24 June, 2017
While the GJM and other parties said that to ensure peace the state government should withdraw forces and restore internet services, the ruling TMC indicated that it is in no mood to budge because not only the RAF, CISF and IRB forces remain there, more CRPF personnel have been deployed.
The vacation at hill schools will start on June 23 and the students will be transported to Siliguri and Rongpo.
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which has been protesting for a separate state of Gorkhaland for several days now, gave a 12-hour window to several schools in Darjeeling on Wednesday to evacuate students even as normal life remained affected for the ninth day of the indefinite strike. Hundreds of students who study in schools of Darjeeling, Kurseong, and Kalimpong are now stranded in their schools.
On the other hand, Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia, whose residence in New Delhi was gheraoed by Gorkhaland supporters on Tuesday demanding his active participation in the movement, asked West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to compensate the deaths of four agitators who died in alleged police firing on Saturday.
However, no incidents of violence were reported anywhere in Darjeeling, which witnessed widespread clashes between GJM activists and the security forces June 17.
The indefinite strike called by the GJM entered its seventh day on Wednesday.
Protest marches continued amidst tight security arrangements.
The Bimal Gurung-led Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on Tuesday has made a decision to pull out of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) after ruling it since 2012.
Members of the state committee of the GJM in the sit-in demonstration displayed placards in support of "Gorkhaland" comprising Darjeeling hill region, Siliguri, Terai, Dooars and surrounding areas.
A GJM delegation met Union minister Kiren Rijiju in Gangtok on Tuesday and submitted a two-point memorandum.
The GJM urged the state government to resume the internet services immediately.
Sources disclosed that the amount of loss has been pegged at around Rs 150 crore.
"The relaxation will be only for boarding school students from 6 am to 6pm on June 23". They will go home in school vehicles. "We are safe inside. We used to have one exam a day, after the strike, we are forced to take two exams a day".
