TOTAL BUNDH IN THREE DISTRICTS OF NORTH BENGAL :PEOPLE AGAINST GORKHALAND

Siliguri, Dec. 21: Members of organisations opposed to the statehood demand today burnt flags of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and picketed at different locations in Siliguri and Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts as vehicles remained off the roads and establishments shut.

Amra Bangali, Bangla O Bangla Bhasa Bachao Committee and Dooars Terai Nagarik Mancha — three anti-Gorkhaland forums — had called a 24-hour strike in the plains today to protest the tripartite talks.

The bandh was partial in the two Dinajpurs while it impacted little in Malda. In Siliguri and the Dooars, educational institutions, banks, shops and business establishments were shut and poor attendance was reported from government offices.

At 11.15am, the bandh supporters intercepted a bus carrying staff members of the state electricity distribution company at Hashmi Chowk in Siliguri. Police intervened and arrested 11 of the protesters to clear the road and make way for the bus. Soon, another group of bandh supporters assembled at Darjeeling More, 2.5km away. Shouting slogans against the Morcha and protesting the alleged bid to divide the state, they set fire to 12 flags of the hill party that had been strung from lamp-posts. A force from the Pradhannagar police station, along with personnel of the Darjeeling district commando force, rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Five persons were arrested from the spot.

At 1pm, around 200 bandh supporters took out a rally on Hill Cart Road, carrying an effigy of Morcha president Bimal Gurung. They burnt the effigy near the Pradhannagar police station and also staged a demonstration, demanding the immediate release of the arrested supporters.

“We will not tolerate any division of the state and will protest as and when required,” said Mukunda Majumdar, the president of the Bhasha Bachao Committee.

“To protest against the tripartite talks, 11 supporters of our organisation have resorted to hunger strike at Hashmi Chowk and it will continue. We want the police to release our supporters immediately,” he added.

In Jalpaiguri, all establishments, except for government offices, were closed. In Cooch Behar, some of the block and rural offices were shut, as employees were absent.

At Gayerkata, 80km from Jalpaiguri town, more than 300 vehicles were stranded on NH31, the national highway connecting the Northeast, claimed Larry Bose, the president of the Nagarik Mancha. An effigy of Bimal Gurung was burnt at Alipurduar College Halt in Alipurduar town.

The effect of the strike was partial in North Dinajpur’s Raiganj with government buses plying on roads but shops and establishments remaining closed. In South Dinajpur, bandh supporters pelted a bus with stones near Patiram.

State urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya condemned the burning of Morcha flags by the bandh supporters. “However, we would like to urge upon the state and Centre to take note of the anti-Gorkhaland emotion,” he said.