Armymen were seen patrolling in several areas of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Mirik and Kurseong
Day One of the indefinite shutdown called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in the hills saw a heavy resistance from the state government with huge posse of police posted in front of all government offices.
However, GJM activists managed to set ablaze two government offices later in the day. Some incidents of sporadic violence were also reported from the hills. Toy Train services stood suspended throughout the day.
Armymen were seen patrolling in several areas of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Mirik and Kurseong.
The office of the District Magistrate, which was hugely guarded by police, was left alone by the GJM members.
Early in the morning, a BDO office at Bijanbari was set ablaze and later during the day an office of the sub-assistant engineer of the PWD at Lebong Cart Road was also set on fire. Agitators pelted stones at an office of the state electricity board at Sonada. Ramesh Babu, ADG, North Bengal said three persons have been arrested in connection with the Bijanbari vandalism and raids were on at other places as well. Serpentine queues were seen in front of ATMs although the GJM had said that banks would be allowed to function on Mondays and Thursdays.
GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said they had exercised a lot of restraint. "It was not a forcible bandh. If we wanted, thousands of our men would have hit the streets and shut down offices. We want Centre to intervene and come out with concrete decisions regarding our long-pending demand for Gorkhaland, which was there in their manifesto as well," he said. He also said that GJM President Bimal Gurung has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into the matter.
Asked about the vandalism at the government offices, he said he had no idea about who had done those and maintained that the violence had been engineered to malign the GJM.
Referring to the remarkable attendance at government offices, he said it was because of the stringent orders of the state government.
Giri also said that the GJM would extend its support to joint forum of tea garden workers, who had called a general strike on Tuesday demanding minimum wages.
"The demands of tea garden workers are absolutely justified. They are ill-paid and we support their cause," Giri added.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, at a function at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas, said she did not cow down to bullies. "They warned me against going to the hills. I had been there, held a meeting and have come out too. Two or three of their leaders are trying to create trouble. They will hurl a bomb or two and leave the place," she had said on Monday.
GJM VERSION
- Referring to the remarkable attendance at government offices, the GJM said it was because of the stringent orders of the state government.
- It said it will support the joint forum of tea garden workers, who had called a general strike on Tuesday.
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