Tension in Darjeeling over language dispute

Fresh tension erupted in Darjeeling, India, after cadres of Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) tried to disrupt the Cabinet meeting of Darjeeling state government on Thursday.

Police fired a few dozen rounds of teargas shells to contain the situation after the agitating cadres of GJM chanted slogans when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee was holding a Cabinet meeting at Bhanu Bhawan in Darjeeling, local journalist Bimal Rai informed. There was no report of any untoward incident though the situation was tense.

Minister Banerjee decided to hold the Cabinet meeting in Darjeeling at a time when the entire Darjeeling has been agitating against the state government's decision to make Bengali language compulsory in secondary level education across the state.

The security personnel dispersed the agitating protesters.

Meanwhile, the locals of Mirik, Kalimpong, and Kurseong have shut down their businesses and vehicular movements in protest against “police excesses.” The protesters burned an effigy of Chief Minister Banerjee at Kalimpong. They have also torched two jeeps of security personnel and vandalised government

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