinchula, the British undertook to exercise no interference in the internal administration of Bhutan. On its part, the Bhutanese Government agreed to consult the British Government in regard to its external relations.
• Further, in the event of disputes with or complaints against the various rulers of Sikkim and Cooch Bihar, the Bhutanese Government agreed to refer the matters to the British Government for arbitration and settlement.
Bhutan also received a portion of land at Kalimpong to set up a Bhutanese Agent and was authorised to use the Calcutta mint for making a new die for copper coins. The British-Indian Government also assured to assist Bhutan in developing its natural resources. Further, Mr. Dover, the former State Engineer from Sikkim examined the road from Bahsa to Chuka to make it mule worthy at an estimated cost of Nu. 55,000.
The signing of this treaty ensured a long and a lasting peace and friendship between the two countries. It was signed at a time when the powerful nations of the world were beginning to divide themselves into two power blocs. It was also a time when hostility between these power blocs was escalating beyond control. There was every possibility of small nations being absorbed and influenced by powerful nations if it did not have a close, reliable and a powerful ally.
Thus, the signing of the treaty was beneficial for both the nations. On one hand, the security and sovereignty of Bhutan was ensured. On the other, the fear of the British-Indian Government that Bhutan would come under the influence of other powerful nations and threaten its security and dominance in India was no more significant. Since the signing of the treaty, the two Governments collaborated to ameliorate the bond and support one another. Further, the steadfast cordial relationship that Bhutan and India enjoys today is definitely a beautiful legacy of the Treaty of Punakha. (Bhutan2008.bt)
Mamata-Bimal golden handshake leaves hills in Morcha hands

Mamata withdraws TMC candidates from GTA polls

Kolkata, July 24: Clearing the way for complete dominance of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in the proposed Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday announced the withdrawal of her party’s candidates from the GTA polls.

GTA is an autonomous body to look after the administration of the Darjeeling district and its foothills. GTA elections are scheduled to take place on July 29.

The Gorkhaland Janmukti Morcha (GJM), a dominant political outfit in the Darjeeling hills, has obtained 28 out of the 45 seats to the GTA.

“There were 17 contestants participating in GTA elections from the Trinamool Congress. We have decided to withdraw our nominations. We do not want confrontation with GJM,” Mamata said while addressing the rally commemorating on July 21 as Martyrs’ Day.

The rally was attended by GJM leaders and MLAs like Mr Harka Bahadur Chhetri.

Mamata’s a move that paves the way for the main hill party, the GJM, to win all the 45 seats uncontested.

The announcement came soon after Chhetri heaped lavish praise on her, saying Darjeeling and West Bengal will remain together under her stewardship. July 21 was the last date for withdrawal of candidature from the GTA polls.

"The GJM has already won a majority by winning 28 seats uncontested. In the larger political interest, all our 17 candidates will withdraw their nominations. We are doing this out of our love for the people of the hills, though the last date of withdrawal is already gone," Banerjee said.

"We do not want any confrontation with the GJM. We will go to Darjeeling Aug 4 for the swearing-in ceremony," said Mamata, addressing a mammoth Trinamool Congress rally here.

Thrukpa Tsezhi: Turning the Wheel of Dharma

Sikkim’s unique Buddhist festival

Thrukpa Teshi festival is celebrated by the Buddhists all over the world. On this special day the Buddha preached his first sermon of four Noble Truths to his five disciples at a deer park in Sarnath. It is one of the four major Buddhist festivals. The first turning of the Wheel of Dharma began seven weeks after Buddha’s enlightenment at Bodh Gaya in Bihar.

The first Noble Truth is the truth of suffering. The second Noble Truth is the truth of the origin of suffering. The third Noble Truth is the cessation of the suffering. The fourth Noble Truth is the truth of the Eight Fold Path leading to Nirvana.

This day is celebrated on the fourth day (Tsezhi) of the sixth month (Thrukpa) of the Tibetan calendar in the month of July or August every year. This festival is celebrated all over the former Buddhist Kingdom of Sikkim.

