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The GJM, agitating for a separate Gorkhaland state in Darjeeling, today pinned hope on West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan while accusing the state government of going on an 'arrests spree'.
"We ... Welcome the Governor of West Bengal's announcement that he was ready to mediate. We hope he takes the appropriate steps as early as possible, GJM President Bimal Gurung said in a Facebook post as there was no political programme in the hills which was lashed by heavy rains.
The governor, however, has declined to mediate, but has offered to hold talks with Gurung if he was willing to do so.
Gurung took a dig at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's warning that she was 'rough and tough' saying that she should respect the sentiments of the hill people.
"The demand of Gorkhaland is an aspiration of the entire Gorkhas and other hill communities. Instead of respecting this sentiment the Chief Minister has talked of being rough and tough," Gurung said.
"Instead of respecting the sentiments the chief minister is going on a rampant arrest spree," the GJM president said in reference to the arrests, the number of which rose to 651, with the arrest of another 32 GJM members last night.
Among those arrested was Kalimpong Ward Commissioner Barun Bhujel, a local committee member of GJM, police sources said.
