Court directs Darjeeling-based filmmaker to repay Rs 3 crore
A court in Mumbai has directed Shenpenn Khymsar, a Darjeeling-based filmmaker, to repay more than Rs 3 crore that he had allegedly borrowed from a person in Portugal for making a film.
Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha leader Bimal Gurung on Thursday countered claims that he was seeking some stop-gap settlements for the Hill problem and claimed that he would never compromise on the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland. In a statement he released in a social media group, Mr Gurung said, “Fabricated news is being spread that I am willing to settle for some autonomous arrangement for the Darjeeling region under Article 244 of the constitution.
The reports also claim that I will be backing off from the demand for Gorkhaland. I want to clarify that I will never compromise on our demand for Gorkhaland and am not seeking any temporary settlement or short-term autonomous arrangements.”
Article 244 of the constitution talks about an administration of Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas. “In 1986, the GNLF dropped the demand for Gorkhaland in favour of an autonomous body, the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, and in good faith, the Morcha agreed to experiment with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in 2011, without dropping the demand for Gorkhaland.
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However, both bodies failed miserably to live up to the expectations of the people. The only resolution to our century- old demand will be Gorkhaland,” Mr Gurung said. He said the people in Darjeeling, the Terai and the Dooars are well aware that inclusion of the region under the Sixth Schedule, instead of formation of Gorkhaland, is an “agenda that has been pushed by West Bengal since the time of Subash Ghisingh.”
“Today, once again, those who are doing the bidding for Bengal by accepting frivolous posts and funds are taking forward the same agenda and these reports are helping Bengal perpetuate the lies. I will never compromise on the aspirations of the people and will continue our struggle for Gorkhaland through democratic means,” said Mr Gurung, adding that they request the people to stay united and not believe in rumours and that Gorkhaland was a reality that was waiting to happen.
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