Prankster spreads panic in Darj

21 April, 2004; NOW!
1
Landslide damages property Bhandari has Rs. 8,584 in the bank, Rs. 1.5 lakhs at hand
TURN TO pg 4 FOR DETAILS
in Pakyong, two buildings
ON
TO pg 3
pg 4 Truth speaks in action and my govt has spoken: Chamling
still at “risk” TURN
FOR DETAILS
55% turnout in
first phase
Wednesday, 21 April, 2004
Vol. 3 No. 23
Gangtok Rs. 3
NOTICE
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Adalat will be held on 28/05/
04 at 11 A.M. in the chamber of General Manager,
Telecom, Gtk. The Subscribers are requested to
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regarding (1) excess billing
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AO (TR) O/o the GMT/GTK
A
n estimated 50 to 55 per cent
of the 17.5 crore electorate
cast its vote in the first phase of Lok
Sabha elections covering 140 constituencies in 13 states and three
Union Territories on Tuesday even
as sporadic violence left 19 people
dead and several injured.
Deputy Prime Minister Lal
Kishenchand Advani, External Affairs
Minister Yashwant Sinha, former
prime minister HD Deve Gowda,
Union ministers Nitish Kumar, Jual
Oram, Kashiram Rana and Harin
Pathak were among the 1,100 candidates in the fray in the first phase.
In J&K, where elections were
held for the Baramulla and Jammu
parliamentary constituencies, militants carried out a series of attacks
on polling booths killing four people, including a freelance journalist and two security personnel, and
injuring several others.
Notwithstanding militants attempt to disrupt polls and the boycott called by separatists, over 35
per cent polling was recorded in the
two constituencies, according to
preliminary estimates.
Reports of violence also came
in from Manipur, Bihar, Gujarat,
Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, where
a duty magistrate was killed when
Naxalites triggered a landmine blast
in a village in Dhanbad.
Polls were held for all 26 parliamentary seats in Gujarat, 24 out
of 48 in Maharashtra, 21 out of 42
in Andhra Pradesh, 15 out of 28 in
Karnataka, 11 out of 40 in Bihar,
11 each in Chhattisgarh and Orissa,
six each in Assam and Jharkhand
and two each in Jammu and Kashmir and Meghalaya and one each
in Manipur, Mizoram, Andaman
and Nicobar Islands, Dadar and
Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
Elections were also held in 147
of 294 assembly constituencies in
Andhra Pradesh, 120 of 224 in
Karnataka and 77 of 147 in Orissa.
East rakes in 14 nominations, South opens account
Central Pendam is the hot seat,
bags four candidatures
a NOW REPORT
GANGTOK, 20 April: Altogether
fifteen nominations were filed today, the fourth day of the nomination process.
While fourteen nominations
were filed in the East district, South
Sikkim finally opened its account
with one nomination. Taraman
Chettri, the Cong [I] candidate from
Melli filed his nomination papers
at the office of the District Magistrate [South], who is also the Returning Officer for the district.
The day saw some key candidates from the East district make
their candidatures official.
Five Cong [I] contenders filed
their nomination papers today.
Former Chief Minister and SPCC
[I] president, Nar Bahadur
Bhandari, entered the Assembly
polls for a record seventh time. Mr.
Bhandari filed his nomination papers for Central Pendam and
Gangtok constituencies.
THE CONGRESS HUDDLE: Cong [I] nominees around their president Nar Bahadur Bhandari [second from
right] as he files his nomination papers with the DC [East]. Cong [I] candidate for Rhenock, KN Upreti [extreme
left] and MP candidate [first from right], Biraj Adhikari, also filed their nominations today.
For Mr. Bhandari, who has contested the Assembly polls six times and
the Lok Sabha twice, the stars decided
the date for filing his nominations.
“The 20th of April is auspicious
in all religions. So I chose this day,”
he said, minutes after he submitted
Prankster spreads panic in Darj
a NOW REPORT
DARJEELING, 20 April: Near
pandemonium broke out in
Darjeeling today as anxious parents
with wards studying at the Loreto
Convent School here started trooping to the school which they believed had been taken over by Maoist insurgents from Nepal. The culprit, hoax phone calls, the first of
which was reported at around
9AM, planted the rumour. Word
spread like wildfire once nervous
parents started calling each other up
C M Y K
Bharat Sanchar
Nigam Ltd.
ANXIOUS PARENTS TROOP TO LORETO
CONVENT FEARING A MAOIST TAKE
OVER OF DARJ’S OLDEST GIRLS SCHOOL
to verify the rumour. In no time,
hundreds of parents had rushed to
the school out of concern only to
learn of the hoax.
While all this happened outside
the campus gates, the school authorities went about their daily routine
oblivious to the prank which had
brought all the parents down to the
campus below Chowk Bazaar.
“With what happened in
Pashupati Nagar [an Indo-Nepal
border town] a few days ago, as
soon as I got the call, I froze with
fright but I somehow managed to
reach the school,” said Sabita Rai
whose niece studies in class V.
Soon, the school gates were
teeming with anxious parents wantturn to pg 7
his papers.
While asserting that the day will
prove lucky for him, Mr. Bhandari
said that he is all set to form the
next government in the State. When
NOW! asked him which seat would
he give up if he wins from both
constituencies, a confident Mr.
Bhandari said: “I will decide that
when I form the Government.”
Moments after Mr. Bhandari left
the DC’s office, his rival for the Central Pendam seat, SDF’s Somnath
Poudyal walked in to file his nomination. Mr. Poudyal had contested for
the Lok Sabha as a Cong [I] candidate in 1999. This is his first attempt
at the Assembly polls.
Work at the DC’s office started
with the Cong [I] candidate for the
Lok Sabha, Biraj Adhikari, turning
turn to pg 7
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2; NOW!; 21 April, 2004
ED-SPACE
NOW!
Learning American ways
with Mr. Carrow
FIRST WITH THE NEWS
Can We Also Talk History?
There is no political party or independent candidate in the fray for the
upcoming polls who is not linking back some or the other part of his/
her election jargon to Article 371F. Since the Article is part of Sikkim’s
modern history and the clause which protects what we know as Old
Laws, this is also perhaps the right time to wonder aloud whether we
can also talk history here. We are not concerned here with the rabblerousing rhetoric which most candidates are wont to do at a time like
this, but are lobbying for detailed study of Sikkimese history in schools.
