GJM supporters protest in Singmari, near Darjeeling on Saturday. Partha Paul
The indefinite strike called by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in Darjeeling, West Bengal, demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland, entered it’s eighth day. The strike affected the services of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, also known as Toy Train, news agency ANI reported on Monday.
On Sunday, GJM supporters assembled at the Chowk Bazar area and took out a silent procession in protest against the death of three activists. Home Minister Rajnath Singh also appealed for calm in the region and said that dialogue can resolve the issue.
The unrest began after West Bengal government announced their decision to make Bengali mandatory in all the schools. Despite the government amending its notification, exempting the Hills, the protests snowballed into demands for a separate state.
There were reports of tourists, both local and foreign, being stranded in the region because of the current turmoil.
Here are the LIVE updates:
9:00 am: “Violent protest won’t be tolerated. My ministers are monitoring the situation,” says West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.
8:00 am: The popular Toy Train services have taken a hit due to ongoing protests and strike called by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in Darjeeling. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, popularly known as Toy Train, is an attraction for the tourists coming to the region.