After Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) cadres clashed with police following their protests against CM Mamata Banerjee's visit to Darjeeling and her decision to make Bengali compulsory in syllabus of schools across the state, the Army was called in to control the situation.

On request of the West Bengal government, Army has been deployed in Darjeeling to control the situation. Two Army columns each, comprising 80 men, have been moved.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has been campaigning for the creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland.

The GJM has been demanding Nepali as a language instead or can accept Hindi, but is strictly against the making of Bengali mandatory in all schools across the state.

Buses vandalised by GJM protesters in Darjeeling. Buses vandalised by GJM protesters in Darjeeling.

HERE IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW Thousands of GJM supporters had gathered on the streets and bylanes of the hills with black flags and placards. The protests have intensified with each passing hour even as Mamata Banerjee held a cabinet meeting for the first time in the hills on Thursday, in an attempt to highlight the importance of the region for her state government. The GJM supporters took out a protest rally only 100 metres away from the venue of the meeting. The protestors shouted slogans and burnt effigies of Mamata Banerjee. The anger of protesters spiralled out of control. The police was finally forced to resort to lathicharge and fire tear gas shells on them. The protesters retaliated by hurling stones at the cops and torching police vehicles, just outside the Bhanu Bhawan in Darjeeling where Mamata Banerjee was holding a cabinet meeting. The Army had to be called to control the situation. Since thousands of people were involved in various processions in different parts of Darjeeling, the intensity of protests continued unabated. The GJM supporters decided to show their strength in numbers against Mamata's frequent visits to this Darjeeling region and repeated warnings to them to give up their demand of Gorkhaland. The protesters kept shouting 'Jai Gorkha' slogans, waving black flags on the streets of Darjeeling and demanding that the voice of Gorkhaland be heard. Founder President of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha Bimal Gurung said, "I want to thank all the people who have come from various places to be a part of this three-day rally. The people, who have revolted on the roads of Darjeeling, want to protect their Nepali language. Mamata Banerjee claims in the speech she gave in Mirik that this decision is not a compulsion. Studying Bengali is a choice. She needs to pass a bill in the assembly that Gorkha Nepali shall remain untouched and assure us of the protection of our language. Mamata has said that she will get a special audit conducted in this place. According to me, the audits should be imposed on Sharda scam, chit fund scam, Narda scam after which the ministers involved in corruption should be investigated. Her 'dadagiri' has become too much for us to stand. We won't let her gain political benefits from this land and we shall definitely strive for the creation of Gorkhaland." Mamata Banerjee, however, said that she was concerned about the people of Darjeeling and that it was her government that had till now taken all decisions beneficial for the hills, including the recognition to the language. Mamata had been threatening strong action against the GJM leaders, many of whom have been booked in cases of murder and vandalism of state property. She alleged that there were large-scale financial irregularities committed in the running of the autonomous council Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) by the GJM members.

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(WITH INPUTS FROM KAYES ANSARI IN DARJEELING)

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