People stay indoors en masse for ‘Gorkhaland’ demand

Day 1 public curfew was a success: Morcha

DARJEELING / KALIMPONG, August 13, 2013

Darjeeling Hills wore a deserted look with the beginning of two-day ‘janta curfew’ yesterday as most people preferred to remain indoors responding to Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s call to defy West Bengal government’s 72-hour ultimatum given on August 10 to restore normalcy.

Barring security personnel, a few journalists and stray dogs moving about, all shops, office and educational institutions downed its shutters and so were the streets silent since early morning today, a sharp contrast to the recent few days when rallies were being taken out everyday.

People have been staying inside their houses in protest of the statement and demanding separate Gorkhaland state.

In Darjeeling, only the district magistrate’s office remained open like it had in the rest of the strike days, though present in the office were only the district magistrate, additional district magistrate and sub divisional officer.

Also a few people were seen in front of medicine shops and some who have their houses near the roadside standing in front of their homes. Very less force next to negligible was also seen in the town area with only police vehicles and other emergency vehicles plying now and then.

Vehicular movement in NH 31 A was not affected by the curfew.

“The janta curfew was a success yesterday as no one came out of their houses. This shows that the people are supporting the movement of Gorkhaland and we were not forcing anyone,” said Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri.

However, no untoward incidents were reported from across the Hills today. “I have nothing much to comment as I have only joined my post yesterday but as far as I know everything went off peacefully today,” said the new Darjeeling DM Puneet Yadav.

Police on the other hand said that the total arrests made last night were 30 regarding various cases and from different parts of the hills. Among the 30 arrested was Morcha central committee leader Manoj Tamang from Gorubathan in connection with a political case of setting fire to K.N.Subba, a TMC leader this year. His bail plea was rejected by the court and has been sent to judicial remand yesterday by Kalimpong court.

When the Morcha general secretary was asked to comment on the talks of more forces being deployed in this area, he said, “The State government is still trying to suppress the agitation here but we still maintain that there is no law and order problem here. For this a political solution is needed and not force.”

The State home secretary Basudeb Banerjee also arrived here in Darjeeling where he met the different officials from the district administration along with the police. The meeting at Richmond hill lasted for about one hour after which he left for Siliguri.

(Courtesy: Sikkim Express)