Proud to be a Sikkimese: Sikkim Travel, Culture & Local Heritage

Darjeeling, December 09: The GNLF has turned itself to start an agitation for Gorkhaland state if there are more delays in granting Sixth Schedule status to the Darjeeling hills.The GNLF put pressure the Centre and the West Bengal government for fast execution of the Sixth Schedule bill in parliament. The bill was shelved after BJP members demanded that ...

The Darjeeling Debate Subrata Nagchoudhury Posted online: Friday, December 07, 2007 at 0000 hrs The Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council wants the Darjeeling hill areas to be given tribal areas status. Those who oppose this move claim that this is not possible as tribals are in a minority there. So, what is the real story? Subrata Nagchoudhury sorts out the issues • What is the controversy about the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution (107th) Amendment Bill? There are basically two points of contention over the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution (107th) Amendment) Bill 2007. First, the BJP has objected to the way the bill was being introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, without referring it to either the parliamentary standing committee on home affairs, of which Sushma Swaraj is the chairman, or to the Rajya Sabha. The BJP, therefore, dubbed it a “backdoor” attempt to ensure the passage of the legislation. The second...

Statesman News Service SILIGURI, Dec. 7: The Gorkha National Liberation Front has resolved to revive the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state in case the Centre failed to clear the Darjeeling Sixth Schedule Bill in the next session of Parliament. The resolution was adopted at the GNLF's branch committee meetings, held simultaneously in Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik today. While the meeting in Darjeeling held was presided over by the branch committee president, Mr Deepak Gurung, at Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik the meetings were chaired by Mr Indra Narayan Pradhan, Mr Dawa Pakhrin and Mr LB Rai, respectively. “All the branch committees have unanimously resolved to serve the Centre an ultimatum for it to clear the Bill in the next session of the Parliament, failing which, the GNLF would revive the agitation for a separate Gorkhaland state,” Mr Deepak Gurung said. Accusing the Centre of backtracking from the in-principle agreement, Mr Gu...