425 Sikkimese leave for Delhi to express solidarity with Karmapa

GANGTOK, 01 Feb: A delegation of 425 people, including monks, from Sikkim left today for New Delhi to extend moral support to the team already in New Delhi working for the Karmapa and persevering to register a protest against the speculative reportage by national media [on the Karmapa issue] which was hurting the sentiments of Buddhists all over the world.
This was informed during a press conference convened today by the recently appointed spokesperson of the Karmapa Reception Committee and the Joint Action Committee [for the Karmapa], Thukchuk Lachungpa, today.
Mr. Lachungpa also contended today that the issue of the reincarnation of the Karmapa and the recent issue regarding the recovery of cash from the Gyuto Monastery at Sidhbari were totally different and unrelated issues. “As far as the people are concerned they already have their XVIIth Karmapa in Ogyen Trinley Dorje,” he stated.
He mentioned that the people of Sikkim were unanimous in their support for their spiritual leader, the Karmapa, at this time when he was being hounded by false allegations.
He further maintained that the Karmapa was never directly involved in the financial affairs of the monastery or the Karma Kagyu sect which he heads and that these were maintained by his staff and managers.
He highlighted that the devotees from all around the world made monetary donations to the Karmapa, with several devotees even coming in from mainland China.
He further informed that the Karmapa’s office at Sidhbari had even submitted an application to the central government to regularize the cash donations received by it, but that no response was received to this request. Every detail of the money has been maintained properly, he added.
He also pointed out that except the Chinese Yuans recovered after the raid at Sidhbari Monastery, there is no scrap of evidence to link the Karmapa with China, save his devotees there, who also made these cash donations.
Mr. Lachungpa also reiterated the condemnation of the KRC, JAC and the people at large of the misleading statements and speculations being made by the media at large on this situation.
He reminded people of the massive meeting of Karmapa supporters proposed for 05 February at Old Guards’ Ground at Tathangchen. This meeting, he said, would be a coming together of people in support of the Karmapa and to condemn the media speculations and allegations being leveled at the Karmapa, painting him to be a Chinese spy.
[SAGAR CHHETRI]

Times Now, disturbing indeed

A child in Gangtok walks with candles in support of the Karmapa

RESPONDING TO A PANEL DISCUSSION AIRED ON TIMES NOW

TASHI WANGYAL, a Gangtok resident, reviews a panel discussion broadcast by Times Now [a national TV news channel] on Monday evening, cuts through the poorly informed speculation of supposed experts on the Karmapa issue and shares his disconcertion over how casually superficial journalism is casting aspersions suggesting that the country’s Buddhists residing along the border with Tibet could be co-opted to serve Chinese interests….

Last evening [31 January, 2011], Times Now, a TV news channel, aired a panel discussion in its 9:30 p.m. slot on the subject of Chinese designs on India. The pael comprised of 2 Defence experts, 2 Tibetans, one Chinese gentleman from Hong Kong and a European. The discussion was conducted by Arnab Goswami.

From the discussions what could be understood is:

1) The experts feel that the Chinese were trying to create trouble in the North East and the border regions of India [with China] which were populated by Buddhists.

2) They [the ‘experts’] were trying to link the Karmapa issue with the happenings in the North East.

3) They were casting suspicions on the Karmapa being a spy because of the money found in the [Sidhbari] monastery.

4) They were implying that the Karmapa’s position as the Karmapa was disputed because of other claimants.

5) The Tibetans were denying that the Karmapa was a spy.

6) The money found in the monastery was from donations, they [the Tibetan panelists] insisted.

7) That they were grateful to India for giving them refuge and agreed that the law of the land was to be followed.

8) The Chinese denied any ill intentions towards India.

9) The European was not too involved in the discussion.

Now I, as an Indian Buddhist, watching this telecast felt that all Buddhists of India were being viewed suspiciously, especially us who live in the border regions of Ladakh, Himachal, Sikkim, West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh.

This is a total lack of understanding of us Buddhists by the rest of the country.

The experts should realize that it was the Chinese who destroyed monasteries, burned and destroyed our religious books and statues. In recent times, they have tortured and killed nuns and monks and are trying to wipe out Buddhism and the Tibetan culture, language and traditions. Which Buddhist, Tibetan, Indian or others, in their right mind, would collaborate with the Chinese and participate in the destruction of their own religion and culture?

