There was magic by member Soumya Deb from Asansol and there was recitation by Soma from Kharagpur. Then on the 7th evening our chief guest Advocate Bikashranjan Bhattacharya, the Mayor of Kolkata stunned the audience with his wonderfully bold and catchy speech on the importance of Rationalist movement and our association. Then Sri Swapan Basu, the connoisseur of Folk Songs mesmerised the full house at Moulali. The songs were followed by the trade mark program ” Aloukik noy, Loukik” (anti-supernatural show) by the organisation conducted by Sri Biplab Das. Biplab Das from Bankura has been awarded the leader of the year for his extensive work and dedication. Five members were given medals as tokens of appreciation.

From hundreds of photos taken, we give below 50 selected ones to commemorate the occasion. (Please click on the photos to enlarge.)

Gate at the Youth Centre

Registration

Breakfast

Opening by Prabir Ghosh, General Secreatery

Opening by General Secreatery

Welcome by Sumitra Padmanabhan, President

One of the Posters in the hall

One of the Posters in the hall

Sanjoy Karmakar from Burdwan

Lunch break

80 years young Shashibhusan Mahato from Bandoan, Purulia

Stay arranged at Salt Lake Stadium

Young couple- Bhavna and Madhusudan with Prabir Ghosh

Manasi from Kolkata

Panel discussion

Biplab Das, leader of the year, awarded

Biplab Das

Anindya from Medinipur discussing 25 years achievements

Soumya's Magic with Manoj Giri from Kurseong

Delegates from Kurseong

Delegates from Alipurduar with GS and President

Delegates from Burdwan with GS

Delegates from Birbhum with GS

Delegates from Hugli with GS

Delegates from Purulia with GS

Delegates from Bankura with GS

Delegates from Midnapur with GS

Delegates from Malda with GS

Delegates from Nadia with GS

7th March, 2010 – Evening

President

General Secreatary with chief guests

Bikashranjan Bhattacharya, the Mayor of Kolkata

Bikashranjan Bhattacharya and Prabir Ghosh

Swapan Basu, the connoisseur of Folk Songs

Related posts:

1. An Invitation: Silver Jubilee of SRAI
2. CELEBRATE 26th INTERNATIONAL RATIONALIST DAY
3. Annual “Best Scientific Outlook Award” ceremony and Rationalist program

A second original monkey is removed and replaced. The newcomer again attempts to climb the ladder, but all the other monkeys hammer the crap out of him. This includes the previous new monkey, who, grateful that he’s not on the receiving end this time, participates in the beating because all the other monkeys are doing it. However, he has no idea why he’s attacking the new monkey.One by one, all the original monkeys are replaced.

Eight new monkeys are now in the room. None of them have ever been sprayed by ice water. still none of them attempt to climb the ladder.

All of them will enthusiastically beat up any new monkey who tries, without having any idea why……..

Interesting …eh?

I find an acute similarity of this monkey business with the religious rituals practiced by humans. Many irrational practices might have started centuries back by priests using fear tactics to control the masses. Belief in fate and afterlife has been ingrained into our minds by the priestly classes. The rest is what we see now.

Sumitra Padmanabhan

No related posts.

Shri Gopalkrishna Gandhi

Dear Sir,

We are a group of social activists working for the last twenty five years for a more progressive and rational society. We also work for human rights. We had earlier written to you on the Nandigram issue and had been overwhelmed by your active involvement in the matter of social justice — not only in words but by your physical presence beside the victims of Nandigram massacre.

Sir, we heartily congratulate you on your role on resolving the stalemate at Singur in connection with the construction of Tata Motors and the mindless acquisition of land for the purpose. We would like to see a better Bengal– rich in agriculture and progressing with sensible industrialisation. Your involvement in critical issues has really moved and heartened us.

We express our sincerest greetings and heartfelt appreciation to you once again. We also assure you of the support of all our members in all the districts of Bengal and beyond.

Thanking you once again.

PRABIR GHOSH, Bharatiya Bigyan O Yuktibadi Samity

SUMITRA PADMANABHAN, Humanists’ Association

Related posts:

1. Message on International Human Rights Day 2008
2. Governor’s Reply
3. An Appeal To The Honorable Prime Minister of India

[The author, a teacher in Kurseong, is Vice President of Humanists’ Association]

The basic point about Gorkhaland is IDENTITY and NOT DEVELOPMENT.

You should be very clear at the outset, that bringing in the talk of DEVELOPMENT in the way of IDENTITY is to DEVIATE from the core issue and to OVERSIMPLIFY and GENERALIZE the issues that the Gorkhas are trying to place before the nation.

Mixing up development and Identity is a conspiracy of the Ruling class to fool the people, resulting in more intensification of existing crisis.We rationalists should not take the faulty logic of the ruling clique and get trapped in rigmaroles.

Nevertheless, development or the lack of it is one reason for people’s rebellion.And most people who do not support the cause of Gorkhaland are now talking about non development in Darjeeling. Is it that all other places are highly developed except for Darjeeling?

