Bimal Gurung announced a fresh agitation in Darjeeling hills to press for statehood status for Darjeeling. In a violent movement by Gorkhaland National Liberation Front (GNLF) under the leadership of Subhas Gheising, about 20 years back, the hill life became strife torn and out of bounds for tourists due to violence, blockades, continuous Bandhs (general strike) for even 72 hours at a stretch at times. The three-year movement claimed more than a hundred lives apart from destroying the economy of this hill region of West Bengal. The worst sufferer politically was CPI(M) who were almost wiped out of hill areas loosing control over most of the trade unions in tea gardens. However with negotiations from central government assisted by the state government, the matter was settled then and Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) was formed covering Darjeeling district areas minus Siliguri sub-division under Rajib Gandhi-Subhas Gheising pact in 1988.
So long Subhas Gheising was running the show as Chairman of DGHC, but of let Bimal Gurung, a friend turned foe of Gheising in GNLF, formed a breakaway group under the banner Gorkha Janamukti Morcha and had developed considerable strength in the hill populace due to alleged mismanagement and high handedness of Subhas Gheising in the running of DGHC.
In the latest version of the erstwhile Gorkhaland movement, Bimal Gurung had suddenly declared indefinite strike in the hills asking the tourists to steer clear the hill areas, allowing less than 24 hours to go before the strike. The 1.00 PM announcement on Monday, the 9th June’08 led to an exodus of tourists frantically trying to get conveyances for Siliguri town 80km away. Some tourists unable to get suitable conveyances were seen traveling on jam-packed bus rooftops, and lorries. The private cars and taxis were out of bound for general tourists, as they were demanding Rs.4500/- instead of normal charge of Rs.1000/-. Even Sikkim saw an exodus as the government advised tourists to leave in view that the strike is likely to paralyse the only road link to the state that runs through DGHC areas. Home secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty said in Calcutta, “we have to do every thing for safe transit of the tourists. The indefinite strike is a grave issue and must be dealt with urgently.”
No more strike please people are fade up with it. Many people who wanted to come to Darjeeling to meet their near and dear ones are not been able to come. So please keep peace, coz peace wins always. We don’t want to suffer any more now. Please lift the strike.