In an attempt to curb tension in the troubled hill district of Darjeeling, the state government on Friday blocked airing of three news channels by the local cable TV operators even as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM)-sponsored “indefinite bandh” entered the seventh day.
The GJM members claimed that the state being autocratic as the news channels are airing news in their favour. Meanwhile, fours more arrests were made over the onging turmoil. In an counter attack on the administration, the GJM leader threatened to pull down the towers of the mobile companies citing environmental damage to the hills.
The out-going district magistrate, Soumitra Mohan, said that the two operators failed to produce the legal documents as per the Cable TV Regulation act 1995. Although, the district administration has claimed that the operators have been called on Monday with legal documents and after scrutinising the services would be resumed. However, sources claimed that the content of the news, heavily slanted towards the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, was creating tension in the hills.
Reacting to the order, GJM chief Bimal Gurung accused the district administration of raiding the cable operators late night on Thursday after the office hours. He said it was “Taliban-style” and violated people’s democratic rights.
As an counter attack, Mr Gurung threatened to pull down the mobile towers of the private service providers in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong. He said that the GJM has received complains from the people that the radiation of the towers are affecting animals and birds and enhancing environmental disbalance.
Political experts feel that this has been a ploy by the GJM to affect the work of the district administration and snap the connectivity.
Meanwhile, the condition of GJM supporter Purba Sherpa (32), a physically challenged person, who attempted self immolation on Thursday, remained critical at the Darjeeling Sadar Hospital.
As the new Darjeeling district magistrate Punit Yadav is scheduled to take charge from this day, no relaxation was given to the ongoing indefinite bandh on the occasion of the Id-ul-Fitr.
Four more arrests were made, including a Morcha leader Santosh Tamang on Thursday late night from Garidhuri in Kurseong. The arrests were made based on case that were filed on earlier occasions. State panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee said that the state government would counter the situation in a proper legal way.