I cannot see the hallowed land of Bengal getting blood drenched (in violence) and becoming a laboratory for trampling of human rights. People are saying that the state is turning into a gas chamber of democracy, Dhankhar had said.
File image of Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal. PTI
A day after Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said people are saying that West Bengal is “turning into a gas chamber of democracy,” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she has blocked him on Twitter.
The chief minister said she took the step as she was “disturbed” by his regular posts against her government on the microblogging platform. Banerjee also said that Dhankhar has threatened the chief secretary and the director general of police on several occasions.
Addressing a press meet, the chief minister said she has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi several times seeking the removal of Dhankhar.
“However, no action has been taken so far,” Banerjee, who shares an acrimonious relationship with the governor, said.
Dhankar, who is in a spat with the West Bengal government, had on Sunday launched a fresh attack on the TMC regime, saying, “I cannot see the hallowed land of Bengal getting blood drenched (in violence) and becoming a laboratory for trampling of human rights. People are saying that the state is turning into a gas chamber of democracy.”
Dhankar made the remarksat Gandhi Ghat on the bank of Hooghly river at Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district while paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary.
Asserting that no amount of “insults” will deter him from performing his duties, Dhankhar had said violence and democracy do not go together, and urged all to become messenger of peace and non-violence as a tribute to the father of the nation.
Hours after Mamata’s statement, governor Dhankhar on Monday cited the Indian Constitution saying, Article 159 mandates him to ensure that no one in the state blocks the law and order of the state.
He tweeted: “Under Article 167 it is Constitution “duty” of the Chief Minister to furnish such information relating to the administration of the affairs of the State and proposals for legislation as the Governor may call for. Why “block” information to Guv now for two years?”
Governor Dhankar has had several run-ins with the state government under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on a number of issues.
Last December, when suggestions were made that he should be replaced from the titular post of Chancellor of state-run universities in West Bengal, Dhankhar had lashed out at the state government on Twitter.
Dhankhar alleged that vice-chancellors of 24 universities in the state, including Kolkata and Jadavpur, had been appointed illegally. He also published a list of those universities by tweeting on Thursday. That list includes universities like Calcutta, Jadavpur, Gaurabanga, Alipurduar, Burdwan.
Dhankar also reiterated that he had not given his assent to the Howrah Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, adding that a submission made by the state advocate general before the Calcutta High Court to this effect may be erroneous.
“There is no paper, letter, discussion, consideration before the governor with regard to bifurcation of Howrah Municipal Corporation and creation of Bally municipality,” he said.
The Governor had earlier said that he had sent back the bill, for excluding areas of erstwhile Bally municipality from Howrah Municipal Corporation, on 24 November with queries which were yet to be answered.
“It is wrong for the Advocate General to submit before the high court that the governor has given assent to the bill,” he said.
Dhankhar, who has enjoyed a not-so-friendly relationship with the TMC government since taking over as governor in July, 2019 with both sides sparing no chance to attack each other, was also critical of Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee. “The Speaker should be aware of the duties and responsibilities of the position,” the governor said.
With PTI inputs
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