Amidst an uneasy calm, Eid was celebrated in Darjeeling on Monday. With the indefinite bandh approaching the 12th day, the Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha (GJYM- youth wing of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha) has decided to intensify the agitation with the Centre yet to respond.
"Three of our supporters are dead yet the state government and the Centre has preferred to remain indifferent. We have decided to boost the ongoing agitation for Gorkhaland. Before the Monsoon Session of Parliament, the Youth Morcha will launch an indefinite hunger strikes and also self immolation," stated Prakash Gurung, president, GJYM.
The GJM will be torching copies of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Accord and Act all over the Hills on Tuesday as a symbolic mark of protest. Already GTA chief Bimal Gurung along with other GJM elected and nominated members of the GTA have tendered their resignations from the GTA en masse.
"We will also burn the copies in Pintail village near Siliguri and also in Terai and Dooars," stated Prakash Gurung. The ripple effect of the ongoing unrest has already spread to the plains of Siliguri. A rally had been taken out in Siliguri on Sunday in support of a united Bengal. Vehicles were also damaged. Torching of GTA copies in Siliguri could aggravate the situation.
Meanwhile, a large security force contingent led by ADG Siddhinath Gupta, Manoj Verma, along with Darjeeling SP Akhilesh Chaturvedi visited Singamari police town outpost on Monday to review the situation. A police vehicle was torched at Tindharia on Sunday night. Alleged GJM supporters have shut down the Rammam Hydel Project located at Lhodama, 77 km from Darjeeling town since Sunday night. Sources stated that the engineers have been issued life threats. "It is located in a remote area. We have sent additional police forces and are trying to start production," stated Joyoshi Das Gupta, District Magistrate, Darjeeling. The project produces 51 MW of electricity. On the other hand, around nine NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation) vehicles were torched and a few machinery damaged in the process.
Eid was celebrated on Monday in Darjeeling.
The GJM had given vehicular relaxation for 12 hours for the Muslim community. "We prayed for peace," stated Abbas Ahmed. In 2013 also, the Muslim community of Darjeeling had commemorated Eid amidst an indefinite bandh for Gorkhaland.