The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), last week called for an indefinite shutdown in the northern West Bengal hills. Principally targeting public offices to press for a separate state of Gorkhaland, the call for a shutdown has caused fresh uncertainty in the region which earlier seemed to be returning to normalcy with the Army deployment.
The Jan Andolan Party (JAP) and the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) on June 19 mounted pressure on the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) to sever its ties with the West Bengal government , even as the situation on the fifth day of the indefinite strike called by the GJM remained tense with a near-total shutdown in the Darjeeling hills.
The protesters blocked the national highway 31A at some places in Darjeeling district to protest the death of three GJM activists.
Pro-Gorkhaland protesters raised slogans at Chowk Bazaar and burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. All mobile Internet services remained down in Darjeeling for the second consecutive day on Monday.
The political parties in the hills hope that some relaxation in the shutdown may be announced after a local party meeting on June 20.
