Jalpaiguri (WB): Responding to the appeal
of the Election Commission and in view of the board
examinations beginning in West Bengal from Wednesday, the
Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) called off its indefinite bandh
in the Darjeeling hills today after nearly a fortnight.
"The bandh is being called off to allow students to
take the tenth class board examinations (madhyamik). The bandh
was also lifted to keep our promise to the Election Commission
observers to bring normalcy in the hills," Harkabahadur
Chhetri, GJM spokesperson, said to a news agency over phone from Kumani
near here.
Chhetri said the Election Commission observers had
urged the GJM to maintain normalcy as it was the single
largest party in the hills.
"We are lifting the bandh to keep our promise to the
Election Commission observers of maintaining peace in the
hills," he said.
The bandh was enforced in the Darjeeling hills on
February 9 in protest against the killing of two GJM
supporters in police firing at Sipchu in Jalpaiguri district
the previous day.
GJM Vice-President Kalyan Diwan said they would
organise a rally at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on February 27.
Diwan also protested against the imposition of
prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC and police
harassment of GJM workers and said they would organise a
hunger strike in Darjeeling.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 23:09