Darjeeling Hills is brewing more than just tea—it’s brewing drama 🍃💥! For the first time in 7 years, the hills shut down as tea garden workers hit the streets, demanding a 20% bonus on wages ahead of the festive season 🎉. The tea garden bosses, though, are only offering a measly 13% 💸, and let’s just say, the workers weren’t sipping that blend. 🚫☕️
Darjeeling on Pause ⏸️
From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on September 30, the hills went from lush green to ghost town 🏞️👻. Workers, under the Tea Workers’ Protection Committee (talk about a squad 👊), blocked roads and stopped all traffic. Tourists and locals were caught in the middle of the action 😬, and even emergency services were like, “Can we get a pass, please?!” 🚑.
Roadblocks popped up at major points like Kurseong and Sukna, turning Darjeeling into a no-go zone 🚧. This was the first strike since the 2017 Gorkhaland agitation, so yeah, tensions are as high as a teapot boiling over 🔥🍵.
DARJEELING IS SHUT DOWN TODAY
— The Darjeeling Chronicle (@TheDarjChron) September 30, 2024
In support of the demand for a just Puja Bonus for the Tea Garden workers.
All tourists are expected to plan their day accordingly pic.twitter.com/NDHlpboUjw
Tea Industry in Hot Water 🔥🍃
Already struggling with unpredictable weather and low production 🌧️, the Darjeeling tea industry is in crisis mode. The Indian Tea Association is out here like, “Can we get some government help, please? 🙏🏽💰” while the bonus beef is only adding more heat to the kettle.
Mamata Banerjee’s Take 🎙️
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while on her north Bengal tour, decided to keep her hands off this tea ☕️✋. “I don’t support any strike,” she said, making it clear she’s not about that shutdown life. However, she did point out that the Labour Commissioner is working on it, so let’s see if they can settle this bonus brawl 👀💬.
Political Steeping 🌡️
Meanwhile, Hamro Party chief and Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) leader Ajay Edwards added more spice to the mix by staging “blood tea” protests 🩸🍵 (yep, you read that right). He called on Mamata to recognize that she’s also the CM of Darjeeling and should step in for the workers. Talk about turning up the heat 🔥.
With the festive season around the corner 🎊, everyone’s waiting for the next move. In Terai and Dooars, workers scored a 16% bonus after three rounds of talks, but Darjeeling’s still hanging tight at the negotiation table 🕵️♀️. Will the tea workers get the brew they’re demanding, or will management keep things steeped in tension? Stay tuned!