Watch: GJM Strike Halts Darjeeling’s Iconic Toy Train Services

The hill town of Darjeeling is currently witness to the eighth day of an indefinite strike, called by the members of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).

The GJM is a Gorkha political party that seeks to establish the separate state of Gorkhaland out of the districts of North Bengal. Their demand is primarily meditated on the ethnolinguistic and cultural differences between the Northern Hills and the rest of Bengal.

Amidst the current agitation, the protestors are also opposing the imposition of the Bengali language across schools.

The movement had reached some semblance of finality with the 2011 creation of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), a semi-autonomous body for the Darjeeling Hills.

In the first elections of 2012, the GJM won all of the 45 seats in the Territorial Administration.

Even so, Bimal Gurung, the leader of the GJM resigned from the GTA in 2013 citing interference from the Bengal government.

The video showcases the externalities of the strike, which has now also affected the economy of the town and the region.

The shutdown’s effects are already being felt in the streets and the marketplaces causing tourists to leave by the thousands if they can. Many also remain stuck in the town as private transportation services aren’t operating.

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway or the “Toy Train” as its affectionately known was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. The two versions of the toy train- steam and diesel run between Darjeeling and Siliguri. This remains one of the greatest draws of tourists to the Himalayan hill town.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has urged for peace and talks but has maintained that the GJM have hatched a “conspiracy to divide the state”.

GJM, meanwhile, have elucidated clearly that they aren’t interested in talks with the state but are willing to engage with the Union government as long as the agenda remains that of Gorkhaland.