The West Bengal government has adopted a two-pronged strategy to counter the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s bandh and office strikes in support of a separate state. One measure is to enforce the system of “No work, no pay”. Besides, Central forces are set to be deployed to thwart attempts to paralyze activity in the district. Six companies of CRPF will arrive in Darjeeling next week and will be deployed in the sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong. The recent spate of violence In Kalimpong in which Trinamul leaders had been attacked by GJM supporters has led to this decision. Apart from Central forces, two platoons of Indian Reserve Battalion will also be in Kalimpong and one platoon of Rapid Action Force will patrol Kurseong and Darjeeling.
The government has directed that all state government offices including those provided grants- in-aid by the state government in the three Hills sub-divisions would remain open from March 9 to 27 though the GJM had called a shut-down during the period. West Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb has warned of strong action following the two-pronged strategy and slammed the Opposition. The state government refuses to tolerate the politics of bloodshed. Taking a political attitude, the CPI (M) has advised the state government not to interfere in the affairs of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. Former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said that it was not a law and order problem and asked for sensitive handling of the situation. This seems to contradict his own government’s attitude before it fell from power. What is surprising is that GJM supremo Bimal Gurung’s assurance to President Pranab Mukherjee to temporarily suspend agitation has proved an empty gesture.
