GHISSING ATTACK ACCUSED IN DARJEELING COURT
The fourteen accused in the assassination bid on GNLF supremo Subash Ghissing were produced at a packed Darjeeling District and Sessions Court today amidst tight security. Ghissing was attacked on February 10 last year at Tinkatari in Kurseong. The case was heard by judge in carge, B C Paul, due to thetransfer of Darjeeling District and Sessions Judge A K Das. Narayan Chettri has been appointed by the Government to defend the eight undertrials still in custody, including Chhatre Subba, Dimple and Saran Dewan. Chettri placed a petition on behalf of one of the accused in custody, Shyam Bahadur Karki, that he be allowed to go home on parole to perform the last rites of his father Ram Bahadur Karki. The judge ordered that he be released on parole from May 22 to May 25.

Amar Lama, one of the accused and a lawyer, appealed on behalf of himself and four others - Norden Lama, Mohan Sharma, Hemant Chettri and Kamal Giri who were released on bail by the Supreme Court on April 10. Lama requested for two months time as no lawyer was ready to defend the case for them. He requested for the time so that a lawyer could be retained from the Calcutta High Court or the case be transferred to the Calcutta High Court. "We need a senior defense owing to the gravity of the case," Lama said.

BHAICHUNG HAPPY TO BE A ROLE MODEL OF HILLS
Darjeeling has not escaped the fervour of the Football World Cup scheduled dto begin on May 31, 2002. Bhaichung Bhutia stopped at Darjeeling on his way to Sikkim. Bhaichung was welcomed witha party at a hotel. A visibly buoyant Bhaichung said he was happy to become a role model for many enthusiastic kids from the Hills. "I represent the entire hills including Sikkim, Darjeeling and the North-East. I proudly associate myself with these places and maintain a good rapport with it," Bhaichung said.

Relating his experiences on playing for Bury Football Club in England, he said it was like representing India as people in England did not associate India with football. "Though we have to improve a lot, I don't think it is impossible. With determination and dedication, we can do it." He said decision makers in Indian football should keep the game at heart to improve the performance on field. He feels the system should be changed, especially the team selection and administration procedures. "I feel each club should have at least two voting members in the national team selection committee. As they know and love the game they surely will do justice to the whole procedure," Bhaichung said. "I wouldn't mind playing anywhere in the country though I have a soft corner for Kolkata. I had begun my career from Kolkata, the football lovers are just fantastic and I consider Kolkata football's Mecca in India," he said. Bhaichung is considering the offers from the two big giants, Mohan Bagan and East Bengal. Through he has also got offer from Woodland Club and Marine Castle Clubs of Singapore, India will be his first preference.

Bhaichung said he intended to spend the next three weeks with his family and friend in his hometown Tinkitam, a two and a half hour drive from Gangtok. The footballer has been engaged as an expert by TEN Sports Channel, the channel having obtained the broadcasting rights for the World Cup for South Asia.

Bhaichung was very optimistic on the future of football in the Hills. He said there are many young aspirants from the Hills. He said there are many young aspirants from the Hills, playing for various clubs in the country. Though not all all were successful, they were at least competing. Bhaichung said parents must encourage children to play gootball. "As I come from the same background, I got the same facilities as the HIll children, they too can do it. It only needs hard work, patience, dedication and perseverance.

DARJEELING DEMAND FOR SPECIAL STATUS
President of the Darjeeling District Congress Committee Hill Zone Dawa Norbulla has demanded special status for the hill district saying public discontentment was growing with the lack of essential facilities in the area. The former MLA was speaking at the first meeting of the newly appointed office bearers of the committee. The list of new members was approved by the Pradesh Congress chief, Pranab Mukherjee. The committee plans to urge the District Magistrate, Darjeeling to convene an all party meeting to discuss the problem of non issue of ration cards and eratic distribution of ration in the Hills.

Norbulla regretted that the authorities had stopped issuing new ration cards after it was reported that a large number of bogus cards were being issued. The District Magistrate of Darjeeling, Hridesh Mohan, had earlier said that more than ten lakh ration cards had been issued in the Darjeeling Hill Area which has a population of only about eight lakh. Norbulla urged the Darjeeling Hill Council to ensure that the bogus cards are cancelled as soon as possible so that new ration cards can be issued.

Norbulla drew the committee's attention to the fact that ration supply in the Darjeeling Hills had been disrupted for several weeks. This has greatly affected people in the area solely dependent on supplies from the plains. The meeting besides discussing steps to strengthen the party expressed gratitude to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Assam Congress chief Tarun Gogoi for electing Rudra Bahadur Rai, a Gorkha, as Deputy Speaker of Assam Assembly.

The Congress also mourned the death of Captain Ram Singh Thakuri of of the Indian National Army. Thakuri was a close associate of Subash Chandra Bose and Dharma Shamsher Basnet former veteran Congress leader. Ram Singh Thakuri had tuned the Indian national song "Jana Gana Mana" which Rabindra Nath Tagore had written.