The Education Department has launched a much-delayed attempt on
this front with the introduction of chapters on Sikkimese history in textbooks for junior school students. Hopefully this will increase in depth
and content with the coming academic sessions.
The present initiative will at best educate the Sikkimese students
better, but what about the rest of the country? Do they have no need
to know of Sikkim’s past? Agreed, history is written by the victor,
who decides which aspects of the vanquished history suits his greater
plans best and which bits can be left untold. The same has held true
for the history taught in schools in India. The curriculum is embarrassingly North-India-centric so much so that even though students
learn by rote the names of all those who made it emperor in the
Slave Dynasty, ask them about what the northeast was up to at the
same time and they draw a blank. Now, if the Raj in Delhi before the
British is Indian history, then surely the Namgyal dynasty deserves a
mention as do the Ahoms of Assam. Take a close look at the number
of MPs each state has and the number of pages devoted to those
areas in books teaching Indian History will be directly proportional to
that number. But that’s selective history at best.
Before progressing further it is important to make clear why we study
history at all. The main reason is to get a better understanding of
where we belong - where we fit into the larger scheme of things. There
has been much talk about making Sikkim join the mainstream which
is why it is not enough to just study Sikkimese history in schools in
Sikkim. Sikkim needs to figure in the history books studied elsewhere
in the country. In junior school, students learn of what Confucius meant
to China even before they are taught when and how Sikkim joined
India or even how it came to be a nation. One is not suggesting going
parochial here, but Sikkim does have a history that’s worth learning.
The royalty was full of intrigue as any other and much did happen in
the 300 years that the Namgyals ruled Sikkim. Few dynasties have
ruled that long and it is a pity that the one that did is so ignored.
A
t the present level of international
academic research and reach ecology
seems to hold a mantra with which
to tackle our many crises, including environmental crisis. The eco-mantra opens up
such moral and ethical perspectives that
teaches us to respect nature as our distant
ancestors once did. Ecology recognizes the
intrinsic value of all living beings and sees
the world as a network of phenomena that
are fundamentally interconnected and independent. Such realism lifts ecology from
merely being a philosophical thought to the
realm of spirituality.
One of the aims of ecology, as spelled
out by many ecologists, is to create a sustainable society for humans based on the principles of nature. In nature nothing good goes
to waste. In the natural world one organism’s
waste product is another organism’s food. In
this way nature operates in perpetual cycles.
In fact, the recognition of this cyclical process, or non-linearity, of nature is called ecological awareness.
In stark opposition to the cyclical process
of nature, man has developed such a technological culture that operates on linear, or noncyclical mode. Our modern technology uses a
large amount of natural resources to produce
such consumer goods, which turn into volumes of waste products after their utility is
exhausted. The concept of ‘use and throw’
fiercely marketed as ideological consumer
novelty of our age. particularly dangerous to
the ecological health of our planet in the long
run. The notion of use and throw has been set
think I was trying to strangle my- you must remember that in America
-34My master always had his meals in self. In these new suits I looked we always treat servants in this way
and we do not make any difference
some restaurant or hotel, and some- completely changed.
I remember very well how one between master and servant, as long
times he received invitations from
his friends to lunch or dine in their morning my master took me with as the servant is of a good charachouses. He had especially three him to a restaurant near the mu- ter.” Then I began to understand
friends, well educated, of good seum to have breakfast. Afterward how he could treat me so kindly.
family and rich, with whom he he had to go to the house of one of However shy I felt, I had to eat, as
passed much of his time. They of- his friends to give a dancing les- this was a hukum, or order.
It was now summer and the
ten went out together as his work son. I was carrying his shoes for the
lasted only a few hours in the morn- tap dance and a towel to wipe away warm weather had set in with its
ings. After lunch he would disap- the perspiration after the dancing. hot breezes. During that time one
pear like a bird in the sky and only In the restaurant my master made would like to go every night and
me sit down at his ta- morning to the Apollo Bunder, near
return at night. During his absence
ble and asked me the Taj Mahal Hotel, with its big
I was completely in charge. I
what I wanted for gate, to enjoy the fresh air in this
had to clean his room and give
my breakfast. I felt place. There would be many hunhis clothes to the laundry, and
dreds of people amusing
when my work was finished
themselves in small sailing
I would lock my door and
boats and in the small steamwas free to amuse myself. I
ers, which took people for
often went to the seaside aftrips in the bay. The Sundays
ter having my food in some
would be the special days for
small eating-place. I also
went often to the pictures Artist, filmmaker, keen photographer, columnist with such enjoyment. One Sunwasting money like anything international magazines... It’s hard to pin Twan Yang day my master took me on
on that, but my master also down. Born to a Chinese father and Tibetan mother, he such a steamer for our pleassometimes took me with grew up in Kalimpong and worked in Sikkim. NOW! ure. There was also a place
serializes Twan Yang’s autobiography, Houseboy in India... for boys to swim in the sea,
him to the pictures.
but they must not come to the
One day my master took
me to the Bombay market and so shy that I did not dare to tell him other side of the Apollo Bunder as
bought a shirt and a pair of pants because it is not a good custom to this was forbidden. Not knowing
for me, readymade, and he also or- eat before one’s master. However, this, one day I jumped into the wadered two suits to be made for me he insisted so strongly that I should ter to swim. I came out at the stairs
in a tailor’s shop. Then he bought at least have a cup of tea and an and two policemen saw me and
me a pair of white shoes and told egg, or coffee and toast, whatever I made me put on my clothes and go
me to put on a necktie to make me liked best, that at last I said I would with them to the police station.
look like an American servant. I did like to have a cup of tea with two There I asked the police sergeant
not know how to wear this tie and slices of toast and dried dal. Then to forgive me as I was new to Bomdid not like it. If I were to go to he said, “All right, I will take the bay and had not known about this,
Tibet or Nepal wearing such a tie, same” and he ordered this food for and he believed me and set me free.
to be continued
the people would laugh at me and both of us. He further said, “John,
LOOKING BEYOND POLLUTION - 3
Because All Things
Are Connected
in motion by unscrupulously seeking indus- and continents crossing traditional barriers like
trial houses because the very concept of recy- colour, caste and nationality. Their effort is
supported by massive research programmes
cle goes against their economic interest.
