Darjeeling receives surprise visitors with gifts

Darjeeling residents had surprise visitors this afternoon, the second day of the ‘janta curfew’ where hardly a soul could be seen out in the streets. Trinamool Congress activists in vehicles escorted by police screeched to the heart of town with “gifts” for residents.
Rations from the Public Distribution System (PDS) had been loaded in the vehicles to provide the “hungry” people some relief to get over the bandh and janta curfew.
Leading the lot was Hills TMC unit leader Milan Dukpa, one of the three nominated members to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). “We are distributing flour, rice and dal to the MR shops. It is also a visit to the Hills,” said Dukpa, grinning.
Incidentally, Dukpa, a former GNLF activist, is a permanent resident of Darjeeling.
Nageshwar Prasad, who claimed to be a TMC cadre from Siliguri, said sheepishly, “We have come to the Hills for a visit after a long time. We are also distributing rations to people in Rohini, Sepoydhura, Sukhay and Ghoom-Jorebungalow”.
But he refused to say if the people had actually accepted their offer. “Some vehicles have also been sent to Mirik and Kalimpong with food grains. I don’t know anything more than that,” he stumbled.
For Sanjeet Das, another TMC activist, it was an opportunity not worth losing. “I have come to see how Darjeeling is. We will go to Chowrastha and after enjoying the cool weather drive down to Siliguri,” he said as a colleague of his clicked pictures on his mobile phone at the Motor Stand.
Darjeeling district magistrate Puneet Yadav admitted that rations through the PDS were being distributed in the three sub-divisions, but refused to acknowledge them as TMC “gifts”.
“We have covered the three sub-divisions. According to reports coming in, we have distributed food grains in Garidhura, Dudhay, Rohini, Panighatta, Latpanchar and Soureni,” said the new Darjeeling DM.
He also claimed a public address system was used to announce the distribution.
However, Yadav expressed surprise when told TMC cadres were distributing rations meant for PDS. “I have no idea about TMC people distributing PDS rations. The PDS is a government programme. How can a political party distribute rations?” he countered.
The state government also provided two buses to ferry passengers from Darjeeling to Siliguri but the vehicles left empty. The only passengers were some ministers who chose to alight in the plains.
“Minister Gautam Deb got down near Sukna but he paid the fare. Some people did board the buses but got down in the foothills. Now I am waiting for people to go back to Siliguri even though there seem to be none,” said one of the bus conductors.
Meanwhile, the other conductor said, “I did business of Rs1,100. State food minister Jyotipriya Mullick was in my bus but got down near Rohini while others were short distance passengers”.
GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said, “They (TMC) are making a laughing stock of themselves. The Hills people have self pride and will not accept anything from those opposed to the statehood demand. I heard TMC cadres were trying to distribute rations, but people did not accept them. Also, how come two state government buses plied today when even a single vehicle is not available during normal times?”
Meanwhile, the police arrested Darjeeling Municipality commissioner Subhomoyee Chatterjee in an overnight raid as he is wanted in two non-bailable cases, along with 20 others from different places. More than 200 supporters and leaders have been arrested so far since the high court directive to the state government and Darjeeling police to submit an action-taken report.(EOI)