Deep Gazmer, TNN | Jul 31, 2013, DARJEELING: The birth of Telangana brought Gorkhaland pangs back to Bengal on Tuesday.
Bimal Gurung stepped down as chief administrator of the Darjeeling hills and an activist of his Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) set himself on fire as emotions churned in the region on the second-day of the 72-hour shutdown called to renew the Gorkhaland movement with an eye on the Telangana developments.
The GJM watched anxiously as the Congress Working Committee went into a huddle and announced the birth of Telangana in the evening. Gurung stepped down as Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) chief a few hours later and sent his resignation to Governor M K Narayanan.
"We had expected the central government to deliberate on the Gorkhaland issue along with Telangana," Gurung said. "Since this did not happen, we were forced to make this decision." Other members of the GTA may follow suit after a GJM meeting on Wednesday.
The resignation leaves the GTA — which was formed through a tripartite agreement between the Centre, the state and the GJM last August — paralyzed. It also poses a fresh administrative challenge to chief minister Mamata Banerjee as her formula of greater autonomy through the GTA to placate statehood sentiments in the hills now risks falling on its face.
The GJM is expected to reinvigorate the Gorkhaland movement by unveiling a protest roadmap on Thursday.
But its decision to relax the shutdown on Wednesday and Thursday to allow tourists and students in Darjeeling's famous boarding schools to leave the hills indicated a long agitation and another prolonged period of turbulence.
An evidence of that was seen in Kalimpong on Tuesday when GJM activist Mangal Singh Rajput, 42, set himself on fire at Dambar Chowk in the heart of the hill station while chanting "We want Gorkhaland".
It was possibly the first self-immolation attempt in the decades-long Gorkhaland movement, unlike the explosive Telanagana stir that witnessed many deaths as activists set themselves on fire to demand a separate state.
Rajput was taken to Kalimpong sub-divisional hospital. Doctors said he had 65% burn injuries.
"He was brought with severe burns all over his body. His condition was critical," subdivisional medical health officer Sonam Bhutia said. Rajput was subsequently taken to a Siliguri hospital.
Witnesses said Rajput's move was sudden.
"I just saw a person engulfed in fire, shouting and running towards us. He had left the spot briefly to douse himself in petrol," a fellow activist said.
On Monday, there was an attempted self-immolation by GJM supporter Sanjeev Lama in Darjeeling town, but he was foiled.
The three-day bandh in the hills continued to affect the movement of vehicles between Sikkim and Siliguri.
On Tuesday, too, GJM supporters attempted to block NH 31A, the lifeline of Sikkim, near Teesta. The NH 55, too, was blocked at Kurseong and Jorebungalow.
With a major portion of the NH 31A coming under the bandh-affected Darjeeling district, the West Bengal police escorted about 105 vehicles from Sikkim's Rangpo checkpost to Siliguri in convoys.
The police cover was provided as assured by the Darjeeling district administration to keep Sikkim's lifeline NH 31A unaffected during the strike called by the GJM.
East District police superintendent Manoj Tiwari said three convoys including state-run Sikkim Nationalized Transport buses, taxis, trucks and tankers left from Rangpo under West Bengal police cover since 9.45am.
The protection was provided until 6pm when about 105 vehicles crossed Rangpo checkpost and reached Siliguri, he said.
On Monday, two vehicles from Sikkim were torched and vandalized by pro-Gorkhaland activists trying to enforce the bandh along the highway.
(With inputs from Amalendu Kundu in Gangtok)
Burning, killing or hurting yourself or each other will not help. Please avoid these acts, be smart and work accordingly. As we all have each others support. Jai Gorkha Jai gorkha land.
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