Though clashes continued for the next two days, police remained inactive. And the paramilitary forces that were called in were assigned to the barracks!

Meanwhile, Cabinet Minister Ashok Bhattacharya’s fiery speech against GJMM during an anti-GJMM meeting on January 18 was incendiary. It was only after the paramilitary forces expressed displeasure with the police’s handling of the situation, was the Duars Bandh called off from January 19 and GJMM women wing’s rally was allowed to be held at under heavy police bandobast. Earlier, ABAVP had vowed to resist this meeting.

It was in protest against police’s tacit support to the Marxist-backed unregistered outfits that the GLA plastered Dambar Chowk in Kalimpong and Kurseong with posters calling for “direct resistance with sophisticated arms”. And GJMM apparently has warmed to the idea. Binoy Tamang, publicity secretary of GJMM, hinted his party may take a lead from Netaji and raise an army abroad and, if necessary, garner support from foreign countries too.

The Duars have since the 1950s been a part of the Gorkhas' demand to be included in their aspired separate state. Though the state government does not consider Duars a Nepali-Gorkhali dominated area, GJMM has no intention of excluding it from their map.....Continue