Mamata says no to pro-Gorkhaland parties’ call for bandh in Darjeeling

Saying that the ‘politics of bandh’ had been done away with in West Bengal, the Chief Minister said that stern action woud be taken against anyone trying to ‘impose’ a bandh in the State

The ripples of a resolution against any division of West Bengal in the State Assembly were felt in Darjeeling on Tuesday as pro-Gorkhaland parties called for a 12-hour bandh in the hills on February 23. However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that government would take action against anyone trying to impose a bandh, reiterating that she was not in favour of splitting the State.

On Monday, the West Bengal Assembly had passed a resolution against attempts to divide the State. On Tuesday morning, nine sabhasads (members) of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) sat on a hunger strike in Darjeeling. Pro-Gorkhaland parties such as the Hamro Party and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) have called for the bandh to be held from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on February 23.

GTA sabhasad Binay Tamang, a prominent leader in the hills, said that the bandh was meant to protest against the resolution tabled and passed in the State Assembly. Mr. Tamang, who recently quit the Trinamool Congress, appealed to the people of the Darjeeling hills to participate in the bandh if they want a separate State of Gorkhaland, adding that essential services would be kept outside the ambit of the strike call. The GTA sabhasads of the Hamro Party, led by their leader Ajay Edwards, also participated in the hunger strike. 

Also read: The north-south divide in West Bengal 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while participating in an event in north Bengal on Tuesday, said that there would be no bandh in the State. She pointed out that the Class X Board examination of the West Bengal Board is beginning from February 23 and the urged that students should not face any problem. 

“The politics of bandh has been done away with in West Bengal. I have heard that in the hills some people have again become active and called bandh. They call bandhs every five year for their politics. I do not support any bandh,” Ms. Banerjee said at the event. She directed the State administration to take stern action against those who would try to impose a bandh. However, the CM added that people do have the right to demonstrate peacefully.  

Ms. Banerjee reiterated that she would not allow any division of the State. “On the international mother language day, I am reiterating there will not be any division of West Bengal,” she said.