Addressing a press meet at the State Secretariat, she strongly condemned
the bandh as well the separatist movement, which was revived by the GJM
leaders in the wake of the decision to form Telegana state.
Sending out a strong message she said: “I will not let go of Darjeeling..
it is very close to my heart. People should also know that Darjeeling
has a democratically elected government as its guardian to protect the
interest of its people and the region”.
Citing a recent High Court order she said she will now be “rough and
tough.. Independence Day is approaching.. this ( the obstruction caused
by the bandh) cannot go on.. schools will have to be reopened, offices
will have to resume work development work has to go on”, she said.
Ms. Banerjee also said that the second man in the Gorkha Territorial
Administration would be asked to take charge in view of the resignation
tendered by its chairman.
Without taking names, she said “I appeal to the leadership to restore
peace and development” saying that the state government will fulfil its
Constitutional obligations. “We will be forced to take strong action”.
PTI adds:
A top GJM leader was arrested here on Saturday in connection with cases
of arson and attempt to murder even as the indefinite bandh to demand
for separate Gorkhaland state in Darjeeling hills entered eighth day
with the hill station wearing a deserted look.
Narayan Pradhan, president of GJM Darjeeling Town Committee, was
arrested early Saturday for cases of arson, attempt to murder and other
criminal cases, police said.
Acting on a tip-off, he was taken into custody early in the morning from
a location in Darjeeling town, taking the total number of arrests to
149 in the hills, the police said.
Meanwhile, the bandh continues to paralyse life with shortage of food reported across the hills.
All shops and other commercial establishments have been closed since the beginning of the indefinite bandh.
Vehicular traffic on NH-31A, the lifeline of Sikkim, was also hit
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