Dahal opposes `re-inclusion' of Kurseong areas in Champasari GP

MOHAN PRASAD, SNS, KURSEONG, 21 AUGUST 2020 : Leader of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (Binoy Tamang faction), Tshering Dahal, has criticized the political leadership of the plains and objected to the "re-inclusion" of a mauja from the Kurseong Block to the Champasari Gram Panchayat under the Matigara Naxalbari Block of the Siliguri sub-division.

On 18 August, Darjeeling District Magistrate Ponnambalam S issued a draft notification for the delimitation and reservation of seats for elections to the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad (SMP).

"In the draft notification, a mauja, booth No 192 (Singimarl Forest Village Primary School), comprising three villages, has been re-transferred or re-included in the Matigara Naxalbari block from the Kurseong Block," Mrs Dahal said today.

According to her in the 19 accord for the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), a total of 13 maujas from the Matigara-Naxalbari Block of Siliguri Sub-division had been added to the Kurseong block under the Kurscong Sub-division. "However, despite this, some maujas were yet to be transferred or included under the Kurseong Block," she said.

Accordingly, in 1998, when she was the panchayat pradhan of the Sukna Grampanchayat, Mrs Dahal said she fought for the issue and went on a hunger strike, after which she was able to have almost all the agreed maujas included in the Kurseong Block.

"But one of the 13 maujas, was not added to the Kurseong Block then, but on 30 December last year, the same remaining mauja was finally included in the Sukna GP under the Kurseong Block from the Champasari GP of the Matigara-Naxalbari," Mrs Dahal said.

"But surprisingly, in the recently-issued election draft notification, the same mauja was again included in the Champasari GP of the Matigara- Naxalbari block," she added.

She said that the move may have been made with consent from all political parties and its leadership in the plains. "But I condemn such acts of political parties and its leadership in the plains," Mrs Dahal said.

However, according to her, the government has given a 15-day time frame for filing any complaint or objection over the draft notification. "I will soon file an objection regarding the same with the DM, Darjeeling," she said.

She said she will also address the local population in the area in question on Sunday and make them aware of the matter.