Gorkhas to hold bandh in Darjeeling

KOLKATA: The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) has called bandh in all government offices in the three sub-divisions of Kalimpong, Kurseong and Darjeeling from March 9 to March 27. The party will also observe bandhs in the three Hill dub-divisions on March 14, 15, 21 and 22, GJM leader Roshan Giri said on Sunday.

“We had earlier decided to strengthen our movement to realize the demand for a separate Gorkha state. To go for bandhs in the three Hill sub-divisions is our first step towards realizing our demand. We will be forced to go for militant movement in Darjeeling if our demand for a separate state is not met,” Giri said.

On last Friday, a GJM delegation led by the party MLA Harka Bahadur Chhetri met the West Bengal governor M K Narayanan and complied to him about Mamata Banerjee government’s decision to carry out government work in the Hills without holding any talk with the newly-elected Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabha.

Chhetri also told reporters after his meeting with the governor that bilateral relation of the state government and GJM was sure to deteriorate once the state government continue to bypass the GTA in carrying out several government works in the Hills.

But the GJM’s decision to go for bandhs in the Hills has certainly raised questions about continuation of prevailing peace and tranquility in Darjeeling. It is certain that tourist flow in Darjeeling will be reduced due to continuous bandhs and strikes in the Hills called by the GJM.