Further, I would like the experts to note that the regions of India which have sizeable Buddhist populations, are the only places in the country which are still peaceful. Where in these regions have there ever been any anti-India activities, as the experts suggest. To cast suspicions on us Buddhists is a great harm being subjected to us and to India.

To suggest that the Karmapa’s position is disputed is also wrong.

All the religious leaders except one and 99.9% of the Buddhists have accepted this. Some national papers have reported the supposed intentions of the Government to place another candidate as the Karmapa. The experts also by their implication in this matter were towing this line. If this does happen, then Buddhists of India would feel alienated and let down by their Government as this would be no better that what the Chinese did with the Panchen Lama.

No amount of state help to the other candidates will help change the beliefs of the people; it is a question of faith and faith cannot be bought, coerced or tricked.

We Buddhists know how offerings are made to Lamas, so for us it is not surprising that money was found in the Monastery. As in Hinduism, Islam or Christianity, the followers of Buddhism are from different communities and origins. There are Indian, Tibetan, American, British, Chinese, Malaysians, Taiwanese etc. Buddhists and they all make offerings, some in their respective currencies, so it is not surprising that money was found. The investigations, if conducted fairly, will prove there is nothing to this.

After listening to the discussion, I find that the experts have based their opinion on a report prepared by KS Rao, the former Chief Secretary of Sikkim. His report is flawed and factually incorrect, one-sided and could have been influenced by certain parties with vested interests. It is to be noted here that the report, which was supposed to be a top secret document, was reproduced in its entirety by Eric D Curren in his book, “Buddha not Smiling”. One can draw his/her own conclusions.

The comments of the Chinese gentleman [in the Times Now panel discussion] were designed to make us more confused.

One question that Arnab put enquired why the Karmapa went to Hong Kong to meet Chinese officials in 2009. The only time, since the Karmapa came to India in 2000, that he was allowed to travel out was when he went to USA, that too under tight control and supervision of the Indian and Tibetan Governments. I don’t think he has ever been outside India other than this one time. Yes, one of the other candidates and his mentor have been travelling freely throughout the world and even to Hong Kong and we understand, collecting funds without any restrictions or supervision. Arnab should verify this.

However, as the Tibetan gentleman said in the discussion, there is no doubt that the Chinese have evil designs on India and we have to be wary of them. They have supported anti-Indian groups in the past and will do so in the future as well, but as far as the question of suspicion on the Karmapa is concerned, we are barking up the wrong tree. In fact, by doing this, we are playing into the hands of the Chinese. I can picture them having a good laugh at us.

Further, I agree with the Tibetan who said that India should help the Tibetans in throwing out the Chinese from Tibet. The first step would be to declare Tibet independent and then to issue stapled visas to people like the Uighurs, Chinese Mongolians and Tibetans.

My appeal to my fellow countrymen, Media and Government is to have confidence and faith in us Buddhists. We are also part of the Indian society and know what happens in China to our fellow Buddhists. We are not blind and foolish.

Jai Hind.

Tashi Wangyal,

Below West Point School, Upper Tathangchen, Gangtok

Village Cottage Industry office opened in Kyongsee

GANGTOK, 01 Feb:

Sikkim Himalayan Green Group, a registered voluntary organisation, inaugurated its Village Cottage Industry Administrative Office cum Office of the Creative Self Help Group at Kyongsee, under Karthok-Namcheybong Gram Panchayat Unit in Pakyong Sub-Division, yesterday.

Bhima Kanta Gurung, Chairperson, State Social Welfare Board, was present as the chief guest accompanied by Puran Chetri, District Youth Coordinator of the Nehru Yuva Kendra [Gangtok] and Mohan Shrama, joint secretary of Indreni Pariwar, an SHGG press release informs.

The Administrative Office has been appointed after repairing the annexure office of SHGG under a “Work Camp Programme”, sponsored by the NYK and undertaken from 27 to 31 Jan, it is informed.

The facility includes a manufacturing-cum-machine unit, packaging section, noodle shed hall and a small exhibition cum sale counter for products made by the Creative SHG, Lakshya SHG and Asha SHG.

Laxmi Rai, president of the Creative SHG, informed the inaugural session that the noodle-manufacturing cottage industry was the outcome of an awareness generation programme for “Rural and Poor Women” implemented by the SHG with support from the Central Social Welfare Board in March 2008.

She thanked the Sikkim Rural Development Agency for facilitating the SHG to take up a stall at the Saras Mela held at Jorethang during the Maghey Sankrati celebrations there. It was here that the SHG members were visited by the Chief Minister who interacted with the SHG members and assured them help in their initiatives. The SHG is proud of the remarks he left in the visitor’s log book after his visit and are now looking forward to meet him with a proper proposal soon.

