Darj DM no to political Hill visits

SNS,6 October 2017, Siliguri: Following the protest and assault of state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president, Dilip Ghosh in Darjeeling yesterday, the district administration has said that it would be proper that the political parties avoid visiting the Hills at this juncture.

"Political parties should avoid visiting the Hills at this moment, though the situation in the Hills is better than before. But after yesterday's incident, the political scenario has changed and it stands inappropriate for political party leaders to visit the Hills at this moment, due to the ongoing chaos and violence,' Darjeeling District Magistrate Joyoshi Das Gupta said here today. At a time when normality is limping back in the Hills following the withdrawal the 104-day strike, such visits may fuel the tension further, officials said.

Tension reigned supreme in Darjeeling town yesterday after Mr Ghosh faced protests from supporters of rebel GJMM leader Binay Tamang. The protesters demanded that the BJP team leave the Hills, as according to them, the BJP remained silent when people suffered during the agitation in the past three months. Mr Tamang had also warned the BJP leaders against visiting the Hills until and unless it cleared its stand on the Gorkhaland demand.Mr Ghosh and his team were also shown black flags by Jan Andolan Party (JAP) supporters in Kalimpong on Wednesday.

Ms Das Gupta's statement also comes at a time when Siliguri mayor and senior CPI-M leader Asok Bhattacharya has said that his party has decided to visit the Hills and interact with the public there very soon. The Left Front delegation was supposed to visit the Hills on 1 June, but the plan had to be cancelled due to the Hill turmoil. Reacting to the DM's appeal on not visiting the Hills, Mr Bhattacharya said, 'India is a democratic country and Darjeeling is not only for the GJMM and the TMC. In a democracy, everyone has the right to visit anywhere."