Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said the delegation had met Gandhi at the latter’s invitation. “We put across all our concerns and updated the Governor on the failure of the talks with the chief minister. We told them the CM was very adamant while denying us our democratic rights to hold public meetings in the Dooars. On his part, Gandhi assured us he would take up the matter with the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and the CM as well. He asked us to call off the fast-unto-death, but we are yet to take a decision on this,” Giri said.

The GJM leadership’s meeting with the governor came a day after its talks with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee failed to break the impasse.

A statement issued by the Governor’s Secretariat said the GJM delegation reiterated its commitment to “constitutional” and “non-violent” methods while carrying out its agitation. The Governor is said to have urged Gurung to maintain a conducive atmosphere for the ongoing tripartite talks. “Calling off the hunger-strike would contribute to a congenial atmosphere for the tripartite discussions,” Gandhi said.

Meanwhile, in Dooars, tribals surrounded the Nagrakatra police station protesting the arrest of four tribal leaders. The Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad (ABAVP) has called a 24-hour bandh on Friday protesting the police action in which three agitators were injured, ABAVP leaders said.

IG (North Bengal) K L Tamta said the situation was tense but under control. “The mob set fire to a temporary police canteen. We are monitoring the situation. No prohibitory orders have been promulgated as yet,” Tamta said.

ABAVP spokesperson Rajesh Lakra said from Nagrakata that tribal leaders had urged the police not to make arrests in the region. “We told them any arrests would make things go out of control. However, they went ahead and arrested three of our leaders,” he said.

As news of the arrests spread among the tea garden workers, tribals began congregating in Nagrakata town and surrounded the police station demanding the leaders’ release. “During our meeting on January 29, the CM had assured us that no unnecessary action would be taken. However, they went ahead and arrested our leaders,” he said.

Kalchini RSP legislator Manohar Tirkey said the situation got out of control all of a sudden. “I don’t know which way things are going. We are now faced with a series of bandhs and no solution in sight. The tribals were incensed over the arrests of their leaders. I will be going to Nagrakata on Friday morning to assess the situation,” Tirkey said.

The situation has been tense in the Dooars since January 16, when GJM supporters and the ABAVP men clashed in Nagrakata and Malbazar towns in north Bengal’s tea garden belt, resulting in injuries to nearly 80 persons, including 25 policemen.