The chief guest for the inaugural session, Ms. Gurung, in turn, briefed the gathering on the aims and objectives of the State Social Welfare Board.

Work Camp participation certificates were handed over to the 32 individuals who participated in it. The participants included representatives from Nagbeli Pragati Sangh, Jan Sewa Samity, Lakshya Self Help Group, Asha Self Help Group and local youths.

NHPC organizes medical and eye-care camp at Rang-Rang

GANGTOK, 01 Feb:

The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation, a government of India enterprise, organized a one-day free medical and eye-care camp at Rang-Rang in North Sikkim on 29 January, 2011. This camp, hosted at the Govt. Junior High School campus, an NHPC press release informs, was part of the organisation’s Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Development activities.

The camp was inaugurated by Padam Singh, President, Mangshila Block, in the presence of TKR Naga, Chief Medical Officer, NHPC Ltd, and other senior NHPC officials.

A team of NHPC doctors comprising of Dr. SK Das, ACMO & Eye specialist; Dr. Dipankar Deb, ACMO, Dr. Santosh Kumar, SMO, Dr. Anita Lakra, and a team of paramedics attended to the patients on Saturday.

A total of 206 patients were examined and free medicines released. While 131 general patients were examined, those requiring eye check-ups numbered 75. 52 patients with refractive errors were prescribed glasses.  

Video of candlelight vigil by Gangtok in support of Karmapa

Grand Nyingma Menlom Chenmo prayers set to begin at Bodh Gaya

WANGCHUK BHUTIA

BODHGAYA, (BIHAR), 01 Feb:

A 10-day long “Nyingma Menlom Chenmo” is scheduled to begin here at the Mahabodhi Stupa on 03 Feb 2011. The Menlom Chenmo is one of the more important annual puja of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It begins with the auspicious date of “Namgang Chechi”, the first day of the twelfth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, which coincides with 03 Feb this year.

Monks from monasteries across Sikkim are already here to participate in the prayers. Joining them in the prayers will be monks from all over world, with this correspondent having met monks from Arunachal Pradesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh and nearby Darjeeling and Kalimpong.

The Menlom Chenmo will also be attended by the Chotul Rinpoche from Shimla, Yangzey Rinpoche (Nepal), Thakthang Rinpoche (USA) and other eminent rinpoches from different monasteries. Meanwhile, a huge congregation of pilgrims are already camped here.

During the Menlom Chenmo, “Zyambel Charchok”, a special prayer, will be performed for world peace.

After the Menlom Chenmo, Khenchen Pema Sherab Rinpoche will give teachings on Longchenpa’s Men-Ngag Dzo (“Precious treasurer of pith instructions”). The teachings will start on 14 Feb and continue for around two weeks. These classes will be held for Sangha members of Ngagyur Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, dharma sponsors and students, it is informed.

Gold Gym returns with a burnish

GANGTOK, 01 Feb:

The Gold Gym here at MG Marg reopened today after a thorough renovation, now flexing a new look and even more facilities.

One of the oldest gyms in the state, the Gold Gym was started by certified trainer, Legden Bhutia in the year 2002.

Now, the gym has been extended across two floors and boasts imported exercise equipment, imported “directly from USA”. The gym is now segregated into sections for weight training, cardio zone and has enough equipment in place to keep all members, both men and women, fit.

Mr. Bhutia shared today that he had started the gym in 2002 to popularise fitness to a not so healthy Gangtok lifestyle.

His mantra clicked and now, with the membership register recording more than 300 members, the expansion in size and services had become necessary.

The gym has also accommodated a more flexible timing for members, with the facility open from 6 in the morning to 9 at night.

The gym has fixed Rs. 3,500 as joining fee and Rs. 1,500 per month.

[SAGAR CHHETRI]

also featured in the New Around Town section

Gangtok dedicates Monday evening to Karmapa

For a second consecutive evening, Gangtokians held a candlelight vigil for the Karmapa here at MG Marg on Monday. This time, the turnout was even stronger than the impromptu gathering of last evening. The turnout was packed cheek-by-jowl from the highway, past the tourism office and even spilling over to the road to Children’s Park and deeper into MG Marg.

The lay people who had turned up at Titanic Park last evening to express their hurt over the insensitivity with which the national media was running down the image of Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, were joined today by representatives of the Karmapa Reception Committee and Joint Action Committee [for the Karmapa], some of whom even addressed the gathering.

