Darjeeling remains incident-free, low-key Eid celebration... resignation letter of GTA sabhasads submitted to Governor

A couple walks with their kid as security personnel stand guard during GJM’s strike in Darjeeling on Thursday.  (PTI Photo, File)

PTI | Darjeeling | June 26, 2017: The Darjeeling hills on Monday remained incident-free and the GJM allowed a 12-hour bandh relaxation in view of the Eid-ul-Fitr, which was celebrated by Muslims on a low key amidst patrolling of the streets by the security forces. Internet services remained suspended while shops and markets were closed. A relaxation in the movement of vehicles was announced earlier for Eid.

Ex-Army men took out a silent procession in support of the demand for a separate Gorkhaland.

Meanwhile, the indefinite shutdown called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) entered its 12th day today. Party workers distributed vegetables, mainly cabbage, to the people.

Three GJM leaders, including MLA Amar Singh Rai, met West Bengal Governor K N Singh at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata and are understood to have apprised him of the prevailing situation in the hills.

They also submitted the resignation letters of the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) members to the governor.

All 45 elected members of the GTA, including its chief executive Bimal Gurung, had announced their resignation from the GTA last week.

The GJM has announced that they will burn copies of the GTA accord in the hills tomorrow.

People offered prayers at local mosques and as a sign of solidarity to the cause of Gorkhaland, most of them did not use vehicles to visit relatives and friends and travelled on foot instead.

After the prayer ended, some members of the community said that they could not buy new clothes.

“Shops and markets are closed here. We could not buy new clothes. But that is not a problem. We are celebrating Eid.

“We offered namaz. We prayed for peace in the hills,” they said.

The GJM had yesterday decided to give a 12-hour relaxation for the Muslims to celebrate the festival during which they could use vehicles to go to the plains and meet their relatives.

The police and the security forces patrolled the streets the hills which remained tense.

Medicine shops, hospitals and private nursing homes functioned.