National

‘Divisive forces’ in Darjeeling condemned

Kolkata: The ruling Left Front in West Bengal expressed concern here on Thursday over the recent developments in the Darjeeling hills and condemned “attempts by certain divisive forces there to create unrest.”

The Darjeeling district unit of the front strongly opposed such activity and emphasised the need to maintain unity and harmony among the people of the hills and the plains in the district, Biman Bose, chairman of the Left Front Committee, told journalists.

Even though the leadership of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) announced on Wednesday its decision to suspend its “non-cooperation” stir in the Darjeeling hills, uncertainty prevails among the people of the region where tourism has taken a severe beating over the past few days.

The GJM’s call for replacing signboards carrying the words “Government of West Bengal” with “Government of Gorkhaland” and the initials “WB” (West Bengal) with “GL” (Gorkhaland) in the number plates of vehicles had resulted in a sense of insecurity among those heading for the hills.

Condemning such activity, Mr. Bose, who is also Secretary of the West Bengal Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), said that it was quite uncalled for at a time when there is talk of holding a second round of tripartite talks involving the Centre, the State government and the GJM leadership to find a solution to the problems in the hills.

The GJM is demanding the creation of a separate Gorkhaland state comprising the Darjeeling hills and certain areas contiguous to it. Its leaders have said that the “non-operation movement with the West Bengal government” had been put on hold following a request from Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

The Governor has expressed the hope that the coming tripartite discussions would be constructive and in the mutual interest of the concerned parties.

Forces out to create lawlessness and unrest were also rearing their heads in the south western part of the State. They are demanding the merger of the three districts of Bankura, Paschim Medinipur and Purulia with Jharkhand, Mr. Bose said.

A bandh, called by the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in the three districts in support of the demand to separate from West Bengal, affected normal life in the region.

Mr. Bose also condemned the killing of three persons in a land-mine explosion in the Belpahari area of Paschim Medinipur district on Wednesday. According to the police this was the handiwork of the Maoists.

Two persons have been arrested in connection with the incident. The State government has announced an ex gratia payment of Rs. 2 lakh to the families of the victims of the explosion, Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb said.

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