Lay people, not all of them Buddhists, in Gangtok, as across the world, have been shocked by the viciousness with which the Indian media at large has launched ridiculously speculative journalism into how it has covered the raids at Gyuto Monastery at Sidhbari near Dharamsala [where the Karmapa is lodged].

[SAGAR CHHETRI]

SDF counters Bhandari

GANGTOK, 31 Jan:

The Sikkim Democratic Front party countered allegations leveled against it by the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee president, Nar Bahadur Bhandari, yesterday [in an address delivered to Congress workers at an event hosted to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s 63^rd death anniversary].

In a press release issued today, the SDF general secretary [press & publicity], Prem Karki, has countered that even though the Sikkimese people have unanimously rejected Mr. Bhandari as a political entity, leaving his party with no representation in the State Legislative Assembly, he [Mr. Bhandari] continues in his “desperate” attempts to fool the Sikkimese people with his “misinformation”.

On the issue of Residential Certificates, the release conveys that by setting 26 April 1975 as the cut-off date to qualify for such certificates, the SDF Government has attempted to correct the reckless mistakes made in the erstwhile Bhandari regime in Sikkim.

Candlelight vigils, relay hunger strike and mass gathering announced to register affront being felt by Sikkimese on speculative reporting hounding Karmapa

KARMAPA RECEPTION COMMITTEE AND JAC CONDEMN MEDIA ASPERSIONS BEING CAST ON KARMAPA’S CREDENTIALS

GANGTOK, 31 Jan:

A meeting of the Karmapa Reception Committee [KRC], a united body of Sikkim monks lobbying to bring the XVIIth Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje to Sikkim, and the Joint Action Committee [formed for the same purpose] have strongly condemned news-reports [proliferating the Indian mainstream media] portraying Ogyen Trinley Dorje as a Chinese agent.

The meeting, held here on Monday afternoon, was attended by the members of both, the KRC and the JAC, along with a host of devotees and monks. Following long discussions on various issues which are being thrown up in the wake of raids at Gyuto Monastery at Sidhbari near Dharamsala [where the Karmapa has been hosted for the past decade], the group resolved to strongly condemn such speculative reportage and have decided to strong measures to register their condemnation.

As a first measure, the meeting decided to participate in a candlelight vigil to be held at the Titanic Park in Gangtok on Monday evening. This vigil began as an impromptu gesture of support for the Karmapa following growing chatter on the social media and is now growing larger.

The meeting has also resolved to begin a relay hunger strike from Tuesday at the Titanic Park [provided permission is granted for the venue, failing which an alternate site will be picked], to register the sentiments.

Meanwhile, a mass meeting was also announced for 05 February at the Old Guards Ground at Tathangchen to discuss the situation and seek public endorsement for the condemnation of “offensively speculative” reporting which is hounding the Karmapa at present.

Speakers at the meeting also reiterated that as far as the ‘confusion’ over who the ‘genuine’ Karmapa reincarnation was, that chapter is closed “because as far as a majority of the people are concerned, Ogyen Trinley Dorjee is the XVIIth Karmapa”.

Today’s meeting appointed Thukchuk Lachungpa and KT Bhutia as the Spokespersons to speak with the media on the upcoming agendas and programmes of the group. 

[SAGAR CHHETRI]

Upreti releases leaflet to explain his version of division in state Congress

KN Upreti [first from left] and State Congress dissidents hold up leaflet released by them on Monday, 31 Jan 2011, to explain their version of the reasons behind factionalism in the Congress party in Sikkim.

GANGTOK, 31 Jan:
The dissident group of the Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee led by KN Upreti today released a leaflet ‘Sikkim Pradesh Congress Ma Vibhajan Ko Jimmewar Ko?’
The four-page leaflet seeks to explain what the dissident group sees as the factors which led to the ‘division’ within the Congress here and blames the SPCC president, Nar Bahadur Bhandari, for it. Mr. Upreti was accompanied to the press briefing by a section [four of the nine SPCC members] of the dissidents.
Addressing a press conference today, Mr. Upreti alleged that “poor leadership” of Mr Bhandari was even keeping away several leaders from other parties from joining the SPCC even though they were very eager to join the Congress in Sikkim.
He further alleged that the SPCC president was neither meeting the people nor central leaders on the several issues facing Sikkim and that the party high command in Delhi was unaware of the “real condition of the party workers and the people” here.
Mr. Upreti even contended that dissident SDF MLA, PS Golay, and other members of the ruling party were interested to join the Congress party but were not willing to work under Mr. Bhandari’s presidentship.
He went on to claim that the party high-command has given the assurance that Mr. Bhandari would not be leading the party in the next Assembly elections.
Mr. Upreti also alleged today that the Chief Minister had negotiated with the Congress high-command [in exchange for support of Sikkim’s two Members of Parliament] to keep Mr. Bhandari as the party president here.
Only yesterday, it may be mentioned here, the SPCC observed Martyr’s Day [Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary] at the party head office here and speakers reiterated that there was no factionalism within the Congress in Sikkim.

