The Trinamool Congress accused the saffron party of sheltering Gurung and Giri, who are “absconding” according to the state police. (File)

The Trinamool Congress and the BJP lashed out at each other on Sunday after Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri, who have arrest warrants against them, were photographed attending the wedding of BJP president JP Nadda’s son in Delhi last Friday.

In the photo, which was not independently verified by The Indian Express, the GJM leaders are seen standing with Nadda, his son, and daughter-in-law.

The Trinamool Congress accused the saffron party of sheltering Gurung and Giri, who are “absconding” according to the state police. The two have arrest warrants against their name. “Both Gurung and Giri are absconders,” said Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee. “Police cannot find them. But now BJP national president J P Nadda is clicking photographs with them and sharing it in social media. So, that means the BJP president is giving shelter to criminals who are absconders. Criminal cases must be lodged against Nadda.”

State BJP President Dilip Ghosh defended the GJM leaders. “We don’t take these cases [against Gurung and Giri] seriously,” he said. “There are about 40 such cases against me. Tomorrow Mamata Banerjee government may again file a case against me. So it does not matter whether they have cases against them. GJM is an alliance partner of the BJP and we will again call them to attend our future programmes.”

The state police had filed a number of cases against the GJM leaders after incidents of violence during the statehood agitation launched by the outfit in Darjeeling district in 2017. Gurung has moved the Calcutta High Court, seeking anticipatory bail in such cases. The matter will be heard on March 18.