Violent clashes at GJM bandh
Terai and Dooars were on the boil on Monday, the first day of the indefinite bandh called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and Joint Action Coordination Committee led by John Barla. There were several incidents of violent clashes and arson. At Odlabari in Malbazar, bandh supporters and local residents fought a pitched battle. Several shops and vehicles were damaged and a goods-laden truck was set ablaze. At Banarhat, the local businessmen defied the bandh call and kept their shops open. More than half a dozen shops were set on fire. District magistrate Smarki Mahapatra said, “Six rounds of bullets were fired in the air to disperse the mob. The situation was under control in most of the places.”
Expressing concern, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said, “I appeal to the leadership to maintain peace and harmony in the Terai-Dooars region. This is not a big incident. I urge both the parties to maintain peace and no one should disturb it.” She further added that everything would be done as per GTA agreement. “We always want peace in the hills, Terai and Dooars. People of Terai and Dooars have their say. But everything will be done as per the GTA agreement and the recommendation of the high-powered committee formed as per the provision in the agreement. The committee has been formed as per the agreement to settle various issues including the inclusion of some areas,” Ms Banerjee said.
The indefinite bandh was called after the state government refused permission for a joint rally by the Barla faction and the GJM at Nagrakata. State president of Adivasi Vikas Parishad Birsau Tirkey blamed the GJM and “its agent John Barla” for the violence.
“If the GJM confines its bandh to three sub-divisions of Darjeeling, we have no problem. The strong resistance to the bandh reflected the true sentiments of the local tribals,” he added.
Asserting that the GTA had become a reality, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said: “Now the high-powered committee would ascertain which areas of Terai and Dooars could be included in the autonomous body and for this we will have to wait for the committee’s report. We had wanted to address a rally at Nagarkata to explain to the people of the plains about the power and functions of the GTA but we were denied permission.”
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