Shutdown ends, supply lines restored

Siliguri, June 13: After a daylong bedlam across the town yesterday, Siliguri limped back to normality today after the Amra Bangali’s bandh was lifted at 2pm.

Unlike yesterday morning, no picketers or “bike groups” that had set up blockades and zipped across the town to ensure a total strike to protest against the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s demand were seen in important places of Siliguri today.

However, shops and establishments along Hill Cart Road, Sevoke Road, Station Feeder Road, Burdwan Road and Bidhan Road remained closed in the morning and both government and private vehicles were off the roads. A few autorickshaws and rickshaws were seen though.

Government offices and schools and colleges holding exams opened but banks and private offices remain closed. Small shops in residential areas did brisk businesses.

The situation started changing following the withdrawal of the 48-hour strike on the basis of a meeting between the Amra Bangali and the district administration last evening. Several shops opened, autorickshaws, private and government buses started plying. Vehicles from the hills carrying passengers entered the town as trucks started off in the other direction.

“The town is fast returning to normal,” Smita Pandey, the subdivisional officer (SDO) of Siliguri, said. “Taking into account the improvement of law and order, we have decided to relax Section 144 if the CrPC from 3pm to 8pm today.”

Urban development minister and CPM leader Asok Bhattacharya said party leaders were asked to work for peace and amity. “We are against any movement that speaks of one community. That is why we are against the movements of both the Amra Bangali and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha,” he said.

A peace rally, proposed by the CPM at 4pm, was cancelled because of rain. The Darjeeling district Trinamul Congress submitted a memorandum to the SDO here, seeking administration’s initiative to ensure that such incidents did not recur in Siliguri.

Three companies of the CRPF arrived here this morning from Assam’s Bongaigaon. They later held flag marches in Siliguri, Bagdogra and Malbazar.

The Jana Jagaran, an apolitical organisation of Siliguri residents, today clarified that it had not called or supported the bandh. “Several people who enforced the strike yesterday were using our name which is unfortunate,” said Haren Ghosh, its president. “Our main objective is to oppose the division of Bengal.”