July 18: The first day of the 48-hour statewide strike called by the Bangla Bangla Bhasha Banchao Committee was limited more to Siliguri town and had little affect from Darjeeling More onwards.
Although educational institutions, shops and other business establishments were closed and private buses were off roads, droves of two-wheelers and autorickshaws with passengers made their way to Pintail to witness the signing ceremony.
The strike called to protest the agreement to form the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration had no impact in Malda and South and North Dinajpurs.
The RSP declared a "black day" as the draft of the agreement for the formation of the GTA was not discussed at an all-party meeting and not all political parties were invited to the signing ceremony. RSP Darjeeling district secretary Binoy Chakraborty and 19 others were arrested from Hill Cart Road near Siliguri Junction around 10.30am while they were organising a protest march carrying black flags.
The Darjeeling district unit of the Left Front condemned the arrest and has called a protest march tomorrow.
Two bandh supporters were arrested from Champasari More at noon while they were trying to stop vehicles on NH31. The situation was different on NH55 beyond Darjeeling More. Thousands of people gathered in and around Pintail village to witness the signing ceremony.
The effect of the bandh was limited to a halt in the services of private buses in Jalpaiguri town. But the strike was almost total in Malbazar, Nagrakata, Banarhat, Birpara, Kalchini and Odlabari and partial in Mainaguri, Dhupguri, Alipurduar and Falakata.
Vehicles carrying supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha from Gorubathan to Pintail were intercepted by Bhasha Banchao Committee members in Odlabari.
The police, however, intervened and arrested seven persons, enabling the Morcha members to proceed to Pintail.
Private buses did no operate and shops and establishments were closed in Cooch Behar. However, educational institutions, banks and government offices were open. No untoward incident was reported from any part of the district today.
Mukunda Majumdar, the president of the Bhasha Banchao Committee, said the strike would send a clear message to the central and state governments that people of Bengal did not support the formation of the GTA.
"We did not come out of our homes and yet, people observed the strike in Siliguri and its outskirts and in other districts. It is a clear message to the chief minister and the Centre that the people are not supporting the move," he said.
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