Bandh day proved TMC is emerging as a strong opposition in Darjeeling

Amitava Banerjee, HT, 30 Sep 2016, DARJEELING: Darjeeling limped back to normalcy on Thursday after the 12-hour bandh in the Hills called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on Wednesday. Despite the bandh being a face saver and morale booster for the Hills party, the strike was also a clear pointer that the Trinamool Congress is emerging as a strong Opposition party in the Hills – a challenge to the GJM might.
The administrative and police crackdown would also make political outfits think twice before calling a bandh in future.
Darjeeling has silently borne the brunt of different types of bandhs in the past. There have been bandhs of 12 hours, 24 hours and even 30 days during the Gorkhaland agitation by the GNLF in the 1980s. Gurung leading the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha shattered Ghising’s record and clamped a 42-day-long bandh in the Hills in August-September 2013. Darjeeling having got used to the bandhs of different durations had taken it as “part of life.” Such was the condition of the Hills that a single bandh call poster signed “Janta” (public) was enough to trigger a strike. All voices of dissent were muffled by the strong voices of the need for a bandh.
However, for the first time, the district administration and police were proactive to ensure that the bandh was not enforced. Government offices registered a 97% attendance.
In the past the GJM bandhs also led to office bandhs which stretched for months opening only during the day of salary. Some joked that these bandhs were BL or Bimal Leave (on the lines of earn and casual leaves).
All this changed on Wednesday’s bandh as government circulars threatening “No work no pay” and show cause in case of absence on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday forced government employees to join offices and government-aided schools. Many office goers from other areas stayed back in hotels so that they could attend office on the day of the bandh. All this was unheard of in the past.
The TMC took out rallies against the bandh in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong. Post offices and banks were forced stay open by the TMC in Darjeeling town. “Bandh’s are difficult for the public especially daily earners. It seems that there is a power balance in the Hills now.
Henceforth any political party wanting to call a bandh for any reason whatsoever will have to think twice,” remarked a local resident.
Gurung had threatened to call prolonged bandhs in the near future as part of the Gorkhaland agitation and had asked tourists to stay away. Despite the success of Wednesday’s bandh, Gurung’s volte face proves there would be no more bandhs in the tourist and festive season.