Bodh Gaya, 30 Jan 2011

Around 50,000 monks and laity marched in a candlelight rally through the Buddhist pilgrimage town of Bodh Gaya in Bihar on Sunday evening, 30 Jan 2011 [read blog post further below for news report]. This was the second consecutive evening of such a vigil undertaken by the devout, not all belonging to the Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism which the Karmapa leads; what brought them together was the common feeling of affront felt by them over the insensitivity with which the Indian media, without any sound evidence, is deriding the image and credentials of a Buddhist leader and indulging in extremely coloured reportage.

Chorten Rinpoche, who led the Sunday rally at Bodh Gaya, speaking to media persons before the rally began.

DAY 2 OF CANDLELIGHT RALLIES IN BODH GAYA: 50,000 devotees and monks march for Karmapa

Monks resolve to protest in Delhi against insensitive handling  and proceed to Dharamsala to stand in solidarity with the Karmapa.  WANGCHUK BHUTIA reports from Bodh Gaya

BODHGAYA, BIHAR: Around 50,000 devotees turned out to join a peaceful candlelight march here at Bodh Gaya on Sunday evening. This was the second consecutive evening in which offended believers walked silently through the streets of this pilgrimage town to register their support for the XVIIth Karmapa Orgyen Trinley Dorjee who is being hounded by the national media with speculations of being a Chinese agent.

These allegations, it may be recalled, follow from conspiracy theories which erupted from the raids conducted by Himachal Pradesh police on Gyuto Monastery and the recovery of around Rs. 8.5 crores in cash from there. Chinese Yuans, along with currency from 24 other countries, including Indian rupees were recovered. While the Karmapa’s followers insist these were offerings made by visitors, the Yuan angle is being played out as a link to Chinese intelligence agencies.

Monks and lay people at the procession here insisted that monasteries across the world receive cash donations from visiting devotees. 

The rally here at Bodh Gaya was organised by the “Himalayan Committee” and was led by Chorten Rinpoche from Himachal Pradesh accompanied by Mingyur Rinpoche from Nepal. 

Special prayers were also offered at the Mahabodhi temple by monks from different monasteries before the rally marched out.

“There is nothing irregular about the cash recovered. He [the Karmapa] is not a Chinese agent and we support and believe in him,” said Chorten Rinpoche while briefing the press before the rally.

He also said that the money recovered from Gyuto Monastery at Sidhbari near Dharamsala [the Karmapa’s transit home for the past 10 years], was donations offered by devotees from all over the world for the sake of the Karmapa’s Dharma activities as well as other altruistic projects. 

While urging the concerned authorities to investigate the case properly, Chorten Rimpoche also appealed that proper information be released so that wayward speculations, which were hurting Buddhists across the world, were curtailed.

The rally was joined by monks and followers from across the country [this correspondent met people from Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh etc at the rally] and also followers from across the world including Japan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, America, Thailand, France etc.

The rally started at 6 p.m. from the Mahabodhi Stupa and ended at the Nyinma Menlom Chenmo Monastery. It was also decided that representatives from all the monasteries will assemble at New Delhi on Tuesday, 01 February, to register their feeling of offence over the manner in which the incident has been handled with the central Government after which they will head for Dharamsala to stand in solidarity with the Karmapa.

