CRPF is the largest paramilitary force in India and it assists the state in maintaining law and order and containing insurgency. The move by the West Bengal government comes in the wake of other Darjeeling-based agitating parties including Revolutionary Marxist Communist Party (RCMP), All India Gorkha League (AIGL), Bharatiya Gorkha Parisang and Gorkhaland Rajya Nirman Morcha, joining hands with the struggle of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) for a separate Gorkhaland state. [break]
GJM had launched the protest from August 3 after the Indian central government gave recognition to Telangana as India´s 29th State.
Though the West Bengal government demanded 12 companies of CRPF from the central government to bring the worsening situation in Darjeeling under control, 10 companies are being deployed in the Hills for now, reported a highly-placed security official in Darjeeling.
According to him, a company of CRPF has already arrived in Darjeeling, while the remaining nine companies will arrive in the Hills by the next three days. Of the 10 companies of CRPF, one company will comprise women commandos.
Each company of CRPF comprises 100 security personnel
A news article published by a vernacular daily, Himal Darpan, in Darjeeling says that the state government of West Bengal is seeking additional security forces from the central government to suppress the ongoing protest in Darjeeling. The article further mentions that the state government is confident the CRPF personnel will be able to bring the situation under control.
Before the protests gathered momentum, there were only five companies of CRPF in Darjeeling. Now, altogether 15 companies of CRPF will maintain constant vigil in the Hill areas.
Criticizing the recent move by the state government to bring in additional security forces, Chairman of GJM, Bimal Gurung, said the state government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cannot suppress the peaceful protests carried out by Indian Gorkhalis.
“Seven years ago also when the protests for a separate Gorkhaland started, the state government had deployed CRPF security personnel to suppress the protests. This time, we are not going to remain silent over government atrocities,” he said.
In 1989, at least 1,200 persons lost their lives in Darjeeling in the mass movement for a separate Gorkhaland state. “We should not forget that loss of life. This time, we will not step back at any cost from our demand for Gorkhaland,” he said.
On Friday, the eight agitating political parties formed a ´Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee´ to pressure the government into meeting their demands.
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