Patkar requested the GJM to call off their 13-day-old hunger-strike at Garubathan.

Meanwhile, Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi also called up Morcha president Bimal Gurung and put in a similar request.

However, the state government took exception to Patkar’s trip to the Dooars, with urban development minister and Siliguri CPM MLA Asok Bhattacharya calling Patkar and Talwar “anti-nationals”. “These so-called social activists are separatists, and they are meeting separatists in the Dooars,” Bhattacharya said in Kolkata.

During the Singur agitation, Patkar and Talwar had joined hands with the Trinamool Congress-led protest over land acquisition for Tata Motors’ Nano project. GJM general secretary Roshan Giri, who had had a narrow escape on Monday after his vehicle was attacked by irate tribals at Ethelbari in the Dooars, said Patkar and others visited the site of the fast-unto-death by GJM supporters and asked them to call it off.

“She requested us to hold talks with the ABAVP. We are ready to talk (with the tribals) for peace. The Governor also spoke to our president and appealed to call off the hunger-strike. But we are yet to take a decision,” Giri said from Gorubathan, where 22 Morcha supporters have been on a fast-unto-death since January 29.

Earlier, Patkar met ABAVP leaders in Banarhat where tribals clashed with Morcha supporters on Saturday. Tribal leader Rajesh Lakra said the ABAVP had informed Patkar about their objections to the GJM’s Gorkhaland plan.

Jalpaiguri SP Anant Kumar, who took charge on Monday from outgoing SP Manoj Verma, said no violence had been reported on Tuesday. “Prohibitory orders are still in place and the Seema Suraksha Bal is continuing with route marches,” Kumar said.