The old wisdom of supply and demand and experimentations aimed at creating a safer
too is dead and buried under the heap of cor- and saner world. Premier non-governmental
porate greed. Today business houses create organizations at the international level have
false markets for their products through a bar- formed united action fronts to oppose crash
rage of advertisement blitzkrieg. As a result economic globalisation of the world, which
of such blatant manipulation of markets, we has pushed many third world countries into
have turned into a loathsome garbage produc- the cauldron of massive unpayable debts. Coring civilization. To learn to recycle our re- porate ideology behind economic growth is
so ruthless that it
sources, therefore, is
seeks to commodify,
important for the repatent and privatise
alization of a suseven the basic gifts
tainable society.
MANDEEP LAMA
of nature like air,
Creation of a
water, soil and
sustainable society
seeds. One clearly
lies at the very cenvisible form of ecotre of the current
nomic globalisation
ecological moveis the opening up of
ment. People enthe same kind of resgaged in this movetaurants, the same
ment come from dikind of departmenverse fields of extal stores and the
pertise, vocations
VIEWPOINT
same criterion for choosing mannequin models and beauty queens all of whom end up selling consumer products. Such acts are reducing the world into what Shiva Vandana, an
ecologist and agricultural activist virulently
calls “monoculture”. For this reason,
alongwith fiercely opposing the genetic modification of food, ecological movement is also
fighting or the conservation of the splendid
variety and majestic diversity of life-styles,
languages, traditions and cultures of the world.
Ecological movement is, thus, engaged in
a tough multipronged fight against an entrenched ‘dominator system’ that is resisting the
change with equal might. As such, many experts on the subject strongly feel that, ultimately
it has to be a political act, actually a geo-political act, to truly usher in a sustainable society.
Ecology is a multi-disciplinary subject
requiring sensitive holistic approach in trying to understand its multiple facets. However, a short poem by Ted Perry, which he
says is inspired by Chief Seattle, introduces
us to ecology’s fundamental wisdom:
This we know.
All things are connected
like the blood
which unites one family…
Whatever befalls the earth,
befalls the sons and daughters of the earth.
Man did not weave the web of life;
he is merely a strand in it.
Whatever he does to web,
he does to himself
-concluded
C M Y K
NEWSSCAN
a NOW REPORT
GANGTOK, 20 April: A Breast
Cancer Detection Camp was organized by the Army Wives Welfare Association, HQ 17 Mountain Division
from April 9-20. The event was inaugurated by Mrs. Amita Prakash,
wife of General Avadesh Prakash,
GOC, 17 Mountain Division.
The camp commenced with an
introduction on self-detection of
Breast Cancer and awareness about
the disease by Major Anamika
Sinha of Military Hospital,
Gangtok on 9 April. Around 300
army wives, presently located in
Gangtok, attended it. More than
200 ladies were examined and
measures are being taken to further
investigate the ladies in whom abnormalities were detected.
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. Each
year, 182,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and
43,000 die. It is a disease in which
cancerous cells are found in the tissues of the breast. These cancerous
cells continue to grow and eventually form into a lump known as
tumor. If detected early, the chances
of survival are better. The key to
curing breast cancer is early detection and prompt treatment.
3
Landslide damages property in Pakyong,
two buildings still at “risk”
a NOW REPORT
PAKYONG, 20 April: The torrential downpour which lashed the state
on 17 and 18 April caused a major
landslide at Pakyong, yesterday damaging private buildings and property.
About four buildings, including
two new constructions coming up
next to the St. Xavier’s School
ground on the Pakyong-Ranipul
road were damaged by the slide.
Debris first fell on the two new
constructions [belonging to KB
Subba and Junu Gurung] and covered the construction sites.
Nearby, a four-storeyed building
of JN Chettri and a three storeyed
building belonging to CP Chettri
were also severely damaged by falling debris. However no serious injuries resulted since the occupants had
already evacuated the buildings.
Kucchha houses of Khus
Narayan Manger and Kumar Chettri
were also damaged being precari-
DIPEN’S FINAL SELECTION
ROUND FOR JR. WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP TODAY
a NOW REPORT
GANGTOK: Will Dipen Rai be selected for the 5th Junior World
Taekwondo Championship to be
held at Korea later this year?
That is the question being asked
by Sikkim Amateur Taekwondo Association here as they wait for the
results of the final selection, which
will take place today, 21 April.
Dipen, a member of SATA is
presently in the India Camp at
Sports Authority of India,
Bangalore. He has already cleared
two trial selections held earlier in
Sammer Trek
For treks to Sammer Tek, Ringhem Gompa,
Bhutanese Castle and excursions to historical
and ancient caves in north Sikkim contact
PHALBHEU Tours & Travels, Gangtok.
Phone: 226193 or call 9834184370 (Mangan)
February and March.
Dipen is a Jr. Feather Weight
[54 kg] 2004 National Gold
Medalist at Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
He won a Silver medal in the NorthEast Sports Festival, Manipur and
another Silver medal in the Jr. National Championship 2002.
According to SATA Chief Coach,
Trilok Subba, Dipen is a new and
upcoming player of SATA, and has
dynamic speed and killer instinct.
All the members of SATA are
hoping and praying for Dipen’s
success at selections today.
NOW! can also be contacted @
editorial:
98320 80753
98320 17202
business:
98320 42096
98320 80838
INTRODUCING SIKKIM TO SERVICE @ ITS BEST
in
Association
with NOW!
ously perched on the slide area.
SDM [Pakyong], in a communique to the DC [East], K. Srinivasulu,
confirmed the damages and added in
his report that there was “great risk”
to the two buildings shouldering the
new constructions.
The sub-divisional administration has in the meantime vacated the
buildings and houses and shifted the
residents to a safe place to avoid casualties. The administration has provided tarpaulins to cover the landslip
to avoid further fall of debris.
The residents claim that they
escaped unhurt when they sensed
danger early in the morning and
evacuated the houses. Although
there was no rain today, the residents
are still unsure of the safety of the
houses and are either staying with
relatives or have taken flats on rent.
Meanwhile compensation is
also being paid to those affected,
officials in the district administration said.
Antyesthi
Kriya
The Antyesthi Kriya of Late
Tikaram Karki (Kazi) falls on
24th April 2004. All the relatives, friends and well wishers
are requested to join the family at their residence to offer
prayers to the departed soul.
The family also takes this opportunity to thank all those
who stood by us at our time
of bereavement.
