GNLF doubts GJMM, public calm about bandh

SNS, Kurseong, 28 July 2013: Ahead of the 72-hour Darjeeling Hills bandh, the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) have raised doubts whether the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) is really serious about raising the demand of Gorkhaland again or they are just staging a drama to mislead the common people as they have done earlier by accepting the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). 

The GNLF spokesperson, Mr Daya Dewan, said: "We neither support nor oppose the Gorkhaland move by the GJMM but we are suspicious whether they are sincere over the cause as earlier too they organised rallies and bandhs in demand of a separate state but finally accepted GTA instead. Isn’t this drama a ploy to hoodwink the people again? We feel the GJMM is on the back-foot as they are slowly losing their base and in order to regain it they are staging such a play to betray the people again," Mr Dewan said. 

He said: "Hence it is up to the people to decide and be aware about the ploys of the GJMM."

However, ahead of the bandh, people seem to be taking it calmly and markets are less crowded in comparison. It was only around evening that last-minute shoppers were seen out buying essential goods. 

Surprisingly enough, even after the 72-hour long Hills bandh was announced from tomorrow onwards, the public this time have not been panic-stricken and while a rush for shopping vegetables and other commodities was seen it did not last long. 

Mr Bhimraj Darnal, a local resident from Kurseong, said: "We are reluctant to buy edible commodities for three days as the bandh could be withdrawn after a day or two as has happened previously. Hence, we have only bought a few necessary items." 

Another resident, Mr Prashant Rai, said the absence of the huge rush at the last moment before the bandh commences might be due to its being the end of the month when most household budgets are almost finished and hence cannot even entertain buying fresh commodities. 

He said: “One or two small business outlets are always available from where one can always buy necessary items. The announcement of the bandh was also made at such a short notice that people were confused whether it was true." 

The rush to buy essential commodities in the market places was not seen in the morning and afternoon. 

It was only later in the evening when the call of the 72-hour bandh began to sink that shops started to be crowded and shelves emptied in a hurry.