Bengal Governor vs Mamata Banerjee Again, This Time Over Raj Bhavan Expenses

Kolkata:

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar has complained that the Mamata Banerjee govt is pulling the handbag strings for the Raj Bhavan bills so tight that he won’t be capable of be offering biscuits with tea to the media on the subsequent press meet.

Mr Dhankar stated he had requested for a fund of Rs 30 to 40 lakh past the budgetary allocation for the Raj Bhavan. However the house secretary wrote again denying the finances, he stated, mentioning constraints on account of the coronavirus pandemic and Cyclone Amphan to “a governor who’s a teetotaler and a vegetarian.”

“Kya mazak ho raha hai (What is that this comic story),” the governor stated switching in brief throughout his press meet Monday afternoon. “Loose distribution of cash however no longer even Rs 30 lakh for Raj Bhavan!”

The outburst got here on the finish of a tirade in opposition to the Leader minister for dashing to the rescue, because it have been, of the state’s Director Common of Police. Previous this month, the Governor had written to DGP Virender soliciting for clarifications on some regulation and order problems and requested him to come back and meet him.

What seems to have disappointed Mr Dhankar is that the DGP didn’t display up on 3 other dates assigned to him and as a substitute despatched a temporary written reaction to the Governor. The Leader Minister quickly after wrote a Nine-page letter to the Governor wondering his authority to call for data without delay from officers of her govt and the tone and tenor of his letter to the DGP.

“Time to sanitise energy corridors,” Mr Dhankar stated, hitting out at each the Leader Minister and the highest police officer. Accusing the police of changing into a “danger as a substitute of a protector of human rights”, the Governor stated the federal government is “now performing on police crutches” and the police are “in servitude and in move slowly mode”.

“Mounting digital surveillance” had grew to become Bengal right into a “face time state”, Mr Dhankar stated, and added that individuals of the state have been cautious of constructing a standard telephone name out for worry of being tapped.

“Bengal now has the entire trappings of a police state,” he stated.

This isn’t the primary offended outburst via the Governor in opposition to the Bengal govt. However he additionally issued one thing of a caution pronouncing he “could have to have a look at Article 154 (1) of the Charter” which says: “The chief energy of the State will probably be vested within the Governor and will probably be exercised via him both without delay or thru officials subordinate to him based on this Charter.”

Senior Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy stated the Governor was once exceeding his constitutional place and insulting the state along with his threats.

“The Governor is simplest looking to make stronger the palms of the centre in opposition to the state,” he stated, including, “the Governor is violating each and every Constitutional norm.”

Mr Dhankar stated, “If any individual thinks that administrative center of governor is decorative, emasculated, rubber stamp publish administrative center, that’s not so. This administrative center has sufficient energy to maintain the Charter.”

He has given a written reaction to Mamata Banerjee who left for a three-day excursion of North Bengal on Monday afternoon, her first outstation talk over with after the pandemic broke out. Mamata Banerjee might reply after she returns to Kolkata.

The duel between the elected head of presidency and the Governor is prone to proceed until the 2021 Meeting elections in West Bengal.