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Bimal Gurung suspended as GJM chief by his one-time protégé Binay Tamang

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Bimal Gurung suspended as GJM chief by his one-time protégé Binay Tamang

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Decision to suspend Gurung and his confidantes came a day before Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s scheduled all-party meet to discuss Darjeeling situation

In a new twist to the continuing intrigue around the political movement seeking complete autonomy, even statehood, for the Gorkhaland region of Bengal, Bimal Gurung – the face of the statehood agitation for years – was suspended by his one-time protégé Binay Tamang, on Monday, as president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).

Ironically, Tamang’s decision to suspend his mentor came on a day when the Supreme Court passed an order in Gurung’s favour, restraining the Mamata Banerjee-led Bengal government from taking any “coercive action” against the now-ousted GJM chief. Gurung has been absconding for over six months following a slew of criminal cases being slapped against him by the state administration. Besides Gurung, Tamang – with the help of his confidantes in the GJM central committee – also suspended at least nine other senior party functionaries, including Gurung’s wife Asha and party general secretary Roshan Giri.

The suspensions have been announced for a period of six months and Tamang claimed that they decision had been taken in accordance with the party constitution since Gurung and his aides had “been inactive and in absentia” for over six months.

Tamang, who has been embroiled in a brinkmanship war with Gurung to take control of his party’s cadres and has been backed by the Mamata Banerjee-led state administration in his efforts, also got himself named as the GJM president while he named his close aide, Anit Thapa as the party general secretary in place of Giri.

In a statement issued from an undisclosed location, Giri slammed Tamang’s ‘coup’, calling the suspensions “illegal” and asserting that Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa had no authority to take decisions for the GJM because they had been expelled from the party in September (by the GJM faction led by Bimal Gurung).

The developments within the GJM came a day before Mamata Banerjee was scheduled to hold her all-party meet to discuss the prevailing situation in the Darjeeling hills, the epicenter of the Gorkhaland agitation, which are still recovering from the over 100-day-long ‘bandh’ called by the GJM which had ended only last month.

Gurung’s faction will not attend the talks convened by Banerjee. However, Tamang – the newly appointed GJM-chief who is known to have a good working relationship with the state government – will attend the talks. Tamang was appointed by Banerjee as interim chairman of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in September after the GJM under Gurung had dismissed the semi-autonomous body for civic administration as a complete failure. Tamang’s appointment as the head of the GTA, along with his confidante Anit Thapa being named as the body’s vice chairman, has been viewed as Banerjee’s successful attempt at dividing the GJM down the middle and thereby weakening the separate statehood demand for Gorkhaland, something that has kept the Darjeeling hills in a restive state for years.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Canada fact checks own media, rejects report claiming PM Modi knew of Nijjar murder plot

The clarification comes after a Canadian newspaper cited an unnamed national security official, claiming the alleged plot to murder Nijjar was orchestrated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

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Canada fact checks own media, rejects report claiming PM Modi knew of Nijjar murder plot

The Canadian government clarified that there is no evidence to connect Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his top officials to any criminal activity in Canada, including the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The clarification comes after a Canadian newspaper cited an unnamed national security official, claiming the alleged plot to murder Nijjar was orchestrated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The media report further alleged that PM Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval were informed about the plan.

Nonetheless, the same report acknowledged that the Canadian government had no direct evidence to support these claims against PM Modi. Issuing a statement, the Canadian government distanced itself from these allegations, mentioning that there was no substantiating evidence.

The statement underlined that on October 14th, because of a significant and ongoing threat to public safety, the RCMP and officials took the extraordinary step of making public accusations of serious criminal activity in Canada perpetrated by agents of the government of India.

It added that the government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of evidence, linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to the serious criminal activity within Canada. It remarked that any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate.

Earlier, India furiously rejected the Canadian daily’s report as ludicrous, terming it detrimental to diplomatic ties that have been frosty since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau first accused India of involvement in Nijjar’s killing last year.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that they do not normally comment on media reports, but such ludicrous statements made to a newspaper purportedly by a Canadian government source should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve. He added that smear campaigns like this only further damage our already strained ties.