Kehar Singh Karki (father),
Setipool, Ranipool, East Sikkim.
Ph no: 251722/ 251569
Mobile: 9434103185.
Calling all involved in the Travel Trade
AWWA
holds Breast
Cancer
detection
camp
21 April, 2004; NOW!
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POWERPLAY 4; NOW!; 21 April, 2004
Truth speaks in action and my govt has spoken: Chamling
PURAN TAMANG
NAMTHANG, 20 April: SDF
party president, Pawan Chamling
addressed a mammoth gathering of
about 10,000 people here at
Namthang today. This is by far the
largest turnout any political meeting has seen in the run up to the
upcoming elections and is also suggestive of SDF’s hold over south
Sikkim. The SDF candidate for
Rateypani [the constituency under
which Namthang falls], Aita Singh
Bareilly, delivered the welcome
speech and from then on the audience belonged to Mr. Chamling.
“Victory of the SDF party is
assured in nine constituencies of
West Sikkim and all the constituencies in the south,” Mr. Chamling
NAMTHANG MEET DRAWS RECORD ATTENDANCE
said while admitting that the huge
turnout itself was proof of the popularity his party commanded.
In his address, The SDF chief
dismissed Mr. Bhandari’s claims that
Article 371 (F) was being diluted.
“The Article is protected by the
Indian Constitution and no government can amend or abolish it,” he
clarified. As regards SIBLAC, he accused it of playing “dirty politics.”
“It [SIBLAC] is anti-Sikkimese
when it says that the Nepalese of the
state are non-Sikkimese,” he stressed.
Presenting the work done by his
government in the last ten years,
Mr. Chamling said, “Truth speaks
in action and action speaks louder
than any claim. The last two terms
of SDF government in Sikkim
speak for themselves.”
While expressing confidence that
the SDF would form the first government in Sikkim in the 21st century, he also reminded the people of
the opposition leader, Mr. Bhandari’s
tendency towards dictatorship. Commenting on the days of Mr.
Bhandari’s government he said that
the people had been deprived of their
rights and were treated as “slaves.”
Urging the people to vote in
favour of the SDF party, he said that
his party had brought tremendous
changes in the political history of
Sikkim along with true democratic
values in the state.
“Today everyone can speak up
for his rights,” he said.
He promised rural houses worth
Rs. 1 lakh to those who were unable to build their houses even after receiving assistance from the
Rural Housing Scheme and Indira
Awaz Yojana Scheme. He also
promised to spend 50 per cent of
the total budget for the development of the villages of the state.
Other assurances included the
achievement of 100 per cent literacy rate in the state by the year
2015 and the establishment of degree colleges with full faculty in
every district.
He also revealed that his government was planning to provide health
insurance for the BPL section along
with a new development scheme that
would be implemented with the formation of his new government.
In his address he also discouraged
the people from taking up casteist tendencies. At the meeting, Mr. Chamling
also released the party manifesto for
Temi Tarku and Rateypani-West
Pendam constituencies.
GM Gurung, former Agriculture minister renominated from
Temi-Tarku, Madan Cintury,
former SSP candidate and Nakul
Rai, SDF Lok Sabha candidate also
addressed the gathering.
KN RAI SOFTENS UP Bhandari has Rs. 8,584 in the
ASSANG THANG bank, Rs. 1.5 lakhs at hand
a NOW REPORT
JORETHANG, 20 April: It was the
turn of Assang Thang to hear their
SDF candidate, KN Rai when he addressed a gathering there on 19 April
as part of his campaign.
The people of this area, which
borders Namthang, have traditionally been SDF supporters, so while
it might not be so difficult for Mr.
Rai to muster up support among the
population here, the fact that he is
new to the constituency [he has represented Wok in the last two election] has neccessitated his reaching
out to the voters at the grassroots.
Prem Kr. Sharma, spokesman,
speaking on behalf of the people of
Assang Thang made it clear that the
people were not wholly satisfied with
the work of the earlier government.
“Besides various other problems we do not even have access
to clean drinking water,” he said.
Mr. Rai, while addressing the
gathering said that the SDF had always stood by the poor of Sikkim
while the opposition parties were
only interested in attaining the
‘chair’. Among other things he
promised the people were LPG cylinders for 800 houses per ward,
RHS for 400 houses per ward and
GCI for 200 houses per ward.
These, he said, had been passed
by the Assembly and would be provided after the elections. He also
promised upgradation of the Lower
Assang Thang School along with
the construction of a new school
building at Upper Assang Thang.
KAILASH-MANSAROVAR
Pujya Morari Bapu is reading the Ram Katha
at Rakshastal from 5th to 13th June, 2004.
For details on attending this historic
recitation, contact:
Sikkim Holidays/
Expedia Nepal
ph: Ms. Pema @ 03592 237145, 9832015445
a NOW REPORT
GANGTOK, 20 April: Former
Chief Minister and Congress [I]
president,
Nar
Bahadur
Bhandari, his seventh appearance in the Assembly elections
in the State, was one of the bigwigs of the State’s political
arena who filed his nomination
papers here today.
Along with his nomination papers, Mr. Bhandari also submitted
two affidavits; a property returns
affidavit along with a criminal
records affidavit.
The former Chief Minister, who
is looking at a major comeback this
time around, is contesting from two
constituencies - Central Pendam
and Gangtok - both in East District.
According to his criminal affidavit, there are four cases against
him, three with the CBI and one
with the Sikkim Vigilance. Charges
have been framed in all the cases.
He has, however, not been convicted of any offence yet.
Interestingly, in his property
returns, Mr. Bhandari, while filing his property returns, has
listed the Congress Bhawan,
formerly the Sangram Bhawan,
also being claimed by the
breakaway Sikkim Sangram
Parishad, as one of the immovable assets owned by him.
