On the eve of the crucial visit of special observers of Election Commission (EC) to Darjeeling, state urban development minister Ashok Bhattacharya said that the current situation in the Hills was not conducive for Assembly elections. “The situation in the Hills is worse than what was prevailing in Khejuri and Nandigram earlier. No political party other than GJM and possibly Trinamul Congress can organise a meeting or campaign,” he said. The minister also claimed that the GJM had links with the separatist organisations of the North-East. “They are procuring arms from these organisations and the Maoists,” Mr Bhattacharya added.
Interestingly, state chief secretary Samar Ghosh, immediately contradicted Mr Bhattacharya. He made it clear that the state government had no information about GJM receiving arms from any North-East organisation. On being asked whether the situation in the Hills was conducive for elections, Mr Ghosh said: “I do not think there is any possibility of polls in Darjeeling being put off. However, the EC will make its own assessment about the situation.”
When asked was it true that no political party could enter the Hills, he replied: “I have not been informed by any party nor have I received any formal complaint.”
Meanwhile, GJM chief Bimal Gurung, in a flip flop first announced a 24-hour break in the indefinite bandh only to withdraw the decision after an hour. Mr Gurung first announced that the bandh would be relaxed from 6 am on Tuesday to 6 am on Wednesday. Announcing another important decision, he said that accepting the administration’s request, he had abandoned his plan to launch a padyatra from Kumani to the Dooars. He, however, added a rider: his supporters from Dooars would have to be allowed to take a padyatra to Kumani. “If my visiting Dooars will cause problem to the government then I will not step out of Kumani but my supporters in the Dooars should be allowed to take out a procession to Kumani,” he added.
Reacting to chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s proposal for talks, Mr Gurung said that he was ready. “All the problem can be resolved only through negotiation across the table and not through guns,” he added.
A little later, the GJM leaders announced that the bandh would continue without any break. “The police is harassing innocent people by raiding their houses. As a mark of protest, we have decided to continue the bandh without any interruption,” GJM leader Binay Tamang said.
Sources said that the flip-flop on the bandh relaxation was prompted by serious differences that have cropped up in the GJM leadership. While one section feels that the continued shutdown is creating inconvenience for the people of the Hills and may have serious repercussions, the hardliners argue that it was necessary to keep the pressure on the state administration. Meanwhile, the sudden arrival of GJM general secretary Roshan Giri in Kolkata sparked speculations.