Indefinite strike in Darjeeling relaxed for Eid

The indefinite shutdown in the hills since June 15 will be relaxed for 12 hours on Monday for Eid festivities.
For representational purpose (File | EPS)
For representational purpose (File | EPS)

SILIGURI: The indefinite shutdown in the hills since June 15 will be relaxed for 12 hours on Monday for Eid festivities.

However, the relaxation is limited exclusively to Muslims who would be allowed to hire vehicles to visit mosques and homes of relatives on Eid.

Also, Muslims taking benefit will have to be in traditional dresses and mark the vehicles accordingly, as was announced in Darjeeling. Also, shops and other establishments don’t come under purview of the relaxation.

Meanwhile, a police jeep was set on fire in Kalimpong and various pro-Gorkhaland rallies were taken out in the four towns — Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik — of the hills.

On the other hand, Bengali organisations ‘Amra Bangali’ (We Bengali) and ‘Bangla o Bangali Bachao Committee (Committee to protect Bengal and Bengalis) intensified their agitation in the plains and took out massive rallies in Siliguri on Sunday.

Buses and vehicles with Sikkim (SK) number plates have already stopped plying through the state’s lifeline NH 10 after several Sikkim vehicles were vandalised by anti-Gorkhaland agitators in the plains. The move comes after Sikkim CM Pawan Kumar Chamling wrote a letter to Union home minister Rajnath Singh supporting Gorkhaland statehood movement.

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