T he tension in Darjeeling mounted with the State Government clamping down on cable operators beaming pro-Gorkhaland stories and GJM chief Bimal Gurung threatening in retaliation to pull down the mobile towers across the Hills — albeit on the pretext of environmental degradation.
Even as the district administration ordered closure of cable TV offices transmitting Nepali news with Gorkhaland-tilt, the GJM chief threatened to move court saying the State was witnessing Talibani rule.
“There is no democracy in Bengal. The Chief Minister is running the administration in Talibani manner. This is a dictatorship going on here and the people’s voice is being suppressed. But the Gorkhas will not accept this and will intensify the movement in a democratic manner,” Gurung said.
While the administration refused to confirm the closure of the local television networks, senior GJM leader Benoy Tamang said, “There is complete blackout in the Hills save those who have DTH service.”
A furious Gurung hinted at a counter offensive saying “we will go to court seeking a redressal against this Talibani order”, adding that his party was considering action against the mobile tower owners throughout the Hills as “these are an environmental threat.”
He said, “We have received many complaints from the villages where the flora, fauna and even the children are being affected by the mobile tower waves so we will see that the companies pull down these towers.”
Gurung’s statement came even as North Bengal Development Minister Gautam Deb said, “Things would be back to normalcy in a few days”, adding the Government was not averse to dialogue but “the Morcha should lift the indefinite bandh.” The Government was trying to restore food supply in the Hills as there was massive scarcity of foods particularly in the remote areas.
Meanwhile, showing no signs of softening stance the Government continued to arrest GJM supporters on old charges. About 150 GJM supporters, including two GTA members, had been arrested by the police.
The indefinite bandh entered its seventh day on Friday.