Darjeeling, Jun 9 (IANS): Terming the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha's call for 12-hour shutdown in the North Bengal hills as "illegal", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday warned of "strict legal action" against those taking part in it.
"The state government has declared today's shutdown as illegal. Whoever takes part in the shutdown will face strict legal action," Banerjee said as she moved around town to oversee arrangements to help the stranded tourists in West Bengal's hill town Darjeeling.
The GJM, the dominant party in the hills, has called the 12-hour shutdown from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to protest "indiscriminate police action" on their activists.
On Thursday, thousands of angry GJM activists demanding a separate Gorkhaland indulged in arson and pelted stones at police, who made repeated baton charges and lobbed tear gas shells in Darjeeling.
Terming Thursday's agitation as "intentional and one-sided", Banerjee strongly criticised the GJM leadership and claimed that calling shutdowns every now and then was tarnishing the image and business prospects in the hills.
"Yesterday's (Thursday's) clash was intentional and one sided. There was no issue. Calling shutdowns every now and then does not give any message of peace. It disrupts normal life," claimed the Trinamool Congress supremo, who decided to stay back in Darjeeling to monitor the situation following the clashes.
"The tourists are Darjeeling's Laxmi (hindu goddess of prosperity). By doing this vandalism they are driving away the Laxmi of Darjeeling. I do not understand what kind of movement they are indulging in," she said.
Accusing a handful of GJM leaders of destroying the atmosphere of peace in the hills, Banerjee said law would run its course against the law breakers.
"These issues are happening because of a handful of people. The government would take necessary action against them. No one is above the law. If someone tries to take law in their hand, law will take its own course," she warned.
The Chief Minister's statement comes as the Army staged a flag march in Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Kurseong on Friday, as shops and hotels remained closed in the northern West Bengal hills due to the shutdown.
There were no reports of fresh violence in the hills, where the situation continued to be tense.
Three companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have also been deployed to ensure peace.