Nar Bahadur
Bhandari
[Cong-I]
Central Pendam
& Gangtok
Movable properties:
1. Liquid cash: Rs. 1.50 lakhs [self] and Rs. 5,000 with
his son
2. Bank Deposits: Rs. 1,422 in SBI account; Rs. 2,063
and Rs. 5,099 in Central Bank accounts and Rs. 65,000
in his son’s account
3. Shares in the Sikkim Jewels Ltd. worth Rs. 1,000
4. LIC policy of Rs. 2,77,578 in his name
5. Three vehicles
6. Five tolas of gold worth Rs. 35,000 in his name
Immovable properties:
1. Building (commercial and residential)-Annexe Building at Development Area, Gangtok, measuring 7,632
sq.ft with a total value of Rs. 48,65,857 approx. A
residential complex at Samdur, East Sikkim measuring 8,000 sq ft, valued at Rs. 60 lakhs approx. in his
son’s name
2. Congress Bhawan, Development Area, Gangtok,
measuring 10,396 sq ft. valued at Rs. 2,01,99,165
approx. One flat at Primula Cottage, Gangtok, 1,200
sq ft. valued at Rs. 3 lakhs approx. in his son’s name.
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C M Y K
KNOWYOURCANDIDATES
21 April, 2004; NOW!
5
The MBA with plans for Sikkim
S
Biraj Adhikari
[Congress-I],
Lok Sabha
Movable properties:
1. Liquid cash: Rs. 1.3 lakhs and Rs. 20,000 in his wife’s name.
2. Deposits in banks/financial institutions: Rs. 50,000 and Rs.
35,000 in his wife’s name.
3. Jewellery: approximately 10 tolas gold worth Rs. 50,000 in his
wife’s name
Immovable properties:
1. Agricultural land: 0.5860 hectares of land at West Pendam
worth Rs. 4 lakhs.
2. Non-agricultural land: 40X30 at Dara Gaon, Gangtok worth Rs.
2 lakhs. His wife has land worth Rs. 12.5 lakh in Gurgaon,
Haryana.
3. Buildings: of size 30X25 at Jorethang Bazar worth Rs. 4.5 lakhs.
The spouse owns a 650 sq. yard building at Danchkula, Haryana
worth Rs. 20 lakhs.
Liabilities
1. Loans from Banks: Dispute due as on 1994 concerning a Rs.
1.14 crore loan case in court. With regard to SIDICO loan, assets
auctioned and adjusted. No further demand raised as yet.
2. Govt. dues: Cell one. Telephone bill worth Rs. 20,000 pending.
The Saffron contender
who will ban lotteries
if elected
N
IMA RABZANG became the
first BJP candidate to file his
nomination papers today, 20 April.
He is contesting Rakdong Tintek,
which is a reserved seat for the BLs.
This is also the first assembly
elections for the Class X passed
Nima though he has been
contesting the Zila
Panchayat elections in his
constituency for the past
ten years, he says.
His reason for joining the
BJP is that being a national
party it is more convenient to
chalk out development programmes under its wing.
“It is always better to
hold your nose from the
front than twisting your
arm round your head to
hold it,” he explains.
An issue he feels very strongly
about and which he says is ‘spoiling’ the people of his constituency
is lotteries.
“These people are poor but
would rather indulge in lotteries
than have food on the table. Most
don’t even know where the next
meal will come from,” he says. He
further says he would press for the
banning of lotteries in the state if
voted to the Assembly.
Unemployment, he says, is another major issue in his constituency. “Though we have a number
of central projects including the
NHPC, the locals have not ben-
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efited. The outgoing government
has also ignored the 19 social organisations in our area,” he claims.
These organisations, according
to him, though working for the people, have not received any help nor
any kind of benefits from the gov-
ONAM TSHERING BHUTIA
is perhaps the candidate with
the highest qualification among
those in the running for MLA berths
in Sikkim.
The MBA from IIM, Bangalore,
has been in politics for barely two
months and has already managed
to bag the Cong [I] candidature
from Sang Martam.
An electrical engineer
[Jadavpur University, Kolkata], he
says his main reason for getting into
politics was the unsatisfactory leadership of the outgoing government.
“Though the government says
it has brought about many developmental projects the fact is that
they don’t know what economic development really means. Economic
changes have not been properly effected nor have its benefits been
extracted as they should have
been,” he says.
He is convinced that the SDF
leadership has not really understood what economic change actually entails. As for his constituency
of Sang Martam, he says that
though it is close to Gangtok, it remains under-developed.
“There are only two roads, one
from Rumtek to Sang and one
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other. If anyone gets sick he has no
choice but to walk it to the hospital,” he informs. Other areas where
his constituency is lacking he says
are infrastructure, communications
and high unemployment among the
educated youth.
It remains to be seen whether the
9,000 strong electorate in Sang
Martam feels as strongly about the issues raised by him. He goes up against
a sitting MLA and minister in the outgoing government, DT Lepcha.
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BJP state president, KN
Pradhan informs that the party will
only be contesting in only 3-4 constituencies. “Our contesting depends on the availability of good
candidates,” he informed.
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NEWSSCAN 6; NOW!; 21 April, 2004
FEAR FACTOR
he new Electronic Voting Ma
chines are causing concern
among many of the electorate who
feel that post election the data can
be used to identify the blocks that
voted or did not vote for any particular party. The EVM’s they claim
are marked for every polling booth
and voter preference can be known
immediately. In a state where winning or losing is sometimes a matter of just a hundred or so votes,
this kind of specific information,
they say can be used by a ruling
party to victimize people of a
block that did not vote for them.
While this is purely in the realm
of speculation, the Election Department should try and dispel
the fears, which seem to be
much talked about.
Talking about a backlash, it
is something the bazaar folk are
well experienced in, having
faced it in earlier elections. This
time too the talk in town is about
the strange dilemma they face.
While many are inclined to vote
for Bhandari, they fear the reprisals that will come their way
for this seeming act of defiance.
With SDF campaigners threatening
that Gangtok will fall back by a
decade if the opposition is voted in
here, this Election Ka Laddoo is
getting really difficult to digest.
were quite flattered by this show of
humility.
Obviously Mr. Bhandari is taking the campaign to win the prestigious Gangtok seat very seriously.
What with him going from doorto-door canvassing in most areas
and having Balchand Sarda personally invite businesswallahs to Chai
and Gup-Shup at Tashi Delek.
But going by his track record,
you can be sure that Mr. Bhandari
WHEN THE CAT IS AWAY…
riday the 16th was a day of interesting innuendos. No one
could miss the political significance
of Chamling deciding to launch his
party’s election campaign from
Soreng, his main rival’s former
constituency and hometown.
