IN 19-25WOMEN June, 2002 NOW! 1 NOW! Panorama Color Lab TSHERING CHODEN Beyond ACTION Competition GANGTOK WEDNESDAY, 19-25 June, 2002 Vol 1 No3 Rs. 5 MG Marg, Gangtok, Sikkim - 737 101 LADY ph: 25098 / 22488 THE VERDICT’S IN GANGTOK: The controversy over the inventorisation of all the movable and im- movable properties of the Karmapa at the Rumtek Monastery here has finally re- solved. On June 18, Tuesday, Gyaltsab Rimpoche, who handles the affairs at Rumtek at present and who is reported to have objected to inventorisation proc- ess in the past, submitted to the High Court that he and his followers had no objection to the Commissioner appointed by the District Judge in October last from going ahead with the inventorisation. The High Court, too, has passed several di- rectives to the Commissioner on how to conduct the inventorisation without hurt- ing the religious sentiments attached to the Karmapa’s belongings in Sikkim. TURN TO PG 2 FOR DETAILS INVENTORY’S ON WILL THEY RRss.. 1515 CRORECRORE PROJECTPROJECT HANGSHANGS ONON BALBALANCEANCE NOW! finally tracks down Binod Kumar Gajmer, winner of the Rs. 8.3 crore Playwin Jackpot and finds out how life has shaped up A vegetable vendor at Lall Bazaar, Gangtok, is all smiles on a haat day. The smiles wipe off fast the moment one talks of a possible relocation. ever since he became a The National Building Construction Corpo- crorepati eight-times ration wants Lall Bazaar vacated by the sec- over. ond week of July. People at Lall Bazaar are TURN TO pg 5 not keen on shifting and negotiations in the earnest are yet to begin. There could be con- FOR EXCLUSIVE fusion galore if the authorities don’t wake up INTERVIEW MOVE? soon. TURN TO PG 3 FOR DETAILS 2 NOW! 19-25 June, 2002 RESOLVED. FINALLY INVENTORY PROCESS TO GO AHEAD: RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS held at Rumtek Monastery at the moment, TO BE RESPECTED and that the Commissioner be allowed to wait till the end of this month to start the inventory process, the Court ordered that the by SARIKAH ATREYA actual inventorisation should take place from or after July 1, 2002. GANGTOK: The High Court on June 18, ORGYEN TRINLEY The Court also directed the State Tuesday, directed the RBI Commissioner, government to render all assistance during KN Sharma, to carry out the process of the inventory process. The Court also inventorisation of the Karmapa properties in DORJEE’S LETTER TO HIS submitted that a senior official from the State the Rumtek Monastery as directed by the Ecclesiastical department should also District Judge. present during the process. In the hearing against the District Judge’s In a major development, the pro-Tai Situ order of October 17, 2001, at the High Court, FOLLOWERS URGES camp, the Appelletants to the case, has Chief Justice R. Dayal observed that the welcomed the inventorisation of the Court-appointed commissioner should be Karmapa properties, saying that it was allowed to carry out the inventory process COMPLAINCE WITH HIGH agreeable to them that the process take place. with the consent of both the parties to the Karmapa Chungyalpa, spokesman of the case. The Court said in its order that the Tsurphu Labrang and JAC, told NOW! that inventorisation process should take place in they have discussed the matter (the the presence of three representatives each COURT’S DIRECTIVES inventorisation) in detail and would go along from either side. The Court also directed that with the Court orders. The change in stance the inventory process should be carried out is also believed to have sprung from a letter in such a manner so as not to hurt the from “their” Karmapa Orgyen Trinley Dorjee religious sentiments of the people, and that wherein he has directed his followers to the Commissioner should be able to carry abide by the High Court’s directives. out his orders without any delay. “We will accept the judgment of the High It might be recalled that the District Court, as it has been also agreed upon by Judge had granted the Karmapa Charitable His Holiness, Orgyen Trinley Dorjee. We Trust’s plea for inventorisation of all also want to see what is inside the treasure movable and immovable properties room but it should be done according to belonging to the Karmapa. The decision was traditional protocol,” he said. He further immediately protested against by those in clarified that the Tsurphu Labrang was not control of the Rumtek Monastery at present opposed to the inventorisation process per on the grounds that the items in question se. “We have been asking for an inventory were of great religious value to the people since 1995. Our only objection was that the of the Karma Kagyu faith and that their sacred items should not be handled