Darjeeling, July 9: Three persons have lost their lives as the situation in Darjeeling turned tensed on Saturday. Fresh violence was reported on Saturday as a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supporter was reportedly killed in the alleged police firing. Soon after the incident, the situation became worse in the region as arsonists set Sonada Toy Train station, Trinamool Congress office and a police jeep ablaze. The indefinite strike by the GJM, demanding separate state of Gorkhaland, entered 25th day on Sunday.
Meanwhile, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy has reportedly slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, asking her to seek President’s rule if she is unable to rule the state. Swamy’s reaction came a day after Banerjee accused the Centre of not cooperating in ending the unrest in the state.
Earlier on Saturday, Mamata Banerjee had offered for talks with the political parties to ease out the situation in burning Darjeeling but, the offer was turned down by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha until the forces are withdrawn from the region. According to CNN-News18,condemning the deaths, GJM, in an official statement, said, “We strongly condemn the killings of innocent people by the police. It is unfortunate that a single incident in Basirhat attracted the national parties’s attention, but within a month, so many people have been killed in the Hills, and no political party ever condemned it. We would like to ask the political parties and the leaders if we are also a part India.”
