Darjeeling violence: Mamata Banerjee calls shutdown illegal, GJM's Bimal Gurung says he was `CM of the hills`; Army stages flag march

Darjeeling: A day after thousands of angry Gorkha Janmukti Morcha activists indulged in arson and pelted stones at police in Darjeeling, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday described the 12-hour-long shutdown by the GJM as "illegal", vowing to take legal action against those who participate in it.

The Army today staged a flag march in Kalimpong, Darjeeling, and Kurseong.

The strike, however, almost stalled life in the hills this morning with most of the shops, eateries and markets remaining closed and vehicles off the roads. However, there were no reports of fresh violence in the hills, where the situation continued to be tense.

"Strike, bandh cannot be called for every other issue. This cannot be a message of peace," said Banerjee, who decided to stay put in the hills after yesterday's clash between GJM supporters and police forcing the deployment of Army here.

GJM chief Bimal Gurung, meanwhile, projected himself as the "chief minister of the hills" and challenged Mamata Banerjee to stop the agitation in the area.

The GJM leader claimed that it was his writ that "ran in the hills".

"As the chief minister of West Bengal she is trying to show her strength. But she must not forget that I am an elected member of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). I am the chief minister of the hills, I challenge her to stop the agitation in the hills," Gurung said.

Gurung also said he will directly talk to the Centre about the deployment of Army and the alleged police atrocities in the hills.

"I will talk to the Centre, we are an ally of NDA. We will give them all the details of police atrocities on the innocent people of the hills," he said.

A Defence Ministry spokesperson said in Kolkata that six Army columns have been deployed -- three in Darjeeling, two in Kalimpong and one in Kurseong. Each column comprises of 43 personnel.

Three companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have also been deployed to ensure peace.

Thousands of tourists are facing a trying time in getting out of various pockets of the hills, with car and jeep owners fleecing them against the backdrop of the shutdown that started from 6 am on Friday.

The GJM has called the shutdown to protest "indiscriminate police action on the peaceful demonstration" by its workers.

The Chief Minister walked around the area early this morning and took stock of the situation.

"I have been roaming around the area since morning. I have seen the manner in which the vehicles have been set on fire. There was no issue or any incident. We want peace and development in the hills. The Army has already started route march. Law will take its own course," she said.

Assuring the tourists stranded in Darjeeling town that the government will help them in all possible ways to return to the plains, Banerjee said, "I will ask the tourists not to worry, the government is there for you. We have full support for tourists specially. There will be seven-eight buses which will take you to Siliguri."

GJM supporters during the clash yesterday tried to break the barricades put up by the police and hurled bricks at them following a police lathicharge. The GJM supporters damaged police vehicles and set some of them ablaze as the state government held a Cabinet meeting at the Raj Bhawan.

The GJM supporters were protesting among other issues alleged "imposition of Bengali language in the schools in the hills".

On what kind of action the government was planning against GJM chief Bimal Gurung, who led yesterday's protest march towards the Raj Bhavan, Banerjee said, "Police will do their work and law will take its own course. Nobody is above law. And government is very tough. They will take action against those who are doing this vandalism."

Last night, the government filed an FIR under non-bailable sections at Darjeeling Sadar Police Station against Gurung and GJM general secretary Roshan Giri.

"Situation is still good here.. This is happening only because of a few people... Government will take legal action against them."

She further said that the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) under Gurung has failed to carry out any development work in the Hills and now when their term is scheduled to be over next month, they have started "torturing the public".

"They (GJM) were in power since five years but have failed to do any development work for the people of the hills. Their term will be over by July and there is only one month left for the GTA elections. And because they have failed to do anything for the public they have started this torture," Banerjee charged.

"Government was soft and had given them all kind of support but now government will be very tough after what has happened yesterday. The government will not going to tolerate all these," she said.

Stating that the state government has full support for the people from the area, she urged them not to support Bimal Gurung on this issue.

The GJM in the name of their movement were scaring away tourists from the hills thus driving away income from the area, she added.

"They (GJM) are driving away 'Lakshmi' (Goddess of wealth) from the Hills. I cannot understand what kind of movement they are upto. We are with the brothers and sisters of the hills and will give them full help and ask them not to give support to Bimal Gurung," Banerjee said.

(With Agency inputs)