GJM calls off Darjeeling shutdown on BJP's plea

A 96-hour bandh called by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on Monday to press for Gorkhaland in the Darjeeling hills has been withdrawn.

GJM general secretary Roshan Giri told PTI from Delhi that the decision was taken after senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley urged that the shutdown be called off for a normal situation to prevail before the tripartite talks begin in Darjeeling on December 21.

"We have conveyed this to GJM president Bimal Gurung," he said.

However, the indefinite fast since December 11 at three places in the hills and in Kolkata would continue, he said.

Darjeeling District Magistrate Surendra Gupta has confirmed that the GJM has called off the bandh from 6 pm.

The shutdown was called days after the Centre's nod to initiate the process for the formation of the Telangana state. Highly inspired by the success received to the Telangana cause, 21 members each from Darjeeling, Kursiong, Kalimpong and Siliguri had made up their minds to go on an indefinite fast beginning from Friday. 

The GJM wants a separate state carved out of the districts on the northern border of West Bengal. The proposed new state will include all the popular hill stations of West Bengal -- Darjeeling, Siliguri, Kurseong and Kalimpong.