Indefinite bandh in Darjeeling hills, Gurung calls all-party meet today

Amid indefinite bandh that began in hill areas of Darjeeling on Monday, GJM chief Bimal Gurung threw another challenge...

Amid indefinite bandh that began in hill areas of Darjeeling on Monday, GJM chief Bimal Gurung threw another challenge to Chief Minister Buddadeb Bhattacharjee, calling an all-party meeting on Tuesday, parallel to another meeting at Writers’ Building.

The meeting will be held at Gymkhana Club in Darjeeling at 10 am. Neither the CPI-M nor the GNLF has been invited for the meeting. GJM spokesperson Roshan Giri said, “District-level political party leaders are invited to the meeting, including the Trinamool Congress, Forward Bloc, RSP, CPI and others.” He said that a resolution regarding statehood for Gorkhaland would be placed during the meeting on Tuesday.

The GJM, however, also expressed its keenness to sit for tripartite talks with the Union Government. “We are ready for unconditional talks with the Union Government, but our strike will continue”.

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Meanwhile, the GJM asked people in Darjeeling hills to keep food stock for at least 45 days in view of the indefinite bandh call given from Monday evening. GJM supporters blocked several entry points in Darjeeling hills. Shops and business establishments were shut down by the evening.

Roshan Giri told The Indian Express, “Ours is an indefinite bandh. We cannot predict how long it will last. Our president has asked people to keep ration stocks ready for at least 45 days.”

The plains, however, including Siliguri, have been exempted from the bandh. The state Government has made tight security arrangements in Darjeeling and surrounding areas. Said IG, North Bengal, K L Tamta: “Police contingents are deployed in the hills and the surrounding areas. Though Siliguri is exempted from the bandh, we are not taking any chances.”

Meanwhile, CPI-M state secretary Biman Bose asked the GJM to withdraw the bandh and let normalcy resume.

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