Click to play videoDarjeeling: If everything moves according to the plans of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) President Bimal Gurung then Darjeeling will come to a screeching halt from Monday onwards.
In a tight corner and desperate to be heard, the GJM's indefinite strike call has some fearful additions – GJM youth will now carry arms, highways to Sikkim and Dooars will be blocked and a relay hunger strike will begin in Siliguri and Dooars.
“Our people will not look at tourism. We only want Gorkhaland. After we get that we will determine how we will control things,” Gurung said.
Though, GJM insists the town has adequate food supplies the question is how long it can hold on after the indefinite strike begins on Monday. This especially at a time when many factions in Siliguri, the key entry point of the town, seem geared up to oppose them.
“We have enough food for our people for the next one-and-half months,” member of the GJM, Sameer claimed.
In the market place everything seems to be in order but the scales might not be tipped in favour of that confidence.
Bimal Prasad Gupta, a third generation migrant businessman in Darjeeling and one of the very few who agreed to come on camera said, “Siliguri is the main town. We get our goods from there. Of course there will be an effect.”
The hills are still recovering from the effects of the first economic blockade and with the youth being armed, memories of the last violent call for Gorkhaland seems to be back in Darjeeling.
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