Darjeeling
West Bengal: After Mamata's warning, pro-Gokhaland parties call off Darjeeling bandh
Kolkata/IBNS: A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's warning of action, the pro-Gorkhaland political parties on Wednesday called off their Feb 23 bandh in Darjeeling, media reports said.
The bandh-supporting parties have said they called off the strike for the sake of common people.
Incidentally, the class 10 state board examinations are also beginning on Feb 23.
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, Hamro Party and former ruling Trinamool Congress member Binoy Tamang had called the bandh.
The bandh was called in support of creation of Gorkhaland from Darjeeling and in opposition to the motion passed in the state assembly against the partition of West Bengal.
Speaking at an event, Banerjee on Tuesday said, "Bandh politics is over in Bengal. We don't allow it anymore here. If there is no bandh, Bengal will be open for jobs, industry, tourism, development, roads, transport, education."
"If someone thinks of flaunting power by calling a bandh, the government won't support it."
Apart from clearing her stance over bandh, Banerjee slammed the hill movement demanding for a separate state carving the north of Bengal from its entirety.
The Chief Minister said, "Board examinations will start from the 23rd. Everyone has the right to protest but let me give a clear instruction that no one will be spared for taking law and administration in their own hands in the name of the movement for partition of Bengal."
"We won't allow partition of Bengal...," she added.
Binoy Tamang went on a hunger strike on Tuesday in protest against the motion passed in assembly.
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