May 2: Jyoti Basu today endorsed the hill affairs minister’s advice to tourists not to visit the Darjeeling hills this summer.

“How can they (tourists) go there? It’s becoming increasingly difficult.... They (Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters) are creating trouble, staging hunger strikes and trying to change the number plates of cars,’’ Basu said after the CPM state secretariat meeting.

The Morcha has been demanding a Gorkhaland state.

Recalling the days of the Gorkhaland movement of the 1980s led by Subash Ghisingh, Basu said: “Around 100 people died then. The situation has not become so grim yet.”

Observers said Basu’s approval of Asok Bhattacharya’s comments indicates that the party wants to act tough with the Morcha.

“The advisory is likely to impact the flow of tourists to the hills, which in turn will hit the Morcha’s support base. We hope this will pressure the Morcha into a rethink of its tactics,” a CPM state secretariat member said.

CPM mouthpiece Ganashakti today blamed Morcha-sponsored bandhs and its threats to shut down power plants for the fall in the number of tourists this year.

At least 10 people were assaulted in Siliguri after Morcha supporters raised anti-CPM slogans today.

A mob near Hospital More beat up a group of four, including two women. Police shepherded them into a toilet and later whisked them away. Three women were attacked near the PWD bungalow. A man was pinned down and punched near the Northeast Frontier Railway booking office.

A couple were rescued near Venus More and kept inside the traffic kiosk but after they had been slapped a few times.

The administration denied the assault. “No complaint has been lodged,” said additional district magistrate Paritosh Roy. “There were some sporadic incidents.”

Morcha chief Bimal Gurung asked the hill people to show restraint and refrain from rioting to foil “the CPM strategy to destabilise” the movement. “DYFI (CPM youth wing) cadres attacked our people, who had gone to Siliguri to sit on a hunger strike,” he said.

Bhattacharya had accused the Morcha of trying to export its turmoil to Siliguri and surrounding areas. “We will not let that happen. The attempts to include Siliguri in the separatist movement will not be tolerated,” he had said.