HC PUTS A STAY ON REMOVAL OF CENTRAL FORCES FROM DARJEELING

KOLKATA: The Calcutta high court temporarily restrained the Union government on Tuesday from withdrawing paramilitary reinforcements from the north Bengal hills, where the situation is yet to return to normal after a summer-long unrest triggered by the Gorkhaland secessionist movement.

Justice Harish Tandon said the reinforcements – roughly 20 companies of the Central Reserve Police (CRPF) Force and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in all — will remain in place till the next hearing which will take place after the court vacation ends.

The Union home ministry had earlier informed the state that 15 of the 20 companies will be withdrawn, beginning with 7 this week. The decision triggered anger from the state government, which saw a political motive in the pull-out.

Darjeeling, in the northern hills of Bengal, has been on edge since June 8 when protests by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) — an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — flared. The unrest has killed 13 people, including civilians and police.

Much of the region was in a shut down for four months, with the situation brought under control with the help of massive paramilitary reinforcements along with state police.

On Sunday, the Centre said 10 of the 15 companies will be withdrawn since the situation was camp and the men were needed for election duty in Himachal . CM Mamata Banerjee had written to the PM on Monday, raising objection to the withdrawal of forces.

Hearing a petition by the state government, justice Tandon said the Centre could not cite sufficient reason for withdrawal of the forces. He also observed that the deployment of the central forces was done by an order from the SC.