Shutdown in hills indefinite...TMC meet

TT, Aug. 1: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha said this morning that the indefinite strike in the Darjeeling hills would be turned into a 96-hour shutdown in view of Id, only to revert to the original plan hours later to protest the government’s move to send central forces. 

Morcha chief Bimal Gurung said at a news conference this evening: “We have called an indefinite strike in the hills (from Saturday) to protest the state government’s decision to derail our democratic movement by deploying the CRPF in the hills. The move suggests the state wants to crush our movement with an iron hand.” 

In the morning, Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri had told a media conference: “The hills will be shut down for 96 hours from Saturday. The next course of agitation will be announced… on August 11. The relaxation is being provided keeping in mind the festival of Id.”

Meanwhile, Five companies of CRPF have been deployed in Hills for maintaining law and order situation. 4 companies of Sashastra Seema Bal and a company of women CRPF arrived in Hills. 

TMC meet: The All India Trinamul Congress general secretary, Mr Mukul Roy, is expected to meet the Trinamul Congress Hill Committee members on Friday in Siliguri. “Mr Roy is expected to discuss  the role of the committee members in the present scenario of the Darjeeling Hills,” said a Trinamul Congress leader.