Darjeeling schools meet to take stock... ICSE and ISC affiliated institutions to write to PM, Union home minister.

Amitava Banerjee, THT, Darjeeling, 1 Sept 2013: ICSE and ISC schools in Darjeeling have decided to write to the Prime Minister and Union home minister seeking an immediate intervention in the ongoing crisis in Darjeeling. 

With no respite in sight for the Hill schools in the ongoing spate of bandhs, the heads of these schools feel that with the intervention of the Centre normalcy can be restored.

Heads of 45 ICSE and ISC schools of the Hills sat in a meeting at St Joseph’s School, Darjeeling. “The heads representing 45,000 students, their teachers, parents and nonteaching staff met to take stock of the situation resulting from the month-long Gorkhaland agitation,” said Dhiresh Thapa, director, Gyanudoy Niketan, Darjeeling. The meeting resolved to seek the Centre’s intervention. 

“The principals earnestly appeal to the Central government to heed the voice of the people and respond favourably,” said Father Santy Mathew, rector, St Joseph’s School. Letters will be dispatched to the Prime Minister and Union home minister soon. 

Meanwhile, the Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee has also slated a meeting with heads of education institutions, students and teachers’ unions at 11am on Sunday at St Joseph’s school ground to decide on the plight of education institutes during the indefinite bandh to be flagged off from September 1. 

The GJAC is also sending a delegation comprising present and former MLAs and MPs to Delhi. “The team will leave for Delhi on September 1. They will meet Union ministers and leaders of the opposition for Gorkhaland,” said Enos Das Pradhan, GJAC chairman. The future programmes for Gorkhaland agitation will be chalked out after this delegation returns from Delhi. Political observers feel the GJM is trapped in its prolonged bandh programme and is not sure how to wriggle out of the situation. 

Despite a near month-long bandh it has failed to attract attention from the Union government. All eyes are trained on the visit of chief minister Mamata Banerjee to the Hills on September 2 and 3. The GJAC has called for a “Ghar Bhitra Janta” (public to remain indoors) on these two days. 

According to administrative sources, the chief minister is scheduled to arrive in Kalimpong on September 2. On September 3 she will attend a felicitation programme by the Lepcha community. 

She is expected to halt on September 3 at Sukna Forest Guest House near Siliguri. 

Meanwhile, countering the ongoing “Peace Dharna” in Kalimpong, the All India Lepcha Association has announced a relay hunger strike at the Darjeeling Motor Stand for “Unity in the Hills” from Sunday. 

“Mamata Banerjee is trying to divide the Hills playing the Lepcha card. We are sitting in a relay hunger strike for unity in the Hills,” said Hemant Lepcha of the All India Lepcha Association. 

Members of the Lepcha community under the banner of “Hill People” seeking peace and normalcy be restored in the Hills have staged a dharna in Kalimpong demanding the lifting of the indefinite bandh in the Hills to facilitate the restoration of peace and normalcy. 

The dharma will continue until normalcy is restored. 

A year ago the Mamata Banerjee-led state government created a “Lepcha Development Board” for the all-round development of the Lepcha community. Banerjee will be felicitated by the Lepcha community in Kalimpong on September 3 to mark the first anniversary of the board. 

It was chaos on Saturday in the Darjeeling hills with a single day relaxation before the indefinite bandh from Sunday. 

“Half of the day passed by standing in long queues in front of the bank ATM and by the time I withdraw money, the fast diminishing stocks at the grocers had already finished. The one-day relaxation was of no use,” said a resident on condition of anonymity. 

With shops not able to replenish stocks on the day of the relaxation, essential commodities including sugar, flour and vegetables were in short supply. Whatever vegetables there were, they were mostly rotten.