Darjeeling bandh peaceful

Government offices remain open amid heavy security deployment

High alert: Army personnel guard a street in Darjeeling, during a shutdown called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on Monday.

Barring stray incidents of arson, the shutdown called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in Darjeeling hills on Monday passed off peacefully.

Government offices remained open in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts with a massive deployment of police and security forces.

Despite the bandh call, government employees reported for duty, including in offices located in Darjeeling town.

Employees arrived outside heavily guarded offices and were allowed in after showing their identification cards. The State government had issued a circular warning that absence would be treated as a break in service.

While transport and tourism sectors were kept out of the purview of the strike, thousands of tourists were stranded in the hills. The State government arranged transport to help those who wanted to return to the plains in Siliguri sub-division.

Meanwhile, locals allegedly having allegiance to the GJM set fire at an office of the PWD department in Darjeeling. Earlier in the day a similar attempt was made at the office of Block Development Office ( BDO) office at Bijonbari.

Three persons were arrested in connection with the incident.

GJM general secretary Roshan Giri denied the party’s involvement in these incidents and said they were attempts to defame it.

“We could have mobilised thousands of our supporters and ensured that government offices were closed,” Mr. Giri said.

“We want the Centre to intervene and take concrete steps for our demand of Gorkhaland,” he said.

The GJM general secretary told The Hindu that party president Bimal Gurung had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh seeking the Centre’s intervention.

The GJM has called an all-party meeting on Tuesday to discuss the issue.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in Kolkata that she would not be intimidated by “GJM’s threats.” Addressing a public meeting, she said, “They [GJM] said they will not let me enter the hills... but I went there, held meetings and safeguarded peace.” She urged people in the hills not to be misguided by a few people.