GJM takes a hard line,calls indefinite strike from Aug 3

The state,for its part,said it will not go for any showdown with the agitators as long as they protested peacefully. However,blockades will not be allowed,state home secretary Basudeb Banerjee said.

Even as GJM leaders had said in the morning that the party was withdrawing its call of indefinite strike,outfit chief Bimal Gurung later announced that there will be no “break” in the strike except on August 15 (Independence Day).

Gurung said: “We had announced an indefinite strike earlier also. But after members of the Muslim community appealed to us to relax the bandh during Eid,we decided to cut it to 96 hours.” But he changed his mind as soon as the news of central forces being rushed to GJM toughens stand,calls indefinite strike in the hills Darjeeling. “There will no relaxation now. We will now take a hard stand against the government.”

A senior district administration official said there were indications from the government that it will fight the strike and ensure that government offices remained open.

Gurung said he “wanted people to suffer as I would also suffer”. “Until the people would suffer to a great extent,the eyes of the government would not open,” he added.

Meanwhile,a delegation of six senior GJM leaders led by GJM general secretary Roshan Giri would head to Delhi Friday.

Giri said,“We will meet all political parties there. We would talk to the ministers of the central government. But we would not compromise on separate statehood.”

The GJM,meanwhile,is yet to direct its MLAs to resign from the Assembly.

MLA from Darjeeling Trilok Dewan said,“We have not received any direction from our president to resign as of now. The party is working on this. There are phases in a movement. We are being sent to Delhi to meet all of the political parties there and to discuss the Gorkhaland issue. We do not even know that when we would be called back to Darjeeling from Delhi.”