Police today escorted hundreds of panicking tourists to safety in West Bengal's Darjeeling, after Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) cadres protested against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's visit and her decision to make Bengali compulsory in state schools.
The GJM, which has been campaigning for the creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland, is strictly against making it mandatory for students to learn Bengali.
There were violent protests near Darjeeling's Mall Road - a tourist hub - and the entire district was put on lockdown. The army was deployed as the riots grew in intensity.
Special provisions were made for tourists who planned to fly out of Bogdogra airport .
The airport opened at 5 am this morning, and restaurants and snack stores were open for business within an hour.
With the help of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Bagdogra Airport Director Rakesh R Sahay ensured that AAI officials, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, and housekeeping and restaurant staff were available to serve passengers.
'ALL WE WANT IS TO GO HOME'
The North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) has arranged special buses which will take tourists to Kolkata from the Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus in Siliguri. These buses will be available every two hours, from 6 am to 6 pm.
"Tourists need not worry. There will be buses to take people to Siliguri, and from Siliguri to Kolkata. There has also been a hotline to the DM's office set up", Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.
"My wife and I came to Darjeeling a few days ago for our honeymoon", a tourist from Murshidabad said. "We had booked return train tickets for this evening, but there are no vehicles to get us to the station, although the police are trying to arrange something. Thankfully, the local people have not engaged in any misconduct with us".
"All we want right now is to go home", another tourist from Bihar said. "The situation is so precarious right now that it could get worse at any moment. We are having a hard time finding food and accommodation also".
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