Diplomatic ties between India and Canada weakened when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) accused Indian government agents of involvement in criminal activities on Canadian soil, including murder, extortion, and intimidation. As the diplomatic rift intensified, both the countries expelled top envoys in response.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar was gunned down outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. Earlier in 2024, Canadian authorities arrested and charged four Indian nationals for the murder.

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Parliament winter session: Government lists 15 bills, including Waqf bill

The session will kick off on November 25 and conclude on December 20.

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The government has listed five new ones and one to amend the contentious Waqf law out of 15 bills for the winter session of Parliament. The session will kick off on November 25 and conclude on December 20.

The government has introduced five new bills, including the Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024, which aims to promote coasting trade and increase the participation of Indian-flagged vessels owned and operated by Indian citizens for both national security and commercial purposes.

Another significant legislation that will be introduced by the government is the Indian Ports Bill, 2024. This bill is designed to implement measures for the conservation of ports, enhance security, and manage pollution, ensuring compliance with India’s international obligations and statutory requirements.

Additionally, the government plans to introduce the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024, which aims to meet India’s obligations under maritime treaties and support the development of Indian shipping while ensuring the efficient operation of the Indian mercantile marine in a way that serves national interests.

Pending legislation includes the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which is awaiting consideration and passage after the joint committee of both Houses submits its report to the Lok Sabha. The committee is expected to report by the end of the first week of the winter session.

Currently, there are eight bills, including the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, pending in the Lok Sabha, while two additional bills are in the Rajya Sabha.

Furthermore, the government has also listed the Punjab Courts (Amendment) Bill for introduction, consideration, and passage, which seeks to increase the pecuniary appellate jurisdiction of Delhi district courts from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 20 lakh.

The Merchant Shipping Bill, along with the Coastal Shipping Bill and the Indian Ports Bill, is slated for introduction and eventual passage.

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International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant against Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu over war crimes

The court accused Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defence Minister Gallant of crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution, inhumane acts, and the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare.

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International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant against Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu over war crimes

The International Criminal Court (ICC) today issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The court accused Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defence Minister Gallant of crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution, inhumane acts, and the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare. The leaders allegedly restricted essential supplies such as food, water, and medical aid to civilians in Gaza, resulting in severe humanitarian crises and deaths, including among children.

Last year in October, Israel had launched attacks on Gaza in retaliation for the surprise attack by Hamas. The Israel-Hamas war has led to the death of thousands of civilians, while lakhs have been displaced. The major infrastructures in Gaza, including hospitals and schools, were also destroyed as Israel vowed to wipe out Hamas.

The International Criminal Court stated that it found reasonable grounds to believe the accused intentionally targeted civilians and limited medical supplies, forcing unsafe medical procedures, which caused immense suffering. This ruling was based on the findings from at least October 8, 2023 until at least May 20, 2024.

The court remarked that it has assessed that there are reasonable grounds to believe that PM Netanyahu and Defence Minister Gallant bear criminal responsibility as civilian superiors for the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population of Gaza.

Furthermore, it also noted that the lack of food, water, electricity and fuel, and medical supplies created conditions of life calculated to bring about the destruction of part of the civilian population in Gaza, leading to death of civilians, including children due to malnutrition and dehydration.

Additionally, the International Criminal Court dismissed two challenges by Israel against its jurisdiction in the situation in the State of Palestine.

Notably, Israel had contested the ICC’s jurisdiction, claiming it could not be exercised without Israel’s consent. Nonetheless, the Chamber ruled that the Court has jurisdiction based on Palestine’s territorial scope, including Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. It further noted that Israel’s objections were premature, as jurisdictional challenges under the Rome Statute can only be made after an arrest warrant is issued.

Reportedly, Israel had also requested a fresh notification regarding the investigation, started in 2021. Denying the request, the court stated that Israel had earlier declined to request a deferral, making additional notifications unnecessary.

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