But while he was away, what
do you think Bhandari did? He took
over Tashiling, the heart of the government. He went to each and every
office with folded hands and asked
for votes. Many of the people who
still remembered him as the former
CM, who ruled for 14 long years,
JODI No. 1
he one miracle that the Congress party has managed to engineer is to get both SIBLAC and
GAC onto its side. The whole of
last year we heard about SDF playing the game of propping GAC to
counter SIBLAC. Seems rather
strange that leaders of both the parties are now aligning with the Congress, or so the allegation goes.
While Tseten has formally joined
the Congress and is using SIBLAC
to get support for his foster party,
rumours are strong about the secret
understanding between the Con-
T
F
gress and GAC. While one can understand that the latter two are
‘natural’ allies, it will be interesting to see how this tripartite arrangement works out in the long
run. Meanwhile, Tseten is learning
the fine art of balance as he tries to
woo the considerable number of
Nepali voters in his new constituency. Even SIBLAC is being forced
to acknowledged changing times,
otherwise what explains BJP flags
GANGTOK, 20 April: About 100
students of Sikkim Government College belonging to the Hee-Bermiok
constituency held a meeting here at
Hotel Mt. Simvo on 18 April to express their support for SDF candidate,
Narendra Kumar Subba who was
also the chief guest at the meeting.
The meeting was organized by
Bikash Nepal, student representative.
Bikash, while speaking at the
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does not have any lasting attachment with any constituency. Is it
true that he never visited Rhenock
even once in the last five years?
That’s not nice…
T
at Kabi!
CHALI CHALI YE HAVA
CHALI
ho will win the election and
come to power this time is
the main topic of conversation anywhere you go. While some swear
that the hava is for the Congress,
others say this is all hava-ko-talk.
The Congress campaign, which
seemed so hopeless till some time
back, got a fresh lease of life by
disgruntled SDF members either
joining it formally or working for
the party in secret understanding.
The Congress, much rejuvenated
now says that this time they will
come to power. How can they be
so sure? Apparently, the SDF party
astrologer has also defected to the
other side and he says so!
W
BERMIOK COLLEGIATES PROMISE
SUPPORT FOR NK SUBBA
a NOW REPORT
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between 11AM to 3PM
meeting said that all the students
had united as one to support the
SDF candidate and ensure his victory by a large margin. He said that
Mr. Subba, besides being an educated person, had shown perfect
leadership qualities.
He further stated that the candidate’s ideology along with his
approach to different situations was
greatly appreciated by the youth of
the constituency and that they
would support the party openly.
While addressing the gathering
the Mr. Subba promised to provide
full assistance to the youth and further implement various projects in
the private sector to eradicate the
problem of unemployment. He also
asked the youth not to depend on
government jobs and assured a
large scope of employment through
the private sector enterprises.
Amongst those who were
present were Chinkazi Shrestha and
TN Sharma, senior party supporters.
EC HELPLINE FOR VOTERS A Helpline has been set up in the Office of the Chief Electoral
Officer, Sikkim bearing the following telephone number – 10780
Anyone having difficulty in trying to trace his name in the Electoral Rolls / Voters List or
enquiring about the Polling Stations where they are registered as voters, may kindly ring up this
number and request the Attendant online for help in obtaining the information. While seeking
help from the Attendant at the Helpline, the electors are requested to kindly indicate their full
name and their father’s name to facilitate the search. The Election Department has also hosted
the Electoral Rolls in the Chief Electoral Officer’s Website whose url is /http:ceosikkim.nic.in
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contact: Tseten Kutsabpa. ph: 280271
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For treks to Sammar Tek, Ringhem Gompa,
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Anthyesti Kriya
Late Narendra Khatiwada, 37, Headmaster, Ramitey
Primary School passed away on 13 April 2004. The
Anthyesti Kriya falls on 25 April, 2004. All relatives and
well-wishers are requested to attend the Anthestiya Kriya.
Budhilall Khatiwada [Father], Pabitra Khatiwada [Mother], Durga
Khatiwada [Wife], Abinash Khatiwada [Son]
Lower Onglep, P.O. Sakyong, Gyalshing, West Sikkim.
ph: 03595 250127, 250137
Kutse Shegu
The 49th Day “Shegu” of late Dhondup Tshering Bhutia who expired on 4th March 2004 falls on 21st April 2004. All relatives, friends
and well- wishers are requested to join us in offering prayers for
the departed soul at Tshoka Tshum, Nam Nang, Gangtok. We
would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those wo extended their help in our hour of bereavement.
Pempa Bhutia (wife), Namgyal Dorjee Bhutia, son , Nedup Doma Bhutia, Daughter,
Passang Bhutia, Brother, Chung Chung Bhutia Sister-in-law, Lhakpa Bhutia , Brother,
Tshewang Bhutia, Brother. Ph. 98320-71692, 227970 Enchey Compound, Tibet Raod.
C M Y K
POWERPLAY
21 April, 2004; NOW!
East rakes in 14
nominations, South
opens account
Contd from pg 1
up first to file his nomination. He
was followed Cong [I] candiates
former minister KN Upreti, contesting from Rhenock for the fifth time
and electoral debutantes Diley
Namgyal Barfungpa, contesting
from Rumtek and Sonam Tshering
Bhutia, from Sang-Martam.
Three candidates from the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front
[SDF] camp officially entered the
Assembly elections fray today with
Bhim Prasad Dhungel [Rhenock]
and Kunga Zangpo Bhutia [Assam
Lingzey] filing their nomination
papers, including that of Somnath
Poudyal. Both Mr. Poudyal and Mr.
Dhungel are making their debut in
the Assembly polls. Mr. Bhutia, on
the other hand, contested the last
elections from Assam Lingzey on
a SSP ticket but lost to the SDF’s
Tseten Tashi Bhutia.
The most sought-after constituency today was Central Pendam.
Joining Mr. Bhandari and Mr.
Poudyal was the expelled SDF
vice-president and chairman of the
Gorkha Apex Committee [GAC],
GM Rai. Mr. Rai, who recently
floated the Sikkim Gorkha Demo-
cratic Front party, is contesting the
seat as an independent candidate.
An independent candidate, Dilli
Ram Sharma, backed by Mr. Rai’s
outfit also filed his nominations
from Central Pendam. Mr. Sharma
is Mr. Rai’s dummy candidate.
While speaking to NOW! about
his party’s prospective candidates,
Mr. Rai hinted that former Additional Advocate General, NB
Khatiwada, might be contesting
from the Loosing-Pacheykhani seat.