In Muguthang in Lachen, North Sikkim, the locals celebrate the festival with a yak race, which is participated by the Drokpas (yak herders). Prayers and pujas are held all over Sikkim, including the Palace monastery of Tsuglhakhang in Gangtok.

In Lachen and in many other places the occasion is also celebrated as local deities day and prayers and sang (incense) are offered to local deities of respective regions in Sikkim as well as to Khangchendzonga, Sikkim’s Guardian Deity. Some families also worship their ancestral deities (Pho-lha) on this day.

Finnish mission in Lachen

A Missionary School in Lachen, North Sikkim, around 1938. The Finnish missionaries taught the Lachenpas not only how to read and write in English but also how to weave rugs and plant potatoes.

India to strengthen military preparedness along Indo-China border

Security panel to raise 2^nd battalion of Arunachal Scouts

New Delhi, July 24:  Aiming to strengthen military preparedness along the China border, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) is understood to have discussed the proposal for raising the second battalion of Army’s Arunachal Scouts.

The CCS meeting in New Delhi, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is understood to have discussed the proposal to raise the second battalion of Arunachal Scouts to protect country’s boundary with China in the northeastern state, sources said.

The proposal has come up for discussion before the CCS around two months after the first battalion of the Arunachal Scouts was deployed in Riyang district there, reported PTI.

In Scouts battalions, the officers are from the regular Army whereas the majority of the soldiers are drawn from local areas. The Arunachal Scouts has been formed on the lines of the Ladkah Scouts which is deployed in high altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

During the 25th anniversary celebrations of statehood of Arunachal Pradesh, Defence Minister AK Antony had announced the raising of second battalion of Arunachal Scouts.

He had also said that special emphasis is being given to the operationalisation of Advance Landing Grounds (ALGs) which will be of immense use and importance for the locals and military.

In the backdrop of aggressive modernisation of military infrastructure by China on its side of the boundary, India has taken various steps to strengthen its defences.

Assam remembers American missionary

Bronson compiled first Assamese dictionary

Hill Media Network

Guwahati, July 24: Assam on Friday remembered the American Baptist missionary who compiled the first Assamese dictionary in 1867 and brought out the first Assamese newspaper named ‘Orunodoi’ in 1845. Friday (July 20) was Reverend Miles Bronson’s 200th birth anniversary.

Born on 20 July 1812 in New York, Bronson arrived in Assam as part of the American Baptist Mission in 1836. He first set up a school at Namsang in eastern Assam and brought out ‘A Spelling Book and Vocabulary in English, Assamese, Singpho and Naga’ in 1839 before shifting to Sivasagar to bring out ‘Orunodoi’.

“We can never forget the contributions of Bronson and his associates including Nathan Brown and Oliver Cutter to the development of Assamese language. While he arrived less than 10 years after the Brahmaputra Valley was annexed to British India, he wrote many books that helped enrich several languages of the region,’ Assam Sahitya Sabha general secretary Paramananda Rajbangshi said, Hindustan Times reported.

The Sabha, he added, has drawn up a year-long programme to mark Bronson’s birth bi-centenary. To be celebrated as the Year of the Dictionary, the schedule includes publication of at least two new Assamese dictionaries, a series of seminars and awareness programmes on dictionaries, setting up of three bronze busts of Bronson and generating awareness about correct use of the language on television and other social media.

Bronson wrote two books in Garo (Meghalaya) language in 1863 before the first Assamese dictionary containing 14,000 words in 1867. His team’s biggest contribution, though, was in restoring Assamese as official language and medium of instruction in Assam in1873 after it was replaced by Bengali in 1836 by the British.

“Had it not been for Bronson’s team, Assam would not have seen the birth of the first newspaper within 19 years of British occupation of the Brahmaputra valley,” said veteran journalist Profulla Chandra Borua, a compiler on journalism in Assam.

Bronson, incidentally, was the first missionary to try to evangelize the Nagas. He returned to the US in 1878 and died in Eton Rapids on November 10, 1883.

