GJM calls indefinite shutdown in Darjeeling hills
IANS, Darjeeling, May 24 : The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha
(GJM) Friday called an indefinite shutdown in north Bengal's Darjeeling
hills from Sunday to protest the arrest of an elected member of the hill
development body for alleged involvement in arson and violence.
The GJM gave the call Friday evening after a local court rejected the
bail application of Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) member and
party leader Chandra Yonzon, who was taken into custody in connection
with the ransacking and torching of the house of Trinamool Congress
leader K.N. Subba at Gorubathan under Kalimpong sub-division of
Darjeeling district.
"He (Yonzon) is an elected member of the GTA. Before arresting any
legislator, the permission of the assembly speaker has to be taken. Then
why did the administration and police not see permission from the
presiding officer of the GTA Sabha?" asked GJM general secretary Roshan
Giri.
"We are compelled to call an indefinite shutdown in the three hill
subdivisions OF Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseyong from 6 a.m. on
Sunday," Giri said.
The trouble erupted in the hills after Subba, vice president of the
Trinamool unit in the hills, tried to return to his Gorubathan home from
the plains where he was staying for the past four years. A former
Gorkha National Liberation Front activist, he had to leave his home
following violence and intimidation by alleged GJM members.
Police said when he tried to return home May 22, GJM called a
shutdown and put up road blockades against his entry into the hills.
Five women members of the GJM frontal organsiation Gorkhaland Personnel were arrested for violence and intimidation Thursday.
A peace meeting was held Thursday evening, but Subba's residence was
ransacked and then torched the same midnight allegedly by GJM activists.
On Friday morning, seven more GJM workers, including Yonzon were arrested by the police.
Though the five women GLP members were released, the bail plea of the
seven others were rejected by a Kalimpong court, following which GJM
called the shutdown.
Giri requested tourists to leave the hills by Saturday.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (North Bengal) Sashikanta Pujari said reinforcements have been sent to the hills.
I believe nobody is above law and violence brings violence this attitude should stop immediately and all the people of the hill should come together for development and progress in all fields and it is high time they should distance themselves from destruction,violence and revenge.
ReplyDeletewhat happend in gorubathan is not a revange as I think. Thats the result of what k n subba sow a couple of decade ago. Man like him could not be trusted. All sorts of crime occured during his time.
ReplyDelete