While Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was was in a state cabinet meeting the Rajbhavan, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters clashed with the police here, damaged cars of the law enforcement officials and set vehicles on fire.
GJM members and leaders were protesting against the misrule of Mamata Banerjee and Bengali language made compulsory for all students.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and most of the cabinet ministers were present in the hill town of Darjeeling apart from Chief Secretary, Home secretary and other high officials.
GJM general secretary Roshan Giri alleged the TMC party to hamper the peace of the hills by using police and its goons. The police resorted to unprovoked baton charge and firing of tear gas shells. He also accused the TMC government of using divide and rule policy in Darjeeling. Giri said the GJM would never compromise with the fight for the identity of the people of the hills. He also informed that GJM will call for a 12-hour shut down in the hills and if the situation deteriorate, there can be a shut down for infinite time.
Responding to the agitation of GJM, Mamata very calmly replied that TMC does have with their protest, it is there right to protest and the should do it. She also cleared that, Bengali was not a compulsory subject, infact Nepali was also introduced as a third language. She further boasted that all the development that have been done, were done under the TMC government and nothing had happened during the Left rule of 34 years.
CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra compared the TMC government’s policy on Darjeeling with that on Kashmir by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Leader of opposition Adbul Manan accused Banerjee of betraying the people of the hills and using divide and rule policy in the hills.