Don’t want to break their hearts: Naga Olympian

Dimapur, July 24: Overwhelmed by the attention she is getting in Nagaland for being only the second athlete from the State to qualify for the Olympics, Indian women's archery team member Chekrovolu Swuro says winning a medal in London would not just be a personal high but also an expression of her gratitude to her "tribe".

In 1948, Nagaland's Dr Talirmen Ao led a barefoot Indian football team to become the first Olympian from the Northeastern hilly State bordering Myanmar.    

Being the second Naga Olympian after Dr Ao, the 29-year-old from Dzulha village of Phek district of Nagaland is a popular figure in the State, Times of India reported.    

In fact, chief minister Neiphiu Rio is all set to fly London with his entourage to cheer for Swuro during the July 27-August 12 extravaganza.    

"There are prayers for me (at the Nagaland churches). The chief minister (Neiphiu Rio) has wished me luck personally. He is also likely to fly to London to cheer for us. It's a proud moment for me," Swuro said in an interview.   

"They are very happy for me and doing every little thing possible for me. It's an additional responsibility on me. I'm overwhelmed. I don't want to break their hearts," said the sub-inspector with the Nagaland Police.    

The Ahoms Of Assam

Ahom King Chao Lung Siuka-pha

The Ahoms, the dominant Tai group of Assam belong to the great Tai ethnic and linguistic family of South-East Asia. The original homeland of the Ahoms was Yunum of Southern China. They came to Assam and established a tiny kingdom in 1228 A.D in the easternmost part of India with Charaideo as its capital in the district of Sivasagar under the leadership of Siuka-pha, a Tai prince from Southern China.

Before the advent of the Ahoms, Assam was known variously as Pragjyotisha and Kamarupa in different period of time. In the epic period, the country was divided into Sonitpur, Kundil Rajya and Pragjyotisha. In addition there were the kingdoms of Hidimba, Davaka, Manipur and Tripura. Later the kingdom of Kamarupa arose in early Christian era, but this kingdom disappeared by the middle of the twelfth century A.D.

Another kingdom known as Kamata also appeared in this region by this time. Taking advantage of this weakness of the Kamarupa, Kamata kingdom, the chiefs of the Koch and Mech tribes organized several independent principalities on the western part of the kingdom of Kamarupa. Thus prior to the advent of the Ahoms, this land of the Brahmaputra was divided politically, socially and racially.

The Ahom Monument

The Ahoms under Siuka-pha came and founded the first Tai kingdom in 1228 A.D. The tiny kingdom thus formed, was gradually extended by them eastward and westward in stages and thus they became the undisputed lord of the entire Brahmaputra Valley from Sadiya on the east to the river Manaha on the west. The Ahoms created history by ruling gloriously this land for six hundred years.

Thirty eight rulers belongs to Ahom royal dynasty ruled Assam from 1228 A.D to 1826 A.D. It was during their long protracted reign that the land and the people came to be designated as “Assam” and “Assamese”. Till today they are known by such names. It may be considered as  their greatest contribution to the land of their adoption i.e, Assam.

INTERVIEW Bimal Gurung

“GTA is only the preparation for the separate state of Gorkhaland”

(L to R): Dinesh Trivedi, member Trinamool Congress party, Mamata Banerjee, chief minister West Bengal, Bimal Gurung, leader Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and Home Minster P. Chidambaram, at the signing of the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) agreement on this July 18, 2011, near Siliguri in West Bengal.

Bimal Gurung has been a major force in the movement to carve out a separate state for Nepali-speaking Indians or Gorkhas from West Bengal, since 2007.

Gurung, 49, broke away with the Gorkha National Liberation Front chief Subhash Ghisingh and formed a separate party, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, in October 2007. For now Gurung has to make do with the autonomous Gorkhaland Territorial Administration or GTA.

In an exclusive interview with India Ink’s Anuradha Sharma in Kolkata recently, Gurung shared his views on numerous subjects. Escerpts:

Anuradha Sharma: You come from a very humble background. You were one of the militant leaders of the Gorkhaland movement of late ’80s. Today you are carrying the hopes of thousands of Indian Nepalis. How do you describe your personal political journey?