Mr. Khatiwada had earlier bagged
the Trinamul Congress ticket for
Darjeeling, before relinquishing it to
return to Sikkim to contest for the
Lok Sabha. Mr. Rai added that the
decision on Mr. Khatiwada’s candidature had not yet been finalised.
The Bharatiya Janata Party
[BJP] also officially entered the
fray today with Nima Rapzang
Lama, filing his candidature from
Rakdong-Tintek.
Two nominations were also received today for the Sangha seat.
Thinley Gyatso Lepcha from the
Phodong Monastery in North
Sikkim and Sonam Dorjee Lama
from the Enchey Monastery in the
Gangtok, filed their nomination
papers as independent candidates.
UPRETI STILL HAS UNFINISHED
BUSINESS AT RHENOCK
K
N UPRETI is the Cong [I]
candidate from Rhenock constituency. With the filing of his
nomination papers today, he makes
a fifth attempt to make it as an MLA
in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, all from the same constituency.
Interestingly, he has won all the past
four elections he has contested.
“The first elections I contested
was in the year 1979 as an SSP candidate. Then in 1985 and 1989
again I contested and won from
Rhenock; in 1994, too, I won from
there on an SSP ticket,” he says.
In the year 1999, Mr. Upreti
didn’t contest the elections. According to him he made way for the
then SSP president, Nar Bahadur
Bhandari, who had decided to contest the elections from Rhenock.
Interestingly, by then Mr. Upreti
had already joined the Congress.
“I joined the Congress in 1997
in the middle of my term as SSP
MLA.” He says he was removed by
Mr. Bhandari but even though he
went over to the Congress he continued to support the SSP.
Being out of public politics for
five years has not diluted Mr.
Upreti’s hopes of making it to the
Assembly for a fifth time. In fact,
he says he has the upper hand over
Prankster spreads panic in Darj
Contd from pg 1
ing to know whether all was well
inside. Not wanting to disrupt the
classes, the management shut the
gates from inside while a nun spoke
from behind it assuring the parents
that there were no Maoists in the
campus. Even media personnel
were not allowed to enter, on the
pretext that “it was an internal matter” and with requests: “Please
don’t add fuel to fire.”
While the hoax would have
fallen through at any other time,
what got the panic bells ringing was
the recent spurt of Maoist activity
in the otherwise peaceful Ilam district of Nepal which borders
Darjeeling.
“We have read of the Maoists
using Indian territory to attack
Pashupati, so how could we be sure
that they were not up to something
in Darjeeling?” asked a parent.
The parents then demanded that
an FIR be lodged immediately at
the Police Station.
“Even if it is a false alarm, the
police should be notified. In
Pashupati too there were similar
false alarms raised two or three
times and then one night the Maoists finally attacked,” said
Indramani Rai, a parent.
Though an FIR was not lodged,
the cops were notified. A police
team arrived and ran a thorough
check of the area but failed to find
anything.
By this time, anxious parents from
neighbouring areas of Lebong, Ging,
Ghoom and Sonada had heard of the
rumours and frantic phone calls started
again as they started calling up friends
and relatives in Darjeeling to check
up on their wards.
DP Dong, Inspector-in-Charge
of Darjeeling Sadar Thana said that
the Police were investigating, trying to find out who was behind this,
what was the main motive and what
was the origin of the rumour.
“We have posted police personnel in the school and will even post
policemen in plain clothes to keep a
closer watch” said Dong.
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his rival SDF candidate Bhim
Dunghel who is a newcomer.
“I have been in constant contact
with the people of Rhenock and have
also done a lot for the people during
my previous tenures as area MLA,”
says the BA LLB, Mr. Upreti.
“Lots of things which I had initiated are still to be completed,” he
says. He refers to the roads, lack of
schools, drinking water and the
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non-repairing of the main bridges.
He assures that he has been active as far as the political life of his
constituency is concerned. It would
be interesting to see whether the
people of Rhenock choose a candidate with 20 years of political experience at the highest level in the
state under him or a comparatively
young novice in Bhim Dunghel.
- a NOW REPORT
Khara Nanda Upreti [Congress-I], Rhenock
Movable properties:
1. Liquid cash-Rs. 70,000 (self) and Rs. 20,000 with his wife.
2. Bank Deposits-Fixed Deposit of Rs. 1,08,243 in SBI account
in his name; Rs. 1,36750 in his UTI Bank savings account.
Fixed Deposits of Rs. 1,52,097 and Rs. 1,32,534 in SBI
accounts in his wife’s name
Rs. 3987 in Savings Account in his daughter’s name and Rs.
5097 in his son’s account in SBI account.
3. Family Bond of Rs. 5,000 in his son’s name
4. LIC policies of Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 50,000 in his name. Rs. 1
lakh LIC policy in his wife’s name
5. Three tolas of gold worth Rs. 18,000 in his name and six tolas
of gold worth Rs. 36,000 in his wife’s name
Immovable properties:
1. Agricultural land: Three plots at Assam Lingzey worth Rs. 5
lakhs; two plots at 6th Mile Samdur, Lower Tadong worth Rs. 3
lakhs
2. Non-Agricultural Land: Two plots at 6th Mile Tadong worth Rs.
2 lakhs in daughter’s name and one plot at Assam Lingzey
worth Rs. One lakh in his son’s name
3. Building (commercial and residential)- A seven-storied RCC
building at 6th Mile Tadong in his wife’s name worth Rs. 20
lakhs, a five-storied RCC at Old Children Park, Gangtok in
his son’s name worth Rs. 10 lakhs
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THEFINALONE 8; NOW!; 21 April, 2004
today in
History
21st April
753, BC: Traditional date of the
foundation of Rome
1782: Born, Friedrich Froebel
Germany, founded kindergaten
1816: Novelist Charlotte Bront
Tornton is born in England
1828: Noah Webster publishes
1st American dictionary
1836:
Texas
wins
independence from Mexico
1898: Spanish-American War
begins
1956: Elvis Presley’s first No.
1 hit “Heartbreak Hotel” hits the
top of the Billboard charts.
1960: Brasilia becomes the
capital of Brazil
1963: Beatles meet Rolling
Stones for the first time
1989: 1,00,000 Chinese
students begin protests at
Tiananmen Square
Protests, Not Parties, Keep Palestinian DJ Busy
RAMALLAH, West Bank: With
so much killing and economic misery, few Palestinians feel like
partying. So for the intrepid DJ
Saadeh, it’s a good thing that protest rallies are in demand.
