Fresh agitation announced in Darjeeling

A new committee formed in Darjeeling today called for a fresh five-day agitation from August 19 changing the nomenclature of 'janata curfew' to 'ghar bitrai janta' (people inside homes) on their demand for a separate Gorkhaland.
North Bengal Development minister Gautam Deb, however, said that there was no difference between the earlier bandh and the fresh agitation announced.
Spokesman of the newly-formed body, Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee of which GJM was a constituent, said "The people will stay at home. This is their wish. We honour their wish. They have total support for Gorkhaland."
On that the Calcutta High Court expressing displeasure over continuance of the bandh in the hills in the name of janata curfew, the spokesman replied, "We have not given any call for a janata curfew."

On whether shops and markets would be open during the five-day agitation, he said that none would stir out of their homes during the period.
"All programs that will be announced from today will be by GJAC," Gorkka Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung said in a Facebook post.

On whether they would talk to West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan, the spokesman said that if the Governor invited them, they would talk to him.
He also demanded intervention by the central government to resolve the issue.
When asked about the fate of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the hill council, he said that a resolution has already been passed at the earlier all-party meeting that "GTA was a failure and would be dissolved at an appropriate time. Today's meeting of the committee reiterated this."

Among the programmes announced were a human chain on August 26 when people would wear black bands and carry posters in support of Gorkhaland "to protest the attitude of the West Bengal government", he said.
Before that a 'rakhi procession' would be taken out on August 24 and 25.