West Bengal government tries to foil Hills strike, GJM defiant

Kolkata: Darjeeling is expected to witness a fresh turmoil after a peaceful Sunday as the state government and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha are all set to go on a virtual warpath. The state said it will try its best to foil the bandh while the GJM will try to enforce it.

In the wake of the indefinite bandh call by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) since Monday, the government on Sunday ordered all state government offices in Darjeeling and Kalimpong to remain open and asked employees to report on duty each day till the strike is not withdrawn. “It has been decided that no leave shall be granted to any employee on any of these bandh days,” a notification issued by the state finance department stated.

According to the notification, absence by an employee on that day would be treated as “dies non” and result in a break in his or her service. Also, no salary will be admissible unless the absence is covered by the following grounds like hospitalisation of the employee, bereavement in the family, severe illness and absence continuing prior from June 9. Employees who had been on child care, maternity or medical leave prior to June 9, or earned leave sanctioned before June 9, will be exempted.

The GJM on Saturday had announced that all government and central government offices including that of the GTA will remain closed for an indefinite period from Monday. Schools, transport and hotels would not be under the purview of the strike. Banks will also remain closed except on Monday and Thursday.

GJM chief Bimal Gurung said that the GJM is ready to land in jail in its effort to enforce bandh in the Hills. “We know there will be a number of arrests on Monday. If the prison in Darjeeling gets, full we will be sent to other prisons. But our movement will be on. There is no significance of a movement if there are no arrests or persons land in jail,” he said. Five Morcha supporters were arrested on Saturday night in connection with the incidents of violence on Thursday and Friday.

On being questioned about the inconvenience of the tourists who have stayed back in the Hills, the Morcha chief said, “Situation in the Hills is not so good and it may turn worse. So I will appeal to the tourists that they leave. We do not want them to be face any sort of difficulty.”