A large number of shops opened in Darjeeling on Wednesday signaling normalcy that had eluded the hills for the past three months due to indefinite strike called by the GJM for a separate state of Gorkhaland. The situation in the hills remained tense but incident-free despite threats and intimidation by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which is spearheading the movement for a separate state of Gorkhaland.
The indefinite shutdown in the hills entered its 91st day on Wednesday. For the fifth day in a row, the police along with the administration, appealed to the locals via public address systems to open shops and restore normalcy in the hills. Peace rallies were taken out by the residents in Kurseong, Darjeeling and Mirik.
If he is a leader, then he should come back to the hills rather than issuing statements from a secret location like a coward
Expelled GJM leader Binay Tamang on Wednesday asked GJM supremo Bimal Gurung to come back to the hills instead of issuing statements from a hideout. “If he is a leader, then he should come back to the hills rather than issuing statements from a secret location like a coward,” Tamang said. Gurung on Tuesday had rejected West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s appeal to withdraw the shutdown in the hills, saying it would continue till the Centre holds a tripartite meeting on the Gorkhaland issue.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday urged the Gorkhaland protesters in Darjeeling to withdraw their strike and restore normalcy. The GJM supporters took out rallies in support of a separate Gorkhaland and the ongoing shutdown in sections of Darjeeling, Sonada and Kalimpong.
Internet services remains suspended in the hills since June 18.
© PTI
GEOFFREY MACDONALD | BANGLADESH’s streets have again erupted with political violence. In early July, a university student protest began over Bangladesh’s job quota system that disproportionately benefits the descendants of Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation war fighters, which many students view as unfair and outdated. Early last week, peaceful protests turned violent as police and ruling party…
LOOKEAST REPORT | POLICE and security officials in Bangladesh fired bullets and tear gas at protesters and banned all gatherings in the capital on Friday, as internet and mobile services were cut off after days of deadly clashes over the allocation of government jobs. The protests, which began weeks ago but escalated sharply on Monday,…
DR MANAS DAS | SOME say it is an anachronism. To some others it is a mere fancy project. A considerable few are not sure about the future of this renovated legacy and they fume at the brouhaha over it. But not many, in their senses, can dispute the glamour and pride associated with the…
LOOKEAST REPORT | INDIA and Bangladesh moved to bolster their defense relationship and signed agreements for expanding cooperation in maritime security, ocean economy, space, and telecommunication sectors, as New Delhi tries to present itself as a regional power. The agreements were signed during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India, the first foreign leader…
DR APARNA PANDE | INDIA’S diplomatic influence has grown significantly through 2023, attracting interest from countries worldwide looking to strengthen economic and strategic bonds with the South Asian nation. However, relations with its closest neighbors remain conflict–ridden and problematic. While its western neighbor Pakistan often captures international attention, its eastern neighbor, Myanmar (formerly Burma), is…
