Hopes dashed as no end to Darjeeling bandh now

Rohit Khanna | TNN | Aug 14, 2017, DARJEELING: Expectations had been running high ever since the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee members left for New Delhi on Sunday morning. By evening, however, the uncertainty continued.Delhi's reluctance to mediate in tripartite talks dashed hopes of an end to the 60-day strike which has left life reeling.

Back at Chowk Bazaar, unlike other days, whistles and claps with intermittent slogans like "Jai Gorkha" kept pushing emotions even higher on Sunday morning. A local leader spoke for a brief while in chaste Nepali reminding the masses how they have braved the hardship in the past 60 days. "We have made our stand clear.Talks should only be on Gorkhaland without conditions being imposed on us. The bandh can only be lifted after the process towards that starts," said GJM spokesperson Binita Roka For Rajesh Chhetri, hope turned into despair. Chhetri, a lawyer by profession, has not been able to attend to his clients for the past two months because of the complete shutdown in the Hills including that of government offices. This aside, he has also not been able to cater to several other commitments to his family. Locals, meanwhile, talked about the 40-day shutdown during February, 1988 when Gorkha National Liberation Front chief Subash Ghisingh gave a call for astrike. "Those days, a temporary relief camp was set up in front of the Darjeeling Sadar police station. Vegetables and food grains were also distributed," recalled an elderly. "Since the bandh date was announced well in advance, everyone had a food stock. This time it was so sudden," he added.

"The day when the bandh was lifted there was a mood of celebration all around. Rallies were taken out and people rushed to shops to buy ration. It was a big relief for them. This time it has been longer than that," said Barun Roy, a novelist.

Since Sunday morning people have been talking about a possible lifting of the strike after the news of talks at Delhi spread fast. "Bandh uthaune kei kura bhayo (Have they said anything regarding lifting of the bandh)?," curious locals kept on asking reporters.

"There is a resolve among the people this time and they want to sort out the issue once and for all," said Anmol Thapa, a leader of the Gorkhaland Yuva Morcha.