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Buddhadeb voices concern over Darjeeling developments

SpecialCorrespondent

KOLKATA:West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, expressed deep concern here on Tuesday over the recent developments in the Darjeeling hills where number plates of vehicles are being forcibly changed, the words “Government of West Bengal” being replaced with “Government of Gorkhaland” in signboards, and writs being served imposing a dress code on the local people.

“The district administration has been instructed to take necessary action” to prevent such occurrences that “are affecting peace, amity, the rule of law and that are vitiating the atmosphere of democracy in the hills,” Mr. Bhattacharjee said in a statement.

“The State Government is alert and well aware of such activities that are being carried out in the name of agitation in the hill region”, he added.

“It is necessary to put an end to such activities that undermines peace, democracy and unity,” he asserted.

Detrimental to dialogue process

“Engaging in such activities would be detrimental to the process of dialogue underway through tripartite discussions to find a solution to the problems in the hills,” the Chief Minister observed.

Change of number plates

The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) leadership that is demanding the creation of a separate state has called for the replacement of the letters “WB” (West Bengal) in number plates of vehicles by “GL” (Gorkhaland), and changes in signboards as part of its “non-cooperation movement with the West Bengal government”.

Imposing the dress code on the Gorkha (local Nepali) population is aimed at illustrating the “cultural differences” with the rest of the State, the GJM leadership has maintained.

The “Gorkhaland” state that it has called for will comprise the Darjeeling hills and certain areas contiguous to it, GJM leaders have said.

The local economy and normal life in the region is being affected by such activities and is being felt not only “by every person in Darjeeling” but adversely impacting the plains of Siliguri, Dooars and the Terai in north Bengal, Mr. Bhattacharjee said.

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