Only ulterior motives or pea-sized brains can accuse HH the Karmapa of being a Chinese agent

Dear Editor,
I want all supporters of H.H. Karmapa to stop shouting that he is not a spy. Such preposterous and ludicrous assumptions should not be dignified with a response.
To suggest that some one of the status and dignity of H.H. Karmapa, who has been anointed by H.H. Dalai Lama to be his successor for the cause of Tibet to be a an agent of China can only be entertained by people with either ulterior motives or possessing pea size brain. The only parallel in the Indian context I can think of is to accuse Rahul Gandhi (the obvious and future choice of Congress leadership) to be a BJP agent!!
Further, H.H. Karmapa is our Tirupati temple to whom devout followers give money and gifts with gratitude for his many charitable causes. Would the police have the guts to conduct a similar raid without warrant on the premises of Tirupatti temple? Hence, why the discrimination? Is it because we are a minority religious group in India and our vote bank is insignificant for any politician to stand up and make a fair statement, while the media is behaving like a bronco billy gone out of control.
We trust the media, especially the electronic media will put forth a saner, sensitive and intelligent reporting to its viewership and readership.

Guru T Ladakhi

Winter chill wipes up room heater stocks in Gangtok

The weather is warming up in Gangtok now, but before the mercury rose, it dipped substantially, giving Sikkim its coldest winter in many years. Understandably, the rush for room heaters grew. ANUPA RAI reports…

GANGTOK:

The winter has returned with severity this year and mercury has kept exceptionally low since the third week of Jan. Gangtok, which had almost given up on room heaters, with reasonably layered clothing and warm blankets proving enough for the past few years, was forced to invest in these contraptions again. Ever since the snowfall in the higher regions of Gangtok on 17 Jan, the sales of room heaters have spiked. In fact, late comers to shops selling heaters have had to book their warmers in advance with stocks depleting fast.

Shops across town confirmed much higher sale of room heaters this year. Cherry Electronics, among the more popular rendezvous for all things electrical, had stocked up on its winter quota of 50-60 heaters only a couple of days before the snowfall and sold out everything within 48 hours of the mercury plummeting.

And the shops are drawing not just shoppers for room heaters in private homes, on the waiting list for the new stock at Cherry was the Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation with a demand of three pieces of medium sized heaters.

Nearby, at Universal Auto Traders at MG Marg informs that the sale of room heaters have gone up 50-60% this year.

“The shop cleared all the stock during the coldest days experienced last week,” shared the salesperson there. The shop is convinced of fetching more if it brought in a fresh consignment, but there seems to be a problem.

“The demand is much higher than the supply. Consumers want the sturdier and more dependable heaters made by Indian companies, but we can’t seem to be able to source enough of them,” shares a salesperson. Remember, before the chill set in here, North India had already been shivering for a long while.

The silver lining here is that at least in as much as room heaters are concerned, made in India is out-performing the cheaper Chinese maal.

Elsewhere, at Manokamana Enterprises in Daragaon, it’s more of the same. The shopkeeper there informed that this year the weather did not disappoint them and that he could sell out the entire stock or more than 40 pieces within a fortnight.

He is not banking on the weather holding low for much longer as believes that the coldest days are already over. He won’t be bringing in more stock this season.

The temperature has risen noticeable over the past few days, with the sun surfacing for brief moments everyday. The season is however not over yet and another front of ‘western disturbances’ could bring even those who have resisted the temptation of a heated room to line up for room heaters. Through all this, one must credit the Power & Energy Department for having kept the capital alight. Although some areas have reported tripped lines from the load of room heaters, the power supply has been ‘room-warmingly’ consistent…

Fire razes home in Joshithang

GYALSHING: A fire razed a home at Joshithang in Dethang under Rinchenpong constituency in West Sikkim to the ground on 29 Jan 2011.

As per reports, Buddha Bahadur Rai have gone over this in-laws for dinner along with his entire family of seven last evening, only to be informed at around 6 p.m. of a fire having broken out in his home. The family rushed back, but it was already too late by then. The entire house was razed to the ground and nothing could be salvaged.

Mr. Rai is a leader of a Self Help Group and his wife, Yaden Bhutia, is an ASHA member.

Meanwhile, the Rinchenpong BDO visited the family today and released them essential items and ration to last for 20 days. The family at present has been provided temporary shelter nearby.

The area MLA, DN Thakarpa also visited the victims and gave an assurance of constructing a new house for them under the Mukhya Mantri Awaz Yojana.

The cause of the fire has not been established yet. 

