Shutdown in Darj hills enters 51st day, YM writes to PM, Prez

As the indefinite shutdown in the Darjeeling hills entered the 51st day, the Yuva Morcha of the GJM today shot off letters to the prime minister, president and Union home minister, urging their intervention to resolve the crisis.
Meanwhile, the ban on the Internet services in the hills, imposed on June 18, was extended till August 14 by the district administration.
"We have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, requesting them to immediately intervene to solve the ongoing crisis in the hills. We feel our demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland should be respected," Yuva Morcha president Prakash Gurung said.

He added that the Centre could not "sit idle" when the workers of his outfit were on an indefinite hunger strike for 15 days.
Twelve activists of the Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), are observing a fast-unto- death over the separate state demand since July 21.
Meanwhile, Darjeeling District Magistrate Joyoshi Das Gupta told PTI, "We have decided to extend the ban on the Internet services for 10 more days. Although, no fresh incident of violence has been reported, the GJM is resorting to threatening the people."

The GJM today took out rallies, demanding restoration of the Internet services and an immediate withdrawal of police personnel from the hills.

No incident of violence was reported from the area since last night, but the police and security personnel kept up their vigil.
Barring the pharmacies, all other shops, business establishments, schools and colleges remained closed in the hills.