Centre acted like spectator in Darjeeling unrest: NCP

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 21 (ANI): The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday said the Centre acted like a spectator in the entire Gorkhaland agitation, adding that there is something behind the curtain that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is cooking. "Definitely, the Gorkhaland leaders are with the BJP. They supported during the Lok Sabha elections. The party needs to understand that violence is not the solution of any matter. There is something behind the curtain that the BJP is cooking," NCP leader Nawab Malik told ANI. Meanwhile, another NCP leader Majid Memon said that the Centre acted like a spectator in the entire Gorkhaland agitation that took place in Darjeeling with resulted into loss of lives and property. "Kiren Rijiju's meeting with delegation should have happened before. The Centre acted like a spectator and this Gorkhaland agitation turned violent causing deaths and injuries only because of Mamata Banerjee who has not good political terms with you," he added. He further said that now the Darjeeling issue has become a matter of entire nation and not only restricted to the state only. "I think the intervention of Centre was warranted on day one. This has now become the matter of the entire nation and not only restricted to the state only. It will be good if Kiren Rijiju and Rajnath Singh do something to restore peace and normalcy in Darjeeling," he added. Reportedly, the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) had called for an all-party meeting in which it decided to meet Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju in Gangtok to demand a separate Gorkhaland. They also had talk about the next step of action against the state government's alleged imposition of Bangla language in schools and to demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland. However, the Trinamool Congress leaders skipped the meeting. Yesterday, a major demonstration was held in Bengaluru in support of the GJM's demand for Gorkhaland. Even as the indefinite strike called by the GJM entered into its eighth day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee left for her Netherlands visit. Mamata, who left to address a United Nations meet, said her ministers were monitoring the situation in violence-hit Darjeeling. "Violent protests won't be tolerated. My ministers are monitoring the situation," she told ANI at Kolkata airport. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said he has spoken to Mamata over the law and order situation in Darjeeling. Thirty-six policemen were injured on Saturday in clashes with the GJM supporters. The GJM announced an indefinite strike encompassing Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts and the Dooars protesting against Mamata Banerjee's decision to make Bengali language compulsory in state-run schools. The strike was called even after the Chief Minister assured that the new rule would not be imposed in the hill districts. The protestors are also asking for a separate Gorkhaland, a long pending demand of the people of the hills. GJM chief Bimal Gurung has said that the West Bengal Police are illegally entering their supporters' houses and torturing them and also accused them of killing two of his supporters. He said that GJM would further strengthen their agitation. Mamata tore into the GJM supporters and said that they aren't listening to the court, even after it had passed an order citing the bandh was "illegal." Rajnath reviewed the security situation in West Bengal's Darjeeling by sending more troops to help restore normalcy as the state government has not yet submitted its report on the situation. (ANI)