POWER CUTS IN SIKKIM

Energy And Power Department, Government of Sikkim

GENERAL INFORMATION

M/S Power Gird Corporation Ltd. is taking a shutdown of the 220/132KV Sub-Station at Siliguri including the 132 KV feeders to Rangit and Melli w.e.f. 01/02/2011 to 04/02/0211 from 8 AM To 5 PM daily for replacement of the Bus Conductors. The power supply to the 132 KV Feeder Sub-Stations at Melli and Gangtok [LLHP] will be severely effected and the power supply to all the Districts i.e. South / West / East / North Districts of Sikkim will have to face intermittent load sheddings during the period of 8 AM to 5 PM on the above mentioned dates. All Industrial / Bulk consumers are directed to disconnect from the State power supply w.e.f. 8.00 Hrs to 21.00 Hrs from 01/02/2011 to 04/02/2011 and 17.00 Hrs to 21.00 Hrs from 05/02/2011 till further instructions. The Energy and Power Department regrets the inconvenience caused and requests all our valued consumers to kindly bear with us.

Offended followers march out in support of the Karmapa

Gangtok comes on record for the Karmapa. An impromptu candlelight vigil at Gangok's MG Marg on 30 Jan 2011, Sunday evening

Even the young stepped out in Gangtok to join the vigil expressing solidarity with the Karmapa in Gangtok on Sunday evening.   

Monks march in a candlelight vigil in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, on 29 Jan 2011

GANGTOK/ BODHGAYA, 30 Jan:  Caught off guard by the viciousness with which national media has torn into the raids on the Gyuto Monastery by the Himachal Pradesh police since Thursday, supporters and followers of the Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorjee, have now begun coming together in expressing their protest against the poorly informed media hysteria hounding their religious leaders. While hundred of devotees are reported to have gathered outside Gyuto Monastery to maintain a vigil there to record their feeling of offence over the manner in which the authorities and the media are handling the issue and to express their support for the Karmapa, in Gangtok this evening, an impromptu candlelight vigil was held at the Titanic Park in support of the Karmapa. A candlelight rally was also taken out at Bodh Gaya by monks and laity yesterday and repeated this evening as well.

A common thread running through all these people’s expressions has been the shock over the insensitivity with the issue is being reported by the mainstream media, with the devout reaffirming their faith in the Karmapa and condemning suggestions that he was a Chinese ‘plant’.

The Gangtok vigil had no organisers and was born on social media outlets like facebook and twitter and then spread through smses. At around 6 p.m. a sizeable gathering of equally offended people had gathered at MG Marg and soon a portrait of the Karmapa was brought and then followed computer print-outs announcing – “We strongly condemn ridiculous accusations against H.H, Karmapa”, “Karmapa is innocent”, “Karmapa is not a spy”.

Given the medium over which the gathering was born, most of those at the vigil in Gangtok were young people, but energised by the unanimous support they received and finding some comfort in coming together in numbers and proclaiming a common cause, the gathering at MG Marg today resolved to meet at Titanic Park every evening to sit in a vigil and record emotional support for the Karmapa.

At Bodh Gaya, thousands of monks from different monasteries from across the country took out a candlelight rally at around 8pm yesterday to counter the allegations levelled against the XVIIth Karmapa by the national media.

“We strongly object the allegations made against our Dharma-Guru, whatever the amount, it is not black money; It is the hard-earned money of the followers donated to a religious leader,” said a senior monk from Ladakh who was leading the rally.  

He added that 99 per cent of the world believes that He is the Karmapa and countered that the remaining non-believers were now collaborating to tarnish his image. “We are very hurt by the kind of things being said against the Karmapa without any evidence and how facts are being misrepresented to colour the minds of people. We will not suffer this without protest,” he said. 

His obvious reference was on allegations that the Karmapa was a Chinese agent. “How can one think like this when the Karmapa has been under Indian security all this while?” he questioned.  Anyone who has visited the Karmapa at Sidhbari has noticed the layers of security [with Indian paramilitary personnel] one has to go through and how details of every visitor are taken down.

The monk from Ladakh demanded that people who are “feeding” the media speculation should now be investigated.

The Bodh Gaya rally started from the Mahabodhi Mahavihara and ended at the Kagyu monastery with all the monks chanting “Karmapa Khenno” holding candles in their hands.

The rally was joined by the pilgrims, worshippers and monks from different states like Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim etc. including pilgrims from other countries.

As mentioned, a vigil is also being maintained outside the Gyuto Monastery at Sidhbari by the devout and the morning prayers there are receiving record gatherings.

Meanwhile, while speaking to journalists in Karnataka, the Dalai Lama vouched for the Karmapa’s innocence on all charges.

