DM to return when duty calls

District magistrate Rajesh Pandey today said he would go back to Darjeeling when he needs to but would probably spend the weekend in the plains.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha had yesterday instructed its women’s wing, the Nari Morcha, to prevent Pandey from entering the hills. The instructions came a day after the lathicharge on ex-servicemen in Siliguri.

The district magistrate had denied the organisation permission to hold the rally, which later spiralled out of control forcing police action. The Morcha said the violence could have been avoided if the district magistrate had given permission for the rally.

Describing the Morcha’s instruction to its women’s wing as “unfortunate”, the district magistrate said he was a government servant performing his duty. “If there is a need to go up to Darjeeling, I will certainly go,” Pandey said. “Since this is an extended weekend starting tomorrow, I am planning to have a short holiday here or somewhere else. It has not yet been finalised.”

“I hope the people understand that by preventing me from going back to my place of work, it is not an individual that they are going against, but the government as a whole,” said Pandey.

The Morcha’s Sukna unit president Lalit Thapa said a vigil is on along NH55, which connects Siliguri to Darjeeling, to prevent the district magistrate’s vehicle from passing.

“It is a central committee order that we do not allow him to pass through,” Thapa said.

Nari Morcha members brought out a rally this afternoon with posters asking the district magistrate not to return to Darjeeling.