Journalism of Courage
Several people were injured as supporters and opponents of a bandh called by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha GJM clashed in West Bengals Dooars on Monday.
The bandh was called to protest the governments refusal to allow the partys chief Bimal Gurung and Jhon Barla,a GJM-backed tribal leader,to address a rally at Nagrakata on Sunday.
The police used teargas to disperse the rioters who torched about 50 shops and several vehicles at Oodlabari and Banarhat and Nagrakata.
Barla represents a faction of the tribals who support the GJMs demand for inclusion of Dooars and Terai in Gorkha Territorial Administration. The larger faction of tribals,the Adivasi Vikas Parishad,is against it.
The people of Terai and Dooars do not want their land to be included in GTA. That is why they opposed the bandh call. But they were attacked by bandh supporters in front of the police, said Birsa Tirkey of Adivasi Vikash Parishad.
Barla,however,denied the allegation.