Media Insensitivity on Karmapa Issue

National news channels were abuzz with reports of a raid by Himachal Pradesh Police on the Gyuto Tantric Monastery at Sidhbari near Dharamsala on Friday. This monastery, as many would know, is Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorjee’s transit home in India. A “transit home” still, even though he has lived there for a decade now, because a majority in Sikkim would want him to be among them at his seat in exile at Rumtek. Following the raids, Rabgay Chojan, an accountant at the Monastery responsible for maintaining accounts of foreign donations offered to the Karmapa, was taken into custody. Today’s raid was in follow-up to the interception of two Himachali youth from Dharamsala who were caught a day earlier with Rs. One crore in cash, allegedly a hawala transaction they were transporting for a benami land deal in Dharamsala. These raids were carried out by Himachal police and the money, which unconfirmed reports mention to be between Rs. 6 to 8.5 crores, even the investigating agencies have said on record, “could” be donations offered to the Karmapa.

Anyone who has ever sought an audience with a religious leader would attest that monetary donations are the norm. The money recovered from the monastery could very well be from donations made by believers, and if that be the case, then the police in HP have overstepped their jurisdiction. There is of course the whole angle of the Rs. One crore intercepted earlier. The two incidents could be linked, just as they could have no relation to each other. This, after all, is still a case under investigation. The laws and rules governing disclosure of cash donations received by religious leaders are vague at best and non-existent in most cases. Although religious institutions and NGOs have a Foreign Currency Registration number, it is essentially for donations received from abroad through bank transactions. Individual donations made by the devout are not really required to be disclosed, and if they are, then no one has ever gone looking for these disclosures. For all one knows, the crores which Himachal police has pulled out from the monastery are actually ‘clean’ donations. This is not to say that there is definitely nothing amiss in the entire dealing, but just a counterpoint to the hyperventilation which the national media has gone into in reporting the raid.

Before proceeding further, let be clear that this is not an endorsement of financial misdealing of any kind or a suggestion that religious leaders be kept out of the purview of the law. If the Karmapa’s office has indeed indulged in such mismanagement/ financial hood-winking, then they should be adequately penalised. Penalise them for financial fraud if such a case is made out, but don’t project a treachery of which there is no proof. What is offensive in the reportage which followed the raids is the excessive speculation invested on national TV on this development. Income Tax raids of Bollywood stars who have only recently given hits have lead to cash caches as large. No one accused them of anything beyond Income Tax dodging. Yet, following the raid on the Karmapa’s monastery, which could unravel into an example of embarrassing over-zealousness in the coming days, was already being projected as recovery of a ‘Chinese funds’ to build a network of pro-China Tibetan monasteries in India. Media reports, of course quoted ‘sources’ to convey that this was what our intelligence agencies were thinking. The Radia Tapes have more than effectively proven where these sources could actually be based. This slant of speculation is journalistically wrong, ethically compromised and offensively insensitive. The illegality of the smoking gun in this case – the cash – has still not been established, and with this still being under investigation, it is befuddling and downright wrong to present this as circumstantial evidence to hint that the Karmapa is a Chinese ‘plant’. Anyone with even superficial knowledge of recent developments in the Tibetan religious affairs would know that the Dalai Lama has taken the Karmapa under his wings. To suggest that the Karmapa is a Chinese agent is to infer that the Dalai Lama is his Chinese handler in India. Conspiracy theories do not get any more preposterous than this. And yet, ‘sources’ continue to be quoted to peddle this suggestion. Such hints have never come from the central agencies in the past either, but have been thrown up often by the Karmapa’s detractors. And now, they surface on national TV. This is speculative reporting at its worst, and disturbing as much in its insensitivity to the Karmapa’s followers, as also as an example of short-cut journalism which appears to be fuelled more and more by suspect “sources”. We stick our necks out here- the Home Ministry or the intelligence agencies [what are they?] will not move any “request” to interrogate the Karmapa for his “Chinese connections”. What will one make of the ‘sources’ which are today claiming otherwise?
[Editorial published in the 29 Jan 2011 edition of Sikkim NOW!]

Now, online

This blog, which should admittedly come long back, has finally come through after the print edition of NOW! announced a month-long hiatus for February. This break will help us step back and re-evaluate where we have arrived in the nearly nine years that we have been around [in print] and where we wish to be in our decadal year. Frankly, we also need this time off to ease out the financial corner we have painted ourselves into, but the more important reason is to rejuvenate ourselves from the inertia which invariably sets in after nine years on the trot, the much-criticised tendency to celebrate every festival with an off day notwithstanding. We are new to this medium, and not half as tech-savvy as we should be, so do help us along with comments and suggestions...

pema wangchuk

Editor, Sikkim NOW!