by any handling by non-Buddhists would offend the person other than the Karmapa himself. Now sentiments of the people of the faith. Their that the High Court has laid down the stand has changed since and the party has guidelines, we have no problems any more,” now agreed to the inventorisation process. he told NOW! On the suggestion of the Court, both the Meanwhile, in a letter to Goshir Gyalstab parties to the case agreed to appoint three Rinpoche, a defendant in the suit filed by representatives who would be present along the Karmapa Charitable Trust, Orgyen with the Commissioner during the inventory Trinley Dorjee, recognized by Tai Situ process. The pro-Shamar Rinpoche camp TSURPHU LABRANG CLARIFIES IT HAS Rinpoche and the Dalai Lama as the 17th wanted him to be one of the three member Karmapa, has said that he has been “fully party, which was outrightly rejected by the apprised of the present situation”. He said Joint Action Committee of Buddhist NO OBJECTION TO INVENTORY, that the “case of the Karmapa Charitable Organisations in Sikkim, the pro-Tai Situ Trust is baseless and without foundation and Camp, which was initially opposed to the CLAIMS IT HAS BEEN DEMANDING IT it is not maintainable”. He said that the case idea of inventorisation of the Karmapa’s will have to come to its “natural legal properties, citing reasons that the sacred conclusions” and that “it would not be proper items could not be touched by anyone other SINCE 1995 to try and interrupt this process despite our than the Karmapa himself. The pro-Shamar religious feelings and sentiments” in this camp has agreed on the names of Sherab regard. “As the inventory is a part of the Gyaltsen, Gyanjyoti Khangsar and an whole legal process, we must respect the advocate to represent them during the Court order and not the resist the inventory,” inventory process, while the other camp has he advised. agreed to Phunstok Lama, ADC to Urgyen Orgyen Trinley Dorjee has said that since Trinley Dorjee, Tenzing Namgyal, general their “status in India is that of a refugee, we secretary of the Tsurphu Labrang, the are duty bound to obey and uphold the laws traditional custodians of the Karmapa of the country”. “While respecting the properties and an advocate from their side. judicial system, we should, however, put on Making concessions for the religious record that this compliance on our part to sentiments at stake, the Court directed that co-operate with the inventory must not be the Vajra Mukut or the sacred black hat worn interpreted as an acceptance of the claims by the Karmapa, which is kept inside a box being made in the suit, or any consent to wrapped in a cloth in the “treasure room” at attachment or receivership,” he said. “I Rumtek monastery along with other sacred would like you (Goshir Gyalstab Rinpoche) items of the Karmapa, should not be touched to present these issues before the hon’ble or opened during the inventory process. Gyaltsab Rinpoche Shamarpa Court and the government of Sikkim with “It is submitted on behalf of the the ultimate objective that the inventory is Appellants that anyone other than the The Court also ordered that items The Court has directed the Commissioner to carried out in a peaceful and harmonious Karmapa touching the Black Hat will hurt belonging to the Karmapa and locked inside detail such items by sight. manner and also in deference to the judiciary the religious sentiments of the people. It is boxes bearing the seal of the Karmapa should The Commissioner has been given five and laws of the land,” he said. therefore, agreed that the Commissioner not be touched or the seals broken during weeks from the receipt of the Court Orders On the other hand, Trinley Thaye Dorje, shall not touch this item, although a the inventorisation process. Items inside to report to the District Judge with a status the one recognized by Shamar Rinpoche as photograph can be taken. The outer almirahs with seals intact should not be report on the inventorisation process. the 17th Karmapa has called upon the people description of the item would be listed by broken either, the Court ordered. The same However, upon the suggestion by the of Sikkim to “respect the Court Order and not the Commissioner,” the Court ordered. applies to items placed inside glass cases. Appellants that special prayers were being to hinder or disturb the inventory process.” 19-25 June, 2002 UP-FRONT NOW! 3 WILL THEY MOVE? There are too many unaddressed issues in the proposed shifting of shopkeepers from Lall Bazaar to make way for an ambitious Rs. 15 crore project of redoing the entire complex. There is also hardly any time left if deadlines have to be met, writes SUMANLATA PRADHAN GANGTOK: The people with the Rs.