Darjeeling:
As the Centre moves closer to forming the Telangana state, another longstanding movement for separate statehood in the eastern part of India gathers fresh momentum. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha or GJM has called for a 72-hour bandh in northern West Bengal's Darjeeling Hills from today, demanding a new state of Gorkhaland.
The Morcha's central committee met on Saturday and took the decision to call the bandh. Sometime in the next three days, the Morcha chief, Bimal Gurung, who is also the head of the autonomous Gorkha Territorial Administration or GTA is expected to put in his resignation.
The timing of the bandh coincides with the Congress calling a meeting of its allies on Wednesday to decide on a new Telangana state.
The Gorkhaland agitation has led to loss of many lives over the past two decades, besides affecting the region's economic mainstays of tea, timber and tourism.
The bandh also brings to an end a period of calm in the hills of Darjeeling since the GTA pact was signed two years ago on July 18, 2011 between the GJM, the state and central governments for setting up the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), an autonomous and elected hill council armed with more powers than its predecessor, the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council formed in the late 1980s.
The GJM now runs the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration after sweeping its maiden elections held in July 2012.