“It’s assassination season,” he
said, turning on a microphone at an
angry gathering in Ramallah the
day after Israel’s killing of militant
leader Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi. “Assassinations boost business.”
Rantissi, head of the Islamic mili-
tant group Hamas in Gaza, was killed
by a rocket less than a month after
Israel assassinated Hamas’s spiritual
leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.
Not surprisingly, Hamas is one
of the main clients for Saadeh’s
sound system, organizing rallies
where supporters vent their anger
at Israel through speeches or nationalist songs.
“There is no mood for parties,”
he said.
Ramallah used to be a fairly lib-
K
evin Spacey wound up with a
bruised noggin after having
his cell phone jacked in Saturday’s
pre-dawn hours. Initially, Spacey filed
a report with London police claiming
he had been “brutally mugged.”
But in an interview with the
about once a week, but is shy about
saying how much he charges - perhaps wary of being seen to benefit
from the gloom of Israel’s clampdown on the Palestinian territories.
From the podium behind him,
packed with speakers, cables and
microphones, the Hamas tape
booms out:
“Revolt, revolt, revolt. Revolt
with stones. Nothing washes off
our disgrace but revolution and
stones.”
GANG OF DEAF
THIEVES JAILED
KEVIN SPACEY PHONE-JACKED
BBC Monday, the two-time Oscar
winner changed his story. He says
he came up with the mugging scenario because he was too humiliated to admit what he claims really
happened: He was conned by a kid
who ran off with his cell phone.
Spacey now says he was out
walking his dog when he was approached by an unidentified young
man. Said youth gave the actor a
“sob story” about needing to call
his mother and asked if he could
use Spacey’s phone.
John Lennon’s Last Sketch
for Sale at $325,000
Chapman when he arrived back at
his apartment just before 11 p.m.
Seminole said she had decided
to sell the sketch to raise money for
a horse rescue center she runs in
Chesapeake, Virginia.
The sketch and autograph by
Lennon is being sold online by
dealer Gary Zimet on a site called
www.momentsintime.com.
“Drawings like this are fairly
common from him. He probably
did thousands of these in his lifetime,” he said. “But what is special
is it’s the last thing he ever wrote.
That puts it in a league by itself.”
NEW YORK: A signed sketch believed to be the
last thing John Lennon wrote before being assassinated about half an hour later is on sale for $325,000,
the former switchboard operator to whom he gave it
said on Monday.
Rabiah Seminole said she was working at the
Record Plant recording studios in Manhattan on Dec.
8, 1980 when Lennon left the building with Yoko
Ono at about 10:25 p.m.
She asked him for an autograph and he dashed
off a sketch of two faces, signing it “for Ribeah,
love, John.” Ono also signed it.
The former Beatle was shot and killed by Mark
ARIES: You will make easy money
in speculation. You may receive a
promotion. Happiness will prevail. A
religious function is indicated. Peace
and prosperity will be maintained.
TAURUS: You may get a new business opportunity or an overseas job.
Health will be maintained. You may
purchase a new vehicle. Worries will
be over. Students must concentrate
more to get the required results.
GEMINI: Political life will be very successful. Those appearing for competitive exams will find easy success.
Those in trade or with agencies will
see favourable changes. Understanding with your life partner will be
very good.
CANCER: Life will be happy and harmonious. You will enjoy good health.
Social status will be good. Worries
will be over. Business will be brisk
LEO: You may purchase a new vehicle. Understanding with your spouse
and business partner will be very
good. You may go for a new agency
business. Business will thrive. Sugar,
eral island in relatively conservative Palestinian society, providing
a decent living for a DJ playing rock
and roll and Arabic pop music.
In his new line of business,
Saadeh, who gave only his first name,
doesn’t even have to bring music.
“Take this tape. Boost the morale of the crowd,” one Hamas supporter told him at the open-air rally.
“It’s called Revolt.”
Saadeh works for one or other
of the Palestinian political factions
BEIJING: Chinese police have broken up a gang of deaf teenaged robbers who carried out a string of thefts
on the orders of a brutal leader.
Leader Yang Song and 11 gang
members were sent to prison for term
ranging from 11 months to 13 years,
Xinhua news agency said Monday.
Yang, 34, formed the gang in
2001 in Shaoxing, in the affluent
southeastern coastal province of
Zhejiang. Most of the members,
who robbed scores of shops, were
jobless and homeless youngsters.
Yang regularly beat members of his
gang, or burned them with cigarettes.
He even made them do headstands for
up to three hours, Xinhua said.
Handicapped people suffer
widespread discrimination in China
and are often shunned by employers and offered little in the way of
special education, particularly in
the poor countryside.
THE FUTURE, NOW!
textile and chemical industries will do
very well. Export businesses will be
successful.
VIRGO: You may take up new business activities. Those with sugar
mills, textiles, and chemical industries will enjoy success. Cement and
iron and steel industries will face labour problems. Worries are indicated. You may get transferred.
LIBRA: This will be a smooth and
easygoing period. Financial crisis.
You will have fewer problems with
your spouse and business partner.
Happiness will prevail. Expenses will
be reduced. You may go on a short
trip, which will help lighten your
mood.
SCORPIO: You will be happy. Students will do well in maths and physics. Those appearing for further exams will enjoy easy success. You
may find yourself going nowhere in
your career. You may get married.
SAGITTARIUS: You may take a new
decision at home. Some may be
blessed with a child. Business partnerships will work well. Cash flow will
be good. Loans will be reduced. You
may purchase a new vehicle. You
may see a change in your financial
status.
CAPRICORN: Financial position will
be very tight. You may face tension
with your spouse and business partners. You will find favourable changes
at home. You will have the support
of your younger brother.
AQUARIUS: Financial position will be
good. Those in trade or with agencies will find favourable changes. You
may go for an overseas job. A family
gathering is indicated. You will be
happy and at peace.
PISCES: Your political life will be very
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Published by Lt. Col. (retd) P. Dorjee and printed at Darpan Publications Pvt. Ltd, Siliguri. Editor: Pema Wangchuk. Executive Editor: Mita Zulca
Now! Near Ayurvedic Clinic, Gairi Gaon, Tadong. East Sikkim. ph: 03592 270949 email: sikkimnow@rediffmail.com
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