Darjeeling Hills get ready for indefinite shutdown

Siliguri: People rushed to stock up on supplies and trucks snaked up the hills to carry essentials on Monday in readiness for the indefinite shutdown in the Darjeeling Hills called by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), agitating for separate statehood.

As long queues formed outside shops in the area, the GJM, which Sunday renewed the call for an indefinite shutdown in the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling district - Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong - also stepped up calls for the resignation of state Urban Development Minister Ashok Bhattacharya.

The GJM, which has kept the plain land areas of Darjeeling districts outside the purview of the shutdown but announced a relay hunger strike at various spots in Siliguri, Terai and the Dooars, called him the mastermind behind the attacks on pro-Gorkhaland activists June 8 at Siliguri and the Dooars.

Atrocities

"Men beat up our supporters and ransacked their homes. And they also instigated some Bengali-speaking outfits to attack our workers. We called the shutdown not only to press for a separate Gorkhaland state, but also to force the administration to arrest Bhattacharya and others involved in such atrocities," Gurung said.

Gurung added he would lead a delegation of his party's senior central committee members to Delhi in the last week of June to brief top national leaders, including those from the main opposition parties, on their demand for Gorkhaland.

"We will apprise the political leaders in Delhi of the situation. We will tell them there is no democracy, no political freedom in West Bengal," he said.

According to sub-divisional officer P.T. Sherpa, prices of essential commodities have shot up after the last shutdown following a shortage of supply.

Senior police officers held a meeting in Darjeeling town Sunday night to discuss security arrangements and ways to prevent any breach of peace during the agitation.

"We are monitoring the situation closely. We don't think there is any need to deploy the Central Reserve Police Force in the hills now," said police inspector Kundan Lal Tamta.

The GJM had last week called for the indefinite shutdown in the hills, but given a 60-hour relaxation to enable stranded tourists reach the plains.