Kolkata: Flying in the face of an order by the Calcutta High Court, a strike called by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) brought the hill station of Darjeeling to a standstill.
Most businesses were closed as few people ventured out of their homes, fearing widespread violence.
There were no reports of violence but minor incidents were reported from the two towns of Kurseong and Kalimpong where sympathisers of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), who were opposing the strike, came face to face with GJM supporters.
The latter had laid siege to important junctions of the hills to make the strike a success.
The strike is being seen as the beginning of a new phase of protests in the hills as the GJM renews its calls for a separate Gorkhaland state.
“We had asked the chief minister (Mamata Banerjee) to give documentary proof that she had indeed given Rs4,000 crore (Rs40 billion, Dh2.2 billion) to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). She has failed to do so and her lies have been caught in the public domain,” said GJM chief Bimal Gurung.
Gurung has threatened a prolonged agitation over the demand for separate statehood, warning tourists not to is visit the hill station during the upcoming festive holidays. “We cannot be part of a state whose chief minister lies to its people,” Gurung added.
The state government however tried its best to persuade people not to participate in this strike.
Seven companies of central forces and large contingents of the state police have been deployed to thwart attempts at disturbing peace.
Several ministers and ruling TMC party leaders Gautam Deb, Rabindranath Ghosh and James Kujur have set up camp in the area to monitor the situation.
More than 250 GJM supporters have been arrested by the police while trying to enforce the strike.
“People are frustrated with the activities of the GJM leadership and are keen to participate in the development unleashed by our chief minister,” Deb said over phone. “Thousands of people from the hills joined our protest rally opposing this strike that has been termed ‘illegal’ by the honourable High Court.”
However, the GJM is the final authority in the hills and the overtures by Banerjee last week have gone horribly wrong.
“If the strike prolongs as many believe it will, it is Mamata who will be accused by locals ofprovoking Gurung as statehood is a sensitive issue in the region,” Dipak Dului, a political observer, said.
The strike comes at a bad time for locals, who were hoping for an influx of tourists during the upcoming festive holidays.
“If this continues it will severely affect the [tourism] economy of the hills, which is the mainstay for most of the people. Both sides should refrain from getting the issue out of control,” said Tilak Lama, a student.
