A day after Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) Yuva Morcha chief Prakash Gurung said that they would fast till death if justice is delayed, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday said the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal Government should bring about an amicable solution to the Darjeeling stir.
"The GJM is holding protests all over the Darjeeling for a separate state after Mamata Banerjee imposed compulsory Bengali in West Bengal. Language is a sensitive issue and it should have been done with consultation with the Darjeeling authorities. The escalation of violence was totally ignored and a very tough stand was taken by Mamata Banrejee instead of speaking to the stakeholders and bringing back the district into normalcy. Now things have gone too far and I hope Mamata Banerjee government wakes up and bring about an amicable solution to the burning issue," BJP leader S. Prakash told ANI.
Echoing the same, BJP leader Rahul Sinha said the West Bengal Chief Minister should take cognizance of the matter and solve the problem through dialogue.
"Mamata Banerjee is being silent while there is unrest in Hills. To prevent any untoward incident, Mamata Banerjee should hold talks with Bimal Gurung and GJM leaders and solve their problems," Sinha told ANI.
As the indefinite shutdown entered its 14th day, GJM Yuva Morcha president Prakash Gurung yesterday said that they would sit on fast till death if justice is not served to them.
"The government is ignoring our democratic agitation, thus to make our protest more intensifying and impactful we will fast unto to death," Gurung told ANI.
Earlier, an indefinite bandh was called in the hills by the GJM on June 15.
With supplies running out and the vacations to start shortly, the boarding schools of Darjeeling are facing a harrowing time due to the shutdown.
The indefinite shutdown has also hit hard the famed tea industry with the premium quality 'second flush' tea leaves going waste causing heavy losses to the garden owners and putting at stake the livelihood of more than two lakh tea workers.
Darjeeling is home to 87 tea gardens and the ongoing shutdown has pushed them to the brink.
The tea garden owners feel that they will be losing 45 percent of their yearly revenue.
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