But I wonder what development has there been in Kolkata except for adding the lesser used Vidhyasagar Setu to the colonial legacy. What development has there been to other parts of Bengal after the British left?And why is it that there is no demand for a separate state in Birbhum, Purulia, Bakura and Salboni etc., if it was just due to non development?

And that development is not the panacea for identity movements has been proved beyond doubt in Tibet where large scale development by the Chinese could not undermine the peoples’ aspiration for self respect and self esteem.

And the Indian Independence movement was, at least, not due to the lack of development.

Thus it is futile to prove that lack of development in the Gorkhaland area, is the cause of this movement. Proving it is the work of the conventional intellectuals and the cunning politicians.

Therefore, my request to you is that please do not bring in the issue of non development to the cause of identity and unknowingly confuse the whole movement for the emancipation of the Gorkhas.

Let me give you some core issues that the movement has put forward:

1)      Around 1780, the Gorkhas invade Sikkim and capture most part of it which includes Darjeeling with Siliguri. They administer it for 35 years when finally after the British-Nepal war,  Nepal cecedes its territory to the British in the treaty of Segoulee in 1816.

The ceded territory includes Darjeeling, Siliguri, the entire terai, Simla, Nainital, Garwhal hills, Kumaon upto the Sutlej., i.e., the entire region from Teesta to Sutlej.

Again, Darjeeling was handed over by the British to Sikkim but was later taken  back by the former for political reasons in 1835.The CPIM intellectuals and anti Gorkhaland intelligentsia talk only about 1835 but not 1780. I am sure that history does not begin only from 1835. What was prior to that??

2)      Lepchas were nomadic tribes and were engaged in zoom (shifting ) cultivation. They used to hang around the hills from one region to another. Sometimes they were in Nepal and sometimes in Sikkim.

That the Lepchas are the original inhabitants (they of course are, along with other tribes of this region) of this place is based on the account of one Capt. Lloyd, who wrote in his account that there were some 100 Lepcha huts in Darjeeling at the time. It is only that when he visited Darjeeling, those Lepchas just happened to be there. Had he ventured around, he would have surely met some other tribes of the region. It could have been any other tribe; Limbus, Magars, Rais etc who ran around these regions as it was their land. All these tribes belong to the Gorkha community. One thing should be kept in mind that Lloyd was not a trained historian but only a traveler.

These 100 Lepcha huts have now become a buzz word of the CPIM intellectuals to prove that the Gorkhas are foreigners here. They do not want to discuss other historical and anthropological contentions, which go in favor of the Gorkhas.

3)      When the British started tea cultivation in 1865 and the narrow gauge railway line in Darjeeling, a lot of people came here and started residing permanently. One should keep in mind that –

a)  these people did not have the modern concept of international borders,

b) they understood that the land was under the possession of their king and  when they came to work under  British enterprise as laborers ,they thought they were actually following  the orders of the Gorkha King and,

c)  they always understood that they were in their own land.

4)      When these events were happening, India, as we know today, was still not formed and all these people were British subjects, be it a Gorkha or a Bengali.

5)      But after 1947, India entered into an infamous treaty with Nepal in 1950- The Treaty of Peace and Friendship. The Article 7 of this Treaty reads: “The Government of India and Nepal agree to grant on a reciprocal basis to the national of one country in the territory of another the same privileges in the matter of residence, ownership of properties, participation in trade and commerce, movement and other privileges of similar nature”.

This treaty ambiguates the citizenship of the Indian Gorkhas, and it led to the loss of their Indian Identity.  It makes a Gorkha’s Indian citizenship a reciprocal one.

The present Gorkhaland movement is a search and a fight for this lost IDENTITY.

Only a separate STATE can give them this IDENTITY and nothing less.

(You can imagine what will happen to the citizenship of millions of Indian Bengalese if the Govt. of India and the Govt. of Bangladesh enters into such kind of a treaty with Art 7 intact). Rulers do not ask their subjects when they enter into treaties.  

So now it must be very clear that The Gorkhaland Movement is neither a fight against Bengal nor is it hatred against Bengalese. Once the STATE OF GORKHALAND is formed, no other INDIAN can call the GORKHA a FOREIGNER. The IDENTITY of the Gorkhas as Indians will become secured.

Therefore the Agenda of the Gorkhaland movement is only IDENTITY and not DEVELOPMENT.

 In that sense this movement is different from other movements for separate states. Telengana, Vidharb, Bundelkhand etc are a case for DEVELOPMENT, but Gorkhaland is a case for IDENTITY.

                                          #                            #                           #

 However I give you some cases of non development:

#     When the British left there were 180 tea estates in Darjeeling, now only 82 are left including some which are closed.

