GJMM criticises CM’s ultimatum...all-party meet on present issue, two-day Janta curfew

SNS, Darjeeling, 11 August 2013:The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha leaders today criticised the ultimatum by the chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee alleging her deadline to the party to lift the indefinite strike within 72 hours was actually an order passed by the High Court requiring the state to respond and file a report.
“The party respects the court but not any sort of ultimatum by the state. We were uninformed about the High Court’s order until we received the copy of it today. We thought the chief minister called the ultimatum of a 72-hour deadline,” said the assistant secretary to the party, Mr Raju Pradhan. 
Reading out the notice to the reporters in a conference held at the party office at Singhamari, Mr Pradhan said: “Bandh is a democratic right of any political party and we understand that the High Court has stated that bandhs are illegal if force or intimidation is made, or if there is interference with road and rail traffic or free movement of the citizens.” 
Reacting to it, the leader fixed the date to the public curfew on 13 and 14 August. The leaders said there will be no picketing in public curfew, no rallies or any demonstration by the party. 
The leaders ensured no force, intimidation or interference in the public transports, including the state vehicles and the services like telephone, tele-communication, water supply, milk distribution, power supply, fire services, newspapers, hospitals and other government offices will not be interfered. 
According to Morcha sources, the court order issues directions to the state government to ensure that while organising a bandh no use of force or intimidation is made and no interference with road and rail traffic or free movement of the citizens and goods is made. 
The order further states that the state government should also ensure that all public transport, including State vehicles, run smoothly in the district of Darjeeling during the bandh and to take appropriate action against the person indulging in stoppage or obstruction. 
The leaders further said to convene an all-party meeting that is scheduled tomorrow at Gymkhana at 11 a.m. and another meeting of the GTA sabha members and central committee meeting at the party office at Singhamari at 2 p.m. 
The leader did not comment on whether the party would withdraw the indefinite strike maintaining to announce further programmes after the meeting with the opposition parties and GTA sabha member and central committee member. 
The GTA member of Ambootia Pankhabari Mr Pranay Thapa has been arrested today. Also, Mr Laxman Rai, GJMM central committee member from Kurseong and four more from Kurseong were arrested today.