Educational institutions remained closed, a section of shops and markets were shut, and road traffic was thin yesterday as a 12-hour shutdown called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in West Bengal’s Darjeeling hills evoked a partial response.
Over 350 people were arrested for trying to enforce the shutdown and indulging in violence. They were later released on bond. At least three vehicles were damaged by the protesters, a police officer said.
But with the state government opposing the shutdown and threatening its employees with stringent action if they failed to turn up, attendance in government offices touched 97%.
The GJM called the shutdown to protest against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent statement that Rs40bn had been allotted to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) – the hill governing body run by the GJM – over four-and-a-half years.
“Overall, the situation was peaceful. Final attendance is around 97% in district administration offices, vehicles are plying and all roads are open,” claimed Darjeeling district magistrate Anurag Srivastav.
“The famed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway ran the toy trains and over 95% ration shops remained open. Some shops are open in markets and no forceful enforcement of shutdown has been allowed,” said Srivastav.
As the day began, most of the shops, markets and tea gardens remained closed, but some of them opened as the day wore on, mainly in Kalimpong and Kurseong sub-divisions. The shutdown had a bigger impact in the Darjeeling sub-division.
Tourist vehicles with police escorts operated from Siliguri to the hills, though private vehicles were seen in smaller numbers than usual.
Schools and colleges remained closed.
Three ministers – Gautam Deb, Rabindranath Ghosh and James Kujur – were present in Kalimpong, Kurseong and Darjeeling sub-divisions, respectively, to foil the shutdown.
“This is the first time that a political party is inspiring people to resist the bandh (shutdown). We are trying to drive away the fear psychosis that people in the hills were living with,” said Gautam Deb, who led an anti-shutdown rally in Kalimpong.
“We are committed to driving away the environment of terror and bring back normalcy to the hills. People are with us. Vandalism will not be tolerated,” Deb said.


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