New Delhi:
The Centre is closely monitoring the situation in violence-hit Darjeeling and is ready to offer all assistance to the West Bengal government to restore normalcy, an official said on Tuesday.
However, the home ministry is yet to seek a report from the West Bengal government on the situation in the hill district which has been witnessing violence for the last couple of days.
“We are closely monitoring the situation in Darjeeling. We are in touch with the state government officials. If necessary, we are ready to offer all assistance,” a home ministry official said.
As their indefinite shutdown entered its second day today, protesters demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland pelted stones at police in various parts of Darjeeling as they were stopped from enforcing their shutdown in many government offices.
Yesterday, too, Gorkhaland supporters vandalised government offices in Darjeeling as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM)-sponsored indefinite shutdown forced tourists out of the picturesque hill station due to threat of violence.
The Morcha, which controls the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), has called a shutdown of all state and GTA offices to press its demand for creation of a separate state.
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