#      In North Bengal there is presently 18 tea gardens locked -out and in these some 30 thousand workers are jobless.

#      The wage of a labour in Darjeeling Dooars is the lowest in the country.

Tamilnadu                         Rs.101/-,

Kerala                                Rs. 92/-,

Karnataka                          Rs. 92.85/-

Darjeeling- Dooars            Rs.68.70/-

(These are inclusive of fuel and rations of poorest standards).

It is below the minimum wage of Rs.100/- .

#        The Government run Cinchona Plantations which employs thousands of people is on the verge of extinction, there is heavy corruption, and the authorities are conspiring to sell it to Hindustan Lever Group.

#       During the British Rule five to six mail and passengers trains used to go up and down Darjeeling – New Jalpaiguri, and the whole night goods trains used to run in the narrow gauge line. But now there is only one train with 3 compartments that runs between the two stations. 

#       Almost all the ropeways constructed by the British, an easy way of transport and employment, which carried goods to far flung areas are now defunct.

#       Malbazar- Mateley- Dooars was part of Darjeeling Parliamentary constituency, it was cut away and Islampur Chopra with no Gorkha population was attached to this constituency. This was done by B C Roy. His intention was criminal as the Gorkhas could not send an MP on their own, they had to depend on the Bengalese Ruling class’s whims and politics which always was detrimental to the interests of the Gorkhas.

#        Drinking water problem is world famous.

#          Although many departments were given to DGHC, it had no recruitment powers, which led to the unemployment of the educated individuals.  These are now the die-hard participants of the movement.  There was not even a single appointment in the hills in the last 20 years.      

#          Roads are always horrible.

These are some of the things which, I as a rationalist have been able to make some sensible people understand.

Related posts:

1. Demand for Gorkhaland

We feel the spread of Humanism as a creed is the answer to all acts of violence, of terrorism, of exploitation, and of corruption in this world. So, friends– spread the message and be united.

Related posts:

1. 10 December: International Human Rights Day
2. The voice of HUMANISTS’ ASSOCIATION on the NANDIGRAM issue
3. CELEBRATE 26th INTERNATIONAL RATIONALIST DAY

General Secretary,

HUMANISTS’ ASSOCIATION

We strongly condemn the incident of violence on Taslima Nasreen in Hyderabad on August 9, 2007.

There is nothing ‘unfortunate’ about it as described by the MIM chief, Sultan S. Owaisi. Fortune has nothing to do with man’s misdeeds. Someone has to take responsibility for any wrong that has been done wilfully.

We demand strict action as per the law of the country against the three MLAs Md. Muqtada Khan, Syed Ahmed Pasha, Md. Moazam Khan and also the MIM
chief and his son Akbaruddin for misbehaving in public and attempting to kill or fatally hurt an invited guest.

It is a shame that for these fundamentalists Religion is so flimsy a dogma that it can be easily hurt or tarnished by an individual’s efforts.

All the writings of religious leaders put together cannot counter a small book by Taslima. It justifies the name of the book ‘Lajja’–’Shame’.The upholders of religion need to resort to brickbats– chairs, laptops and what not!

As regards the legislators, the less said the better. They have proved by their own actions that they neither believe in Law nor do they have strong enough conviction in Religion. An exemplary legal action would be the only answer.

Thanks to Mr. Innaiah for bravely facing the situation and to Taslima for rousing the issue yet another time.

Related posts:

1. Right to Information

Related posts:

1. Here is current issue of Aamra Yuktibadi – August 2009
2. AN APPEAL ON MASSACRE AT NANDIGRAM & MORE… 12 November, 2007
3. Here is current issue of Aamra Yuktibadi – August 2010

Who’s the moron in the picture? Mataji Nirmala Devi, who has much advertised her ‘Sahaja Yoga’. Like other heavyweight godmen, she has blind followers from all over the world. Well, here we can see that she has quite gone overboard and placed the flag of India on her feet.

In picture 1 you can see, india’s flag lies near her feet. In picture 2 it is clearly seen that the nation’s flag lies on her feet. What is that supposed to signify? This lady claims to have been a direct disciple of Mahatma Gandhi. The man beside her is her husband, an active partner in all her activities.

Please leave your feedback below about what you feel after seeing these pictures.

 By Pinaki Ghosh

Photo Courtesy: Meri News Photos, photo link http://www.merinews.com/photoFeaturesResults.jsp?photoFeatureID=75&galTypeImage=3&searchFlag=titleSearch

Related posts:

1. Want to see God?
2. The ‘Sunderban Ghost’

History of this day

In 1952 in Dhaka, Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) police opened fire on a procession of students, who demanded the establishment Bengali as the official language, killing four people and starting a country-wide protest which led to the recognition of Bengali as one of the national languages of Pakistan. The day was later declared as “International Mother Language Day” by UNESCO.

Today is 21 Feb, the memorable day for Bengali language. 250 million people across the world (most widely in Bangladesh and Eastern India) speak in Bengali, the 6th most widely spoken language today. Let us remember the martyrs for the language while listening to this incredible song.

Ami Banglay Gaan Gai (click to listen to the incredible song loved by every true Bengali)

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