'Deeply pained': Bengal Guv urges govt employees on hunger strike for DA hike to end stir

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said at the assembly earlier this week that she would not be able to meet the demand for a DA hike even if the protesters behead her.

Noting that he was deeply pained to see that the hunger strike of several state government employees demanding a hike in the dearness allowance (DA) entered the fourth week, West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Saturday urged the agitators to end their stir.

The former bureaucrat said the issues involved might be ''complex, but there is always a simple way out''.

He welcomed all the stakeholders to come together to find ''an acceptable way out of the imbroglio''.

''Governor is deeply pained that the hunger strike of the aggrieved employees is entering its fourth week. The issues involved may be complex but there is always a simple way out,'' a post on the governor's official Twitter account said.

''What is of paramount importance is the precious life of our brothers who are on a continuous fast for a cause which is close to their heart. Governor entreats all those who are on the perilous fast to kindly end it and request all stakeholders to sit together and find an acceptable way out of the imbroglio,'' he added.

Protesting employees of 18 organisations, who have been demanding that their DA be raised to the level of central government employees, called for a total strike on Friday. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said at the assembly earlier this week that she would not be able to meet the demand for a DA hike even if the protesters ''behead'' her.