File photo of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha flags set up on roads to mark Darjeeling bandh
In a major climbdown, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha or GJM, observing an indefinite bandh in Darjeeling to demand Gorkhaland, today said the shutdown would not be enforced with a relaxation of four days from August 15, though 'janata curfew' would be observed from today.
"There will be no use of force to enforce the bandh in deference to the Calcutta High Court order," GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri told reporters.
Mr Giri later said at Singmari that the bandh, which entered the tenth day, would also be relaxed for another three days till August 18 besides Independence day.
"We have to see the people's suffering also," he said.
Senior GJM leader Harkabahadur Chetri had earlier announced that the bandh would be relaxed only on Independence day and that the 'janata curfew' (people policing the streets) would be held for two days from today as announced earlier by party chief Bimal Gurung.
Mr Giri said that on August 18, the GJM would decide on the next course of action.
The high court had directed the West Bengal government to ensure normalcy and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Saturday declared the bandh illegal and given the GJM a 72-hour deadline to withdraw it, with the GJM chief threatening to call a 'janata curfew' if Banerjee did not backtrack from it.