Bimal Gurung: I was born to a very poor family, so poor that having finished one meal, we would wonder when the next one would be. I have done odd jobs ever since my early days and so could not acquire good education. I became a part of the violent agitation spurred by the dream of Gorkhaland. I was young like all other youths who took part in that agitation. There was no one to guide us, to tell us that the gun is of no use, that you should be holding the pen instead. Neither did the political leadership seem to care. And in the end after all the sacrifices, they sold the Gorkhaland dream.

Sharma: Why did it take you so long to oppose Subhash Ghisingh?

Gurung: It was the politics of fear that he resorted to. The general feeling the people in the hills had was they would be killed if they opposed him. In 2005, I first said at a public meeting in my village (Tukvar) that we want Gorkhaland and not the Sixth Schedule status that Subhash Ghisingh was rooting for.  My family members and friends got very worried for my safety and would ask me to keep a low profile. But in 2007, when Subhash Ghisingh brought home a Sixth Schedule status, I parted ways with him and formed my own party on October 7 and started a new agitation. This agitation is non-violent, intellectual.

Sharma: Your detractors accuse you of muzzling opposition voices in the Hills?

Gurung: There is no opposition, actually, just a few opposition leaders without practically any supporters. The so called leaders kept quiet all the time when they had an opportunity to speak for the Hills people, for Gorkhaland. Today, I and our party have brought our Gorkhlanad agitation this far, from sadak to sansad (street to the Parliament). It does not suit them to now pretend to be standing up for the people and raising the Gorkhaland demand. Do you think the people will be convinced by them?

Sharma: What role did Prashant Tamang, the Gorkha winner of Indian Idol, play in your party’s success? While Ghisingh chose not to engage with the singer, you organized fan clubs and canvased for him in the talent hunt. Did that help you build a ready base of supporters?

Gurung: Prashant’s victory was a matter of our pride. We had backed him with all that we had. Besides, he got the whole Gorkha community united. He stirred nationalism in the hearts of the people. That helped the movement.

Sharma: The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration is now a reality. What next?

Gurung: Gorkhaland, of course. The GTA is only the preparation for the separate state of Gorkhaland.

Sharma: Do you see that happening anytime soon?

Gurung: Oh yes. In six months (from the formation of GTA), or a year maybe. I will not let it delay further.

Sharma: But you had given such a deadline earlier too. You had said that you’d achieve Gorkhaland by March 2010.

Gurung: I was misled. I trusted some wrong people and made mistakes.

Sharma: The chief minister, whose state government is signatory to the GTA agreement, has categorically spoken against the creation of a separate state.

Gurung: Goji-ko ho? (Is it anyone’s personal property?) So many states have been created in India since Independence. Why should only the Gorkhas not be allowed to have their state? Nothing short of statehood is a complete solution to the problems of the Gorkhas, be it identity or development. The geopolitical situation of the region logically demands a separate state.

Sharma: Do you have a road map for the development of Darjeeling hills? What will be the focus areas of the GTA?

Gurung: Yes, we have elaborate plans for development in the hills, of bringing back the lost glory of Darjeeling. Education is our top-most priority. Education was the worst hit sector during the violent Gorkhaland agitation of the ’80s. Once upon a time we had some of India’s best schools and colleges.

Look at what the agitation and 22 years of Subhash Ghisingh’s rule has done! It has set our hills back by 40 years. We will also focus on industry and employment generation. Unemployment is a major problem with our youths.

Sharma: Do you still believe the Trinamool government is better than the former Left Front government?

Gurung: Yes. Mamata Banerjee as a chief minister feels strongly for the hills. She played an active role in making the GTA come through. But she is a political leader and her political interests tend to go against the interest of the people of the hills.

Sharma: Why is it that your deputy, Roshan Giri (general secretary), and not you, who signs on all official agreements with the government, including the GTA?

Gurung: I will sign only on a separate Gorkhaland state agreement.