West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee descended to the plains of Darjeeling district on Friday night after taking stock of the situation in the hills. Her visit came after a 12-hour bandh was called by the influential Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) for the revival of Gorkhaland agitation, leading to violence in the hills.
Banerjee rode in a vehicle, making announcements about ensuring peace in the hills. She asked people to stay clam, adding that the government is making sure normalcy will be restored in the district. She urged local shopkeepers to open their shops and told tourists to not worry.
Banerjee also said that the government will provide a free bus service from Darjeeling. She added that she is monitoring the situation. “I am continuing to monitor the situation from here. There have been enough compromises. But compromise can’t happen when threatened with bombs,” she said.
Darjeeling Superintendent of Police Removed From Post
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo stayed back at Darjeeling after holding a cabinet meeting there. She also personally intervened to ensure that vehicles were arranged for tourists who were stranded in the hills to reach Siliguri, according to several media reports.
Meanwhile, Darjeeling Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Javalgi was removed from his post and Deputy Commissioner (Central), Kolkata Police, Akhilesh Chaturvedi was tipped to be the new SP, said a senior Kolkata Police official. The Chief Minister had earlier said a three-member team, comprising senior IPS officers, had been formed to look after the law-and-order situation in Darjeeling.
Life Limps Back to Normalcy
A day after the bandh and Banerjee’s visit, life limped back to normalcy as people resumed their daily work, with hotels, shops, eateries and markets opening for regular business on Saturday.
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which rules the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), called for the bandh in protest of the Mamata Banerjee government's decision to introduce Bengali language in schools. The town, brimming over with tourists, had witnessed violence on Thursday when GJM supporters clashed with the police and burnt government vehicles.
Army Continues to Patrol Darjeeling
Even as the situation improved in the hills, the Army continued to patrol Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong towns. Six Army teams, each comprising 43 personnel, have been deployed in the three hill towns after Thursday's flare up. Three Central Reserve Police Force companies were also deployed.
A case has been launched against GJM activists, including chief Bimal Gurung on various counts such as criminal conspiracy, arson and incitement of trouble, the police said.
The district administration has also sealed the GJM-run Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) headquarters Bhanu Bhavan, following allegations that the leaders had incited people to resort to violence.
The Army had on Thursday staged a flag march in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong towns.
The Army was requisitioned by the West Bengal government for the hill towns of Kurseong and Kalimpong as a precautionary measure, apart from Darjeeling town.
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