The Trinamul Congress (Hills) and the Gorkha Jan Mutki Morcha (Bimal Gurung faction) greeted West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar with black flags as he reached Darjeeling Hills on a seven-day visit today.

TMC leader Shanta Chettri said they were protesting the Governor’s visit as, according to her, he was here “only to do politics.”

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While TMC cadres waved black flags as the Governor’s convoy crossed the Kurseong Railway Station, activists of the Morcha’s Gurung faction were seen doing the same at the Railway station in Darjeeling town.

“We have been forced to stage this protest today as he is only doing politics in north Bengal. They are only propagating the issue of separation of north Bengal. We want a PPS (Permanent Political Solution) here,” said the Morcha faction spokesperson, Binita Roka.

On the other hand, reacting to the incident, Darjeeling’s BJP MP Raju Bista said, “Today is a black day for us, with the Governor being shown black flags. This is an insult to the Gorkha people. This is the doing of Mamata (Banerjee) didi and some of her supporters. This kind of behaviour is intolerable.”

“The Gorkha community knows how to respect people who are in the Constitution. This is an insult to our area and the black flag is not against the Governor but on India’s law and order and our country’s Constitution,” he said, alleging that all this had been done in the knowledge of the administration and the police. On the other hand, the Governor did not mention the black flags and said, “I am surprised to learn that the DM and the SP are not here. Don’t they realise the seriousness of the misconduct they are committing? I will call them to see me tomorrow. Perhaps, this is the only state where they can offer such a treatment to the Constitutional head.”

On his way to Darjeeling, black flags were also shown to Mr Dhankhar at the Simulbari tea estate gate near Rohini Road in the plains. TMC leader Arif Khan told reporters at the Kurseong Motor Stand that he had not seen such a Governor till now.

“We would have definitely respected the Governor, but this Governor talks like a spokesperson of the central government’s party,” he said.

On the way to Darjeeling, Mr Dhankhar made a brief halt at the Kurseong Tourist Lodge, where he expressed his displeasure at the role of the media in Bengal. According to him, instead of giving importance to the black flags, the fourth pillar should stand up against the post-election atrocities that he said have emerged in Bengal.